All Star Weekend & Weekly TV Viewer Guide for week of 1/31

NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft

 

I thought this went very well. I was nervous that the NHL would make it overly-gimmicky and over-produce the hell out of it, but they let the even speak for itself. They had the three captains up there making their picks the same way you or I would if we did a fantasy draft with our buddies. I thought TSN could have done a slightly better job preparing (you could tell they were doing things by the seat of their pants, but a little of that is to be expected at a first-time event) and planning, but overall, a great night. The highlight of the night was when Phil Kessel was left by himself among the remaining players and Alexander Ovechkin took a picture of him sitting there on his phone, very funny stuff. Eric Staal announcing the Henrik Lundqvist pick of "From the New York Rangers......Henrik Lundqvist" with his brother Marc still sitting out there was good stuff as well.

Skills Competition

 

Bruins Defenseman Zdeno Chara breaks his own record at the All-Star Skills Competition with a 105.9 mph slap shot

The Saturday night festivities or All-Star weekend was it's usual hit. Michal Grabner represented the lowly Islanders well in the fastest skater competition, seeing Cam Ward and Tim Thomas (who busted his ass) race in full goalie gear was good comedy, Zdeno Chara breaking his own record for fastest shot ever (105.9 mph) were some of the highlights of the night. I love the Elimination Shootout to close the event and the "Relay Race" event is pretty cool too, but I don't like the Breakaway Challenge. It seems very disorganized, but I guess that's part of the charm. I know the rosters aren't set until Friday night, but picking the participants in that particular event in advance would give the players a chance to think about and maybe try what they want to do.

All-Star Game

 

Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist makes a save on Avs center Matt Duchene in the first penalty shot to ever occur in an All-Star game.

The great thing about the All-Star game is that even when a team has a 4-0 lead (like Team Staal did 4 minutes in to the game), it's never over. It was a see-saw game and a lot of fun to watch with Team Lidstrom winning 11-10. There were plenty of nice goals and dekes and passes throughout the game. I felt like the game dragged a bit as it went on though. It's interesting to see the dynamic of split players works. For example, late in the game, Bruins D Zdeno Chara had a chance to blast a shot from the low slot that could have tied the game. The problem - the man between the pipes was his teammate and top Vezina candidate Tim Thomas. You wouldn't want to hurt your own playoff chances in an exhibition, so Chara chose to go with a soft wrist shot. Some people don't like that side of the game, I enjoy that type of wrinkle. It will be real interesting to see how the NHL handles the captains next season in Ottawa. The Senators will most likely be gutting the entire organization and they won't have much in the way of their own All-Stars to promote. I hope the league decides to do the draft again next season.

WEEKLY TV Viewer Guide

 

We all live in Pittsburgh this week since all four of the Penguins games this week are televised nationally

NO MONDAY GAME DUE TO ALL-STAR BREAK

Tuesday - Penguins @ Rangers - 7:30PM - Versus

This is the first of four times that the Penguins will be on nationally televised this week. The Penguins are in 4th in the conference and trail the Flyers for the division & conference lead by five points. The Rangers are in 6th in the conference and trail Pittsburgh by five points for 2nd in the conference. It doesn't look like Crosby or Malkin will be in the line-up for this game, so it's a chance for the Rangers to catch the Penguins when they are hurting. Pittsburgh needs to come out and show that they can get by for stretches without those guys. The Blueshirts have won 2 of the 3 meetings between the two so far, but the Penguins won the lone game at MSG back in November.

Tuesday - 10PM - Coyotes @ Sharks - 10PM - Versus

-A rare mid-season doubleheader from Versus. This game features two Pacific Division teams that are battling in a tight Western Conference. Phoenix is in 6th place in the West while San Jose is clinging on to 8th. January was a rough month for the Sharks, going 5-7 but winning four of their last 5 down the stretch. San Jose has won both meetings this year by a combined score of 8-3. This will be there 2nd meeting in San Jose this season.

Wednesday - Islanders @ Penguins - 7:30PM - Versus

You already know everything about the Penguins coming in to this game. The Isles are 1-1-1 against the Penguins so far and they ended Sidney Crosby's point-scoring streak back in December on the Island. The Isles went in to the All-Star break losing three in a row and will be in Atlanta on Tuesday night.

THURSDAY - NO NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAME

Friday - Sabres @ Penguins - 7PM - NHL Network

This is the 3rd time we'll get a chance to check out the Penguins this week. The Penguins both won meetings in Buffalo by a combined score of 6-2 (the Pens won 1-0 in the first meeting of the season) and this will be their first match-up in the Consol Energy Center. 2011 has been a good year for the Sabres with a 8-3-1 record in the new year. G Ryan Miller has started all but one game for Buffalo since November 24th.

