ESPN America's schedule allowed me, up till now, to see all the Philadelphia Flyers' games during this playoff season.
Especially after the 6 games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, I'm finding myself asking, if the Flyers would be ready for their third Stanley Cup?
It's been a long time, the Philadelphia Flyers raised it. They won in 1974 and 1975 and had their last appearance in a Stanley Cup Final 2010, when they lost in 6 games against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Flyers had some important keypoints during the first series, I want 1) to point out in the following and 2) to compare with the first three games of the 2nd round series vs. the New Jersey Devils.
Keypoints during the series vs. the Penguins and how they managed it vs. the Devils:
1)Comeback: In the first game of the series, the Pittsburgh Penguins were 3-0 after 20 Minutes and lost the game in overtime, in games 2 and 3 the Flyers also came back from a deficit and were 3-0 after three games. Their ability to come back and not give up, was one of the reasons, they won this series.
Down 1-0 in the first game against the Devils, the Flyers won in overtime, again, but couldn't win the second and third game after a 1-0 lead.
2)Rookies: Flyers' new kids outscored Penguins' stars Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby in 6 games. Claude Giroux scored 6 goals and had 14 points during the first round, along with Sean Couturier, Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voracek or James van Riemsdyk, he played 6 great games.
Against the New Jersey Devils Giroux isn't as productive as he was in the first series. Only one powerplay goal in three games and no assists are in the books for a player, called the "best player in the world" by his coach Peter Laviolette after the victory against cross-state rival Pittsburgh.
3) Danny Brière: He scored the Flyers' first goal in the first round and scored the game winning OT goal in the first and the 3-3 equalizer in the third game against the New Jersey Devils.
Up till now he has 8 goals (leading the statistics) and 12 points in 9 games this post season and 108 points (50 goals) in 106 playoff games. There is a reason, why they call him Mr. Playoffs!
4) Powerplay: 14/39 in 9 games, 12/23 vs. Pens and 3 short handed goals, only two PP goals vs.the Devils in the first and third game (having at least wasted three powerplays during the overtimes), no PPG in the 2nd game.
5) Goaltending: In the first round, the Flyers' goalies allowed 4,33 goals per game, after 9 playoff games 4,11 goals/game. Not only that they allowed so many goals, the goalies looked a bit shaky during the first round, that said, the Penguins couldn't capitalize and allowed even more goals. Although the Flyers lost the 2nd and 3rd game against the Devils the goaltender did a great job and had some awesome saves (it is definitely not his fault that they lost), while the Flyers themselves just couldn't produce any great chances, especially in game two (example? 2nd period: first shot on goal 2 minutes before the period ended)
6)Final thoughts: The Flyers literally overrun the Penguins in the first round, but they have a lot of problems shutting the Devils down now. (Maybe it was their motivation against the Pens oder the Penguins' problems they faced the last months before the playoffs or just the mental aspect after game 1, beeing 3-0 in front and losing in overtime could be tough).
But their powerplay isn't working as well as it did in the games against the Pens, or in other words, the Devils PK is much better, than the Pens' one was. In last night's overtime for example, the Devils had to kill two penalties and did it well and "the best player in the world" Claude Giroux hasn't been a factor yet. (But it's still great, being world's best player for a week or so)
The way, they played against the Pittsburgh Penguins I'd say, they had a chance to make the Stanley Cup finals, but after the last two games against the New Jersey Devils, I'm not sure though.
Semis updates May 4th:
West:
Phoenix Coyotes - Nashville Predators 2-1
The Preds were down 2-0 after two games, while their goaltender Pekka Rinne allowed 9 goals in the first two games (he allowed 9 goals in 5 games in the first playoff round). Not enough problems with that, the Predators suspended two players because of "violation of the team rules". Maybe just what they needed, they won their first game at home in this series and goalie Rinne had his first career playoff shutout in wednesday night's 3rd game.
Los Angeles Kings - St. Louis Blues 3-0
The Los Angeles Kings had 5 away games in the playoffs, till now, and won all of them, only lost 1 game at home.
Could it be the LA Kings, that move to the Stanley Cup finals from the Western Conference?
East:
New York Rangers - Washingtion Capitals 2-1
After two games, the series was tied and the third game, wedneday night, took place in Washington. The New York Rangers won this game in the 3rd OT period, after they almost played 55 minutes during this overtime. (They nearly played two complete hockey games = 120 minutes on one evening)
Philadelphia Flyers - New Jersey Devils 1-2
After their victory in the first game during overtime, the Flyers fell short in the 2nd and 3rd game. In game 2 the hometeam had the 1-0 lead after 40 Minutes, then the Devils scored 4 unanswered goals in the 3rd period to tie the series in one. The third game went into OT, where the Devils scored the game winning goal after 17 minutes.
