May 2007
Monthly Archive
Thu 31 May 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
NBA PlayoffsNo Comments
LeBron James gave one of the all-time great playoff performances in carrying his Cavs to a 109-107 double overtime Game 5 win over Detroit at the Palace. He scored 29 of his playoff career high 48 in the fourth quarter and two overtimes to make it three straight for Cleveland- putting them just one victory away from their first ever NBA Finals where San Antonio awaits.
King James was a man possessed. With his team’s back to the wall after a Detroit 10-0 run halfway through the fourth quarter, the fourth-year superstar just took over. From the time Detroit led 88-81, the 22 year-old scored every single way possible to put his team in position to win in regulation. This included a three from the top of the key and a go-ahead jam to finish off an 8-0 run with under a minute left.
But with the Cavs up one, Chauncey Billups quickly answered with a stepback trey from the right side of the key to put Detroit back up 91-89. With his team once again needing a big bucket, an aggressive LeBron delivered by beating a double which didn’t come quick enough and slamming another home with under six seconds to go. Detroit called time to setup a potential winner. But Billups’ trey just missed at the buzzer forcing OT.
Finally in a rhythm after at one point being just 7-for-19, James was unbelievable in the overtimes scoring all 18 of his team’s points. Early in the first OT, he put Cleveland up four with a backdoor lay-in and a very difficult stepback inside the circle.
Another LeBron jam which gave the Cavs the lead certainly drew plenty of remarks from the TNT trio of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Reggie Miller about Detroit’s failure to double earlier. When James made another difficult stepback to put his team up four, it looked over. But the Pistons were able to hang in on experience.
First, Rasheed Wallace drew a foul and made both free throws to cut it to two with 30 seconds left. After a rare LeBron miss, Detroit called time with under six left. Out of it, Billups drove the lane and drew a foul with 3.1 to go. Mr. Big Shot calmly made both free throws to somehow force a second OT.
One of the reasons James was forced to take all the shots was that his other options were fouling out. Daniel Gibson (11) fouled out in the first OT. And Drew Gooden, who had a strong Game 4 was a nonfactor finishing with just seven and also fouling out.
It left James to basically fend for himself. A couple of the shots he hit which answered big Detroit baskets to tie it were unreal. After the Pistons went ahead, he dribbled behind his back and then drained a difficult long jumper over Billups. But when Chris Webber came right back with a three-point play ending second leading scorer Zydrunas Ilgauskas’Â (16) night, one had to figure James’ magic act was out of tricks.
Wrong! The next possession, LeBron dribbled away from a double team and hit a ridiculous trey to tie it at 107. Biggest shot of the night. If he doesn’t score there, maybe that’s it. But he did.
The next Detroit possession, they went into Wallace, who forced a quick turnaround from the left baseline which fell short. He felt he was fouled by Anderson Varejao, who defended it well. Was there some contact? Replays seemed to indicate so. However, it wasn’t a great look. You have to question why the Pistons went so quickly there with a five second differential.
Everyone knew who would get the ball when Cleveland called timeout. What was mindboggling was Detroit’s continued strategy of not being aggressive enough. Like Barkley, Smith and even guest TBS baseball analyst and Cooperstown-bound Tony Gwynn said:
“Get the ball out of his hands.”
Instead, they waited too long and allowed LeBron to sneak a clear view at the basket. By the time the double came, it was too late as the star was already in his move and double pumped before laying the winner home softly off the glass with only 2.2 ticks left stunning the Detroit capacity crowd.
After their final timeout, Billups got a great look but his runner in the lane was partially deflected by Varejao to push it just off the rim at the buzzer sending the entire excited Cleveland bench over to LeBron under the basket to congratulate him on what can be summed up as a Jordan-esque performance.
It was that special. Just how remarkable was he. He scored his team’s final 25 points and 29 of their last 30 making 11 of his final 14 field goals. This is what LeBron was advertised as when he came out of high school a few years ago. Billed as the NEXT ONE, he’s had plenty of criticism come his way for not taking over games such as this. Tonight, that all changed. He put his teammates on his back and changed how he’ll be viewed.
Along with his clutch 48, the versatile star finished with nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals. In an incredible 50 minutes, he finished 18-for-33 from the field including two money treys (2-of-3) in crunch time and converted 10-of-14 from the charity stripe.
This game will be remembered for a long time. Especially if Cleveland wraps this series up Saturday night at home and advances to its first NBA Finals.
For Detroit, it was a crushing defeat. They let it slip away. Part of that was the Cavs’ resiliency. There were times in the third quarter where it looked like they were going to pull away. But everytime, either LeBron or another Cav made a big shot to prevent it. The way Cleveland finished the third quarter which was their first good one of the series and first probably since sweeping Washington (they outscored Detroit 19-18), they had to feel extremely confident about stealing this game. A Gibson trey with a second left in the quarter tied it at 70.
Just how confident was Mike Brown. He allowed his superstar to get some valuable rest in the first three minutes of the fourth. Something which Steve Kerr made reference to during OT because LeBron “looked very fresh.”
Kerr has always been a very good analyst. And as usual, he nailed it here.
After the game, here was what Flip Saunders had to say about his team’s defense on LeBron:
“We tried to trap him and get it out of his hands, but he attacked. We’ll definitely have to do something different next time.“
Saunders definitely should change something because his team allowed LeBron to get too many clear paths to the basket. Once he picks up a full head of steam, it’s over.
Part of that strategy may or may not include key backup center Antonio McDyess. The valuable big was assessed a flagrant II foul in the opening quarter and automatically ejected for a hard foul on Varejao. His loss was definitely felt late. While he might not be the scorer he once was, the ex-Nugget is a presence in the middle and can alter shots. You have to figure he’d have been in the game defending the basket with Wallace instead of Jason Maxiell who got burned a couple of times.
It changes the strategy completely. So will he get suspended for Game 6? Detroit better hope not.
The Pistons had all five starters get double digits but it didn’t matter because of James’ heroics. Billups finished with 21 while Rip Hamilton paced them with 26 including a perfect 12-of-12 from the line along with a couple of big baskets in the second OT. They also got a big game from Webber, who finished with 20 and seven on 9-of-13 shooting. Wallace didn’t shoot the ball well but added 17, eight and two blocks. And Prince, who defended LeBron most of the game scored all of his 10 in the third quarter.
For Cleveland, Larry Hughes played through pain but hit for two treys and scored nine in 29 gritty minutes. Varejao added nine, three boards, two steals and two blocks.
You have to figure that James will get much more help next game in a potential closeout at home. Those fans should be extremely pumped up. But what they must remember is that Detroit will never quit. The Pistons are experienced enough to go on the road and win and have done it before in these pressure situations. LeBron and the Cavs experienced it last year when the Pistons backed up Rasheed’s guarantee winning in Cleveland before blowing the doors off them in Game 7 to advance to the ECF.
After a similar gutwrenching defeat to the Nets in an epic Game 5 which needed three OT’s to decide, the Pistons managed to bounceback and win at the Meadowlands before blowing the Nets out of the building in another Game 7 to advance to the NBA Finals.
They won’t panic. The question is is it too late as Barkley, Smith and Miller asserted earlier? We’ll find out Saturday.
Thu 31 May 2007
One summer ago, infielder Mitch Hilligoss was a player we really enjoyed covering here in Staten Island. Originally a sixth round pick out of Purdue in last year’s Baseball Draft, he went on to have a solid rookie pro season in helping lead the Baby Bombers to back-to-back NY-Penn League titles.
Hilligoss made a smooth transition from shortstop to the hot corner. A solid defensive player, he also was of the better hitters in the league finishing in the top 10 with a .292 average. The Windsor Illinois native was good enough to be a Penn League All Star and took home MVP honors.
The 21 year-old doesn’t possess a lot of pop in his bat. However, the lefty hitting third baseman is a patient hitter who has a good eye and can spray balls to both sides of the field. He also has decent speed as evidenced by his 12 steals last year.
