Canada Wins Hockey Gold in Convincing Fashion

There are only two Winter Olympic sports I genuinely care about: hockey and curling. Canada won gold in both sports, both genders. I guess it's nice that Canada has something to be proud of, but seeing groups of Canadians happy just irritates me for some reason.

At the same time I'm happy for Patrice Bergeron and Claude Julien. I'm also happy that Loui Eriksson won silver and Tuukka Rask won bronze. Five Boston Bruins players went to Sochi to play for five teams, and three of them will return with medals.

Canada beat Sweden 3-0 to win gold in men's ice hockey. Sweden was lacking Henrik Zetterberg and Nicklas Backstrom. Already an underdog, losing those two centers made the task of beating Canada almost impossible.

The Canadians brought their "eh" game (not my joke). They saved their best hockey for the elimination rounds. Their win over Sweden was almost flawless. Jonathan Toews put them up 1-0 with a deflection between Henrik Lundqvist's legs. The goal was a byproduct of puck possession and Toews' ability to get position in front of the net. All game long, Lundqvist had to deal with bodies on top of him.

Sidney Crosby scored Canada's second goal. Jonathan Ericsson tried to carry the puck through three Canadian players instead of dumping it into the corner. Crosby stole it from Ericsson then beat Lundqvist on a breakaway.

Chris Kunitz sealed the deal in the 3rd.

Canada's control of this game is demonstrated by shots on goal. The Swedes only got 9 shots on Carey Price in the 2nd period, and only 4 in the 3rd. That's an amazing stat, only 4 shots on goal in a period. Price stopped all shots he saw and extended his shutout streak to over 160 minutes. The Latvians were the last team to score on him.

Canada was the best team in this tournament. Their roster was built the best, their coaches were by far the best, they played the best. This team didn't just win based on their talent, of which they had quite a bit, they won with effort, teamwork, execution, and passion.

This might be the last Olympics with NHL players, which would be a shame. This tournament provided some compelling storylines, from Canada's success to Russian and American disappointment. Finland winning bronze is a good story, as were the quarterfinal appearances of Latvia and Slovenia.

I really hope Olympic hockey remains a showcase of the game at its finest, and not just another international tournament that only clinically diagnosed hockey addicts care about.

Photo Credit:
Martin Rose/Getty

Olympic Hockey: Swedes Speed Past Slovenia

The Swedish play a methodical, confident style of hockey. They don't panic, they don't rush, they don't force plays that aren't there. They possess the puck, make their opponent skate around, then they use their high skill level and speed to make things happen. That's what they did to Slovenia, winning 5-0 to advance to the semifinals.

Even though the Swedes were an overwhelming favorite against Slovenia, this was a 0-0 game for almost the entire first period. It was a 1-0 game until early in the 3rd. The Swedes didn't score much for 40 minutes, but they were dictating the entire 60 minutes of this game. Slovenia had a handful of chances, but Henrik Lundqvist stopped them all. Lundqvist is another reason the Swedes can play with such patience and composure.

Alex Steen scored a power play goal in the 1st to put Sweden up 1-0. Then in the 3rd the Swedes broke the game open as the Slovenians looked exhausted. Loui Eriksson of the Boston Bruins set up Daniel Sedin to make it 2-0. Then Eriksson scored himself. Carl Hagelin scored the last two goals to make it 5-0. Erik Karlsson had an assist on Sweden's first goal and their last goal.

Henrik Lundqvist stopped 19 shots and recorded his second shutout of the Olympics. He's allowed 5 goals in 4 games and of the goalies on the four teams still standing, he's played the best at Sochi.

The Swedes will play Finland Friday morning at 6:30 (Eastern) on NBC Sports. This is a rematch of the 2006 gold medal game in Torino. Sweden won that game 3-2, and I think you'll see a similar result Friday.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Fourth Line to the Rescue

I really thought the Rangers were going to steal this game. Fans up here in Boston had been feeling cocky about the Bruins "beating" Lundqvist for 8 goals, when he actually hadn't played that bad. I thought maybe the players would feel a little too overconfident as well. Lundqvist came out and made some Vezinian saves, and this game looked like it would end as a 1-0 Tortorella special. It would have if not for the play of the Bruins' 4th line.

