David Krejci the OT hero, Bruins have Leafs on ropes

Toronto coach Randy Carlyle called it a dagger in the heart. Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf threw himself on his sword.

There was drama and pain aplenty in the Leafs' 4-3 overtime loss Wednesday night that gave the Bruins a commanding 3-1 lead in their playoff series heading back to Boston on Friday.

David Krejci — with his third goal of the night — administered the coup de grace at 13:06 of overtime, squeezing a puck through James Reimer on a two-on-one created by Phaneuf's eagerness to pinch in to try and thump Nathan Horton at the other end of the ice.

He got a piece of the Bruins forward but in so doing allowed Krejci and Milan Lucic to head towards the Leafs goal with just Ryan O'Byrne in their way. Krejci used Lucic as a decoy, then snapped a shot past Reimer.

"You can't afford to make mistakes that lead to odd-man rushes," said Carlyle. "We turned the puck over deep in the corner and then we pinched and gave them an odd-man rush and they scored a short-side goal to beat us and that's kind of a dagger, it feels like a dagger after the effort that was put forth by our group.

Said Phaneuf: "I take responsibility for making a bad play. I said that and I don't know what more you guys want me to say. I made a bad play and it cost us the game."

The Leafs now face a potentially decisive Game 5 in Boston, where history and the Bruins are against them.

The Bruins are 15-2 when leading a best-of-seven series 3-1. And Toronto is 2-12-1 in its last 15 games in Boston.

"We knew the circumstances coming into this game," said Lucic. "A lot was on the line and we talked about setting ourselves going into Game 5 so as difficult as these last two games were, it's only going to get harder and we expect the best out of them again."

Patrice Bergeron also scored for Boston, with captain Zdeno Chara collecting four assists. The Bruins power play, 1-for-9 coming into the game, was 2-for-5 on the night.

'I take responsibility for making a bad play. I said that and I don't know what more you guys want me to say. I made a bad play and it cost us the game.'—Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf

Krejci now has five goals and five assists in the series, combining with linemates Lucic (0-7) and Horton (3-3) for eight goals and 15 assists.

Joffrey Lupul, Cody Franson and Clarke MacArthur scored for Toronto, whose power-play went 0-for-4.

The Leafs have not registered a home playoff win over Boston since March 31, 1959, when Toronto won 3-2 in overtime.

More than a half-century later, goalies Tuukka Rask and Reimer were both busy in an end-to-end overtime, with Toronto's Matt Frattin hitting Rask's goalpost some six minutes in.

Toronto outshot Boston 48-45 overall and 11-9 in overtime.

"It really felt like we were putting on a lot of pressure," said Lupul. "On the bench, we kind of felt like it was just a matter of time before we got one."

Reimer's wife and mother were in the stands at the Air Canada Centre, often unable to watch for the tension. Phaneuf's fiancee, actress Elisha Cuthbert, was one row behind.

"I try to be as calm as I possibly can but inside your guts are churning. Simple as that," Carlyle said of the overtime.

Reimer got a piece of the puck on the final play, but not enough to stop it from trickling through under his right arm.

"He just beat me," the goalie said. "I thought I got most of it and I had a good read. I just didn't get enough of it."

The Leafs used their speed to great effect and led 2-0 after the first period, only to see the Bruins fight back to take a 3-2 lead in the second before Toronto stopped the slide with a late goal of its own.

Are the Maple Leafs done?

"I know that our work ethic was strong. I know we played the game at a pretty high tempo," said Carlyle. "The one thing that's disappointing is we had a two-goal lead."

Tied 3-3, the game hung in the balance to open the third. It was a crucial period with the Leafs either pulling even in the series or going down 3-1.

It was desperate high stakes hockey with players putting their body on the line. Toronto defenceman Mark Fraser, who does not wear a visor, took a Lucic shot to the face with 12 minutes remaining and headed to the dressing room, leaving a pool of blood on the ice.

Fraser was taken to hospital for a CT scan, among other things.

"Obviously they're going to check for any broken bones, basically in the forehead area," said Carlyle.

"Obviously he's going to need some stitches."

Fraser's injury was clearly felt by his teammates.

"The guy's been an absolute warrior. A great teammate for us," said Lupul. "So all our thoughts are with him."

The tense overtime followed a physical 60 minutes. Toronto outhit Boston 71-49 on the night.

'Man's hockey game'

"It was a man's hockey game out there," said Carlyle. "There was a lot of energy and a lot of physical play but that's the way the playoffs are played. That's the way it's supposed to be played.

"We just have to find a way now to bottle the positives that we put forth in today's game and bring that for Friday in Boston."

The two teams have combined for 365 hits in four games, with Toronto holding a 200-165 edge.

Inside the arena, the chant of "Go Leafs Go" started before the anthems. Outside, blue-and-white fans came out early to party in the adjacent Maple Leaf Square.

Once again, 2nd Lieutenant Scott Newlands and the 19,708 fans inside bellowed out the anthem to kick off the festivities.

Lupul gave them something to cheer about on the Leafs' first shot at 2:35. Lupul gave the puck to Phil Kessel who raced around the goal and then fed it back to Lupul, who had got enough separation from the Boston defencemen to slap the puck past Rask for his third of the playoffs.

Franson doubled the lead on Toronto's eighth shot of the period with a shot from the point that beat Rask, who had Chara in front of him, at 18:32.

But the Bruins showed their character in the second period, pushing back on the power play just 32 seconds in with an opportunistic Bergeron beating Reimer on a rebound of a screened Chara shot from the point. It was Bergeron's first point of the series and first goal in 14 games.

Krejci was credited with Boston's second goal after a goalmouth scramble at 12:59 that saw Mikhail Grabovski go flying. Chara had helped set the stage with a driving rush.

The Boston power play paid off again with Krejci one-timing a shot past Reimer at 16:39 after a glorious pass from Horton.

MacArthur, who replaced Ryan Hamilton in the lineup, tied it up 44 seconds later with a slapshot from the slot.

Boston's Jaromir Jagr picked up an assist, giving him sole possession of sixth place on the all-time playoff points list (191).

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stanley Cup Stories: Leafs lose heartbreaker, Kings rolling

A strange moment in the stands drew as much attention as the action on the ice in the Maple Leafs' overtime loss to the Boston Bruins, the defending Stanley Cup champions are showing shades of last year's form, and the Vancouver Canucks began their off-season with plenty of uncertainty. All that and more in our Stanley Cup Stories from Wednesday.

1. A deflating 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins has the Toronto Maple Leafs clinging to their playoff lives, but a seemingly awkward moment between two of the players' significant others garnered most of the post-game attention. Leafs goalie James Reimer's wife April was caught giving what was originally construed as a glare in the direction of Toronto defenceman Dion Phaneuf's fiancée and actress Elisha Cuthbert. The apparent face off happened just moments after a costly error by Phaneuf in overtime led to David Krejci's winner, and had the Twitter world buzzing. April Reimer was quick to get on damage control, clarifying who she was glaring at and denying any rift with Cuthbert. She claimed the two were upset at a rude comment made by a nearby fan. Tim Wharnsby writes although Phaneuf took responsibility for his gaffe, his risk-taking was unnecessary. To add injury to insult, the Leafs also lost defenceman Mark Fraser after he took a puck to the forehead. The night began with Hockey Night in Canada's Elliotte Friedman landing an exclusive 1-on-1 interview with new MLSE boss Tim Leiweke.

2. The Vancouver Canucks will have plenty of time to contemplate their next moves after being swept by the San Jose Sharks Tuesday night. Jim Morris writes that a storm may be brewing in Vancouver and it won't be because of the weather. The futures of coach Alain Vigneault and general manager Mike Gillis are uncertain after another early playoff exit. If you ask Coach's Corner commentator Don Cherry, Gillis should have sorted out his team's goaltending situation in the middle of the season by dealing Cory Schneider before the NHL's April 3 trade deadline. But for now, Team Sweden is getting a boost as Henrik and Daniel Sedin will be suiting up at the hockey worlds, along with Alex Edler.

3. Remember last year's version of the Los Angeles Kings? Well, apparently they do, too. The defending Stanley Cup champions are looking like their former selves after beating the St. Louis Blues 3-2 in overtime. L.A. won its third straight game to take a 3-2 series lead and looks to have turned the tide on St. Louis. The Detroit Red Wings also suffered a 3-2 fourth-frame defeat to the Anaheim Ducks and now trail their series 3-2, raising the total number of OT games in the 2013 playoffs to 13.

4. The Montreal Canadiens may be down 3-1 in their series with the Ottawa Senators, but they're not ready to go home just yet. It will be a tough task for the Habs, who may be without top goalie Carey Price with a lower-body injury, and won't have the services of captain Brian Gionta, who is done for the season with a biceps injury. Montreal will hope to extend the series on Hockey Night in Canada Thursday night in Game 5 (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 6:30 p.m. ET). The doubleheader continues with the Minnesota Wild hoping to avoid elimination against the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 5 (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 9:30 p.m. ET).

5. Those who may have counted the New York Rangers out after they dropped the first two games of their series with the Washington Capitals may want to think again. New York has clawed its way back with a 4-3 victory over Washington, even minus defenceman Marc Staal. And as Jay Greenberg writes, the Rangers are gaining more and more confidence with each passing game.

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Did You See That? April Reimer, Elisha Cuthbert's not-so-happy ending

Things are not always what they seem. After Leafs' defenceman Dion Phaneuf made a costly error in overtime, one that resulted in Toronto losing 4-3 to the Boson Bruins Wednesday night, the cameras panned to the team's family area in the stands.

