A Bad Night For Erik Karlsson
05/18/13 at 08:16 AM ET | Comments (0)
from Ken Warren of Senators Extra,
It was one of the worst nights of Karlsson’s career. He played only 15:37, an all-time low for him in a playoff game, clearly showing that he’s not even close to full health since his quick return from Achilles surgery.
“We finished pretty strong, but we started poorly,” Karlsson said, earlier in the interview. “Some of the blame is on me. I’m struggling a little bit.”
Karlsson says he’s not sure whether his problems stem from the injury or fatigue.
“I don’t really know,” he said. “I don’t think I have the answer to that myself. I just have to find a way to figure my body out and obviously I’m not feeling the same way as I’m used to. It started bad and I just couldn’t get it going.”
Senators coach Paul MacLean didn’t disagree with any of that.
“He played 15:37, which isn’t normal for him,” said MacLean, looking at the official game sheet. “So, obviously, he wasn’t one of our best players. On our team, the best players play. He wasn’t one of our best players, so he didn’t play.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, | KK Hockey | Permalink
San Jose GM Doug Wilson On The Torres Suspension
05/18/13 at 08:06 AM ET | Comments (1)
from the Sharks website,
The Sharks organization fully supports the NHL in its efforts to remove illegal and dangerous hits from the game but we strongly disagree with the NHL's decision to suspend Raffi Torres.
Upon review of the incident, it is abundantly clear that this was a clean hockey hit. As noted by the NHL, Raffi's initial point of contact was a shoulder-to-shoulder hit on an opponent who was playing the puck. He did not leave his feet or elevate, he kept his shoulder tucked and elbow down at his side, and he was gliding - not skating or charging.
As stated in the NHL's Player Safety video, Rule 48.1 says, "A hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted." Thus, with the use of the word "and", this rule clearly states that two elements must occur in order to violate the rule. Raffi absolutely did not target his opponent's head on the play. The call on the ice specifically acknowledged that the head was not targeted and nowhere in the NHL's ruling does it insinuate or suggest that the opponent's head was targeted.
How does Don Cherry feel about the suspension? Watch below and find out...
Filed in: NHL Teams, San Jose Sharks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: doug+wilson
Red Wings-Blackhawks Game 2 set-up and overnight report: time to see what the square wheel can do
Blog: The Malik Report By George Malik
05/18/13 at 03:04 AM ET | Comments (1)
The Detroit Red Wings will attempt to assuage a third-period meltdown as they face off against the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 2 of their second-round series today (1 PM EDT to accomodate the Preakness Stakes on NBC, also on the CBC, 97.1, and WDIV and Fox Sports Detroit will air post-game shows in Michigan). If the teams' recent history (and the experts) are to be believed, as noted by the Chicago Daily Herald's Mark Lazerus noted, the Wings may as well give up now...
The Blackhawks have won eight consecutive games against the Red Wings. That’s their second-longest winning streak against the Wings in the 87-year history of the rivalry. The Hawks won 13 in a row during an 18-0-1 run from April 8, 1970, to Jan. 17, 1973.
The Hawks were 4-0-0 against the Red Wings in the regular season. Since 2005-06, teams that have gone 3-0 or better against an opponent in the regular season are 10-1 against that team in the postseason. In 2008, the Canadiens went 4-0-0 vs. the Flyers, then lost 4-1 to Philadelphia in the second round of the playoffs.
And Corey Crawford's record vs. Detroit in the regular season and playoffs is an equally scary 12-2-and-2, but the Hawks don't expect the Wings to give up easily. Instead, the Hawks told the Sun-Times' Mark Potash that they're expecting the Wings to literally and figuratively push back:
Filed in: | The Malik Report | Permalink
Grand Rapids Griffins defeat Toronto 4-1, lead second-round series 3-1
Blog: The Malik Report By George Malik
05/18/13 at 01:04 AM ET | Comments (1)
The Grand Rapids Griffins have been playing lights-out spectacular hockey while I was away, and on Friday night, the Griffins took a 3-1 lead over the Toronto Marlies in their second round AHL series, defeating Toronto 4-1. The Grand Rapids Griffins' website provides a recap of the game...
The Grand Rapids Griffins pushed the Toronto Marlies to the brink on Friday night with a 4-1 victory at Van Andel Arena, taking a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Landon Ferraro banked the game-winning goal off a Marlies defenseman and past former Griffin Drew MacIntyre with less than 10 minutes remaining, a rare reward for the home team on a night in which Grand Rapids outshot Toronto by a 2-to-1 margin (36-18).
The Griffins will have a chance to close out the Marlies and advance to their first conference finals in seven years on Saturday when they host Game 5 at 7 p.m.
If the Griffins win tonight, they'll advance to play the Oklahoma City Barons, the Edmonton Oilers' AHL affiliate...