Some people, such as 98.5's Michael Felger, like to complain about the 4th line. And even I sometimes get annoyed when they're on the ice in a potential scoring situation. The fact is, they play their roles and occasionally add a little more. Thornton is the enforcer. Paille is a speedy penalty-killer. Campbell also kills penalties and is sort of a jack of all trades, master of none. Sometimes they go above and beyond their roles. Like last night when they generated 2 goals. Shawn Thornton's numbers speak volumes to their contribution...

6:42 time on ice, 11 shifts, 2 assists, +2, 2 shots on goal, 3 hits, 1 blocked shot

He only played in 11% of the game, and he did all that.

You never fail to notice that the 4th line is on the ice. Sometimes you don't notice Lucic or Horton or Peverley. But you never fail to notice the 4th line. And they won the game last night. So from me, and from the 4th line, suck it, Felger...

Tuukka Rask's play made it so the 4th line was in position to win the game. The goal Rask allowed in the 2nd possibly could have been saved, but apart from that he was flawless. His 3rd period right-pad stop on Rick Nash during a 4-on-2 breakaway when the game was 1-1 was the biggest save of the game. Bigger than any saves Lundqvist made. It was also a timely save. And it could prove to be the biggest save of the series. That save is probably the difference between a 3-0 series and a 2-1 series. And just like the ball-strike count in baseball, that's a huge difference. The Bruins now have a 3-0 count in their favor, and a green light to swing away.

Continuing the baseball comparison, Rask was like a pitcher who gave up a solo homerun in the 2nd inning, but retired the last 9 batters he faced, starting with striking out the side with the bases loaded in the 7th.

Rask was an Ace last night.

And let's not forget Johnny Boychuk, who scored his 4th postseason goal. That's second most on the Bruins (behind Krejci's 5 and tied with Horton), and the most of any defenseman in the playoffs. He has 10 career playoff goals in 55 games. That's not bad at all for a defenseman.

I do have a question to pose: if the Bruins get all their defensemen healthy, should they put Torey Krug on the 3rd line as a winger? Obviously this is not a serious question. Or is it? It isn't.

Or is it?

Game 4 Thursday night. Expect a desperate Rangers team to fight tooth and nail. It could be the hardest game of the series for the Bruins. Or maybe the Rangers will quit on their coach and get blown out 5-1.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Bruins Have Another Epic Game Against the Rangers

A playoff matchup between the Bruins and Rangers might scare some, but it wouldn't bore anyone. These teams once again played an exciting, unpredictable, closely fought game. It's kind of a shame that they won't face each other for the rest of the regular season.

The difference in this game was goaltending. Henrik Lundqvist was frighteningly sharp. He is the reason the Rangers are such a potentially scary team to face in the playoffs. He has the potential to be what Jonathan Quick was last spring, and what Tim Thomas was in 2011.

On the other side of the ice was Tuukka Rask. Rask has been brilliant this season, but last night he was a bit of a sieve. He could have stopped 2 of New York's 3 goals. And certainly their 3rd one should have been stopped.

So Lundqvist was excellent, Rask was not his best. Even still, the Bruins managed to fight back and salvage a point. And that's why we love them. Their fire, their tenacity. They don't give up, they don't make excuses. Are you paying attention, Red Sox? There are two teams in Boston playing right now that do not quit, and that's why their fans love them even after they lose.

This game wasn't just about goaltending. The Bruins made some mistakes, the Rangers capitalized on them. Give some blame to guys like Milan Lucic, but also give credit to Derek Stepan and Anton Stralman for their unassisted goals.

In a potential playoff series with the Rangers, the Bruins can't afford such mistakes. Nor can they afford an inept Power Play, or a goalie that lets in bonus goals. But the playoffs are many weeks away. It's still February, the Bruins are still 8-1-2.

The Bruins are starting a 5 game road-trip and won't be home again until the 28th. They're in Buffalo Friday night.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Elise Amendola

Are the Rangers Choking?