Things are not always what they seem.

After Leafs defenceman Dion Phaneuf made a costly error in overtime, one that resulted in Toronto losing 4-3 to the Boson Bruins Wednesday night, the cameras panned to the team's family area.

That's when Leafs goalie James Reimer's wife, April, appeared to turn around and glare at actress Elisha Cuthbert, who is Phaneuf's fiancée.

It looked like April Reimer was placing the blame on Phaneuf. Cuthbert reacted with an apparent "whatever" eye roll. April then seemed to respond in kind.

But several minutes after the game ended, April Reimer tweeted that her intended glare was at a man sitting to Cuthbert's left.

"For those who were thinkin @happyelishas and I were rolling our eyes @ eachother. Was the jerk beside us #rudecomment pic.twitter.com/zcZ6bEgwdS"

Judge for yourself.

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Wharnsby: Risk-taking Dion Phaneuf cost Leafs in OT

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf made a risky pinch that he messed up to send the Boston Bruins the other way for the winning overtime goal. But he faced the music and admitted afterwards he cost his team a win in Game 4

TORONTO -- Dion Phaneuf needed some extra time to get over his overtime gaffe.

Even though the Toronto Maple Leafs captain knew he would have to explain his risky manoeuvre that cost his team a heartbreaking defeat, he stayed in a backroom well after the Boston Bruins skated to a 4-3 win in extra time.

Instead, Phaneuf let some of his teammates face reporters. Toronto blue-liner Cody Franson came to the defence of his captain. So did James van Riemsdyk, James Reimer, Joffrey Lupul and Jake Gardiner.

"The game happens so fast and that's the risk he decided to take," Franson said. "I have no problem with a guys trying to be aggressive.

"He was trying to make something happen."

Will the fans be as forgiving now the Maple Leafs are down 3-1 to the Bruins in Toronto's first playoff foray in nine years?

Not too long after the game, a video from the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast had made the rounds on the Internet. What the clip appeared to show was April Reimer, the wife of Maple Leafs netminder James Reimer, giving a death stare in the direction of actress Elisha Cuthbert, Phaneuf's fiancee.

At least, that was the conclusion most immediately made.

But Mrs. Reimer was swift to correct those hoping for a juicy significant-other spat. She said on her Twitter account that she glared at a fan nearby who made a rude remark:

For those who were thinkin @happyelishas and I were rolling our eyes @ eachother. Was  the jerk beside us #rudecomment -- April Reimer (@april_reimer) May 9, 2013

Phaneuf takes the heat

Meanwhile, back in the Maple Leafs dressing room, when Phaneuf emerged from his post-game workout to get another from reporters, he put on his Maple Leafs ballcap and he took the heat.

"It's a bad mistake and a bad time to make," he said. "I take responsibility for it.

"And it's unacceptable."

Good for Phaneuf for being a standup guy. But he was right. It was an unacceptable play on his part.

The Maple Leafs had been burned by a couple giveaways and a lost faceoff that resulted in three goals in the Bruins' 5-2 victory in Game 3 at the Air Canada Centre. The other non-empty net Boston goal was off an odd-man rush.

Toronto has to play safe, smart hockey against these opportunistic Bruins. This play from Phaneuf was neither smart nor safe. He went for the big hit on Nathan Horton and missed, catching only his opponent's stick.

Horton was able to chip the puck by to send his linemate David Krejci down the wing. Krejci fired a shot between Reimer's blocker arm and his body for the game winner and his series-leading fifth 13:06 into overtime.

"You can't afford to make mistakes that lead to odd-man rushes," Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle said. "We turned the puck over deep in the corner and then we pinched and gave them an odd-man rush and they scored a short-side goal to beat us and that's kind of a dagger.

"It feels like a dagger after the effort that was put forth by our group."

Leafs jump out early

How true. These playoff-inexperienced Maple Leafs jumped out to a 2-0 lead. But again they went to sleep for an extended stretch in the second period to allow the Bruins to catapult themselves to a 3-2 advantage.

Full marks to the Maple Leafs for pulling themselves even with a Clarke MacArthur goal near the end of the second period. He was a healthy scratch the past two games and appeared to have lost his confidence. But Carlyle showed faith in the veteran, put him back in the lineup and he came through with a big goal.

The Maple Leafs were the better team in overtime. Matt Frattin hit the post a few shifts before Krejci's game winner.

"It hurts," said Lupul, who was incredible with a goal, an assist, and a crucial first-period shot block.

He also went after Bruins giant-sized captain Zdeno Chara a couple of times, drawing a power play midway through the third period.

Losing the way the Maple Leafs did is all part of the playoff-learning curve for an inexperienced group. Sure, it hurts now and it's tough for the long-suffering Maple Leaf fans to digest.

But just ask the Bruins about how much learning the right way in the playoffs can hurt. They went through their own three years ago, when they blew a 3-0 series lead to the Philadelphia Flyers.

I think they did okay the next spring.

Follow Tim Wharnsby on Twitter @WharnsbyCBC

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Did You See That? J.A. Happ takes line drive off head

What was supposed to be a regular A.L. East battle between the Tampa Bay Rays and Blue Jays took a scary turn Tuesday night when J.A. Happ took a line drive off the left side of his head  in the second inning.

J.A. Happ expected to leave the field under his own power Tuesday night.

But a line drive off the bat of Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Desmond Jennings changed all that.

With one out in the second inning of Toronto's 6-4 win, the Blue Jays starting pitcher was drilled in the left side of his head in by a fiercely hit ball by Jennings, and dropped to the mound in obvious pain.

The lefty was immediately attended to by team trainers after the frightening incident and lay motionless, face down, just in front of the mound for several minutes. He appeared to be bleeding from his ear, and appeared to move his legs before being placed on a stretcher and taken off the field.

He was reportedly conscious en route to the hospital.

Several Rays and Blue Jays players showed concern, some standing with their hands on their heads in seeming disbelief.

Watch the scary incident below:

*Warning: Video contains material some viewers may find graphic. Viewer discretion is advised.

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Canucks eliminated in 4 games

Just when it seemed like the San Jose Sharks would have to make an unwanted trip back to Vancouver, their power play clicked, and gave the franchise something it never experienced.

Patrick Marleau scored a power-play goal 13:18 into overtime and the Sharks completed their first playoff sweep, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on Tuesday night.

"It's a big relief," coach Todd McLellan said. "There was a lot invested in this physically, a lot of energy expelled. So the fact that we came away with a win is great. We don't have to get on the plane tomorrow, we can get some rest. I think it will work in our favour."

What was the Canucks' biggest downfall vs. the Sharks?

Joe Pavelski scored his second power-play goal of the game to tie it with 4:27 left in regulation. Brent Burns also scored, Joe Thornton had three assists and Antti Niemi made 32 saves for the Sharks, who will now get a break before beginning the second round of the playoffs next week.

Mason Raymond, Alex Burrows and Alexander Edler scored for the Canucks, who were unable to hold onto a late third-period lead for the second time this series and head into the off-season after a second straight first-round exit with many questions surrounding coach Alain Vigneault and the rest of the franchise.

"This year, this is not the way we wanted to end," captain Henrik Sedin said. "It was almost like we were a first time playoff team going to the box too many times. A lot of guys have been together for a long time. It's very disappointing because you only have so many chances."

Cory Schneider made 43 saves, but gave up the rebound that led to Marleau's series-clinching goal after Daniel Sedin was sent off for boarding Tommy Wingels on a call that irked the Canucks.

"It's the playoffs, it's shoulder to shoulder. I didn't talk to the ref, I screamed. I apologized to him later. But it was a bad call," Daniel Sedin said. "We didn't lose the series on that one call. We lost it earlier in the series."

Lethal power play

The Sharks came through with their third power-play goal of the night and seventh of the series to win it. Thornton's shot hit off Schneider and the puck was bouncing in the crease when Marleau raced in and just got his stick on it to score the winner, setting off a wild celebration at the Shark Tank.

"I was kind of yelling for him to shoot it," Marleau said. "I don't know if he heard me, but it was a great play by him just to get it on net. It was just lying there on the side of the net and I was able to bat it home."

Marleau scored in all four games this series, to give him 56 career playoff goals and 14 game-winners, quieting some of his many critics for some past playoff disappointments.

"It's great to see Patty do what he does after what he takes in the media and what people say about him and his character, stuff like that," linemate Logan Couture said. "It's good to see Patty be successful."

The Canucks have lost 10 of their past 11 playoff games since taking a 3-2 lead over Boston in the Stanley Cup final two years ago. They lost the final two games of that series to the Bruins to miss out on the first title in franchise history. Vancouver then fell in five games as the top seed in the Western Conference to eventual champion Los Angeles in the first round last year and was blitzed by the sixth-seeded Sharks this year.

The Canucks have scored just 18 goals in their past 11 post-season games, including none for the Sedin twins in this series.

Vancouver took the lead with two goals in a span of 1:50 midway through the third period. The first came on the power play when Andrew Desjardins was sent off for roughing. Henrik Sedin set up the tying goal with a nifty blind pass to twin brother Daniel, who fed Burrows in front of the net for the easy tap-in.

Then Burrows won a battle for the puck in the corner and fed Edler in the high slot for a slap shot. It beat Antti Niemi and gave the Canucks their first lead since Patrick Marleau's tying goal in the final minute of regulation in Game 2 in Vancouver.

Target of boos

But just as in Game 2, Vancouver couldn't hold onto a late lead after Kevin Bieksa was sent off for cross-checking Wingels. Bieksa complained on the off-day that the Sharks embellished penalties and lacked integrity, making his infraction even sweeter for the sold-out crowd that booed him all night.

Bieksa could only watch from the penalty box as Pavelski pounced on a rebound of Logan Couture's shot and knocked a backhand into the open net for his fourth goal in the past two games.

Pavelski did not record a point a year ago when San Jose was knocked out in five games in the first round by St. Louis, but is a major reason the Sharks are back in the second round for the third time in four seasons.

"We learned a lot in the third period, allowed them back in it," he said. "But our power play came through and we're here."

Vigneault stuck with Schneider one game after he was pulled in the third period after allowing five goals on 28 shots.

The move didn't pay immediate dividends as Vancouver fell behind after the opening period for the third straight game. The Sharks struck quickly when Burns tipped in a point shot from Scott Hannan less than three minutes into the game.

The Canucks tied it when Raymond's shot from inside the blue line hit off Sharks defender Brad Stuart and beat Niemi.

Stuart was involved in San Jose's second goal when he took a boarding penalty from Derek Roy in the neutral zone, just the latest unnecessary penalty by the Canucks. The Sharks made Vancouver pay when Pavelski got the rebound of Marleau's point shot, spun around and beat Schneider.

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stanley Cup Stories: Canucks ousted, Habs blow it

A heartbreaking loss for the Habs heated up the Canadiens-Senators series, the revolving door kept spinning in Minnesota's crease and the Canucks were swept at the hands of the Sharks. This and more in our top Stanley Cup stories from Tuesday:

1. NHL fans saw their first handshake line of the playoffs when the Sharks swept the Canucks in San Jose. Vancouver didn't make it easy in Game 4, though, as they continuously rallied before Sharks centre Joe Pavelski forced OT. But a late boarding call on Canucks winger Daniel Sedin led to Patrick Marleau's winner at 13:18 into extra time. The Sharks, who completed their first playoff sweep in franchise history, move on to the Western Conference semifinal.

2. The Montreal Canadiens looked like they had Game 4 locked up, with a 2-0 lead late in the third. Until this happened. Mika Zibanejad's disputed goal cracked open the gates and the Ottawa Senators burst through them for a 3-2 comeback victory in overtime. Kyle Turris played hero again for the Senators and scored the winner, while Habs fans continued to criticize some costly calls. Montreal also lost starting goalie Carey Price and Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada tweeted after the game that Price was questionable for Thursday's Game 5 in Montreal (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET).

3. Try this for a tongue-twister: Backstrom backs up his backup's backup. It was a weird sight during the Minnesota Wild's 3-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 4. Josh Harding was filling in for injured starter Niklas Backstrom when he was hurt after colliding with Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. Third-string goalie Darcy Kuemper, featured in the Hockey Night Close Up, took over the crease in the second period and Backstrom got dressed to join his teammates on the bench. Who will start in goal for Minnesota as they try to avoid elimination in Game 5? Find out on Thursday night (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 9:30 p.m. ET).

4. After Marc-Andre Fleury let in this goal against the Islanders in Game 4, hockey buffs pulled out their book of puzzling stats on the Penguins. Pittsburgh has let in 44 goals in the last 10 games. Fleury was accountable for 26 of those goals in six appearances against the Flyers in last year's playoffs. Fleury has never had a start taken away in the post-season, but that might change in Game 5 Thursday (7 p.m. ET). The Penguins fell to the Islanders 6-4, allowing New York to even the series 2-2.

5. Toronto claims the Boston Bruins are cheating. The B's have owned 58 per cent of the faceoffs so far in this series, and Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle says that's a bit off. "Specifically, when you're at home you think that you would be afforded some of the staples of the opposition having to be first down and stop," Carlyle said. "In our view, there were some things that were going on that we didn't agree with." The Leafs also didn't like the way this fan was treated in Boston, but he'll be cheering on his team in Game 4 on Wednesday night (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET).

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Wharnsby: Leafs claim Bruins cheat on faceoffs

The Boston Bruins have dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs in faceoffs in their first-round series. But is everything on the up-and-up? The Maple Leafs feel the Bruins are successful because they cheat.

TORONTO -- The Boston Bruins are cheaters.

That's the word from their playoff foe, the Toronto Maple Leafs, after another evening of domination at the faceoff dot. The Bruins have won 58 per cent of the draws through three games of their first-round series that Boston leads 2-1 with Game 4 back at the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET).

How exactly have Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Chris Kelly, Gregory Campbell and Rich Peverley taken advantage of their opponents? Maple Leafs veteran Jay McClement said after practice on Tuesday that it was a matter of the Bruins making subtle moves to get the Maple Leafs to jump and tossed from the faceoff circle, so Boston could take advantage of going up against a winger. 

Toronto centre Tyler Bozak, who has taken a team-high 88 draws in the series, was a victim of Boston's trickery on Monday. He was tossed from a couple of faceoffs. He lost a draw in the defensive zone that resulted in the Bruins' first goal. Bozak pointed out that the Bruins don't come to a complete stop before the draw.

Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle reviewed the video. He felt linesmen Don Henderson and Shane Heyer allowed the Bruins to cheat.

"I talked to one linesman at the end of the period and he told us our guys were impeding on the circle," Carlyle said. "He stated it was supposed to be 'visitor down, home down, puck down' and that clearly was not happening, as per video."

Carlyle plans to complain to series supervisor Kay Whitmore in their game-day meeting on Wednesday and he hopes that the linesmen who will work Game 4, Scott Cherrey and Brian Murphy, will be wise to the situation.

"Specifically, when you're at home, you think that you would be afforded some of the staples of the opposition having to be first down and stop," Carlyle said. "In our view, there were some things that were going on that we didn't agree with."

'Lobbying for some breaks'

Gamesmanship? You bet. Bruins head coach Claude Julien didn't like it.

"I've heard a lot about the faceoff issue," Julien said. "I've looked at the video, too, and it is what it is.

"Guys are getting kicked out, tossed from faceoffs. When you lobby for something it's because you're looking for a bit of a break in the next game and that's what Randy is doing right now. He's lobbying for some breaks on the faceoffs.

"It's going to be interesting to see whether the referees and the linesmen just do their job and not worry about who's crying wolf."

The Bruins were No. 1 in faceoffs won in the regular season and haven't relinquished that spot in the playoffs. Bergeron doesn't have the best record in this series, but he's the most reliable because he has a variety of ways to win draws. The third line has both right-shooting left wing Peverley and left-shooting centre Kelly taking draws on their strong sides.

After Nazem Kadri reviewed some faceoff video on Tuesday morning, he admired the way the Bruins forwards hustled after loose pucks.

"They're getting the extra step on us," Kadri said. "They do a good job anticipating and they get a good jump to tap a loose puck back.

"You obviously have a better chance to score when you get the puck first."

'Don't have the experience'

To win a draw you need good timing and strength. But former Maple Leafs centre Travis Green, a master of the faceoff in Toronto's run to the 2002 Eastern Conference final, remarked there is more to it than timing and strength. He believes you have to communicate with teammates on where you're trying to direct the puck. But he said experience may be the biggest factor.

"As a young guy, there simply wasn't emphasis on faceoffs," Green said Tuesday from Edmonton, where, as head coach of the Portland Winter Hawks, he was preparing for Game 3 of the WHL final against the Edmonton Oil Kings. That championship series was tied 1-1.

"When I was 22 or 23, you just didn't realize the importance of faceoffs, especially this time of year," he said. "When you're younger, you just don't have the experience of the older guys.

"You haven't learned all the tricks or secrets yet. You haven't learned enough about the guys you go up against.

"For example, Mark Messier was one of the best, especially on his strong side when taking a faceoff with his backhand. He was so strong.

"With Messier, you just wanted to make sure he didn't win faceoffs too cleanly. But like anything, the longer you do this, the better you become."

'Timing is a big thing' 

Sometimes, success taking faceoffs can be like the golf swing. There may be a flaw in your action that you don't notice. Green recalled one season he was having difficulty at the faceoff dot for the Phoenix Coyotes.

His teammate, Mike Sullivan, noticed that his bottom hand had slipped too high up the shaft.

"Timing is a big thing [and] so is strength," Green said. "But I wasn't a powerhouse, by any means.

"You have to know your opponent, know his tendencies, what he likes to do. Is he small and quick or big and strong?

"You also have to know if there is something particular about how the different linesmen drop the puck. There is a lot involved."

Here are some notable faceoff records for the Maple Leafs and Bruins through three games of their first-round series (player, win percentage, faceoffs won/lost):

Toronto

Boston

Follow Tim Wharnsby on Twitter @WharnsbyCBC

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Trillo Talk: Penguins defence having its problems

The Pittsburgh Penguins need to tighten up defensively if they intend to win their first-round playoff series, despite having outscored the New York Islanders 17-14 through four games.

New York Islanders 6, Pittsburgh Penguins 4

On-Ice: "Defence wins the game, but offence gets the glory." I love that phrase. For the Penguins, the offence always gets the glory, but their defence isn't winning them games. Just like the Sedin twins disappear for the Vancouver Canucks in the playoffs, Penguins netminder Marc-Andre Fleury has failed to regain his post-season form since winning the Stanley Cup in 2009. The Penguins still hold the edge in goals, outscoring the Islanders 17-14 in the series, but considering New York was shut out in Game 1, that isn't good enough. Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma did not rule out starting Tomas Vokoun in Game 5.

Off-Ice: Can you believe Sidney Crosby got hit in the face AGAIN with a puck and AGAIN it's against the Islanders?!? Thank goodness for the new headgear he's sporting.

Stay classy Islanders fans. When an announcement needs to be made to tell you to stop throwing things on the ice or else the Islanders will get a penalty, that's not a good thing.

Ottawa Senators 3, Montreal Canadiens 2 (OT)

On-Ice: Sorry to all the MMA fans who tuned in Game 4. It had a good flow to it -- well, with some cheap shots here on there, of course. But I have to say the most entertaining part of this series happens after the game during the coaches' press conferences. I have a lot of respect for Senators head coach Paul MacLean, but insisting on calling Habs players by their numbers instead of their names is a wee bit disrespectful. Sure, it's mind games -- and it's getting under Montreal's skin -- but is that how you want to be remembered?

Off-Ice: An 11-year-old named Keila Penner got quite the treat tonight. She's from Lachine, Que., but she's a huge Senators fan. When she wore her Sens jersey to school, she was asked to remove it because the school said it was "Habs Jersey Day". Upon hearing the story, Senators owner Eugene Melnyk had a limo pick up Keila and her family and drive them to Ottawa to watch their favourite team win it in OT.

Chicago Blackhawks 3, Minnesota Wild 0

On-Ice: The Blackhawks had 26 blocked shots -- 26! While Corey Crawford was nicely  protected, someone clearly has voodoo dolls of the Wild goalies. Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews crashed into Josh Harding, causing injury, so young Darcy Kuemper was called into action. Then, out of nowhere, Niklas Backstrom casually made his way to the bench in full gear -- as the backup! Wild times in Minny, for sure.

Off-Ice: Blackhawks defenceman Duncan Keith became a daddy for the first time Tuesday morning. He flew to Chicago to be with his wife, Kelly-Rae, who gave birth to a baby boy, then he flew back to Minnesota. Get used to no sleep Papa, it gets worse. 

San Jose Sharks  4, Vancouver Canucks 3 (OT)

Why add salt to the wounds?

Follow Andi Petrillo on Twitter @andipHNIC 

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bruins spoil Leafs' 1st home playoff game since 2004

The Leafs upped their shots and hits in Game 3 against the Boston Bruins. But their mistakes also went up.

That proved to be the difference Monday night as Boston took advantage to defeat Toronto 5-2 and regain the upper hand in their NHL playoff series.

"They made less mistakes than we did and their execution level was above ours," Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said in assessing the night.

"Mistakes just killed us tonight," echoed smooth-skating defenceman Jake Gardiner, who scored his first-ever playoff goal.

The loss came before 19,746 amped-up fans inside the Air Canada Centre. Outside, a blue-and-white throng watched the game on a big screen in Maple Leaf Square as playoff hockey returned to Toronto for the first time since 2004.

"The crowd was awesome," said Leafs forward James van Riemsdyk. "One of the loudest I think I've played in front of in the NHL."

Game 4 goes Wednesday in Toronto (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET), with the Leafs trailing 2-1 in the series.

Adam McQuaid, Rich Peverley, Nathan Horton, Daniel Paille and David Krejci — with an empty-net goal with 1:17 remaining — scored for Boston, a playoff-savvy squad which came out with an edge.

The line of Milan Lucic, Krejci and Horton finished the night with two goals and six assists. They have combined for 17 points through the first three post-season games, with five goals and 12 assists.

Future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr also showed off his skills, setting up a goal and controlling the puck as if it was glued to his stick.

"Vintage Jagr in the offensive zone," said Boston coach Claude Julien.

'The crowd was awesome. One of the loudest I think I've played in front of in the NHL.'—Leafs forward James van Riemsdyk

Phil Kessel accounted for the other Toronto goal in a physical game that saw Boston outhit the Leafs 51-48.

The Leafs charged hard in the third, outshooting Boston 18-6 for a 47-38 overall edge. But Tuuka Rask stood tall in the Boston goal.

"They came out in the third a desperate team," said Julien.

It was the first Leafs' home playoff game since May 4, 2004, when Toronto lost 3-2 in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers to lose the conference semifinal 4-2. Fans were rewarded for patience with free scarves.

The last home playoff win came in that same series, a 3-1 victory on April 30, 2004.

For the Bruins, the playoffs are business as usual. Boston, which won the Cup two years ago, is in the post-season for the sixth straight year.

After being beaten 4-2 in Boston on Saturday night, the Bruins upped their game.

"I think, as a team, we played a good road game," Krejci said. "Maybe we didn't have as many chances in Game 1 [a 4-1 Boston win] but I think it was a perfect road game and I'm pretty happy about that.

"In Game 4 we know it's going to be tougher just like we knew Game 2 was going to be tougher."

The Leafs, meanwhile, were punished for their mistakes.

But they went down shooting. It was the most shots this season since they mustered 43 in a January loss to the New York Islanders.

It was the most shots allowed by the Bruins in a playoff game since Montreal's 51 in a double-overtime game on April 23, 2011. And it was the most shots allowed by the Bruins in a non-overtime playoff game since April 11, 1975, when Chicago had 56 in a 6-4 Blackhawks win.

"We hung him out to dry a couple too many times," van Riemsdyk said of Leafs goalie James Reimer, who deserved better. "That was the difference in the game."

'Go Leafs Go'

Inside the chants of "Go Leafs Go" started early, before the warmup. Even anthem singer 2nd Lieutenant Scott Newlands got an ovation, with the crowd belting out "O Canada" with him.

Boston did its bit to quiet the crowd, which still had its moments as the night progressed. And the fans booed Bruins captain Zdeno Chara almost every time he touched the puck.

Will the Leafs rebound to win Game 4?

The crowd showed Kessel some love, chanting "Thank You Kessel." Unlike in Boston, where fans used the chant to taunt the former Bruin, they meant it Monday.

Toronto went with the same lineup, sitting out defencemen Michael Kostka (broken finger) and John-Michael Liles and forwards Clarke MacArthur, Frazer McLaren and Joe Colborne.

Bruins defenceman Andrew Ference returned from his one-game suspension. That allowed Julien to go back to his Game 1 defensive pairings: Chara with Dennis Seidenberg, Ference with Johnny Boychuk, and Wade Redden with McQuaid. Boston won that game 4-1.

Rookie Dougie Hamilton, who replaced Ference on Saturday, dropped out of the lineup.

Carlyle continued to do his best to keep Kessel away from Chara. Matt Frattin spent eight seconds on the ice after the opening faceoff before he headed to the bench and Kessel popped over the boards.

Kessel saw time on lines with both Tyler Bozak and Joffrey Lupul, and Nazem Kadri and Ryan Hamilton, with Frattin acting as his body double as needed on the other trio. Kessel was also deployed at times on left wing for faceoffs in the Boston end, to earn some space from the six-foot-nine Boston captain.

Toronto outshot Boston early but it was Reimer called on to make a huge save midway through the period after he gave up a rebound and Colton Orr and Carl Gunnarsson both skated past it. Tyler Seguin swooped in but Reimer stopped his close-range backhand with his blocker.

Seguin has 17 shots in the series but has yet to beat Reimer.

The Bruins mean business — Gregory Campbell introduced Leo Komarov to the tip of his stick at one point —and began to threaten. And they scored first at 13:42 when McQuaid's shot from the point beat Reimer to the stick side. The Toronto goalie looked aghast, as if the puck had done something before passing him by.

It was Boston's seventh goal of the series and the fourth scored by defencemen.

Reimer bounced back with a nice pad save on Shawn Thornton.

Boston outshot Toronto 17-13 in the first period while the Leafs held a 21-19 edge in hits.

Dictating the game

The Bruins continued to dictate the game early in the second but Rask was forced to make back-to-back saves off Lupul and Bozak in a rare Leafs rush some five minutes in.

Boston went ahead 2-0 at 5:57 when 41-year-old Jagr, who was lively all night, stripped Ryan O'Byrne of the puck behind the goal and fed Peverley, who stuffed it past a helpless Reimer.

Jagr's assist was his 190th career NHL playoff point, tying him with Brett Hull for sixth place on the league's all-time playoff points list.

Dion Phaneuf hit the Boston goalpost after skating in from the point and taking a marvellous pass from Nikolai Kulemin.

The Bruins continued to win the faceoff battle with Bozak, the Leafs' top faceoff man, repeatedly thrown out of the circle. Boston won 45 faceoffs to Toronto's 30.

Gardiner got the crowd out of their seats when Bruin penalty killer Chris Kelly's failed clearance went to Gardiner who skated in from the blue-line and snapped a shot over the glove of Rask at 13:45 for his first playoff goal.

The fans were still celebrating — inside and outside the building — when Lucic cruised down the left wing and sent a laser-like pass over to Horton, open at the top of the crease. He beat Reimer for his third of the playoffs at 14:35.

The Toronto goalie helped stop the scoreboard turning when he stoned Jagr on a breakaway soon after.

But the Bruins onslaught continued as Kessel gave up the puck on the power play and Paille, with Kessel nipping at his heels, raced in alone to beat Reimer with a backhand at 16:37 for his second of the playoffs.

Boston outshot Toronto 32-28 after 40 minutes.

An opportunistic Kessel closed the gap to 4-2 just 47 seconds into the third period when Rask slid out of the position and Seidenberg was unable to clear the puck. Kessel picked it up and fired it into the net over a sliding Bruin.

That earned another round of "Thank You Kessel" chants.