Filed in: | The Malik Report | Permalink
The Hossa-vs-Franzen debate, directly referenced, series-pertinent for the Hawks and Wings
Blog: The Malik Report By George Malik
05/17/13 at 10:19 PM ET | Comments (11)
I've not wanted to step into this minefield since the summer of 2009, but the Free Press's Helene St. James is a seasoned pro in navigating these sorts of things, so she went out and plainly stated that, for the Red Wings-Blackhawks series, anyway, Detroit needs Johan Franzen to match or eclipse the play of one Marian Hossa, and this is just a snippet from a much longer article:
Franzen himself repeatedly has said this time of year is, for him, “more fun. It’s tighter out there. More energy out there, and that’s fun. When you win, it’s fun. That’s all I care about, is if we win.”
It seems incongruous that Franzen doesn’t care more whether he scores, that he doesn’t connect him scoring with the team having success. It’s how it works, especially this time of year: Star players have to be star players. Like Hossa, who has seven points in six games.
Filed in: | The Malik Report | Permalink
Red Wings pre-game 2 evening gnus: Wings hope to rebound, regain literal and figurative edges
Blog: The Malik Report By George Malik
05/17/13 at 09:23 PM ET | Comments (1)
The Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks will resume their "commuter" series (at least by Detroit-to-Anaheim-and-back standards) tomorrow at an early CDT hour (1 PM EDT, 12 noon CDT, on the CBC, NBC and 97.1 FM, with post-game shows on WDIV and Fox Sports Detroit), but if we are to believe everybody from Chicagoland's best to Jimmy Devellano, the Wings are down by more than a single game, and have a vertical climb in attempting to rally against the much-heralded Hawks.
NHL.com's Brian Hedger suggests that the Blackhawks have not only "surpassed" the Wings, but as their ascent has taken place amidst salary cap-era constraints, that the Hawks may in fact serve as the real model franchise going forward:
Filed in: | The Malik Report | Permalink
Video- Come On Boys
05/17/13 at 06:24 PM ET | Comments (3)
Many NHL players were mic'ed by during the frist round of the playoffs.
Boy, boys sure is tossed around.
Filed in: NHL Teams, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Talking Puck Over The Glass And Missed Infractions
05/17/13 at 04:04 PM ET | Comments (1)
from Kerry Fraser of TSN,
Every other rule in the book allows for referee discretion to determine the existence of an infraction, along with the varying degrees at the referee's disposal to implement the final assessment ranging from a minor, double minor, major or match penalty. Aside from determining if the puck is deflected, the referee's discretion is nonexistent when it come to Rule 63.2 — Delaying the Game; Puck over the glass!
We have seen more than one playoff game determined when a player accidentally put the puck over the glass to incur a penalty. It matters not if the puck was rolling and unsettled or the ice was bad and contributed to the flight of the puck. It's the only rule that I can honestly say is simply 'Black and White'!It was very disconcerting for me to see obvious infractions that went uncalled in deciding games and particularly Game 7's that were played in the previous round. These 'discretionary calls' ranged from body slams to majors for elbowing, cross-checks from behind or a major cross-check infraction to the face (minor called), attempted slew-foot, goalkeeper retaliation with a blocker strike to an opponent's head, charging, and boarding. The referee 'discretion' implemented at times pretty much ran the gambit with a "let them play" mentality.
While I'm not suggesting that this poor standard of enforcement is in any way acceptable, it further demonstrates the absurdity of the puck over glass rule as it now exists.
Filed in: NHL Teams, NHL Talk, NHL Officiating, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Spezza Could Play On Sunday
05/17/13 at 02:54 PM ET | Comments (0)
from Bruce Garrioch of Off The Posts,
A source told the Sun Spezza is targeting a Sunday return, but has to get clearance from the doctors.
“He continues to skate on a daily basis and makes progress,” said MacLean Friday. “We’ll go through practice (Saturday) and the pre-game skate and we’ll see where it is. If he’s available to us, it’s Jason Spezza, we’re going to have him in the lineup.”
The Senators will have an optional skate Saturday and Spezza will skate with that group.
“I know I’m going to be there to watch it,” said MacLean. “I might not be on the ice, but we’ll make a decision from there. I don’t know about all the medical hurdles but I’ll know more about that (Saturday).”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Ottawa Senators, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: jason+spezza
‘Octopi Hockeytown’ and ‘Throw Your Wings Up’
Blog: The Malik Report By George Malik
05/17/13 at 02:25 PM ET | Comments (16)
According to the Free Press's George Sipple, the Red Wings' official playoff theme is "Octopi Hockeytown," and a local artist named Baby G has a tune about "Throwing Your Wings Up"...
As they say, "Pass or fail?"
Update: From, well, me:
It's a solid website, but the octopus-tossing is in picture form only.
Filed in: | The Malik Report | Permalink
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