I thought the Rangers were a strong candidate to win the Cup this year because they reminded me so much of last year's Bruins. They had a brilliant goalie, a sound defensive system, and could get goals from multiple guys on various lines.

But a defensive system only works if its followed. If players don't do what they're supposed to do, if they're not where they supposed to be, the system breaks down and fails.

That's what happened last night.

New Jersey scored their first goal when Ranger defensemen Stu Bickel left the front of the net and Stephen Gionta knocked a rebound past Lundqvist. A pinching Ranger defensemen eventually resulted in New Jersey's second goal. The Devils' third goal came when Ryan McDonagh made a desperate pinch, didn't get to the puck in time, the Devil's went up ice and Travis Zajac scored. It was a soft goal for Lundqvist to allow.

New York eventually tied it up. Thanks mostly to lucky bounces and Martin Brodeur losing a puck in his skates (as he tends to do from time to time). But another defensive miscue, this time by winger Carl Hagelin, led to New Jersey's winning goal in the 3rd. Ryan Carter was left all alone as Hagelin was focusing on a 2-on-2 puck battle along the boards and not on the dangerous central area of the ice. Carter went to that area, the Devils won the puck battle, and Carter scored.

The Rangers seem to have forgotten how they won 51 games and 2 playoff series. And when they were down 2-0 with 50 minutes of hockey left to play, they started getting desperate and impatient. New Jersey took advantage.

Then there's a guy like Gaborik, who technically scored last night but that goal was a result of Brodeur kicking the puck into his own net. Apart from that gift, Gaborik hasn't scored a point in this series. He had 3 goals and 4 assists against Washington. The Rangers need their 40+ goal scorer to score. Or at least help others to do so.

Give credit to New Jersey, though. They've played true to themselves. They know who they are and they're doing what they're good at. Their best players are playing their best. And now they're only one win away from the Cup Finals.

Game 6 Friday night in Newark.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Rangers Block Devils

Henrik Lundqvist stopped all 21 shots that reached him last night. His teammates kept 25 more shots from reaching him at all. Dan Girardi and Marc Staal each blocked 5 shots. Girardi also scored the Rangers' first goal of the game, which didn't come until the start of the 3rd period.

Chris Kreider, who struggled during the Washington seires, scored a Power Play goal. Girardi had an assist on that one. It's Kreider's 3rd goal of the playoffs. This guy has never played a regular season NHL game. How weird would it be for him to win an NCAA Championship and a Stanley Cup in the same season?

The Rangers are just a little bit better than the Devils in a few key departments. Lundqvist is better than Brodeur. The Rangers' defensive system is slightly better than the Devils'. The Rangers are better at capitalizing on mistakes and scoring breakaway goals.

For the Devils to win, guys like Kovalchuk and Parise must have a huge series. And that's going to be tough against Lundqvist.

Game 2 Wednesday night in New York.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Stanley Cup Preview: Rangers vs. Capitals*

The Capitals beat last year's Champs, a defensive minded team that tried to grind opponents down. The Rangers are a defensive minded team that tries to grind opponents down. So why won't Washington win? Because Henrik Lundqvist is playing out of his mind (1.70 GAA in first round). Because the Rangers have guys like Brad Richards, Ryan Callahan, and Marian Gaborik. And unlike the Bruins, their top players are playing like their top players.

I'm not sold on Braden Holtby. He's good. He's sound. But I think he struggles to smother loose pucks. The Rangers will take advantage of this. The Rangers also scored 5 times on the Power Play against Ottawa.

The Caps played to their maximum potential against the Bruins. But if the B's had done likewise, they would have beaten them in 5 or 6 games. The Rangers are hungry. They're more fundamentally sound than the Bruins, their goaltending is better, their scorers are scoring.

Rangers in 6.