In our opinion, he had one of the highest baseball IQs. So it’s no surprise that he’s doing well in Single A Charleston. However, even we’re a little taken back by his 37-game hitting streak which is a South Atlantic League record. With his first home run of the season to dead center in the first inning earlier tonight against Columbus, he extended it.
According to minorleaguebaseball.com, Hilligoss’ streak tied former major leaguer Joey Cora’s Las Vegas mark set in the Pacific Coast League 18 years ago.
The impressive streak began on April 18. Hilligoss also added a single, double and runscoring single in the seventh for his first four hit game with the Riverdogs- sparking them to a 6-2 victory. He also swiped his eighth base.
With the four hits, he lifted his average to .335 for the season. He also has 14 doubles and 23 RBI’s. About the only area so far he’s struggled is in the field where at last check he had 13 errors. However, none have come in his last 14 which is nice to see.
One thing is certain. Hilligoss is one to keep a close eye on.
Wed 30 May 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
NHL PlayoffsNo Comments
Final score: 
0 
1
Anaheim leads series 2-0.
Through two games, it really is hard to comprehend what exactly the Sens’ strategy is in this series. How can Bryan Murray’s club win when they just aren’t getting enough shots on Jean-Sebastien Giguere? The 2003 Conn Smythe winner turned away all 16 shots he faced en route to the shutout to put his team within two games of its first ever Stanley Cup.
So far, the Senators have gotten a grand total of 36 shots on Giggy in two games. That just won’t get it done. Part of the problem is that they just can’t mount a consistent attack at even strength against the defensive minded Ducks.
For the second consecutive night, the top line of Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley were blanketed by the impressive Sammi Pahlsson checking line flanked by rookie Travis Moen and Rob Niedermayer. So ineffective were the trio against Anaheim’s checking line that Murray broke them up for a few shifts in the third to try to get a spark.
Just how mortal did they look? The trio combined for only six shots and a dreadful 11 of their team’s 21 giveaways with six coming from their captain Alfredsson and four from Spezza including a costly one which led directly to the only goal of the game by Pahlsson. The top pivot tried to make a play at the blueline but never got the puck deep allowing the Ducks’ shutdown pivot to go the other way and then use defenseman Joe Corvo as a screen and wrist one by Ray Emery with 5:44 remaining.
How ineffective was Spezza? He also got destroyed on draws 13-3 with most coming against Pahlsson who went a sizzling 10-of-12 in the faceoff circle.
Even Spezza’s one good scoring chance a shift after the giveaway was thwarted by Giguere. He took an Alfredsson feed in front but couldn’t beat the Anaheim netminder who did his best work during a crucial 67 second Ottawa five-on-three in the first period.
Many including this space pointed towards a big Anaheim penalty kill in a similar situation with their team trailing 2-1 in Game 1. You could certainly make an argument that this was every bit as huge because the Sens were looking for something to give them more confidence. Instead, Giguere made his best saves of the game including a couple of sprawling ones and a quick glove to shutdown a Spezza opportunity from the side.
While the Sens came out a little better in getting seven shots, they still gave up too many chances and allowed the more physical Ducks to dictate the pace. The Pahlsson line created plenty of chaos in the second and nearly took advantage of a couple of poor Spezza turnovers.
Only the play of Emery allowed Ottawa to have a chance entering the final stanza. The Ducks outshot the Senators 26-11 including 14-4 in a dominant second. The Ottawa netminder was brilliant in this game. For as much as he’s been questioned throughout his team’s run though he’s been solid, there was little doubt tonight that he was his team’s best player and gave them every opportunity to steal Game 2. It’s ashame that his teammates didn’t step to the forefront and provide support because that’s how well he played.
The final 20 was mostly uneventful as both teams were tenative in a scoreless game which would explain the 10 combined shots with each getting five apiece.
Ottawa’s problem is they just never gave you an indication they had what it took to pressure the Anaheim D. The only forwards with jump were supporting players such as Mike Fisher, Dean McAmmond, Peter Schaefer and Oleg Saprykin. Murray did try Alfredsson with Fisher and Schaefer while shifting McAmmond with Spezza and Heatley for a couple of shifts. So, you can’t say the coach didn’t mix it up.
Unfortunately, when the Spezza line was reunited, they were once again victimized for the deciding tally by the Pahlsson line. Now it’s back to the drawing board completely.
Can an extra day off help Ottawa turn the tide as they go home for a must win Game 3 in Kanata, Ontario? We’ll find out soon.
A few quick hits:
1.Goalie comparison through 2 games:
Ott: Emery 4 GA on 63 shots
Ana: Giguere 2 GA on 36 shotsÂ
2.The Ducks owned the faceoff circle going 30-for-51 (59 percent) led by none other than Pahlsson (10-2). Ryan Getzlaf also was 8-for-12 while the Sens were paced by Antoine Vermette (7-3).
3.Another theme from Game 1 which continued was Anaheim not only getting more shots on Emery but also having more attempts which didn’t make the net as well:
Ott: 12 MS + 13 BS = 25Â
Ana: 18 MS + 20 BS = 38Â
Further breakdown through 2 games:
Total SOG    Total MS       Total shots blocked         Total attempted     Diff
Ott:Â Â Â 36Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 26Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 84Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â -54
Ana:Â Â 63Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 33Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 42Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 138Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â +54
4.There was plenty of physicality as the two teams combined for 64 hits with Anaheim again prevailing 36-28. Pahlsson, Moen and Getzlaf each paced the Ducks with four while two of Ottawa’s best players in Fisher and Anton Volchenkov each had four as well to lead their club. Volchenkov also blocked four shots to increase his playoff-leading total to 75.
5.This wasn’t the prettiest played game but few 1-0 games are. Hence the sloppiness:
Takeaways/Giveaways
Ott: 7/21Â
Ana: 5/22Â
6.Both teams were shutout on the special teams with each team’s power play finishing 0-for-4. The Ducks haven’t scored yet on the PP but haven’t needed to due to superior play at even strength. In six periods thus far, they’ve outscored the Sens 4-0 during five-on-five while Ottawa’s only two goals in Game 1 came via the PP. Unless Ottawa figures out a way to score five-on-five, they’re in big trouble.
7.Entering tonight, it was the first time all Spring the Sens trailed in a series this postseason. They now will have the unenviable task of attempting to comeback from 0-2 down. How much is history working against them here? Teams that won the first two games on home ice have gone on to win the Cup 29 of 30 times.
8.The Ducks improved to 5-0 at home in Cup Final games dating back to 2003. The encouraging news for Ottawa is they dropped all four on the road to the Devils that year to lose the series.
9.Thumbs down via AP story: What the game lacked in goals, it didn’t fall short in exciting, tense play. Whether it was enough to bring viewers to TV sets is another issue. Game 1 on Versus got only a 0.72 cable rating and was seen in 523,000 households in the United States.
10.The series shifts to NBC for Games 3-7 starting Saturday night.
Our three stars:
3rd star- 
Travis Moen (2 SOG, 4 hits, 1 blocked shot in 21 shifts)
2nd star- 
Ray Emery (30 saves including 26 first two periods)
1st star- Sammi Pahlsson (GW goal with 5:44 left, 4 hits, +1 rating in 16:07)
Wed 30 May 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
NHL PlayoffsNo Comments
In about 20 minutes from now, Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Ducks of Anaheim and Senators of Ottawa will be underway at The Pond. Anaheim will be looking to take a 2-0 series lead after posting a come from behind 3-2 Game 1 victory. Rookie Travis Moen tallied the winner with just over three minutes left.
The Sens will be looking to rebound from a lackluster showing in which they showed plenty of rust after a nine day layoff. They’ll need to be sharper with the puck and get a better showing from top trio Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson. The top scoring line of the playoffs was held in check by the checking line of Moen, Sammi Pahlsson and Rob Niedermayer.