Worlds in Finland/Helsinki and Sweden/Stockholm 4-20 May 2012:
Today, the 76th men's world ice hockey championships are starting in Finland and Sweden.
I love hockey, but I really get exhausted by seeing this big ice hockey rink (comparing to the ones in North America).
As I am from Germany, I am really excited about it and how the German team will play their first game today, team captain would be Marcel Goc, the only NHL player in Germany's roster (his team, the Florida Panthers lost against the New Jersey Devils during the first playoff round).
The last two world championships were really awesome to watch, beating the Russian team 2-0 last year, was all over the news here in Germany, a country, where a lot of people dont't know much about hockey. (Germany lost their quarterfinals against Sweden, who won the silver medal in the finals against Finland)
It is also a tournament with a lot of starts especially from Sweden, Russia and Canada, that said, these would also be my picks to win the worlds this year.
New mode: 2 groups with 8 teams each, first 4 are playing the quaterfinals then, the 8th will be relegated.
Posts mit dem Label ESPN America werden angezeigt. Alle Posts anzeigen
Posts mit dem Label ESPN America werden angezeigt. Alle Posts anzeigen
Freitag, 4. Mai 2012
Samstag, 14. April 2012
[Hockey] Something is missing: the defense - Pens lose second playoff game against the Flyers
Well, as I am from Germany, the NHL playoff games usually start really late or early. The first two games in the playoff mseries between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers just started 1:30am and it was almost 4:30 in the morning, when they ended. Thanks to ESPN America for showing the Pens' games, also the upcoming ones (Game 3: Sunday 9pm CET)
So, after last night's game, I was just awake at 5:30 and far from any sleep, just heard that the birds started to chirp outside and the sunrise wasn't far away.
To tell it at the beginning, Pens lost both games at home against the Flyers and both times in a way, I was really surprised and concerned about.
Just some quick notes and recap, didn't manage to write a continuous text, after sleeping only 2 1/2 hours last night:
- when Pittsburgh's captain Sidney Crosby scored the first goal in the first game of the playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pens had a 3-0 lead after the first period, no one ever thought, that the Penguins could blow that lead just like that and lose the first game in overtime 3-4. But they did, it was just like they stopped playing defense or at least hockey.
- so I was just waiting for a reaction the Pens had to show in the second game, the story of this game is told quickly: they started like the first game and just blew it away. Crosby scored after 15 seconds in the first period. Pens just worked on the powerplay and they scored a second goal. But nothing lasts forever. The Flyers just had a shorthanded goal (well, they had 2 in the game, their first and third) Pens answered and managed to have a 3-1 after 20 Minutes. Then they just gave it up and we had the equalizer 3-3. Pens just got another lead, 6 seconds after the Flyers scored the 2nd shorty. But lost it again, within 3 seconds to play in period 2, we were tied in 4. Pens came out strong in the 3rd period just took a 5-4 lead after 1:04 minutes. And then I don't know what happened. All seemed like a deja vu. Pens just really lost it, blew their lead away just 17 seconds later and the Flyers just took their first lead with 10 Minutes to play. The Penguins never came back. Gave it up to 5-7 and faced an empty net goal seconds before the final buzzer. Endgame 5-8.
-great starts --> weak endings
-blowing away leads (and come on, I do not mean the 4-3 and 5-4 leads, I mean the 3-0 and 3-1 leads) and losing then is the story of the Pens playoff games 2011/12
-Offense wins games, defense wins Championships. Maybe a cliché, but the truth! You can't win the playoff games and the Stanley Cup with playing no defense, like the Pittsburgh Penguins did. Defense?! We don't care about defense?!
-Sidney Crosby with 2 goals and 2 assists in 2 games. Evgeni Malkin 2 secondary assists (both on Pens' powerplay goals), you know when Tyler Kennedy (2 goals) and D-man Paul Martin (1 goal) both have more goals than Malkin in this playoff season something is clearly wrong!
-I am at least not convinced what the Penguins' first line did the 2 games. They were just shut down by the Flyers.
-Game 2: Flyers: C. Giroux 3 goals, 3 assists, S. Couturier 3 goals, 1 assist
-Both, J. Jagr and M. Talbot, who are former Pittsburgh Penguins' players (and won the Stanley Cup with them) scored in the second game.