Saturday - Maple Leafs @ Sabres - 7PM - NHL Network

We get a good look at the Sabres this weekend as this will be their 2nd game on NHL Network in back to back nights. Buffalo needs to win games against lesser division opponents if they want to make a legitimate run at a top 8 spot in the conference. This is only their 3rd of 6 meetings this season, with the Sabres winning both games so far. Things need to turn around for the Leafs since they lost three in a row and six of seven heading in to the All-Star break. Toronto gets home games against Florida and Carolina before the Hockey Night in Canada match-up.

Sunday - Penguins @ Capitals - 12:30PM - NBC

This will be their first meeting since the Winter Classic at Heinz Field on New Years Night. The Caps are 4-2-4 since that victory and will have good tune ups vs. Montreal and @ Tampa Bay before this game. Semyon Varlamov got most of the work in January, going 2-3-2. These two finish up their season series later in the month with all four games coming in a two month span.

Weekly TV Viewer Guide - Week of 1/24/11

Monday - NY Rangers @ Washington Capitals - 7:30PM - Versus

It's always a tight and physical game whenever the Capitals (5th in the East) and Rangers  (7th in the East) meet. The Capitals are coming home after a three game road trip with two wins and an overtime loss and are 5-3-2 in their last 10. Alexander Ovechkin scored a hat trick in Saturday night's 4-1 win at Toronto. The Rangers are 6-4-0 in their last 10 and are coming off a 3-2 shootout win in Atlanta. The teams have split the two meetings at Madison Square Garden and this is the first of two meetings at the Verizon Center. Each have one game after this (NYR - Tues vs. Florida / WAS - Wed @ Atlanta) before the All-Star break.

 

Things are always close when Philadelphia and Montreal get together

Tuesday - Montreal Canadiens @ Philadelphia Flyers - 7 :30PM - Versus

The Philadelphia Flyers have a league-best 69 points going in to Tuesday's game against Montreal. Montreal is in 6th place in the East with 59 points and is 6-1-3 in 2011. Philadelphia is even hotter, going 9-2-0 since we've changed calendars, and exacted revenge on the defending champion Blackhawks in Chicago yesterday. This will be their 4th and final match-up of the season. Philly is 2-1 against the Habs this season, but Montreal played it close 3-2 in their November meeting at Wells Fargo. For both, this is their last game before the All-Star break.

Wednesday - New Jersey Devils @ Detroit Red Wings - 7:30PM - Versus 

While this season has been an abomination for the Devils, the tide is starting to turn in Newark. The Devils have won four in a row and six of their past seven after shutting down the Panthers at the Prudential Center yesterday. Detroit is 5-4-1 in the new year and received some bad news when the Islanders stole G Evgeni Nabokov from them in the waiver process. This will be their 2nd and final meeting of the season before both head in to the All-Star break. Detroit won 4-1 in New Jersey back in December.

Thursday - NO HOCKEY - NHL ALL STAR BREAK

 

Friday - NHL All-Star Game Fantasy Draft - 8PM - Versus

Team Lidstrom: Captain - Red Wings D Nicklas Lidstrom; Alternate Captains - Blackhawks RW Patrick Kane and Lightning RW Martin St. Louis

Team Staal: Captain - Hurricanes C Eric Staal; Alternate Captains - Capitals D Mike Green and Cancuks C Ryan Kesler

Coaches: Peter Laviolette of the Flyers and Joel Quenneville of the Blackhawks (Stanley Cup coaches from last year)

Here is the remaining pool of players they will be picking from;
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=66980

Saturday - Honda NHL All-Star Game Superskills Competition - 7PM - Versus
The competitions and the rules, participants TBD:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=67157

Sunday - 2011 NHL All Star Game - 4PM - Versus

I can't really preview something when I don't know what the rosters are yet. That being said, this new format should lead to a fun, exciting game to watch. The NHL is finally starting to get things right. First the Winter Classic, now this. For the first time in a long time, the NHL All-Star game has a little bit of juice.

Random Musings

Saku Comes Home

Big props to the Montreal Canadiens fans for their warm welcome of Ducks C Saku Koivu. Koivu spent 13 seasons in Montreal, nine of them as team captain (who happens to be tied with Jean Bealiveau for longest-tenured captain), consistently produced, played with a blue-collar ethic, was a true leader, and was fan-friendly. There has never been a more popular, non native-Canadian Habs player ever.  The feeling is more than mutual. Koivu was admittedly nervous before this game, and described the plane's decent in to Montreal as if felt like he was coming home.  It's nice to see when a fan base truly appreciates what a player did for the team.