Here are tonight’s articles and info courtesy of NHL Today:
THE TOP HEADLINES
– Senators Look for Equalizer Tonight
– Coyotes Name Don Maloney New GM
– Ron Wilson Returns as Sharks Coach
TONIGHT’S SCHEDULE (all times ET)
Senators at Ducks, 8 p.m. on VERSUS, CBC, RDS, NHL RADIO
– Find VERSUS in your local market.
2007 STANLEY CUP INFORMATION
– Stanley Cup Final media events.
– Stanley Cup Final schedule.
THE TOP STORIES
COACHING STRATEGIES COME INTO FOCUS
Elliott Teaford writes in the LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS, “Now the chess match begins in earnest. Ducks coach Randy Carlyle moved several of his pieces boldly around the board Monday night. Each move paid big dividends, confounding his opponent. Ottawa Senators coach Bryan Murray has fewer options as he attempts to respond in tonight’s rematch, but if he stands pat he could be in big trouble. Carlyle’s moves for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals were still a topic of much discussion Tuesday at the Honda Center.”
FOCUS ON THE SWEDES
David Leon Moore writes in the USA TODAY, “Stats sheets won’t include it, but perhaps the most important barometer in this year’s Stanley Cup Finals will be the Swede-o-meter. If Ottawa Senators winger Daniel Alfredsson, the stylish Swede, continues to be the top goal scorer in the playoffs, the Cup is likely to be headed to Canada. If Alfredsson is shut down, as he was in the Anaheim Ducks’ 3-2 victory in Game 1, the Cup will likely wind up in California, and a major reason for that will be the play of another Swede, Ducks center Samuel Pahlsson.”
COMING OUT PARTY FOR DUCKS’ GETZLAF
Rick Sadowski writes in the ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, “Larger- than-life photographs of Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger and Teemu Selanne hang from the outside corners of the Honda Center, a tribute to the Anaheim Ducks’ most popular players. It’s probably only a matter of time before Ryan Getzlaf, a 22-year-old center, joins them. A second-year pro, the 6-foot-3, 211-pound Getzlaf is a physical force, but he also has a scorer’s touch, the ability to thread a pass through the tiniest opening and unusual balance for a big man. ‘We’ve made the statement numerous times, we think he can be as good as he wants to be,’ Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said Tuesday.”
NOTHING NORMAL ABOUT SENATORS’ SPEZZA
Larry Wigge writes on NHL.COM, “At 1, he won a baby contest. Pictures of his blond curls made him the poster boy for Baby, a Broadway musical back in the summer of 1984. It was Jason’s photo that went on the marquee. A TV commercial for Minute Maid followed. Then there was modeling for clothing for Woolco and Kmart. Those billboards he mugged for ended when he was 9 or 10 and his parents, Rino, his first hockey coach, and Donna, wanted Jason to be a regular boy…and do the things other boys did while growing up. But there was clearly never anything regular about Spezza. He’s good at just about anything he does. And hockey was his dream.”
COYOTES’ NEW GM ALREADY ON THE JOB
Jim Gintonio writes in the ARIZONA REPUBLIC, “Don Maloney expects to turn the Coyotes into winners. He also knows it will take time, but his rebuilding plan to get from here to there is one he thinks fans will enjoy. ‘Winning brings people out – it’s that simple,’ said Maloney, the Coyotes new general manager. ‘But I also believe people get excited about a young, aggressive, hungry team’…A few hours after he was introduced to the media, he left for Toronto to join Coyotes scouts for the NHL combine that puts young skaters on display. His exuberance and excitement taking over a team was evident, as was his confidence level.”
QUICK HITS
– Scotty Bowman breaks down Game One on his NBCSports.com blog.
– Brian Biggane on Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. native Noah Babin’s quest to make the NHL.
– David Amber discusses the 2007 Stanley Cup Final with Scott Gomez and Robyn Regehr.
– Chris Chelios receives the ‘Mark Messier Leader of the Year Award“, presented by COLD-fX.
COVER UP FOR THE DRAFT
To assist your coverage of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the NHL PR department has prepared profiles and video features for the top-ranked prospects. These profiles are located under the “Latest News” section of the NHL’s media site.
– View the profile and video feature for Kyle Turris.
– John McGourty profiles goaltending prospect Antoine Lafleur.
Tue 29 May 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
NBA PlayoffsNo Comments
For the second straight home game, LeBron James, Daniel Gibson and Co. got it done in crunch time as the Cavaliers defeated the Pistons 91-87 in Game Four to even their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Final series at two apiece- setting up a pivotal Game Five at The Palace on Thursday night.
After struggling yet again in the third quarter where they were outscored by nine to erase a seven-point halftime lead, the Cavs stepped up their play for the second straight game in the final quarter by outscoring Detroit 26-20 to level the series.
In particular, James turned it up. Coming off a strong fourth quarter in which he made very difficult shots to get his team an 88-82 victory in Game 3, the superstar had another big finish to help turn the tide in his team’s favor.
LeBron scored 13 of his game high 25 in the final 12 minutes. A three-point play by the 22 year-old star helped key a 13-4 run. An integral part of that run was power forward Drew Gooden, who twice knocked down wide open baseline jumpers from opposite ends on his way to a solid 19 point, eight rebound performance on 8-of-14 shooting.
James capped off the run by making a very tough step back jumper just inside the circle over Tayshaun Prince to put his team up 87-79 with 3:21 left. It was almost an identical big shot to the one he made in Game 3 down the stretch.
But the Pistons never gave up and were able to make things interesting down the stretch by scoring six of the next seven to slice it to three. A key play would then come. After a Rasheed Wallace block and steal, Chauncey Billups rushed an off balance three which didn’t go. The normally unflappable Piston point guard panicked. Instead of resetting for a good shot, he forced the issue and settled with plenty of time left.
It was part of a forgettable final few minutes for Billups who also had an uncharacteristic turnover with his team down four and under 60 seconds to go. Though the guard scored better in this one pacing his team with 23 (6-of-16 FG, 9-of-10 FT), he didn’t finish well and turned the ball over five times and only had two assists. Billups was also a dreadful 2-for-9 from downtown.
With his team down four late, he also wasted too much time circling around in the lane before Antonio McDyess’ tip-in which cut it to 89-87 with 4.7 seconds left. The one-time Knick came off the bench for 12 points, five rebounds, two blocks and three assists in 23 productive minutes.
They quickly fouled James. In the past, he has been questioned for not stepping up and making the clutch free throws. This time, after Richard Hamilton tried his best imitation of LeBron on Gilbert Arenas last year, the Cav calmly swished both to salt the game away. It completed a five-for-five performance from the charity stripe in the deciding quarter.
After a brilliant Game 3 in which he had 32 points, nine boards and nine assists, LeBron finished with 25 on 8-of-19 from the field including 8-for-9 from the line. He also added seven rebounds, three steals and dropped a game high 11 assists in a huge 44 minutes.
You definitely have to give him plenty of credit. After how he was questioned after the first two games and of course not having the call go his way at the end of a tight Game 2, LeBron has stepped up his game and played like the best player on the floor to take both home games and knot the series up turning it into a best-of-three situation with Games 5 and 7 in Detroit.
Though he felt he got fouled by Hamilton in Game 2, afterwards during the postgame interview, LeBron said his team was a “no-excuse team.”
By focusing on the next two games and taking the right attitude, he has delivered along with his teammates. Speaking of which, how about the play of rookie guard Daniel Gibson. All the second round pick out of Texas did was deliver a career high 21 including a perfect 12-for-12 from the line in 35 big minutes. He only made four of seven field goals including one trey but he took the ball hard to the lane and drew fouls. Something Prince told TNT’s Craig Sager shouldn’t have happened. That maybe they “didn’t respect him enough.”
Gibson’s big game was needed because starter Larry Hughes was playing through a partial tear of the plantar fascia. To the struggling guard’s credit, he gutted out 16 minutes making the first shot of the game on a turnaround jumper in the lane. It was his only basket.
