Battle of the Goalies
This is one of the best times of the year. Late May. Clearly everyone in the civilized world is thinking hockey and specifically NHL hockey. For those who have been following the NHL playoffs, and I know that everyone has, the Stanley Cup finals are about to begin. Facing off in a best of seven games series are the Ottawa Senators and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
The Senators have never been this far in the playoffs despite having one of the best teams in the world this decade. This is the second trip to the finals for the Ducks. The last time was four years ago.
So who is going to come out on top? Probably whichever team gets better goaltending. As with pitching in baseball and quarterbacking in football, goaltending in hockey is crucial. But which team will get the better goaltending? J.S. Giguere of the Ducks is incredibly solid and makes what should be very difficult saves look very easy because he is almost always in position, he's got great speed, and he's huge. Have a look at his highlights and you'll see what I mean:
But as much as I like Giguere, my money is on Ray Emery of the Ottawa Senators. I have to admit that I'm biased. I grew up in Canada so I'd love to see the Canadian team win. The last time that happened was when Montreal won in 1993 and because they're in Quebec it is questionable whether you can even count that as a win for Canada. If we regard Montreal as being in New France rather than Canada, then we have to go back 19 years to the Edmonton Oilers in 1988. That was the year when the Oilers won with Mark Messier as captain and Wayne Gretzky was wearing a Los Angeles Kings jersey.
But I also love Emery because he loves to fight. That's right. A goalie who loves to fight. And he fights well. Have a look:
So, Senators in six? Bets anyone?
Steven - you've hit on a big debate going on inside our company. Lee the Rock Star is confident that Ottawa is too fast for Anaheim and he's predicting the Sens will win it. I don't think Ottawa can compete with Anaheim's size, forecheck and stifling defense. Anaheim in 6 is my prediction. Either way, I'm always a fan of a first-time champion which we are assured of this year.
I must agree with you regarding Emery - he is a beast for a goaltender when it comes to pugilism. I view him as the modern-day Ron Hextall which makes him an automatic favorite of mine.
Steven,
As a Red Wings fan, I feel compelled to point out that this discussion of Sens vs. Ducks shouldn't be happening -- hockey should not be played in cities where the only ice is found in drinks, by teams named after Disney characters.
What a sad spectacle. Go Sens.
Prediction: Hasek for Vezina *and* Conn Smythe in '08 :-)
Steven,
I am only one post in with CollegeRecruiter, but I see a hockey debate and I just can't control myself.
Like Kevin Donlin, I too am a Red Wings fan. It's kind of hard not to be when you are raised in Hockeytown.
I won't go so far as to bash on Ottawa or Anaheim, but I will say this: the NHL is a major disgrace these days. The strike has crippled this league and the marketing strategies that they are employing are amazingly off-target. For those in Canada, hockey will always be the national game and Canadian fans will always be rabid and passionate for the Flames, Sens, Oilers, Canucks, Habs and Leafs. This is how it should be.
However, when it comes to it's American fan base, the NHL has managed to whittle it down to almost nothing by creating too many small market teams, a badly divided conference arrangement, and no major TV agreement, barring the occasional weekend game on NBC. It's sad that the only traditions the "new NHL" has kept is the Stanley Cup and 10 pm Eastern Time puck drop for the Western Conference playoff games that feature the team from one of the only American hockey hotbeds left: the Detroit Red Wings.
Of course, most marketers would try and find ways to bring in a more loyal fan base from the USA. The NHL solution: let's go play our opening game for next season in London.
Brilliant.
Enough griping. In the end, I will always support the NHL and my Motown Wings.
As for this Cup clash:
Ducks in 6. Too much size, too much strength, and too much Giguere.
As for Kevin Donlin's prediction: Scrap Hasek and go out and get Marty Turco from Dallas. People bash his playoff record, but he played his college puck for Michigan and this Red Wings team needs some "hometown identity" to go with all of the European talent they have.
When it is easier to find the NHL games on your cell phone than on TV, then you know that the league has some major problems.
I would love to see the Senators win as the last time a Canadian team won was 1988. The Habs in 1993 don't count as they play in New France. But I just can't see the Sens overcoming the Ducks. As you so perfectly wrote, "too much size, too much strength, too much Giguere."
I know my last comment seemed very harsh, so let me say this:
No matter what the NHL does to the game, I will always enjoy hockey. I won't enjoy it because of the more open game, or the trapezoidal area behind the net or even the shootouts that now decide games. Hockey will always be important to me because of the fans and their utmost respect for the game.
This is why I am partial to teams like Detroit and cheer for teams with tradition to do well. And the Canadian teams embody the passion and love for the game that reminds me of being at Detroit games when I lived there.
With that said, I am cheering for Ottawa to win the Cup. I cheered for Edmonton last season for the same reason. The only way the NHL will mend its image is to find some way to restore some of the tradition that it has lost, and I think Ottawa is the best chance it has right now in these Stanley Cup Finals.
But again, I still like the Ducks in 6...tradition or not.