Just wanted to make it clear, nothing is lost, it's not over till it's over, but it's going to be tough in Philadelphia for the next two games, they'll have to make a 180 to turn around. Without an improvement, there is still the chance to lose just in 4 games (getting swept by the cross-state rival is not really what you want to achieve). They have to eliminate the mistakes and get rid off their sloppy style, they're showing for a month now (sometimes, you don't recognize that, when you win 8-4, but getting 4 goals is not a great defense play) and nothing changed.
-When they have a lead, the have to keep it till the end!
So, after last night's game, I was just awake at 5:30 and far from any sleep, just heard that the birds started to chirp outside and the sunrise wasn't far away.
To tell it at the beginning, Pens lost both games at home against the Flyers and both times in a way, I was really surprised and concerned about.
Just some quick notes and recap, didn't manage to write a continuous text, after sleeping only 2 1/2 hours last night:
- when Pittsburgh's captain Sidney Crosby scored the first goal in the first game of the playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pens had a 3-0 lead after the first period, no one ever thought, that the Penguins could blow that lead just like that and lose the first game in overtime 3-4. But they did, it was just like they stopped playing defense or at least hockey.
- so I was just waiting for a reaction the Pens had to show in the second game, the story of this game is told quickly: they started like the first game and just blew it away. Crosby scored after 15 seconds in the first period. Pens just worked on the powerplay and they scored a second goal. But nothing lasts forever. The Flyers just had a shorthanded goal (well, they had 2 in the game, their first and third) Pens answered and managed to have a 3-1 after 20 Minutes. Then they just gave it up and we had the equalizer 3-3. Pens just got another lead, 6 seconds after the Flyers scored the 2nd shorty. But lost it again, within 3 seconds to play in period 2, we were tied in 4. Pens came out strong in the 3rd period just took a 5-4 lead after 1:04 minutes. And then I don't know what happened. All seemed like a deja vu. Pens just really lost it, blew their lead away just 17 seconds later and the Flyers just took their first lead with 10 Minutes to play. The Penguins never came back. Gave it up to 5-7 and faced an empty net goal seconds before the final buzzer. Endgame 5-8.
-great starts --> weak endings
-blowing away leads (and come on, I do not mean the 4-3 and 5-4 leads, I mean the 3-0 and 3-1 leads) and losing then is the story of the Pens playoff games 2011/12
-Offense wins games, defense wins Championships. Maybe a cliché, but the truth! You can't win the playoff games and the Stanley Cup with playing no defense, like the Pittsburgh Penguins did. Defense?! We don't care about defense?!
-Sidney Crosby with 2 goals and 2 assists in 2 games. Evgeni Malkin 2 secondary assists (both on Pens' powerplay goals), you know when Tyler Kennedy (2 goals) and D-man Paul Martin (1 goal) both have more goals than Malkin in this playoff season something is clearly wrong!
-I am at least not convinced what the Penguins' first line did the 2 games. They were just shut down by the Flyers.
-Game 2: Flyers: C. Giroux 3 goals, 3 assists, S. Couturier 3 goals, 1 assist
-Both, J. Jagr and M. Talbot, who are former Pittsburgh Penguins' players (and won the Stanley Cup with them) scored in the second game.
Just wanted to make it clear, nothing is lost, it's not over till it's over, but it's going to be tough in Philadelphia for the next two games, they'll have to make a 180 to turn around. Without an improvement, there is still the chance to lose just in 4 games (getting swept by the cross-state rival is not really what you want to achieve). They have to eliminate the mistakes and get rid off their sloppy style, they're showing for a month now (sometimes, you don't recognize that, when you win 8-4, but getting 4 goals is not a great defense play) and nothing changed.
-When they have a lead, the have to keep it till the end!
 |
Just got this from twitter. If you are interested in hockey and the Pittsburgh Penguins you should follow! |
Montag, 6. Februar 2012
[Sport] Meine Sport Highlights vom Wochenende aka meine lange und enttäuschende Nacht von gestern
Es ist nun kurz nach 10:00 Uhr morgens und für das, dass ich erst um kurz nach 4 ins Bett bin gehts mir und meiner Erkältung blendend.
Nun zu meinen mehr oder weniger Sport-Highlights des Wochenendes:
Fußball:
Auch in der zweiten Liga wird nun wieder gespielt und leider hat die SpVgg Greuther Fürth 3:1 am Freitagabend verloren. Das wären 3 wichtige Punkte im Kampf um den Aufstieg gewesen, aber die Saison ist noch lang und es kann bis zum letzten Spieltag spannend bleiben
Am Samstag konnte der VfB Stuttgart einen Punkt im Auswärtsspiel holen und das mit dem Ausgleichstreffer kurz vor Schluss.