This game was really about the trio of LeBron, Gibson and Gooden who combined for 65 of their team’s 91 points. They were the only three Cavs to get double digits.
Donyell Marshall also came off the bench to score seven.
For Detroit, it’s back to the drawing board. While they did get better games out of guards Billups and Hamilton (19 pts on 9-of-21 FG), they still looked a little out of synch. As Charles Barkley pointed out, the Pistons easily could’ve been swept already in this series because Cleveland has really outplayed them in all four games. They won the first two on experience at home but didn’t come up with the goods when it mattered on the road.
And you also saw some frustration from Rasheed Wallace who picked up his fifth technical of the playoffs by tossing his headband. Two more would mean an automatic one-game suspension. The emotional big man also took off his jersey headed back to the locker room and flung it over his head landing comically on someone’s head walking in the same direction. 
Got to love Rasheed. 
He’ll need a better Game 5 after only getting nine points, five boards and misfired on all four three’s.
The Pistons also got next to nothing from Chris Webber. One basket, three rebounds and one assist along with two missed free throws in just 20 minutes just isn’t going to get it done. If the former Michigan standout wants ‘his championship’ so badly, he needs to play a lot more inspired.
Like Barkley, you have to wonder why energizer Jason Maxiell only got 11 minutes. He did score four and block a shot. And whenever he’s out there, the ex-Cincinnati product makes things happen on both sides of the floor. It would be wise if Flip Saunders got him in Game 5 more. He plays with a lot of purpose.
Cleveland has to like the position they’re in. They have rallied for the second straight year from 0-2 down to tie a series against the Pistons. Last year, they took Game 5 before losing the last two to drop a tough EC Semi series.
This year, they know they could’ve taken either of the first two games on the road. Of course, it’s a lot different if you win. You don’t get credit for coming close.
We’re really going to find out a lot about whether LeBron can take this team on his back and get them to their first NBA Finals. Especially against a battle tested Detroit club.
It should be exciting. More than you can say for the disappointing performance of Utah, who could be eliminated by San Antonio tonight in five games. You can’t kill the dynamic duo of Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. Both have done their part. Williams in particular has been utterly brilliant in trying to carry his team.
Has anyone seen Mehmet Okur? Andrei Kirilenko at least shows up on the defensive end. Both have not distinguished themselves in this series. Part of that is the Spurs. But they can play much better than they’ve shown.
Tue 29 May 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
NHL PlayoffsNo Comments
Here are today’s articles and info after Anaheim’s comeback 3-2 victory in Game 1 last night over Ottawa:
TOMORROW’S SCHEDULE (all times ET)
Senators at Ducks, 8 p.m. on VERSUS, CBC, RDS, NHL RADIO
– Find VERSUS in your local market.
LAST NIGHT’S SCOREBOARD
Ducks 3, Senators 2 (ANA leads series 1-0)
– Watch the highlights.
2007 STANLEY CUP INFORMATION
– Stanley Cup Final media events.
– Stanley Cup Final schedule.
THE TOP STORIES
TRAVIS MOEN BECOMING THE TOAST OF TWO TOWNS
Terry Jones writes in the EDMONTON SUN, “Stewart Valley, Saskatchewan, was a one-elevator town until they tore it down. Now it’s a one horse town. That horse, however, is Travis Moen. And today he’s the toast of the town…The Anaheim Ducks had just ridden the broad back of the 6-foot-2, 216-pound player to another Stanley Cup playoff win, this one with Moen scoring the winner with less than three minutes to play to give the Ducks a 3-2 win in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final. For the second time this spring, Moen scored the game-winner. The first was in overtime against Vancouver. Now, the 75 citizens of the Stewart Valley are going to have to put up a little bigger ‘Home of Travis Moen’ sign than ‘the little one,’ as the Duck describes it, that greets folks driving through the place, 10 km outside of Swift Current. Three more wins and Moen will be bringing the Stanley Cup to the Stewart Valley Co-op.”
ROB NIEDERMAYER BUILDING HIS OWN NAME
Mark Whicker writes in the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, “They don’t wear the capital letter of their first names on the jersey, so it’s just Niedermayer and Niedermayer. Scott and Rob to you. Norm and Cliffie in the clubhouse. That started long ago in Cranbrook, British Columbia, where the Stanley Cup shows up every few years. Maybe it’s a sign of their advancing age, since ‘Cheers’ hasn’t been in prime time for several years now. But Scott is Norm and Rob is Cliffie. Of course, Norm Peterson and Cliff Clavin were brothers only in the barstool sense. And, of course, it would be hard for anybody, even a FEMA official, to confuse Scott Niedermayer with George Wendt.”
SCORESHEET DOESN’T SHOW MILLER’S CONTRIBUTION
Eric Duhatschek writes in the GLOBE AND MAIL, “(Randy) Carlyle tried something new; he inserted Andrew Miller, an untried rookie with a rich hockey pedigree, into the lineup. Miller practised with Teemu Selanne and Andy McDonald for three days and Carlyle liked enough of what he saw that he gave Miller the chance to play in last night’s opener of the Stanley Cup final…In the first period, with the Ducks down a goal, Miller, 23, rubbed out Ottawa defenceman Wade Redden on the boards with a big hit, jarring the puck loose. Selanne scooped it up, fed it to McDonald, and just like that, the Ducks were back in the game, tied at one apiece. They went on to record a 3-2 victory. The momentum had switched, and they pushed the play from that point on until the end of the period, all because of a big, clean hit by a rookie who officially didn’t even earn an assist on the play.”
HE SAID IT
“He’s got a better save percentage than I do.” — Senators goaltender Ray Emery, on teammate Anton Volchenkov’s 10 blocked shots in last night’s game.
QUICK HITS
– Neil Stevens looks at the helping hands behind the Stanley Cup finalists.
– Governor Schwarzenegger and Premier McGuinty have a friendly wager.
– Bill Hewitt and Dave Fay are honored for their contributions to hockey.
– Larry Wigge on Teemu Selanne keeping a long-time promise to friends in Finland.
– Shawn P. Roarke on the Vancouver Giants winning the Memorial Cup.
NHL NETWORK AFTERNOON VIDEO THEATRE
Watch last night’s top five plays, featuring a goal by the Ducks’ Andy McDonald.
COVER UP FOR THE DRAFT
To assist your coverage of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the NHL PR department has prepared profiles and video features for the top-ranked prospects. These profiles are located under the “Latest News” section of the NHL’s media site.
– View the profile and video feature for Patrick Kane.
– Kyle Woodlief takes a look at the 2007 draft-eligible forwards.
– Kyle Turris and Keaton Ellerby update their NHL Connect blogs.
MULTIMEDIA
– NHL Connect’s bloggers go behind the scenes at the Final, using Pure Digital’s new Flip Video – the only camcorder that connects directly to YouTube.
– Watch Governor Schwarzenegger’s appearance on “Hockey Night in Canada“.
Mon 28 May 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
NHL PlayoffsNo Comments
Final score: 2 3
Anaheim leads series 1-0.
The Ducks cameback from a goal down after two periods to pull this one out and take a 1-0 series lead in the first game of the Stanley Cup Final.
Aside from a flat start which resulted in an early Mike Fisher power play goal only 1:38 into the action on a Scott Niedermayer penalty, Anaheim overall was much better at even strength. When they weren’t taking undisciplined penalties, the Ducks were the more effective team five-on-five and on the forecheck.
To Ottawa’s credit, they came out extremely aggressive and physical trying to set the tone. Maybe that caught Anaheim by surprise. But once Randy Carlyle’s club found their game, they started to carry the action taking it to the Sens and severely testing their D.