The Bruins got a break as the third period wound down when Rask and the defence managed to clear a Cody Franson shot and the rebounds that followed. Rask had to stop Franson again minutes later.

Boston was 0-for-3 on the power play and is 1-for-9 with the man advantage in the first three games. Toronto went 2-for-5 on the power play and is 4-for-12 in the post-season.

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stanley Cup Stories: Leafs suffer, Justin Williams clutch

A disappointing playoff homecoming for the Maple Leafs, another clutch performance from the Kings' Justin Williams and a big win for the Red Wings topped Monday's NHL stories:

1. Maple Leafs fans endured nine years and two days off playoff-less hockey in Toronto, and the Bruins only added to their suffering. Boston crashed the party at the Air Canada Centre with a 5-2 victory to get ahead 2-1 in the series. These fans still believe their beloved Leafs have a chance, but will they rebound in Game 4 on Wednesday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET)? Vote here.

2. To quote Hockey Night in Canada play-by-play announcer Mark Lee, "Justin Williams does it again!" The Kings winger lifted Los Angeles to a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues with this game winner. Williams was due for a clincher after his efforts in Game 2 and Game 3. Now the Kings have the series knotted at 2-2 and aim for the lead Wednesday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 9 p.m. ET).

3. The Red Wings delivered a heart-pounder in Motown to even their series with the Anaheim Ducks at 2-2. Damien Brunner notched the 3-2 OT winner and Hockey Night's Andi Petrillo gave him props for stepping up. Meanwhile, the Rangers welcomed the Capitals to Broadway down 2-0 as they also got defenceman Marc Staal back from eye injury. New York capitalized on Washington's lack of discipline and edged the Caps 4-3 with Derek Stepan's late third-period goal.

4. As if the Habs needed more motivation for Game 4 against the Sens. After Montreal took a 6-1 beating in Game 3, Don Cherry "guaranteed" the Canadiens would be a different-looking team Tuesday night (CBC, CBCSports, 7 p.m. ET). But Habs coach Michel Therrien is concerned that the Senators are abusing some of his players, namely forward Brendan Gallagher. "You go back and watch the game, there's blows to the head, elbows being thrown, they're paying particular attention to him, but good grief, is he getting abused," he said.

5. Gallagher has certainly earned himself attention of another kind. The first-year Canadiens forward was named a finalist for the Calder Trophy for the honour of top NHL rookie. Gallagher is up against Brandon Saad of Chicago, and Jonathan Huberdeau of Florida. See how Gallagher and Saad continue to impress as their teams highlight Tuesday's Hockey Night doubleheader.

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Trillo Talk: Bruins rebound, Kings won't go away

Hockey Night in Canada's Andi Petrillo says Toronto needs to control its emotions against Boston and warns St. Louis of the surging defending Stanley Cup champions from Los Angeles.

Boston 5, Toronto 2

On-Ice: A great rebound game by the Bruins. I know we've heard it time and time again that playoff experience is the key to success, but we're really seeing it in this series. The Leafs are equally talented, if not faster, but they seem to be having a difficult time controlling their emotions and it's causing them to play erratically. Phil Kessel is 6-feet tall, but his shadow is 6-foot-7. It was fascinating watching Zdeno Chara chase him down all game. How annoying is that? Think about it for second, keep thinking. There you go, that's right, it's annoying.

Off-Ice: It was reported around 10,000 people were crammed into Maple Leafs Square, which is cool. What's not cool? All the trash just thrown on the streets. Embarrassing.

N.Y. Rangers  4, Washington Capitals 3

On-Ice: This one time, when I was kid, I ran away from my parents and they went crazy looking for me. When they found me, my mom was hugging and smacking me at the same time. That's how I feel about Marc Staal. I'm so happy he still has his eye, still has his vision and was back in the lineup Monday night for the first time since March 5. But I also want to reprimand him for not having worn a visor! At least he's wearing one now. This was a back-and-forth affair and the Rangers fed off the home crowd to not give up. Had they given up, they'd be down 3-0 in the series.

Off-Ice: Tom Hanks was at the game sporting a moustache. Sweet.

Detroit Red Wings 3, Anaheim Ducks 2  (OT)

On-Ice: The Red Wings are showing a lot more fight in this first-round series than they did last year when they bowed out in five games to the Nashville Predators. Mind you, they were struck by the injury fairy last year. But they still had Nicklas Lidstrom and Tomas Holmstrom in the lineup. This year, it's a rookie getting it done. Damien Brunner scored the overtime winner and that now gives him two goals and four points in four games.

Off-Ice: The Red Wings were probably fuelled by anger. Prior to the game, they learned the Ducks will be playing an outdoor match on Jan. 25, 2014, at Dodger Stadium against the Kings. Detroit will be hosting Toronto outdoors on Jan. 1 in the dead cold. Somehow, it just doesn't seem fair, especially since I'll most likely be in Detroit.

Los Angeles Kings 4, St. Louis Blues 3

On-Ice: This game alone featured seven goals, while the previous three games saw a total of seven. I'm not going to lie, I thought the Kings were done. Yet here we are with the series tied 2-2. The Kings even trailed 2-0 in this game. But there's a reason why they're the defending champions. This is a very well-composed team.

Off-Ice: Rumour has it Jonathan Quick plays his best hockey when he's ticked off. Note to David Perron: "Stop running into him! Haven't you ever heard the expression, 'Let sleeping dogs lie?'"

Follow Andi Petrillo on Twitter @andipHNIC

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Wharnsby: Bruins crash Leafs' playoff party

There was a buzz and buoyancy in the city after the Toronto Maple Leafs knotted up the first-round series after two games last Saturday. But there was nothing but disappointed after a 5-2 defeat to the Boston Bruins in the Maple Leafs first home playoff date in more than nine years.

TORONTO -- Peter Robinson summed it up best.

With his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs heading in the direction of a downer 5-2 defeat to the Boston Bruins, the diehard Maple Leafs fan tweeted on his Twitter account (@PRGolfWriter), "I now know what it feels like when 20,000 people are told all at once there is no Santa Claus."

You may know Robinson. He's the forty-something author of a book released last fall entitled, Hope and Heartbreak in Toronto: Life as a Maple Leafs Fan. He's spent a small fortune on ducats to watch his team play at the Air Canada Centre and Maple Leaf Gardens over his lifetime. He is one of the most dedicated Toronto hockey fans out there.

Like most of the Maple Leafs faithful, he sat down to watch from his seat inside the ACC in anticipation this was going to be a special evening. It had to be, didn't it? After all, this was the first Stanley Cup playoff game at home in nine years and two days.

There was a buzz and buoyancy in the city when the Maple Leafs knotted up the first-round series after two games with an impressive 4-2 win in Boston last Saturday.

Maple Leafs forward James van Riemsdyk talked about how neat it was when he walked around downtown enjoying the sunshine on Sunday, and how many well-wishers approached him to say "good luck" or "good game."

"This was the loudest I've heard this building," the first-year Maple Leafs forward said after the disappointing result on Monday.

"I thought the atmosphere was unbelievable tonight," Toronto centre Tyler Bozak added. "Hopefully, we can get them a win [in Game 4 on Wednesday]."

Earlier in the day, Maple Leafs unofficial team leader Joffrey Lupul remarked that it would only be a special night if they could pull out a victory. But the Bruins had no designs on pleasing the 19,746 in the ACC, with another estimated 4,000 combined inside the Maple Leafs' cash cow of a sports bar, Real Sports, and outside in Maple Leaf Square, respectively.

Bruins too good

The Bruins were too good on this night. What made the evening worse for Robinson and Co. was the 45-save effort of Boston goalie Tuukka Rask, a prospect the Maple Leafs swapped for Andrew Raycroft on June 24, 2006. Raycroft played this season in Italy for Milan.

Speaking of Milan, the Bruins line of Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Nathan Horton had quite a game. They combined for two goals and eight points. In this physical game that saw 99 hits dished out between the two clubs - 51 from Boston, 48 from the Maple Leafs, Lucic delivered the fiercest bodycheck on Lupul.

But it was more than Lucic, Krejci, Horton and Rask. The Maple didn't help their cause. Toronto defenceman Ryan O'Byrne was stripped of the puck by Boston's Jaromir Jagr, who swiftly found Rich Peverley for the 2-0 goal early in the second period.

Boston penalty killer Daniel Paille intercepted Phil Kessel's short pass attempt to teammate Dion Phaneuf for a short-handed breakaway goal late in the second period for a 4-1 Boston advantage.

Leafs deserved fate

Phaneuf hit a post. So did his power-play defence partner Cody Franson. But the Maple Leafs deserved their fate.

The Bruins, once again, dominated the face-off circle, winning 60 per cent of the draws. They were tops in this area in the regular season and have been tops through the first week of the playoffs.

Krejci beat Bozak for the Bruins first goal of the game from defenceman Adam McQuaid. Bozak later was tossed from two face-offs.

"If they were going to cheat, I wanted to cheat, too," said Bozak, who was told that he wasn't coming to a complete stop to take the draw.

Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle had a discussion with a linesman about what was the problem.

"It's supposed to be visitor [gets his stick] down, home down, puck down," Carlyle said. "[The linesman] felt we were impeding in the circle."

It certainly raised the ire of Maple Leafs fans. But not as much as the loss.

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hockey fan’s 'Toronto stronger' sign angers Boston

A sign held by a Maple Leafs fan outside the Air Canada Centre on Monday has triggered an avalanche of online outrage.

Before Monday night's Game 3 between the Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins, photos surfaced online of a Leafs holding a sign that read "Toronto Stronger."

