Columnists
Round two
For many of you, the party’s over. After seven games, your team was eliminated. I understand that, but there is still plenty of hockey to be played. There are eight teams remaining, and, in order to hoist Lord Stanley’s mug, the team must win 12 games.
The Tampa Bay Lightning will play the next series in Florida, traveling to Sunrise to play the Panthers. A couple of hours south to Naples, then east across Alligator Alley to the rink. Rabid fans will make the trip, without question. You likely noticed their passion in the previous series. The Florida Panthers had the most points at the end of the regular season, earning the home rink advantage.
The games are played on ice, and then there are the mind games played long before the teams suit up. That has always been the case. Most players and coaches are careful not to spew derogatory comments about their opponents. A mistake in this regard is often posted on the bulletin board as an inspiration to the opponent.
The St. Louis Blues and the Colorado Avalanche will face each other in the west. Both teams are loaded with talent. Most of the injuries have healed, and now it’s showtime. The Blues will be led by David Perron, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Ryan O’Reilly. The Avs boast the talents of Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon. Their best defenceman is a young lad we watched when he played against the Dukes in Cobourg: Cale Makar. His superior skills were evident even at that time, as a young teenager.
Coach Jared Bednar was asked for comments about his opponent. “They’re deep, they’re extremely deep. Numbers show it. 109 points, nine 20-goal guys, top special teams in the league. All of it. Everything makes it a tough test.” Spoken very carefully.
Not to be outdone, St. Louis Blues’ coach Craig Berube had this to say about the Avalanche: “They’re a great team, Colorado, we all know that. They’ve got a lot of high-end players.You’re going to have to do a lot of things right and you’re going to have to be real disciplined and stay out of the penalty box against them.” Not much there to incense the Avalanche.
And, for the first time in more than 20 years, we have the “Battle of Alberta”. There has never been much love lost in the games between these two cities. Perhaps it was on the gridiron, between the Stampeders and the Elk, (formerly known as the Eskimos). The hockey battles between those teams were epic, often with no prisoners taken. The game was different in those days, primarily because there was not an emphasis on special teams.
Teams today have very refined power plays, feared by opponents. Cross ice passes to sharpshooters often end up in the net, difficult to defend. Teams with the advantage must also take care with penalty killers, adept at breaking out of their zone to move, two on one, with a chance to score short-handed.
There will be mayhem in “The Garden” in New York. The Rangers will host the Carolina Hurricane. As is the case with the other series, this will be a grind. The men in the golf world are preparing for the PGA Championship, won last year by Phil Mickelson. Phil will not participate this year, as he has created a furor with his position regarding a potential series of tournaments in opposition to the PGA. Such a furor! It is all about the money.
The Blue Jays won on Monday night! They bested the Seattle Mariners 6-2, timely hitting, and good pitching. More of that is needed to turn around the recent collapse.
The tennis world is heading to Paris, to the French Open. Canadians have played well recently, just not quite well enough to climb the podium. Perhaps that will change.
I trust you are enjoying this fine weather!
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