Rookie Drew Miller, who entered with barely two minutes of NHL experience had an impact. The younger brother of Buffalo netminder Ryan put together a great shift to get the Ducks even. Skating on the top line, it was Miller’s perfect take out of Wade Redden along the boards which forced a turnover and led directly to Teemu Selanne threading the needle to Andy McDonald for a rocket top shelf past Ray Emery which tied it at 10:55.
It was the beginning of an awful night for Redden who was on for all three goals against.
Not long after, Anaheim had an unbelievable shift where they just kept Ottawa pinned in their own end for what seemed like forever. It probably was about 90 seconds long. The only reasons they survived were some good saves by Emery and blocked shots by none other than blocked shot machine Anton Volchenkov. The Ottawa defenseman blocked a remarkable 10. The rest of his teammates finished with 12.
The Ducks aggressive forecheck and physical grinding game began to take control. The Sens struggled to do anything the rest of the period going the last 11 minutes without a shot. Anaheim outshot them 8-3.
If Ottawa wasn’t that effective at even strength, that wasn’t the case with their special teams. With Ryan Getzlaf in the box for a cross check, the dangerous Sens’ man-advantage made him pay by cashing in for their second PPG of the night when Redden blasted a one-timer past a stickless Jean-Sebastien Giguere. It didn’t help much that teammate Sammi Pahlsson tried to flip his loose stick to him while Redden was winding up. Especially with Dany Heatley screening him.
Giggy had a weird game. The two goals he allowed both could be classified as bad luck. Fisher’s was a one-timer in the slot which the Anaheim netminder got a glove on to make a quality save. The puck appeared to be going wide before defenseman Sean O’Donnell accidentally batted it in. Then there was the Redden goal with Pahlsson trying to help out but it just made the goalie’s job even tougher.
And so Ottawa led for the second time with 15:24 left in the stanza. They would get a golden opportunity to extend that lead a couple of minutes later when Pahlsson was sent to the box 25 seconds after Francois Beauchemin’s tripping minor. Given a pivotal two-man advantage for 1:35, the Senators couldn’t capitalize. Instead, there were a couple of near misses and maybe one good Giguere stop along with some solid penalty killing.
The Ducks definitely dodged a bullet. Still trailing only by one, they took the play to Ottawa in the final period. The Sens tried to sit back like they had against previous opponents. But Anaheim wasn’t the Devils or Sabres and the strategy backfired.
Getzlaf would atone for his costly penalty by taking a Corey Perry feed and flipping a backhand past Emery to tie it with 14:16 remaining.
The Senators took a couple of penalties giving Anaheim chances to go ahead but Emery was good as was his defense which blocked 22 shots.
When Anaheim team captain Niedermayer was whistled for a hook (second minor of night) with 6:52 left, it was a chance for Ottawa to go back ahead. However, the Ducks had a strong penalty kill keeping it tied.
The Sens finally came to life with a couple of strong shifts at even strength. In particular, enforcer Chris Neil was very effective and nearly produced the go-ahead tally. The Sens’ top line of Heatley, Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson which was quiet most of the night also had a decent shift but couldn’t put them ahead.
Unfortunately for the trio, they were out on the ice when the Anaheim checking line of Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer and rookie Travis Moen struck for the winner. It came with just 2:51 to go.
Taking a pass from his older brother, Rob circled around the net avoiding Andrej Meszaros’ hit to setup a wide open Moen in the slot for a one-timer which beat Emery for Anaheim’s first lead of the night. It was his fifth of the postseason.
It definitely was Meszaros’ responsibility. He didn’t take out Niedermayer behind the net. Once that happened, it left Moen all alone. His poor attempt at a hit proved costly.
All night, the Pahlsson line did an outstanding job of silencing the Spezza line. Though Alfredsson and Spezza registered assists on Redden’s PPG, they were kept in check. The trio combined for only five shots and finished minus-three.
Meanwhile, the Selke candidate who really deserves the award shined along with his linemates for the deciding goal while combining for 12 shots and 15 hits including a game high eight from Pahlsson. Oh btw…he also won 13 of 24 draws, which was by far the best on his team in 18:39.
The Sens would get one final chance to tie it when Chris Pronger was called for a bogus penalty which was essentially a make up call for a rough after a whistle. Giguere didn’t have to make many big saves but the 2003 Conn Smythe winner saved his best for the final seconds robbing Alfredsson from 12 feet out of a sure goal by getting his glove on a shot labeled for the corner.
For some inexplicable reason, it wasn’t even credited as a save. Go figure. Good old reliable NHL stats I tell ya.
Giguere finished with 18 saves to pickup the win.
A few quick hits:
1.You have to start with the Sens’ inability to get much going at even strength. They really couldn’t get their cycle going. Part of that was due to Anaheim’s defense. But also, Ottawa just wasn’t sharp. What else would you expect with such a long layoff? What was it anyway? Nine days since they last played. You have to figure they’ll be better Wednesday night.
2.We covered the top line’s struggles against Pahlsson’s line, who did a phenomenal job on them all night. But Spezza in particular struggled mightily making some uncharacteristic decisions with the puck leading to a team worst three giveaways. Ottawa as a team had 14 while Anaheim only had five. If there was a big difference, one would definitely point to that.
3.The game was very physical. And early on, it was the Sens who took it to the Ducks. But as it went on, it was Anaheim who was relentless and pounded away at Ottawa’s blueline. For the first time this Spring, you saw the Sens on their heels. They were outhit 30-21. Half the Ducks’ hits as covered already came from their checking line including a game high eight from Pahlsson. Ottawa was paced by Peter Schaefer’s four.
4.He might have taken a couple of bad penalties including an early questionable one which led to the Fisher goal but Scott Niedermayer was pretty solid in this game. He played physical (four hits) and broke up a few plays as well in 27:20. The Anaheim captain blocked three shots and also had two takeaways. He was better defensively in this one than in the last series.
5.The Ducks attempted a lot more shots than their opponents. Combined with the 32-20 shots edge they had, they also had 37 which didn’t get through:
Ott:Â 10 MS + 13 BS = 23
Ana: 15 MS + 22 BS = 37
If you add this up to each respective team’s shot total, Anaheim attempted 69 shots while Ottawa attempted only 43 or 26 less. Huge difference.Â
6.The Ducks had to be extremely pleased with how rookie Miller played on the top line. Though he got only 17 shifts (9:26), the former Michigan State product who was drafted in the sixth round four years ago handled himself well. And good enough to help setup McDonald’s goal with some physical play. He didn’t look out of place with McDonald and Selanne and certainly wasn’t fazed by the big stage. If anything, it’s a huge boost for Carlyle for the rest of the series.
7.Entering this series, Anaheim looked to be at a disadvantage with its fourth line. But with not many whistles at one part in the second, Carlyle gave more time to Brad May (12 shifts, 6:20) and Shawn Thornton (10 shifts, 5:46). Both responded by providing energy and even a few scoring chances.
8.As has already been noted, the Sens held the edge on special teams.
Ott PP: 2-for-7
Ana PP: 0-for-4
9.There was a lot of choppy play in this one. A lot of icings and offsides especially in the second period. This might have had to do with the layoff for both teams. Ottawa had over a week off while Anaheim had six days to prepare. They might not have been as sharp because of it. Figure next game to be easier to watch.
10.Versus’ coverage was alright but could they please stop messing around with the damn camera angles! I don’t need to see Emery after he makes a big save while Anaheim is going the other way in transition with a potential three-on-two. Good god. This seems to be the trend in sports these days. Stay with the play instead of screwing around! It’s the viewers that matter.
Our three stars:
3rd star- Anton Volchenkov (game high 10 blocked shots in 24:57)
2nd star- Rob Niedermayer (assist, 6 SOG, 5 hits and plus-one in 18:46)
1st star-Â Sammi Pahlsson (game high 8 hits, 4 SOG, 13-11 on draws in 28 shifts)
Sat 26 May 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
NHL PlayoffsNo Comments
Tonight, we look at how these teams compare entering Monday night’s Game One when Anaheim finally hosts Ottawa after this ridiculous layoff.