Series schedule:
1: Saturday 4/28 - 3:00pm - WSH @ NYR - NBC
2: Monday 4/30 - 7:30pm - WSH @ NYR - NBC Sports
3: Wednesday 5/2 - 7:30pm - NYR @ WSH - NBC Sports
4: Saturday 5/5 - 12:00pm - NYR @ WSH - NBC
5: Monday 5/7 - 7:30pm - WSH @ NYR - NBC Sports
6: Wednesday 5/9 - tba - NYR @ WSH - tba
7: Saturday 5/12 - tba - WSH @ NYR - tba

Stanley Cup Preview: Senators vs. Rangers*

It's surprising to see both these teams where they are. They key players on the Rangers are all having great seasons. And the Senators are back in the playoffs much earlier than anyone could have predicted.

Both teams, however, ended the regular season on losing notes. The Rangers lost the President's Trophy to Vancouver, and the Senators fell from 7th to 8th place.

Special teams are normally a factor in the playoffs, but the Rangers' weak Power Play (23rd in the NHL) won't be able to take advantage of Ottawa's mediocre PK unit. Meanwhile, the Rangers' outstanding PK (5th best) should be able to quiet Ottawa's solid Power play (11th best). This series will be determined 5-on-5.

Henrik Lundqvist is one of the best goalies in the NHL. He struggled against Ottawa this season (9 goals in 3 games), but in the past he's always been able to shut down the Senators.

Ottawa has some weapons, and they'll win a few games in this series to make it interesting. But they're too young at key spots, they make too many small mistakes that become breakaway opportunities (which the Rangers are excellent in converting), and the Rangers are just a little bit deeper than they are.

Rangers in 7.

Series schedule:
1: Thursday 4/12 - 7:00pm - OTT @ NYR - NHL Network
2: Saturday 4/14 - 7:00pm - OTT @ NYR - NBC Sports
3: Monday 4/16 - 7:30pm - NYR @ OTT - CNBC
4: Wednesday 4/18 - 7:30pm - NYR @ OTT - CNBC
5: Saturday 4/21 - 7:00pm - OTT @ NYR - NBC Sports
6: Monday 4/23 - tba - NYR @ OTT - tba
7: Thursday 4/26 - tba - OTT @ NYR - tba

Bruins Lose to New York, Then Lose to New York

You can't help but respect the New York Rangers. Their style and strategy is so similarly to the Bruins. Excellent goaltending, mistake-free defense, offense from multiple sources, and an unwavering willingness to drop the gloves and fight. There's no blueprint to beat them. No schemes or tricks. You have to out-execute them. You have to make more plays, win more battles, commit fewer errors.

Yesterday afternoon the Bruins made fewer plays, won fewer battles, and committed more errors. Even if the B's had gotten a few bounces and won, I wouldn't have been happy with their performance. They're inconsistent. They've been inconsistent all season.

Some might gripe that bad luck cost the Bruins. A puck ricocheted off Greg Zanon's stick then his body and into the Bruins' net. Another puck bounced around behind Lundqvist without crossing the line. Oh and there was that weird non-icing call in the Islanders game on Saturday. And don't forget about the injuries to Peverley, Horton, and now Paille, Rask, and Ference.

These are the types of excuses you'd expect from Yawkey Way, not Causeway Street. And they are just that, excuses.

Did the Bruins play at their best, or even close to their best against the Rangers? Maybe for a 20 minute chunk of the game. The other 40 minutes were a display of mediocrity punctuated by the occasional bad decision. Chara passing to Kelly in the middle of the ice and with three Rangers in the area. New York's second goal saw Carl Hagelin streak down the ice, burning the Bruins' defensemen and making them look like they played free safety for the New England Patriots.

The timeout was effective. The Bruins played much better after that. The Rangers played much worse. Then the Rangers answered the Bruins' wave of momentum with one of their own. And the B's never answered back.

It's been a long time since we've seen 60 consecutive minutes of quality hockey from this team. Even during their winning stretch, they'd play 40 minutes of so-so hockey, turn it on in the 3rd period, and win. And we praised them for it.

I don't doubt they'll be able to advance past the likes of Ottawa or New Jersey in the playoffs, even if they're not stringing together more than 40 straight minutes of good hockey. But when it's time to face Philadelphia, or Pittsburgh, or the Rangers, there will need to be more consistency.

Bruins are in Toronto tomorrow night.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo