All Entries in the "Western Conference" Category
Blackhawks Need Change… But How Much?
Chicago – On Wednesday at the United Center, Blackhawk players had exit interviews with the coaching staff and cleaned out their lockers. GM Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville were on hand to meet with the media as did some players. You could see the disappointment on the faces of all who spoke. It was an [...]
Rinne Receives Vezina Nomination
The Nashville Predators have always built their team from the net out. Solid goaltending has been a cornerstone of the Predators success throughout the years, and netminder Pekka Rinne has been one of the best in the history of the franchise. Today, Rinne received his second consecutive Vezina nomination, acknowledging the quality of his play. [...]
Predators Poile Nominated for GM of the Year
Building a winning team is as much an art as a science. Blending experienced veterans, untested rookies, and players added via trade or free agency is akin to a chemistry experiment in a science lab, Although the individual components are known, once blended together the outcome can be surprisingly good or it can blow up. [...]
Mike Smith Was Outstanding And Hawks Not Good Enough
Chicago – In front of 21,636, the Phoenix Coyotes advanced to the second round of the playoffs by shutting out the Blackhawks 4-0 at the United Center Monday night. Phoenix goaltender Mike Smith wasn’t only the finest goalie in the contest; he was also the best player in the game by a wide margin. The [...]
Blackhawks Try Hard but this isn’t the Cup-Winning Team
Chicago – The fact the Blackhawks can’t seem to play with the same effort throughout a game makes them an interesting but frustrating club to follow. From night to night or period to period, even shift to shift the Hawks can appear a scattered group. My view is the will to win of the team [...]
Hawks Win in 5th Straight OT Game as Series Goes Back to Chicago
Chicago – The Blackhawks showed the will of a winner in Phoenix Saturday night and defeated the Coyotes 2-1 in overtime. With the victory, the two clubs will square off for Game 6 on Monday at the United Center. The Hawks weren’t perfect but they did play their best game of the series. When everything [...]
Red Wings Eliminated by Predators. So What’s Next in Hockeytown?
The Detroit Red Wings were the first team in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs to get eliminated in the opening round as they lost to the Nashville Predators 2-1 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals at the Bridgestone Arena. It was the Red Wings earliest playoff exit since 2006 when they were ousted [...]
Predators Defeat Wings 2-1, Clinch the Series 4-1
The Nashville Predators defeated the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 at the Bridgestone Arena to clinch their first round series by a 4-1 margin. Winning this series against the Wings was a big step in the maturation process of the Predators. Ever since the Preds came into the NHL, the Wings have been their measuring stick, [...]
Same Ole Blackhawks Fall in OT, Now Face Elimination
Chicago – The Blackhawks face elimination after dropping a 3-2 decision in overtime at the United Center. The game marked the sixth consecutive overtime playoff game dating back to last season for the Blackhawks which is a NHL record. The loss may lead to consecutive first round eliminations for a club which some thought was [...]
Red Wings Lose to Predators 3-1, Face Elimination
The Detroit Red Wings are on the brink of elimination after their 3-1 loss in Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal series Tuesday night against the Nashville Predators. With a 3-1 series lead, the Predators are in the driver’s seat and are one win away from pushing the Red Wings out of the Stanley [...]
Predators Take Commanding Series Lead With a 3-1 Victory
The Nashville Predators looked to take a 3-1 series lead against a desperate Detroit Red Wings team at the Joe Louis Arena in the fourth game of their first round series. The Predators were once again going to rely on Pekka Rinne in net to hold the dangerous Wings offense in check. The Red Wings [...]
Game 2 Preview and the Embarrassment of the NHL
Chicago – The Blackhawks find themselves in a very advantageous position even though the series is tied at one game apiece. We haven’t seen the best from the Hawks, and that shouldn’t bode well for the Coyotes. The Hawks will be playing on home ice for the next two games but thus far, they haven’t [...]
Red Wings Edged by Predators 3-2, Down 2-1 in First Round Series
The Detroit Red Wings failed to capitalize on their home ice advantage by dropping Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals to the Nashville Predators 3-2 at the Joe Louis Arena. With the loss, the Red Wings now trail the Predators 2-1 in this best-of-seven series. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg scored the team’s goals [...]
Predators Outlast the Wings, Take 2-1 Series Lead
Well, that was exciting! The Nashville Predators faced the Detroit Red Wings at the Joe, a place where they had never won a playoff game, tied at one game apiece in their playoff series, and the two teams engaged in a back and forth contest that went down to the final seconds before the Predators [...]
Hockey gods Smile Down on Hawks as They Even the Series
Chicago – The Blackhawks and drama in the desert have become synonymous. In Game 1, the Hawks tied the score with 14 seconds left in regulation time. On Saturday night they waited even longer as Patrick Sharp deflected a Brent Seabrook shot in with only six ticks showing on the clock. This time Corey Crawford [...]
Predators Fail to Finish, Fall to the Wings 3-2
The Nashville Predators found out that they have a war in their series with the Detroit Red Wings as the Wings captured a 3-2 win at the Bridgestone Arena to even their series at one game for each team. For the Predators, they found out that matching the intensity of their opponent is essential to [...]
Red Wings Get Even with Predators 3-2, Series Tied at 1-1
Not only did Nashville Predators’ defenseman Shea Weber go “Rowdy” Roddy Piper by ramming Henrik Zetterberg’s head into the glass at the end of Game One, but he seemed to have awakened a sleeping giant in the Detroit Red Wings. The Red and White responded in a big way at the Bridgestone Arena as they [...]
Canucks to Embrace the Hate, Even Strength Play vs. Confident Kings in Game Two
The sky is falling in the city of Vancouver, and spring has barely sprung. Following with the seasons, the Vancouver Canucks have taken only a few strides out of the starting gate but have had a tough start to the Stanley Cup Finals, dropping their Game One matchup against the Kings for the first time since 2007 against the Anaheim Ducks.
Incomplete Effort Leads to a 3-2 OT Loss in Phoenix
As entertaining as watching the Blackhawks can be, they can also be equally as frustrating. As sometimes is the case, the Hawks gave their fans a little of everything, but in the end not enough. The Coyotes were outplayed badly in the opening 15 minutes Thursday night but when all was said and done, they [...]
Weber Avoids Suspension; Bigger Problem for the League
In case of emergency, break glass.” As the Detroit Red Wings were desperately trying to rally to tie the first game in their playoff series with the Nashville Predators, Shea Weber attempted to do just that- break glass- with Henrik Zetterberg’s face as he was trying to steal the puck from Weber behind the Nashville [...]