The key statistical info courtesy of the nhlmedia site can be found down below:
Stanley Cup Final Statistical Breakdown
Now that you have the particulars, here’s a little extra vital information.
Stanley Cup Final Note: Martin Gerber will be making his third appearance in the last four years. In 2003, he was on the other side as Jean-Sebastien Giguere’s backup when the Ducks lost in seven to the Devils. Last year, he backed up another goalie who won the Conn Smythe in rookie Cam Ward as the Hurricanes defeated the Oilers in seven. Now, Gerber is the backup in Ottawa for Ray Emery as he tries to win back-to-back Cups on different teams.
On the opposing side is Chris Pronger just like last year when Gerber’s Canes defeated the defenseman’s Oilers. The former Hart/Norris winner will be looking to get even in this series.
With Gerber aiming for two straight Cups on different teams, we note that last year the backup goalie’s teammate Cory Stillman did it. He was also part of the Lightning’s championship in 2004 before the lockout interrupted play.
Another player who’s won consecutive championships on two different teams was former 1995 Conn Smythe winner Claude Lemieux. After helping lead the Devils to their first Stanley Cup, a year later he helped the Avalanche win the franchise’s first Cup as well in a sweep of Florida. Ironically, Lemieux’s Devils swept Detroit too.
Fri 25 May 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
NHL Playoffs[2] Comments
With the Stanley Cup Final still three days away, here are the notes and cool storylines to follow along with how Ottawa and Anaheim reached this point courtesy of the nhlmedia site:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MAY 24, 2007
STANLEY CUP FINAL NOTES, NUGGETS AND STORY LINES
California Dreamin’: For the third time since 1993, a California-based club will compete in the Stanley Cup Final. The 1993 Los Angeles Kings dropped a five-game decision to the Montreal Canadiens and the 2003 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim lost to the New Jersey Devils in seven games. The Ducks will attempt to become the first West Coast-based club to capture the Stanley Cup since the Victoria Cougars of the Western Canada Hockey League defeated the Montreal Canadiens in 1925. No West Coast club has won the Stanley Cup since the NHL clubs exclusively began competing for the Cup in 1927.
Stanley Cup Final Returns ‘Home’: For the first time in 80 years, the Stanley Cup Final will be contested in Ottawa, birthplace of the world’s most famous trophy. Home to Lord Stanley of Preston, Governor-General of Canada who commissioned the trophy in 1892, the city celebrated 11 Cup wins by the original Senators franchise:1903-1906, 1909-11, 1920, 1921, 1923 and 1927.
Selanne’s Quest: Ducks right wing Teemu Selanne, who has played 1,041 regular-season and 81 playoff games in his 14-year NHL career, will be making his first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. The series will cap off a memorable 2006-07 campaign that featured his 500th career goal (Nov. 22 at Colorado) and his 1,000th game (Dec. 31 at Minnesota). At 36 years of age (born July 3, 1970), Selanne became the first player in NHL history 35 or older to record consecutive 40-goal seasons and the oldest player in League history to score 45 goals in one season. He finished the campaign with a club-leading 48 goals, third in the League overall.
Alfredsson On A Mission: Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson made his NHL debut with the Senators in 1995-96 and is the only player to have played in all 94 playoff games in franchise history. Alfredsson leads the club in all-time playoff goals (39), assists (36) and points (75). Alfredsson has delivered his finest playoff performance in 2007, leading the NHL in goals (10) and game-winning goals (four). He notched his first game-winner as part of a two-goal effort in a 4-2 victory at Pittsburgh in Game 3 of the Conference Quarterfinals. He tallied the winning score in the series-clinching 3-2 win at New Jersey in Game 5 of the Conference Semifinals and had two more against Buffalo in the Conference Final, capped by his double-overtime strike in Game 5 that sent the Senators to the Stanley Cup Final.
European Milestone: Born in Goteborg, Sweden, Ottawa’s Daniel Alfredsson has the opportunity to be the first European captain to hoist the Stanley Cup. Since Peter Stastny became the first European captain in 1985 with the Quebec Nordiques, no European captain has made it to the Stanley Cup Final.
In The Zone: Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final will mark Ottawa’s first game outside the Eastern Time Zone since a March 4 visit to Chicago. Their most recent game in the Pacific Time Zone was Dec. 9, 2005 at Vancouver and most recent visit to California was a three-game road swing to Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Jose on Oct. 15, 17 and 18, 2003.
Giguere’s Time Of Year: In 2003, Ducks G J.S. Giguere captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after he backstopped Anaheim to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Giguere became just the fifth player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as a member of the losing team in the Stanley Cup Final. Entering the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, Giguere boasts a career playoff record of 27-12 with a 1.92 goals-against average and .932 save percentage. His playoff overtime record is 12-1 with 0.24 goals-against average (one goal against in 250:47) and .990 save percentage (101 saves on 102 shots).
Emery Backstops Senators: G Ray Emery has posted a shutout in each round of the 2007 playoffs, April 19 vs. Pittsburgh, 3-0; April 30 vs. New Jersey, 2-0; May 14 vs. Buffalo, 1-0. Emery enters the Stanley Cup Final with a career playoff record of 17-8 with a 2.31 goals-against average in 25 appearances.
Emery never has faced the Ducks, marking the second consecutive year that a starting goaltender in the Stanley Cup Final faced his opponent for the first time. In the 2006 Final, Carolina Hurricanes rookie goaltender Cam Ward had not previously faced the Edmonton Oilers.
Big-Time Trio: The Senators boast hockey’s highest-scoring line, as left wing Dany Heatley, center Jason Spezza and right wing Daniel Alfredsson all finished in among the League’s top 20 regular-season scorers. Heatley ranked fourth (50-55–105), Spezza 15th (34-53–87) and Alfredsson 16th (29-58–87). In the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Heatley and Spezza rank first and second in League scoring with totals of 6-15–21 and 7-13–20, respectively, while Alfredsson is fourth in points with 10-7–17 and leads all players in goals and game-winning goals (four). Including the 2007 postseason, Spezza has not been held pointless in consecutive games since Oct. 12 and Oct. 14, 2006.
PPG Line: The Ducks trio of Corey Perry, Dustin Penner and Ryan Getzlaf is big, young and talented. Perry and Getzlaf, who both turned 22 earlier this month, are 6′3″, 202 lbs. and 6′3″, 211 lbs., respectively. Penner, 24, checks in at 6′4″, 243 lbs. Getzlaf ranks second on the club in playoff scoring with 13 points (five goals, eight assists) and leads the club with three game-winning goals. Perry and Penner have contributed nine and five postseason points.
Encore, Encore: Ducks D Chris Pronger is appearing in the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive season. Pronger led the Edmonton Oilers to the Final in 2005-06 by posting a club-leading 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) and 30:57 in average ice time per game in 24 postseason contests. Pronger’s quest for his first career Stanley Cup fell just short, as the Carolina Hurricanes edged the Oilers in seven games.
Welcome Back: Three members of the 2007 Ducks saw action with the team in the 2003 Stanley Cup Final against New Jersey: C Samuel Pahlsson, C Rob Niedermayer and G Jean-Sebastien Giguere.
Brothers In Arms: The Ducks’ Rob and Scott Niedermayer will be the first brothers to appear in the Final as teammates since the Philadelphia Flyers’ Rich and Ron Sutter in the 1985 Final against Edmonton. The last brother combination to win the Stanley Cup was Brent and Duane Sutter, who captured their second consecutive title together with the New York Islanders in 1983. The Niedermayers became the first set of brothers on opposing clubs in the Stanley Cup Final since 1946 when Scott’s New Jersey Devils defeated Rob’s Ducks in 2003.
Players In The Final With Stanley Cup Rings: Anaheim — D Scott Niedermayer (NJ 94-95, 99-00, 02-03); Ottawa — G Martin Gerber (CAR 05-06).