 

Evgeni Nabokov Waiver Wildness

While some people may see this is as an athlete being a baby, it really isn't. The Red Wings signed him for cheap (a very smart decision by GM Ken Holland, one of the best in sports) and had the back-up goalie Detroit needed for a the remainder of the season. The problem is he had to clear waivers first. The New York Islanders, who have  major goaltending issues themselves, are ahead of the Red Wings and claimed him. Nabokov can decline to report, and that's what he did. On the surface, this is a case of "Beggars being Choosers". The Islanders have the 3rd worst record in the league, the Red Wings are a top team in the West. Of course Nabokov is going to be disappointed. But why should he report to a team who will only play him when Rick DiPietro can't play (although that could be often), while the Red Wings would play him about 20 times down the stretch, in meaningful games, as Jimmy Howard gets back to top form. The Isles did send a private jet to pick him up in Oakland, so it's not like they aren't trying.

 

Marc Savard Heading Home

Marc Savard has only 2 goals and 8 assists this season. The reason is because he's only played in 25 games. Savard suffered ANOTHER head injury in yesterday's win over the Avalanche. Savard was hit into the corner boards by Avalanche D Matt Hunwick at the 3:19 mark, causing his head to snap into the glass. He was bleeding from the face as he was helped to the team's locker room. Savard missed 23 games this season already due to post-concussion syndrome and had just returned early last month. He's had numerous head injuries in the past, and at some point, he has to think about retiring before long-term damage is done (if it hasn't happened already).

 Peter Forsberg returning?

Ahh yes, the somewhat frequent Peter Forsberg quest back to the NHL. Although with Forsberg, it's much less annoying than when Brett Favre or Mats Sundin does it. You get the feeling he's doing it for all the right reasons. Forsberg would be a perfect veteran presence on a young team. Forsberg is a hockey icon in Denver and it would be a great PR move, too. Forsberg joining the team in February means you'll get his best 3-4 months in one spurt. In a tight Western Conference, he could be the difference in playing in to May.

 

 Will the real Alexander Ovechkin please stand up?

It's only one hat trick, and it's against the awful Maple Leafs, but has Alex Ovechkin finally woken up? It was his first multi-goal game since October 30th. While Ovie has delivered in the assists department (32 for the season - good for 13th in the league) at his usual numbers, his goal total leaves a lot to be desired (19 - good for a tie for 17th in the league). He manages to tie for 8th in points at 51, but he's paid to score goals. Maybe his performance at the Air Canada Center gets him going at the right time in the season for the Caps.

Random Trend

Take a look at the standings in each conference. Among non-playoff teams, the only two that are positive in the goal differential are Los Angeles (+16, makes sense) and the Florida Panthers (+3)...yes the Panthers. While there won't be any playoff games in Sunrise, FL this season, they are a young bunch that's starting to gel on the ice.  G Tomas Vokoun's five shutouts ranks 3rd in the league and keeps them in every game. They're a tough out every night. Florida is a game above .500 while only being 8 points out of 8th in the East.

The current playoff teams that are a negative in goal differential: (Tampa Bay -8; Atlanta -9; Anaheim -7)

Tale of the Tape: Tim Thomas vs. Carey Price

The Bruins-Canadiens rivalry is just as good as ever with both having top-notch netminders

GAA: Tim Thomas - 1.77* / Carey Price 2.38


Wins: Carey Price 21 / Tim Thomas 19


Shutouts: Tim Thomas 6* / Carey Price 4


Save Percentage: Tim Thomas .946* / Carey Price .919


Games Played: Carey Price 39* / Tim Thomas 30

* = leads league

Both are Vezina candidates and both have their respective teams dominating the Northeast Division (two points separates the Bruins in 3rd place and the Canadiens in 7th). Both goalies were lights out two years ago and had down years last season. All of the numbers point to Tim Thomas being the better goalie. So why would I pick Carey Price over Thomas? This may sound simple, but age. Tim Thomas is 36, Carey Price is 23. I would much rather have fresh legs for the grind of the playoff season. Plus, I feel like Carey Price thrives on the pressure of being the man. Last year, he had Jaroslav Halak breathing down his neck. This year, it's all on him (no shot of the Habs going to Alex Auld), and Price looks like he's in top-notch form with each start. Tim Thomas is playing fantastic hockey, but Price is my pick.