The message is a direct reference to "Boston Strong," a campaign that became a mantra in that city after the Boston Marathon bombings. The April 15 explosions killed three people and injured more than 260.

Shortly after the sign appeared, it triggered an angry response on Twitter, with many saying the sign was in bad taste in light of the Boston attacks.

Here is one of the more tame expressions of anger stirred up by the sign:

"Overwhelmingly, the reaction has been that it was done in bad taste, that it was inappropriate, that it was classless," CBC sports reporter Carly Agro said on CBC News Network Tuesday.

Agro said there are unconfirmed reports that some fans inside the Air Canada Centre were chanting "Toronto stronger" during Monday's game.

"Certainly this is not being received well at all," said Agro, referring to the online reaction.

Agro pointed out that many Torontonians took part in a moment of silence that paid tribute to victims of the Boston bombings ahead of Sunday's Toronto marathon.

Boston defeated Toronto 5-2 on Monday to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series.

[View the story "'Toronto Stronger' sign outside Leafs game angers hockey fans" on Storify]

Storified by CBC News Community· Tue, May 07 2013 05:03:07

A Leafs fan holding a sign bearing a ribbon and the slogan "Toronto Stronger" — a reference to the Boston Strong campaign that followed the bombings there — is drawing anger from both sides of the hockey rivalry. 

This seriously bugs me!! SHOW SOME RESPECT!! #Leafs #BostonStrong #Bruins http://pic.twitter.com/Li6z5bnj86Sarah Sweeney

Yikes, man with a Toronto Stronger sign... Just awful taste. pic.twitter.com/ejQuboQLZjGot Kasparaitis

Toronto sports journalists were among the first to notice the sign on Twitter. 

A fan holds up a "Toronto Stronger" sign on the jumbotron and they quickly pan away... #ruhrohJames Mirtle

Lord help us. Some guy just held up a "Toronto Stronger" sign and it made the videboard. Idiots.Jeff Blair

Most Toronto hockey fans were quick to condemn the fan for mocking the city's response to the Boston Marathon bombing. 

That guy with the #torontostronger sign is so disappointing.Chemmy

Between the photo and the headline this basically put me in full ragestroke mode: bit.ly/13dOX8eDown Goes Brown

That Toronto stronger sign was the dumbest thing I've ever seen #cleanitupleafsnationNick Spadafora

I move to evict the "Toronto Stronger" sign guy from the #MapleLeafs fanbase. Anyone with me?The_Road_Guy

Dear Leafs fan with the Toronto Stronger sign, you are a complete douchenozzle and your hockey/Canadian/human card is hereby revoked #idiotHailee W

However, some didn't think the sign was a big deal. 

I don't see the problem with the #torontostronger sign. It's just in good fun at hockey game. Whatever. Sensitive much?Thomas Czech

In Boston, fans were understandably outraged. The sign spread among Bruins fans online, and CBS in Boston reports that the phrase "Toronto Stronger" was trending in that city. 

Bruins win! But not before a Maple Leafs Fan Defines Classless By Bringing 'Toronto Stronger' Sign to Game [Photo] http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2013/05/06/maple-leafs-fan-defines-classless-by-bringing-toronto-stronger-sign-to-bruins-game-photo/BostInno

Guy with "Toronto Stronger" sign at Bruins will be beat up by Boston's Strongest after the game. #USAOnion News Boston

The #TorontoStronger might be the most disrespectful thing I have seen... Tasteless, he should be kicked out of the game @MapleLeafsBoston Bachelor

I hope the "Toronto Stronger" guy knows his life as he knew it is over. #Bruins #LeafsJason Chalifour

A good way to apologize on behalf of the dumbass fan w/the "Toronto Stronger" sign is to donate to One Fund Boston: bit.ly/13ZxLCqSteph

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stanley Cup Stories: Habs, Sens get feisty, Canucks in big hole

Teeth were being tossed all over the place in the first couple of contests, but in Game 3 between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens, fists were flying in what turned out to be an on-ice brawl. Overtime solved a couple of other games, and the Canucks now find themselves in a 3-0 series hole. All of that and more made up the Stanley Cup Stories from Sunday night.

1. The Ottawa Senators-Montreal Canadiens series is turning out to be downright nasty. Ottawa manhandled Montreal in Game 3 Sunday night, 6-1, in a contest that was overshadowed by several fights and an on-ice brawl in the third period as frustrations boiled over. The truculent tilt also took away from a hat trick by youngster Jean-Gabriel Pageau and gave rise to a social media stir. But the animosity wasn't reserved only for the two opposing sides; even teammates P.K. Subban and Max Pacioretty exchanged some words on the bench. Watch as our Hockey Night Online Post-Game Show hosts Andi Petrillo and Elliotte Friedman recap the affair in its entirety. You can vote on who you think will win Game 4, which is scheduled for Tuesday night (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET). Ottawa holds a 2-1 series edge.

2. Those who oppose the shootout must be salivating. So far, overtime has been one of the dominant themes of the playoffs. Seven games have been decided in an extra frame, including two more on Sunday. Chris Kunitz capped off a wild one with his overtime goal in a 5-4 victory for the Pittsburgh Penguins over the New York Islanders. But despite a 2-1 series lead, the Penguins might have reason to be concerned. Elsewhere, Jason Zucker played the OT hero for the Minnesota Wild with a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Game 4 of their series goes Tuesday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 9:30 p.m. ET).

3. Just because it's the post-season doesn't mean Brendan Shanahan's job has gotten any easier. The NHL's head of player safety has been a busy man so far in the playoffs. He suspended Detroit Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader on Sunday for two games following a charging incident that happened Saturday night against Anaheim Ducks defenceman Toni Lydman. Vote on whether you think the penalty was warranted, or was it too harsh?

4. Calling all Leafs fans: a city starved for the post-season will finally satisty its appetite when Toronto hosts its first playoff game since 2004 as the Leafs welcome the Boston Bruins to town Monday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET). Senior hockey writer Tim Wharnsby's latest blog covers how loyal the legions of Leafs supporters have been over the years. Also on the Monday night Hockey Night in Canada has the St. Louis Blues visiting the Los Angeles Kings for Game 4 (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 10 p.m. ET). The Kings, down 2-1 in the series, may stick to an unconventional lineup.

5. For most of the season, talk about the Vancouver Canucks swirled around their goaltending. But after Sunday night, the panic button can officially be pushed. The Canucks suffered a deflating 5-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks, putting them in a crippling 3-0 hole in their series.

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Canadiens, Senators series turns ugly after Game 3 brawl

The off-ice war of words between the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators turned to action Sunday night.

OTTAWA -- The off-ice war of words between the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators turned to action Sunday night.

While the Senators skated away with a 6-1 victory to take a 2-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference quarter-final, all the talk afterwards was about the 236 minutes in penalties, including 129 for Montreal and 109 for Ottawa.

A line brawl broke out with 12:56 left on the ice when Ryan White slashed Zack Smith after Kyle Turris gave the Senators a 4-1 lead. Defenceman Jared Cowen gave White a licking while Chris Neil, Matt Kassian and Smith were also engaged.

"We knew we had to prove something. We weren't happy with the way we played and they took it to us with the physicality," said Neil. "We came out ready to play, we came hard, we had great hits. Everyone finishing checks. [This is] what it takes to win.

"I saw Smitty lying on the ice. [Cowen] got to him before I did. Emotions were flying high out there. We stood our ground and did what we had to do."

Canadiens didn't expect line brawl

The Habs weren't expecting fights to break out.

"We didn't start that at all. Maybe a little slash, but nobody expected a line brawl," said Habs' winger Rene Bourque.

By the end, neither team had many players left and Montreal coach Michel Therrien was incensed that Ottawa counterpart Paul MacLean called a timeout with 17 seconds left in a game that was completely out of hand.

"I always believe in letting the players dictate the game. Calling a timeout with 17 seconds left in the game, I never saw that before," said Therrien.

"I mentioned it to the referee and he never saw that before. You never want to humiliate another team as a coach, and this is exactly what happened tonight. As far as I'm concerned, that was classless."

MacLean offered a heated explanation.

"I didn't know what was going to happen next. I felt bad for the referees but they wouldn't let me bring my players back to the bench so I could tell them what I wanted them to do. My only recourse was to take the timeout because I didn't want anyone to get hurt," said MacLean.

"It was already getting dumb enough as it was. I've got two important players on my team. I've got still got games to play. We're not giving them a freebee. There's already enough of that. In order to protect my players, under circumstances that were instigated by the Montreal Canadiens, I was forced to protect my players. I will do that every time."

Lose a tooth, get a win

There will be a lot of toothy grins by the end of this series.

Scoring a hat trick to help lead the Senators turned out to be tough on Gatineau product Jean-Gabriel Pageau. After helping give Ottawa a 2-1 lead in the second, he took a high-stick from P.K. Subban and lost a tooth.

That made him the third player in this series headed for a trip to the dentist in the near future. It started with Craig Anderson when he took a shot off the mast from Rene Bourque in Game 1. Then in Game 2, Carey Price chipped a couple of chompers.

Pageau had to look for his tooth as everybody around him was trying to celebrate his goal at 4:40 of the second.

"I only lost one tooth. I wish I could lose another one if we could win the next game," said Pageau.

It was a special night, the fans were singing "Pageau, Pageau, Pageau" in the rafters in the third.

It was really special. I just want to enjoy it," said Pageau, who was called up from the club's AHL affiliate in Binghamton last month.