Biathlon:
Magdalena Neuner ist einfach unglaublich, zwei Starts in Oslo und zwei souveräne Siege! Ich freue mich sehr für sie und drücke ihr bei der WM Ende Februar die Daumen.
Handball:
Mein lokaler Handball-Verein konnte am Samstag Abend gegen den Tabellenvierten mit einem Tor zu Hause gewinnen, leider ohne mich, da ich mit meiner Erkältung nicht unbedingt in die Halle sitzen wollte, aber zumindest hat die Einstellung und die Offensivleistung in diesem Spiel wieder gestimmt!
Eishockey:
Nun, was gibt es besseres, wenn das Lieblings NHL Team, die Pittsburgh Penguins, um 19:00 Uhr abends, unserer Zeit spielt und das spiel auch noch von ESPN America übertragen wird? Richtig, wenn das Team auch noch Auswärts gewinnt.
Am Samstag Abend konnten die Penguins zwar in Boston mit 2:1 gewinnen, mussten aber am Sonntag bei den New Jersey Devils eine Niederlage hinnehmen.
Das Team präsentiert sich dennoch im allgemeinen sehr gut, muss aber immer noch auf ihren verletzten Kapitän Sidney Crosby verzichten.
NFL - Superbowl XLVI:
Ja, eigentlich mein größtes Highlight, auf das ich mich schon die ganze Woche freute und für das ich mir liebend gerne meine Nacht um die Ohren schlagen wollte.
Nun, vorweg gleich, die New England Patriots verloren 21:17 gegen die Giants aus New York.
Das Spiel begann negativ für die Patriots und so endete es auch, obwohl sie sich zwischenzeitlich mit 2 Touchdowns hintereinander absetzen konnten haben sie am Ende wohl zu Recht das Spiel verloren.
Das Einzige, was mich unterhalten konnte, waren die amerikanischen Kommentatoren bei ESPN America, denn die Halbzeitshow von Madonna hat mir leider, neben dem Endergebnis, gar nicht gefallen.
Ich wünsche euch eine schöne Woche!
Nun zu meinen mehr oder weniger Sport-Highlights des Wochenendes:
Fußball:
Auch in der zweiten Liga wird nun wieder gespielt und leider hat die SpVgg Greuther Fürth 3:1 am Freitagabend verloren. Das wären 3 wichtige Punkte im Kampf um den Aufstieg gewesen, aber die Saison ist noch lang und es kann bis zum letzten Spieltag spannend bleiben
Am Samstag konnte der VfB Stuttgart einen Punkt im Auswärtsspiel holen und das mit dem Ausgleichstreffer kurz vor Schluss.
Biathlon:
Magdalena Neuner ist einfach unglaublich, zwei Starts in Oslo und zwei souveräne Siege! Ich freue mich sehr für sie und drücke ihr bei der WM Ende Februar die Daumen.
Handball:
Mein lokaler Handball-Verein konnte am Samstag Abend gegen den Tabellenvierten mit einem Tor zu Hause gewinnen, leider ohne mich, da ich mit meiner Erkältung nicht unbedingt in die Halle sitzen wollte, aber zumindest hat die Einstellung und die Offensivleistung in diesem Spiel wieder gestimmt!
Eishockey:
Nun, was gibt es besseres, wenn das Lieblings NHL Team, die Pittsburgh Penguins, um 19:00 Uhr abends, unserer Zeit spielt und das spiel auch noch von ESPN America übertragen wird? Richtig, wenn das Team auch noch Auswärts gewinnt.
Am Samstag Abend konnten die Penguins zwar in Boston mit 2:1 gewinnen, mussten aber am Sonntag bei den New Jersey Devils eine Niederlage hinnehmen.
Das Team präsentiert sich dennoch im allgemeinen sehr gut, muss aber immer noch auf ihren verletzten Kapitän Sidney Crosby verzichten.
NFL - Superbowl XLVI:
Ja, eigentlich mein größtes Highlight, auf das ich mich schon die ganze Woche freute und für das ich mir liebend gerne meine Nacht um die Ohren schlagen wollte.
Nun, vorweg gleich, die New England Patriots verloren 21:17 gegen die Giants aus New York.
Das Spiel begann negativ für die Patriots und so endete es auch, obwohl sie sich zwischenzeitlich mit 2 Touchdowns hintereinander absetzen konnten haben sie am Ende wohl zu Recht das Spiel verloren.
Das Einzige, was mich unterhalten konnte, waren die amerikanischen Kommentatoren bei ESPN America, denn die Halbzeitshow von Madonna hat mir leider, neben dem Endergebnis, gar nicht gefallen.
Ich wünsche euch eine schöne Woche!
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