Everything Else

So We Sailed Up To The Sun

By 1407

Since the matchup was set, I’ve had a hard time getting a hold on this series. Which probably means we’re in for a good one, which the NHL could use. It’s been a while since there was a classic Final. Hawks-Bruins is probably the last one, and even that lost some of its luster when all of Patrice Bergeron’s organs fell into his feet. Rangers-Kings was awful, Hawks-Lightning was tightly contested but the games theselves weren’t really much for the neutral (the last three games were all 2-1 or 2-0). I honestly don’t remember any of the Sharks-Penguins games from last year except for maybe Donskoi’s OT winner. Hopefully, we get a little better here.

It’s also hard to fully judge these two teams as banged up as they are. While the Penguins are basically only a Letang short of a full lineup, there are so many guys who look like they are carrying something or have missed time that you don’t know exactly what you’re getting. The Preds don’t have Johansen and Fiala, which is a real problem.

Everything Else

Quite Rightly

By 1640

Of what was on offer, Penguins-Predators is by far the most palatable matchup, and will probably provide the best hockey. And it will look really odd on high definition televisions, which I’m here for. And it also probably provides the most talking points. I’ll try and get through them all, if I can remember them.

-This postseason has seen the most discussion of “styles” that I can remember, whether it was how boring the Senators were to whether or not the Penguins have somehow cracked a “counter-attacking” style against the Caps and a few other things. I suppose the one downside–there are assuredly others that I want to ignore–of a lot of hockey writers being soccer fans was making connections between a team like Leiceister City winning the Premier League and a hockey team trying to do the same thing.

The problem with this thinking is it’s a lot easier to sag back in soccer and still be a good defensive team than it is in hockey. If you’re causing all the shots to come from 25-30 yards in soccer, that’s fine and if someone crashes one in that’s more just bad luck. In hockey goals from points shots that are screened or deflected are far more common, so it’s best to just not give them up at all.

Both Ottawa and Pittsburgh are in the bottom half of playoff teams when it comes to scoring chances against per game, so both have needed strong goalie performances to get where they are. Same with high-danger chances. They’ve been ok, but hardly great. Meanwhile, the Predators have been highly effective in limiting the types of chances teams get, which is probably the big advantage in this upcoming Final.

Everything Else

Get It Over With

By 1751

It’s startling on how the feelings can change about a Game 7 in just one round. Just a couple weeks ago, we were all eagerly anticipating the Game 7 between the Capitals and Penguins, the culmination of a Mega Powers matchup that we’d been looking forward to since about November. Now tonight we have a Game 7 of a series that we pretty much just want to die and go away forever.

The constant argument over the Senators is an excellent example of how basically all sports coverage refuses to seen any nuance in any subject. The past couple weeks, or even months, have been one side screaming how boring the Senators are to watch at times, and the other screaming back that it’s not their job to be entertaining but to win.

Both of these things can be true.

Everything Else

This One’s Easy

By 2422

We only know one half of the participants in the Stanley Cup Final, which will start Monday (and starting it on a holiday seems a bit weird to me but at this point I’m beyond studying it too hard). The NHL only needs to know half though, because they can once again, finally, put the most deserving player in the position of face of the league.

It is time for the hockey world to come to terms with PK Subban.

Everything Else

And It Was All Yellow

By 1586

Does the fact the Predators just ran through the Western Conference make their sweep against the Hawks easier to stomach? I suppose a little. Had they biffed it to St. Louis, things would probably feel a little different.

I’ll say this for Sam…in our playoff preview podcast, he didn’t think it would take more than 15 games for the Hawks to make it through the West. He was close; he just had the wrong team. As we discussed in that podcast way back when, the playoffs were never more shallow than they were this year. Perhaps that’s why the Hawks getting bounced in 4 stung a bit more. It was only until this series where the Predators were truly tested and even then, it’s still Anaheim. Not exactly a core known for going out on their shields.

To be fair, the Ducks deserved a better fate in last night’s tilt and were done in by an in-over-his head Jonathan Bernier. Bernier did his team no favors by putting them in two two-goal deficits. Not helping matters was allowing a very soft goal in the first two minutes of the game which allowed the Preds and their fans to continue to work themselves into a frenzy.

To their credit, the Ducks were able to fight back finally only to see the lead handed right back to the Predators on one of their first shots on goal since Anaheim tied it. You can only do so much with 20,000 strong slobbering all over themselves. Or Filip Forsberg clearing attempt that took fourteen crazy bounces before heading towards an empty net to seal your fate.

Sometimes, there’s no stopping what is meant to be.

Make no mistake, the Predators have lived a charmed life in this postseason (minus their injuries to key players) and their first empty net goal of the night was another perfect example. Starting with Rinne diving back to save a puck that was headed towards his empty cage in Game 3 versus the Hawks and continuing through tonight, it’s all come up Nashville thus far. That’s not to say they don’t work hard or didn’t deserve to make this far. They certainly do. There was no team more worthy in the West this spring.

You could make an argument for Anaheim but they are literally too stupid to insult. Besides, you reap what you sow when you lose a Game 5 on home ice in a tied series.