Daniel Alfredsson sees blue-line duty

The Senators lost defenceman Patrick Wiercioch with an "upper body" injury in the first. By the end, they didn't have Cowen, either, so Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson took two shifts on the blue-line in the third period.

"I did one period with [Cory] Clouston two or three years ago," said Alfredsson. "Otherwise, it hasn't been in recent years."

Alfredsson was skating with buddy Erik Karlsson as a partner.

"I liked seeing Alfie back there. He's a complete player and skates backwards really, really well," said Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson. "He's one of those guys you trust with the puck and you want on the ice."

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sharks dominate Game 3, put Canucks on brink

Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau took nine seconds to turn a tight game into a laugher and move the San Jose Sharks to the brink of their first playoff sweep in franchise history.

Couture and Marleau scored in rapid succession in the opening minutes of the third period to spoil Cory Schneider's return to the nets for Vancouver and the Sharks won their third straight game to open the playoffs, beating the Canucks 5-2 on Sunday night.

"When you score goals that quick, it's tough on the bench, it's tough on the goalie," Couture said. "'It ruins his confidence a little bit. They were big goals. Patty's goal was huge to get the three-goal lead. And then the fifth one was big as well."

Couture had two goals and two assists, Joe Pavelski scored twice and Antti Niemi made 28 saves as the Sharks took a 3-0 series lead. San Jose will attempt to complete the first series sweep in franchise history at home on Tuesday night.

Alex Burrows and Dan Hamhuis scored for the Canucks, who have lost nine of their past 10 playoff games since taking a 3-2 series lead over Boston in the Stanley Cup finals two years ago. Vancouver dropped the last two games of that series, was eliminated in five games in the first round a year ago by Los Angeles and has now fallen into a deep hole against the Sharks.

"Right now we're not good enough," backup goalie Roberto Luongo said. "A couple of guys are out there playing their heart out but we need everybody. I don't know how many positives you can take out of these three games."

'Right now we're not good enough. A couple of guys are out there playing their heart out but we need everybody. I don't know how many positives you can take out of these three games.'—Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo

Even a change at goaltender couldn't change the Canucks' playoff fortunes. Schneider, the starter for most of the regular season, replaced Luongo after missing the first two games with an undisclosed injury.

But the change failed to provide a spark to Vancouver and backfired when Schneider couldn't even make it through the game.

"We felt Lou was playing great to be honest with you," Sharks captain Joe Thornton said. "We felt lucky we didn't have to play against him."

Schneider was replaced by Luongo after allowing three goals in the first 4:07 of the third period to end Vancouver's hopes of a comeback. Two of those goals came on the power play as San Jose tied a franchise playoff record with three power play goals.

The scoring flurry to start the third sent the sellout crowd at the Shark Tank into a frenzy. The first came on a power play when Couture took a long breakout pass from Matt Irwin and beat Schneider from the top of the circle with no traffic in front of the net on the power play.

Couture then won the ensuing faceoff and Marleau skated into the zone and beat Schneider between the pads before the first celebration had even died down to score for the third straight game.

"We felt like we were in it, down 2-1 going into the third period," centre Derek Roy said. "We felt good about ourselves and then it's the power play again and before we know it we're down 4-1. We have to stay out of the penalty box."

Couture added another power-play goal on a pass from Joe Thornton to give him three for the series and give the Sharks three goals in a span of 2:27.

Too little, too late

Luongo stopped all 10 shots he faced but by then it was too late to help the Canucks. Coach Alain Vigneault wouldn't say who would start Game 4.

"Cory didn't lose his net to injury," Vigneault said. "He was playing real well. He was good to go today. He knew yesterday. Cory was healthy and he's the guy that I wanted to go with. It was my decision."

As much as the goaltending was a problem for Vancouver in this game, goal scoring has been a problem all series. Burrows gave the top line its first goal of the series when he one-timed a pass from Henrik Sedin past Niemi midway through the second period to cut San Jose's lead to 2-1.

But that's all Vancouver could manage until Hamhuis' goal late in the third cut the deficit to 5-2. The Canucks have been held to five goals through three games.

"We absolutely have to score more," captain Henrik Sedin said. "They are scoring a lot and we need to put more goals in."

Pavelski built the lead for the Sharks when he scored on a two-man advantage in the first period and then tipped a long shot from Tommy Wingels past Schneider to make it 2-0 in the second period.

After being held without a point in a five-game, first-round loss to St. Louis a year ago, Pavelski is back to being the big-time playoff performer he has been for much of his career in San Jose. He had his fourth career two-goal game in the post-season after assisting on three goals the first two games.

San Jose returned home to a towel-waving crowd at the Shark Tank after winning the first two games on the road in a playoff series for the first time since 1995 and broke out to a 1-0 lead after a high-paced first period when Pavelski converted a pass from Couture during a 5-on-3 advantage.

The Sharks lost just twice in regulation at home in the regular season and were even better in their first playoff game in front of their fans.

"We feel good when we play in the building," coach Todd McLellan said. "Pavs said something after the game about the fans that they almost become his legs at times because they are so energizing."

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Wharnsby: Real Leafs fans dedicated and hopeful

Most Toronto Maple Leafs fans stick by their team. They have been so patient. They have been so loyal. They are hopeful one day it will be all worth it. Including Ray the Limo Driver, they're excited about the first playoff game at home in more than nine years.

The Toronto Maple Leafs really have a remarkable following. No hockey fan has suffered like those who cheer for the Maple Leaf forever.

The 45th anniversary of their last Stanley Cup championship came and went last Thursday. Saturday was the nine-year anniversary of the last time the Maple Leafs performed at home in the playoffs, as Jeremy Roenick ended another Toronto season on a downer with an overtime goal to clinch the series for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Yet, the fans stick by their team. They have been so patient. They have been so loyal. They are hopeful one day it will be all worth it.

This blind faith has not been lost on the current Maple Leafs group.

"I think it will be crazy [at the Air Canada Centre on Monday]," Toronto forward Joffrey Lupul said after he scored twice in his team's 4-2 win in Game 2 against the Boston Bruins on Saturday to tie the series at 1-1.

"I saw the videos the other day of everyone crowded around Maple Leaf Square. I'm really excited. I'm thinking about it already. It's only 20 minutes after the last game but I can't wait to get out Monday. Those fans deserve it. And hopefully the building's crazier than ever."

Maple Leafs fans cheer for their team with different levels of allegiance. Some of the younger ones are two games into their first experience of playoff hockey. The majority of the real fans won't be among the corporate crowd inside the Air Canada Centre on Monday.

They may assemble at a friend's house, a local watering hole or the latest hot spot to take in a Toronto game at Maple Leaf Square to watch outside on the giant television affixed to the west-end of the Air Canada Centre.

Before Maple Leaf Square became the place to be, Ray the Limo Driver would often park his car on Bremner Blvd. in between pick-ups at nearby Union Station. He would flip on the radio, watch and listen.

Before Maple Leaf Square, he would watch the parts of the game by peering through the window of the lounge inside Union Station. That lounge is no longer there.

Ray, 43, had to park his limo further down Bremner on Wednesday and Saturday for the first two games of the series because the area around the ACC has been closed to cars to allow the large gatherings of spectators.

"There are a lot of newbies and that is a good thing," he said. "The people who I'm excited for, though, are the people who have cheered for this team 50, 60 years and want to see one more championship before their last breath. I also want the alumni to feel good about their team again."

Optimistic

Ray is an optimist. Sure he wished the playoff wait for the Maple Leafs didn't last nine years, but he always came up with a few reasons why it didn't happen for Toronto hockey fans. He always looked forward to next year.

He grew up in York Mills. Former Maple Leafs defenceman Jim Dorey was a family friend. Through friends of his father, he used to attend his fair share of games at Maple Leaf Gardens. He hasn't been too many at the Air Canada Centre.

"But I haven't missed at least part of a game in the last 15 years," he said. "If I'm not at home watching, I listen when I can when I'm working."

His friends and acquaintances know his dedication to the Blue and White. Last season, a Union Station janitor tracked down Ray as he entered the building for a washroom break. The cleaner had found a ticket to that night's Penguins-Leafs game on the floor. Ray saw a few shifts live and in-person in the third period before he had to return to his job. He also made it back for overtime.

On Monday, Ray has the night off. Rather than taking in the game at his local or going to Maple Leaf Square, he will watch the game on his small television in his downtown apartment.

"I don't want any distractions," he said. "I can see the replays and all that stuff."

But would Ray rather be inside the ACC on Monday, cheering for Lupul and Co.?

"If somebody offered me a ticket I'd be there in a heartbeat. Are you kidding me?" he said. "There might be only three games left in the season. But I'm hoping for the best."

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Did You See That? Habs, Sens let fists fly

It's getting ugly, folks. Tempers have only escalated since Sens defenceman Eric Gryba laid out Canadiens in Game 2. You could see this one coming. Seconds after the Senators took a 4-1 lead at the seven-minute mark of the third period, the fisticuffs ensued.

It's getting ugly, folks.

Tempers have only escalated since Sens defenceman Eric Gryba laid out Canadiens Lars Eller in Game 1.

You could see this one coming.

Seconds after the Senators took a 4-1 lead at the seven-minute mark of the third period, the fisticuffs ensued.

It began with Montreal right winger Ryan White and Senators defenceman Jared Cowen exchanging blows, and was followed by four more fights. The Habs and Senators combined for 236 penalty minutes.

In the aftermath, the Canadiens were left with only six players on the bench, while Ottawa had five.