Bryan Murray’s Link To Anaheim: Senators head coach Bryan Murray spent three years with the Ducks, as head coach in 2001-02 and as general manager in 2002-03 and 2003-04. Murray was named The Hockey News’ Executive of the Year in 2002-03 following a season in which the Ducks posted a 26-point improvement over 2001-02 and reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history. Among Murray’s key moves as GM:
* Named Mike Babcock head coach, May 22, 2002.
* Obtained C Rob Niedermayer from Calgary for D Mike Commodore and G Jean-Francois Damphousse at the trade deadline, Mar. 11, 2003.
* Selected C Ryan Getzlaf and RW Corey Perry with the 19th and 28th picks, respectively, in the first round of the 2003 Entry Draft, June 21, 2003.
* Signed LW Dustin Penner as a free agent, May 12, 2004.
Stanley Cup Final Experience: Senators GM John Muckler is making his seventh trip to the Stanley Cup Final. He was a member of the Edmonton Oilers coaching staff in each of the team’s first six Final appearances, serving as assistant coach from 1983 through 1985, as co-coach in 1987 and 1988 and head coach in 1990. Muckler’s clubs won the Stanley Cup five times in that span. Senators head coach Bryan Murray, in search of his first championship, is making his third trip to the Final: he was general manager of the Florida Panthers in 1996 vs. Colorado and served in the same capacity with the Ducks in 2003 vs. New Jersey.
Need Tickets: Ducks D Sean O’Donnell was born in Kanata, Ont. (where Ottawa’s home rink, Scotiabank Place, is located) and D Kent Huskins was born in Almonte, Ont., 20 miles west of Kanata. Senators backup G Martin Gerber and D Joe Corvo began their NHL careers with Southern California-based clubs; Gerber played for the Ducks in 2002-03 and 2003-04, while Corvo skated in 203 games for the Los Angeles Kings from 2002-03 through 2005-06.
Roster Additions: The five playoff participants acquired by the Ducks and Senators during the regular season — who are now in the Stanley Cup Final — were obtained from clubs that did not qualify for the postseason. The Ducks added LW Brad May from Colorado at the trade deadline on Feb. 27, RW George Parros from Colorado Nov. 13 and D Ric Jackman from Florida Jan. 3. The Senators added LW Oleg Saprykin from Phoenix at the trade deadline and C Mike Comrie from Phoenix Jan. 3.
Longtime Teammates: Although they are paired on the ice infrequently, Senators defensemen Wade Redden and Chris Phillips know each other well. They have been teammates since 1997-98, Phillips’ rookie year with the Senators and Redden’s sophomore campaign. Their nine seasons as teammates is the NHL’s longest active streak among defensemen. Redden was the second overall pick in the 1995 Entry Draft, selected by the New York Islanders and later traded to Ottawa; Phillips was the first overall Entry Draft selection in 1996.
Making It A Habit: Senators backup G Martin Gerber, who backed up Cam Ward in the Hurricanes’ seven-game triumph over the Edmonton Oilers last season, is looking to win the Stanley Cup in successive seasons with different clubs — a feat most recently accomplished by LW Cory Stillman (Tampa Bay 2004, Carolina 2006). This marks Gerber’s third trip to the Stanley Cup Final in his four NHL seasons; he was the substitute goaltender for J.S. Giguere during the Ducks’ run to the Stanley Cup Final in his rookie season of 2002-03.
Tale of the Tape: The Stanley Cup Finalists are nearly identical in average height (Anaheim 6’1�, Ottawa 6’1�) and average weight (Anaheim 204 lbs., Ottawa 206 lbs.). The Senators are slightly younger in average age (Anaheim 28.5, Ottawa 27.4).
The youngest player in the Stanley Cup Final is 21-year-old Ottawa D Andrej Meszaros (10/13/85). The oldest player is 36-year-old Anaheim RW Teemu Selanne (7/3/70).
The oldest player on the Senators roster is captain Daniel Alfredsson, 34 (12/11/72). The last Stanley Cup champion without a player 35 or older was the 1996 Colorado Avalanche. C Dave Hannan (age 34) was their oldest player to appear in the Final.
Trophy Candidates: The Ducks boast three players who are 2006-07 NHL trophy finalists. Defensemen Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger join Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom as the three contenders for the Norris Trophy as top defenseman and center Samuel Pahlsson joins Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour and New Jersey’s Jay Pandolfo as finalists for the Selke Trophy as top defensive forward. Trophy winners will be announced at the 2007 NHL Awards Show, Thursday, June 14 at Toronto’s historic Elgin Theatre (CBC, 8:30 p.m., ET).
We’re Number One: The Stanley Cup Final will feature 17 players who were selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft, nine from Ottawa and eight from Anaheim.
From Ottawa: C Patrick Eaves (#29, by Ottawa, 2003); LW Dany Heatley (#2, by Atlanta, 2000); LW Dean McAmmond (#22, by Chicago, 1991), D Andrej Meszaros (#23, by Ottawa, 2004); D Chris Phillips (#1, by Ottawa, 1996); D Wade Redden (#2, by New York Islanders, 1995), LW Oleg Saprykin (#11, by Calgary, 1999); C Jason Spezza (#2, by Ottawa, 2001); D Anton Volchenkov (#21, by Ottawa, 2000);
From Anaheim: C Ryan Getzlaf (#19, by Anaheim, 2003); G J.S. Giguere (#13, by Hartford, 1995); LW Brad May (#14, by Buffalo, 1990); C Rob Niedermayer (#5, by Florida, 1993); D Scott Niedermayer (#3, by New Jersey, 1991); RW Corey Perry (#28, by Anaheim, 2003); D Chris Pronger (#2 overall, by Hartford, 1993); RW Teemu Selanne (#10, by Winnipeg, 1988).
Senators’ Big Hitter: Ottawa RW Chris Neil led the NHL in regular-season hits with 288 and ranks seventh in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 41.
Wall-Chenkov: Senators D Anton Volchenkov led all NHL players in blocked shots with 273 during the regular season and ranks first in the postseason with 61.
College Days (1): Ducks RW Dustin Penner (Maine) scored the game-winning goal against Boston College in the 2004 semifinal of the NCAA Frozen Four. Anaheim RW Ryan Shannon and Ottawa RW Patrick Eaves both played for Boston College, with Shannon scoring BC’s only goal in the 2-1 defeat.
College Days (2): Senators RW Patrick Eaves and Ducks RW Ryan Shannon, teammates at Boston College for three years, shared the Norman F. Dailey Award in 2004-05 as the team’s Most Valuable Player.