–A Pittsburgh/Nashville Final would definitely be the most interesting of options left for the 500 people in other markets who still give a crap. I’m not sure the Predators could keep up with the Penguins, what with their battered offensive lineup…but the Penguins aren’t exactly a beacon of good health these days either. Which is sort of what Sam was saying the other day. This playoffs, more than any I can directly recall, have become this war of attrition where teams are digging through forwards 14, 15 and 16 on the depth chart to fill out lineups.

I don’t think this has become a trend yet – just last year the Sharks and Penguins had everyone who mattered playing in the Final. But it bears watching as we move forward.

–One thing Hawk (or Chicago, in general) fans can learn from Predator fans is how to truly enjoy the moment. Of all the excitement in this postseason, there hasn’t been much consternation about this upcoming offseason and the contract extensions that await Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson. One thing that’s always bugged me when the Hawks were making their deep runs was the impending doom that followed any success.

“Uh oh, Bryan Bickell scored again. Add another million to his cap hit.”

“Brandon Saad is so good. The Hawks are going to have to pay up.”

“Will someone send an offer sheet to Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane?”

Like, who cares, Scooby? Meanwhile, the Hawks are playing meaningful, exciting games in the summer. As if there was nothing else worth discussing. I truly think this is more of a Chicago fandom type exercise than something strictly related to hockey and Hawk fans. The reason I believe this to be true – In October, I saw Sam’s head spin a full 360 degrees like Regan Macneil when someone had the audacity to ask him about next year’s Cub lineup on the eve of Game 6 of the NLCS.

–Seems like enough for now. Hopefully the Penguins finish off the James Bond villian-led Senators tonight in homage to Roger Moore (skypoint) tonight and we can get one step closer to the off season.

 

Everything Else

The NHL Is Out To Lunch, And So Is YCP

By 17917

Man, am I fucking sick of writing posts like this. But the NHL, it’s rock-stupid/ignorant players, the league’s insistence on pretty much letting them be that, and the supposed-watchdog organization riding shotgun seem pretty fucking insistent that I and many others have to keep doing so.

To recap the news, though you probably know it already, Ryan Getzlaf got caught calling someone a “cocksucker,” a homophobic slur whether you like it or not, the NHL fined him the change he found between his couch cushions, he came out after Game 5 and delivered the most insincere, backhanded apology one could muster, one so lacking in any emotion or regret even Jay Cutler thought it was patronizing, and You Can Play released a statement that was so soft and passionless it’s a wonder the paper it was printing on didn’t actually piss down its leg. So a good weekend for all around.

Everything Else

Attrition And Panic

By 1557

It probably isn’t the best way to watch the NHL playoffs in the context of a larger meaning. Life has no meaning, eat Arby’s. We all know this. But when the Hawks are done for this long you can’t help but let your mind wander.

Before this Penguins-Senators series, while I was wary of my prediction skills in saying that then Pens should win relatively easily, the comparison of the two teams’ rosters wouldn’t lead to any other conclusion. But the thing is this isn’t really the Penguins’ complete roster.

Everything Else

Coming Through Your TV

By 1867

I get that trying to support the Nashville Predators this spring has been a tricky proposition. There’s always a bit of angst about the team that knocked you out. Thankfully that’s been somewhat mitigated by their next two opponents being two teams I can’t stand, and I know I’m not alone.

There’s obviously the bigger, much bigger, that this was the organization that stood behind and re-signed Mike Ribeiro, and also employed Mike Fisher and his non-stop bible-waving arm. So I get that, too. God knows if you’re a Hawks fan you’ve dealt with enough conflict in your hearts to add any more to it.

And yet I find myself drawn to the Predators’ run here, not just because of PK Subban or Ryan Johansen simply caving in Kesler’s skull while calling him out on it, though those certainly help.

It’s the noise coming through my TV.

Everything Else

Boredom And Bullshit

By 1768

The Senators took a 1-0 lead over what looked to be a very tired Penguins team, and one that was already beat up, and all anyone could talk about was how boring the Senators are. Apparently most everyone hadn’t watched the Sens all year or in the first two rounds, and I can’t really blame you if you didn’t because the Bruins and Rangers hardly  move the interest needle either. This is what Guy Boucher does. Maybe you didn’t pay attention to what he did in Tampa, and again I don’t blame you if you didn’t because it really wasn’t worth your time.

But Guy Boucher, and the Senators as a whole, don’t owe you anything.

Everything Else

Friday Foofaraw: Mother

By 1335

If you’re new to the surroundings here, during the offseason on Fridays is when we tend to get a little loose and write about anything that happens to be on our mind. In Feather’s case, it’s almost always zombies. So here’s our first for this offseason. 

First off, she’s the one in the middle. There are two stories I’ve been told about this photo, which was taken well before I came on the scene. One is that it was a Christmas card photo from her company. The other was that it was for an article in an advertising magazine. Either way, it applied to the company my mother ran and owned, which was a placement agency in the advertising world. Every other member of my family was involved in advertising, so if you’re wondering why I’m constantly tweeting about how much I loathe 95% of advertising, this is pretty much why.