May 11, 2016
Thumbs to Pens-Caps and forward thinking
Dave Hodge extends his thumbs to delay of game penalties, a miraculous save by someone other than a goalie and some predictions moving forward in the NHL playoffs.
By Dave Hodge
Two quick hits following last night’s clincher by the Pittsburgh Penguins:
“Thumbs down” to the delay-of-game penalty for shooting the puck over the glass.
Thankfully, three of them in succession did not decide the game’s outcome.
“Thumbs up” to Jay Beagle for the most incredible save a non-goalie has ever made. The Washington forward doesn’t get to fully enjoy it, and that’s too bad.
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Here’s a list of thoughts you might have had prior to the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs:
1. Rookie Matt Murray is a promising goalie, but he’s not ready for a big stage that includes Alex Ovechkin, Braden Holtby and the Washington Capitals.
2. The Tampa Bay Lightning will not be able to withstand the loss of Steven Stamkos and Anton Stralman.
3. Dallas cannot have playoff success with Kari Lehtonen or Antti Niemi trying to keep pucks out of the Stars’ net and Tyler Seguin unavailable to shoot them at opposition goalies.
4. The playoff experience of Chicago and Los Angeles will win out over the history of playoff failure in St. Louis and San Jose.
5. Anaheim vs. Nashville will be an uneventful and predictable first-round series.
“Thumbs down” on all counts, so why would you try to predict anything else? But here goes:
1. Sidney Crosby will score a goal in the Eastern Conference final against Tampa Bay.
2. If there is any carryover from game six to game seven, the Nashville Predators are liable to upset the Sharks in San Jose. At home in the latter stages of Game 6, the Predators were driving race cars and the Sharks were pushing jalopies.
3. Ken Hitchcock’s goaltending decision will be mentioned in the first line of all stories written about game seven between St. Louis and Dallas.
4. Win or lose in game seven against Nashville, San Jose’s Brent Burns will be called the best playoff performer so far, and his beard will be mentioned.
5. It is time for another controversial coach’s challenge. There will be one in one or both of the upcoming seventh games.