College Days (3):Â Ducks C Andy McDonald (Colgate) and Senators C Mike Comrie (Michigan) were finalists for the Hobey Baker Award in 2000 as the top player in U.S. college hockey. Comrie helped end McDonald’s college career when his shot was tipped in overtime for a 4-3 win in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
HOW THEY GOT HERE:
Anaheim Ducks
Western Conference Quarterfinal, Anaheim vs. Minnesota (4-1)
April 11   vs. Minnesota   W   2-1
April 13   vs. Minnesota   W   3-2
April 15   at Minnesota   W   2-1
April 17   at Minnesota   L   1-4
April 19   vs. Minnesota   W   4-1
Western Conference Semifinal, Anaheim vs. Vancouver (4-1)
April 25   vs. Vancouver   W   5-1
April 27   vs. Vancouver   L   1-2 (2 OT)
April 29   at Vancouver   W   3-2
May 1   at Vancouver   W   3-2 (OT)
May 3   vs. Vancouver   W   2-1 (2 OT)
Western Conference Final, Anaheim vs. Detroit (4-2)
May 11   at Detroit   L   1-2
May 13   at Detroit   W   4-3 (OT)
May 15   vs. Detroit   W   0-5
May 17   vs. Detroit   L   5-3
May 20   at Detroit   W   2-1 (OT)
May 22   vs. Detroit   W   4-3
Ottawa Senators
Eastern Conference Quarterfinal, Ottawa vs. Pittsburgh (4-1)
April 11   vs. Pittsburgh   W   6-3
April 14   vs. Pittsburgh   L   3-4
April 15   at Pittsburgh   W   4-2
April 17   at Pittsburgh   W   2-1
April 19   vs. Pittsburgh   W   3-0
Eastern Conference Semifinal, Ottawa vs. New Jersey (4-1)
April 26   at New Jersey   W   5-4
April 28   at New Jersey   L   2-3 (2 OT)
April 30   vs. New Jersey   W   2-0
May 2   vs. New Jersey   W   3-2
May 5   at New Jersey   W   3-2
Eastern Conference Final, Ottawa vs. Buffalo (4-1)
May 10   at Buffalo   W   5-2
May 12   at Buffalo   W   4-3 (2 OT)
May 14   vs. Buffalo   W   1-0
May 16   vs. Buffalo   L   2-3
May 19   at Buffalo   W   3-2 (OT)
Thu 24 May 2007
Posted by Derek Felix under
NBA PlayoffsNo Comments
It was deja vu for LeBron James and the Cavaliers. Their worst nightmare was realized when the Pistons once again cameback to defeat them in Game 2 by an identical 79-76 margin at The Palace of Auburn Hills- putting the Cavs in an 0-2 hole in the seven-game Eastern Conference Final.
In both tough defeats, LeBron could’ve played the role of hero. For the last 72 hours entering tonight, second guessing ensued regarding whether the superstar should’ve taken the shot instead of dishing off to Donyell Marshall in the right corner for a three which fell off the mark.
Tonight with his team down one after Rasheed Wallace made a difficult right baseline turnaround fadeaway over him with 24 seconds left, James tried to win the game this time by driving to the basket. Guarded extremely well by Richard Hamilton, the superstar went up for a tough shot in the lane which rebounded off the iron to an uncontested Larry Hughes from 12 feet. But the slumping Cavs’ guard predictably missed, leaving it up to Anderson Varejao. But the underrated energizer’s tip try came off the glass to Wallace who in turn gave the ball up to Chauncey Billups, who was fouled with only one tick left.
A furious Mike Brown was assessed a technical after contesting that James got fouled on the crucial play. It wasn’t to be as the Pistons made two of three free throws to put it away. Though Billups missed the last, it didn’t matter because the Cavs were out of timeouts. Plus Varejao had to fling a prayer which had no chance much like the first game ironically enough.
So, was LeBron fouled as TNT’s Kenny Smith claimed? I’ll say no. That was just smart D by Hamilton. He did a good job bodying up and then backed off when James attempted his shot which never had a chance because it was off balance. And as Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley both stated afterward, “You can’t expect to get the call on the road in that situation.”
Barkley later went on to mention how he was “still waiting for a call in Boston,” drawing laughter.
James was clearly frustrated as well at not getting the call. However, you have to ask why a man of his size, strength and speed doesn’t go directly to the rim in that spot? Instead, the 22 year-old star who finished with just five second half points after getting 14 in the first half settled for a difficult shot with three Pistons converging leaving two rebounds. But Hughes couldn’t convert and neither could Varejao which meant they were going back home to Cleveland in an 0-2 hole this weekend.
If James came up short, then Wallace didn’t. After having a big Game 1 in which he posted a double double and blocked seven shots, Rasheed followed it up with a huge final quarter scoring 10 of his team high 16 including the difficult go-ahead bucket to help his team go up 2-0.
In a final 12 minutes which wasn’t pretty, the power forward made all the big plays to score more than half his team’s 19 as they held Cleveland to just 13 for the second consecutive quarter- meaning the Cavs only got 26 points all second half after scoring 34 in a huge second in which they outscored Detroit by 16 to grab a 12-point halftime lead.
Wallace made his only three of the night in the fourth and also stole the ball from LeBron and scored in the open floor for two of his four baskets in the period on a night he finished an efficient 7-of-10 from the field. Along with his winner, the big man proved that he wanted the ball and came up large also adding 11 boards, three assists, two blocks and two steals.
While it was an inspired night for Rasheed, his teammates struggled. Billups finished with 13 points, six assists while turning it over five times. Valuable small forward Tayshaun Prince had an atrocious shooting night finishing 0-for-8 with only one point. He did however guard LeBron most of the game and still contributed four rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes.
After a solid first game, Hamilton was 5-of-14 including one trey and made just half his four free throws to finish with 13.
Chris Webber had just nine on 4-of-13 shooting in only 24 minutes as Flip Saunders opted to ride the hot hand in second-year forward Jason Maxiell, who was just terrific. The ex-Cincinnati product played large in this one scoring 15 (7-of-9 FG) off the bench along with six rebounds, a steal and two blocks in 21 minutes.
When Detroit needed a boost, Maxiell provided it. He was particularly effective in the opening quarter. With Wallace in early foul trouble and Antonio McDyess coming out with a cut in his mouth, he came in and played extremely well with lots of poise. He was a beast around the basket, finishing off a couple of slams. He had seven, four boards and two blocks in the quarter.
If not for Maxiell’s contributions, the Pistons would’ve been cooked and hitting the road tied at one. Instead, they’re in control. What they must remember is that last year, they led the Cavs 2-0 in the second round before Cleveland stunned them by winning the next three putting them on the brink. But the Pistons were able to rally back and pull it out to advance to the ECF before losing to eventual NBA champ Miami.
For the Cavs, it’s back to the drawing board knowing full well they easily could’ve gotten a split. Maybe they even should have won both. Instead, they’ll have to move on and try to bounceback starting Sunday night which might explain James’ response to that final play which didn’t go his way:
“I believe there was some contact, but there’s been a lot of contact throughout this series. We’re a no-excuse team and we can’t look at the last play as why we lost. We just have to get better.“
Absolutely correct. There’s nothing they can do now about these two games. Both will go down as losses.
They wasted a supreme effort from WWE Carlito look alike Varejao, who was awesome off the bench contributing a double double (14 pts and game high 14 rebs) in 30 minutes. He was superb around the paint finishing off dunks and lay-ups and also all over the glass.
The biggest question with this game was what happened to the aggressive LeBron we saw in the first half who scored 14 of his 19 on drives to the hoop which included at least three dunks including one facial in the second quarter? Why did the Cavs as Barkley concluded slow down the pace to a crawl and go away from what worked so well in the second quarter? It’s hard to say. But Detroit opened the third quarter on a 14-4 run to erase Cleveland’s big lead and it would be close the rest of the way, which ultimately favored the better halfcourt team.
The Cavs got almost zilch from bigs Zydrunas Ilgauskas (3 pts on 1-of-6) and Drew Gooden (two baskets in 16 mins). That can’t happen again when the series shifts to Cleveland.
Hughes also continued to struggle taking just nine shots and making only two in 37 minutes. He’s supposed to be a versatile guard who can get to the basket and also drop the occasional long range bomb. But since his dreadful finish against the Nets, he’s seemed gun shy. You can’t be that way. We’re not talking about just an average player here. Hughes has been a good scorer in this league who can explode and was brought in two years ago to help out LeBron. He needs to do more. Three rebounds, two assists and two turnovers won’t get it done.
The Cavs wasted a good night from Sasha Pavlovic, who finished an accurate 7-of-10 for 14 points along with three steals including one in the final 60 seconds which could’ve sealed the game. But his teammates didn’t take advantage.
Meanwhile, James added seven assists, six rebounds and three steals to go with his team high 19. In the first game, he took 15 shots converting only five. Last night, he took four more (19) and made two more (7). That’s not enough if his team is going to win and advance to their first ever NBA Finals.
Aside from that, James was more tenative in the second half and turned it over six times. He forced a couple of bad passes in the process.
The Cavs need their young star to dominate in crunch time. That hasn’t happened thus far which better change in Game 3.
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