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Did You See That? James van Riemsdyk's eye-popping goal

It was a perfect ending to a great night for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Holding on to a one-goal lead late in third period, Leafs forward James van Riemsdyk put the finishing touches on a beautiful goal, which sealed the 4-2 Toronto victory.

It was a perfect ending to a great night for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Holding on to a one-goal lead late in third period, Leafs forward James van Riemsdyk put the finishing touches on a beautiful goal, which sealed the 4-2 Toronto victory.

Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski weaved his way through two Bruin defenders before sliding a pass to van Riemsdyk.

The winger, who celebrated his 24th birthday Saturday night, briefly lost control of the puck but quickly turned and directed the puck off the right skate of goalie Tuukka Rask and into the net.

See the goal below.

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Crisp Leafs rebound to take Game 2 in Boston

There was so much to like about the Toronto Maple Leafs play in Game 2 of their first-round series against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, a 4-2 win that has knotted the series at 1-1.

BOSTON -- Just how well did the evening evolve for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday? Phil Kessel scored his first even-strength goal in his 24^thgame against his old team, the Boston Bruins.

Sure, it was important for Kessel to lift the dark cloud that has hovered over him when he has met up with the Bruins this season. His goal was the game winner and it was his first point in six games versus Boston in 2013.

But more importantly, for the first time in a long time, Kessel and the Maple Leafs hopped over the boards in a determined manner for an entire 60 minutes. They deserved the 4-2 win in Game 2 at TD Garden and tie the first-round at 1-1.

It was the Maple Leafs first post-season victory since a 3-1 decision on April 30, 2004, when they knotted their second-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers, a series the Flyers eventually won in six games.

For three periods against the Bruins, the Maple Leafs kept up their physical play and moved the puck out of their own zone much better than in the series opener.

Carlyle pushes right button

There will be plenty of praise for Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle in the next 48 hours leading up to Game 3 at the Air Canada Centre on Monday night (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET), the Maple Leafs first playoff game at home since May 4, 2004. Carlyle did push all the right buttons on Saturday.

He shuffled lines. He did his best to get Kessel away from Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who has owned No. 81 every time Toronto and Boston play each other. Carlyle also didn't hesitate to replace veterans John-Michael Liles, Clarke MacArthur and Frazer McLaren, as well as injured defenceman Mike Kostka (broken finger) with Matt Frattin, Ryan Hamilton, Jake Gardiner and Ryan O'Byrne.

Frattin, Hamilton and Gardiner each chipped in an assist. O'Byrne was steady enough, even though he played only 14 minutes and 49 seconds, the least amount of ice time among Toronto's six defencemen.

But this victory was much more than Carlyle's manoeuvres. The players deserve most of the credit for rallying. There were so disappointed with the series opener. They looked slow. They stumbled and bumbled in their own end. Their puck movement was abysmal.

Slicker Leafs

In Game 2, this was a much slicker team. There was better puck movement. The forwards used their speed to create several odd-man rushes against the Bruins, who were missing veteran defenceman Andrew Ference because of a one-game suspension for his headshot on Toronto forward Mikhail Grabovski.

"We were much better getting the puck out of our own zone," said Maple Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul, who scored two goals in the second period after the Bruins snatched a 1-0 lead. "We were a lot more crisp.

"Our [defence] moved the puck better. They were getting the puck up to the forwards in full speed."

Kessel lifting the monkey off his back also will get plenty of chatter. But if Grabovski was not the Maple Leafs best player on the ice, he certainly was the most improved from the opener.

The small centre hasn't enjoyed good times this season. But those struggles will be swiftly swiped aside if he can continue to play as well as he did on Saturday. He finally was rewarded with a brilliant assist on a late-game goal from James van Riemsdyk to stem the Bruins comeback bid and put the Maple Leafs back in front by two goals.

Kadri better in Game 2

The Maple Leafs need three centres contributing to the cause. Tyler Bozak has been solid. Nazem Kadri was better in Game 2. But Grabovski was very good. He was flying out there, especially off the rush. He was good defensively, too.

He needs to be good again on Monday. The Bruins have four reliable centres. They're a veteran bunch that is less than two years removed from a Stanley Cup championship.

If the Maple Leafs can bounce back after a dismal effort, so will the Bruins.

The Maple Leafs will have to raise their level of play all that much more as they return home for their first playoff date at the Air Canada Centre in nine years.

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Trillo Talk: Rangers shrinking, Carlyle exhausted

Despite the solid goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist, left, the Rangers find themselves in a 2-0 series hole against the Washington Capitals.

On-ice: I get the whole 'don't throw a teammate under the bus' thing, but if I'm Henrik Lundqvist it's time to channel my inner soccer goalie. I love it when a keeper goes bananas on a player who messed up. Next time that player....well, there won't be a next time, that's the point. King Henry is standing tall in net but his team's offence is shrinking. In the crucial overtime period New York did not register one shot on net in eight minutes, and they even had a power play! A game of semantics also hurt the Rangers. With 45 seconds left in the third period, the puck deflected off Washington's Karl Alzner's stick and went over the glass. But because he didn't SHOOT it or BAT it, it was DEFLECTED, and the officials did not call a delay of game penalty. I agree with this call. Allow me to use a soccer example once again. Nothing bugs me more than when a striker rifles the ball at a defender, it hits her arm, and she gets booked while the striker gets a penalty kick. Sound familiar Canada?

Off-ice: A source with the Rangers said Ryan McDonagh is one of the nicest guys you'll meet. He was beating himself up so much for taking that penalty in OT, which led to the Caps' goal, that it almost made you want to cry. He'll unfortunately have a sleepless night.

On-ice: The most exhausted person after this game has to be Randy Carlyle. He was working harder than the chief conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra between his mixing of line combinations and trying to get Phil Kessel away from Zdeno Chara. Mission accomplished as Kessel FINALLY scored! And while all his teammates, Leafs fans, and goldfish were jumping for joy, Kessel successfully kept his heart rate at 40 beats per minute in his post-game scrum.

Off-ice: Incredible, inspiring, proud: These are just a few of the emotions I felt when seeing Jeff Bauman wave the Boston Strong flag before puck drop. He lost both his legs in the Boston bombings and identified the bombers to police. Jeff, your strength is radiating and touched us all. 

On-ice: Please refer to a former Trillo Talk, in which I compare Justin Abdelkader to The Terminator. And that's exactly what he did to Toni Lydman. It was a wicked hit that sent Lydman to the dressing. He did not return, and coach Bruce Boudreau said he's dealing with a headache and isn't expected to practise. Abdelkader was ejected from the game and could be missing a few more if the league calls.

Off-ice: Alright people, I get it, I hate traffic too. But a pet peeve of mine is fans leaving the building before a game is over. A Taylor Swift concert forced Detroit fans to pile out early. You stay, you support, you....what? It was 4-0 at that point? Ok, just this once.

On-ice: This is a low scoring series but it keeps me on edge each time. Perhaps because Game 1 went into overtime and Game 2 was won in the final minute of regulation. The goalies have been great and finally Jonathan Quick gets rewarded for his efforts. On our post-game show, Elliotte Friedman brought up a good point about defenceman defending their goalie. St. Louis Blues's David Perron ran over Quick and Drew Doughty made him pay by running him into the net. Doughty was given a double minor, and Friedman's point was you can't allow guys to run the goalie and then earn his team a four-minute power play. I completely agree. 

Off-ice: Has anyone ever seen Darryl Sutter get excited? Laugh out loud? Maybe cry a little? The fiery Italian blood running through my veins finds his lack of expression highly unacceptable.

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stanley Cup Stories: Leafs, Kings big winners

Both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings picked up big victories, while Paul MacLean provided some humour in our top Stanley Cup stories from Saturday:

1. Coach Randy Carlyle shuffled and shook his Maple Leafs ahead of Game 2 against the Boston Bruins and his team responded. Joffrey Lupul potted a pair, Phill Kessel finally solved his former team for the game winner, and James van Riemsdkyk put the icing on the (birthday) cake with this stunner. The 4-3 victory was Toronto's first post-season win since April 30, 2004. They'll look to gain the series lead at home in Game 3 Monday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET).

2. Justin Williams' heroics continued in Game 3 against the St. Louis Blues when he preserved the Kings' 1-0 lead in the third with this diving defensive effort. Kings goalie Jonathan Quick stopped 30 shots for the shutout, and fans gave him a loud Twitter ovation. The defending Stanley Cup champions aim to avoid a 3-1 series deficit Monday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 10 p.m. ET).

3. Montreal winger Brandon Prust called Ottawa coach Paul MacLean some names in his post-Game 1 comments. MacLean turned away a couple of the shots, but admitted he let one past him. "Well … 'Bug-Eyed?' I've never been called that before. That's a new one," said MacLean. "Walrus? That's too easy. But I will tell you one thing I'm not fat. I might be husky but I'm not fat. So, I took offence to that." The Senators host the Canadiens in Game 3 Sunday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET).

4. A technicality in the NHL's delay-of-game rule helped Washington edge New York 1-0 in Game 2. The Rangers looked like they were headed to the power play with seconds left in regulation when a puck went off Capitals defenceman Karl Alzner's stick and sailed over the glass. The play was ruled a deflection, unlike when Rangers defenceman Ryan McDonagh shot the biscuit over the glass 7:09 into overtime. Caps defenceman Mike Green capitalized on the power play to score the game winner and give Washington a 2-0 series lead.

5. Five days into the Stanley Cup playoffs and Brendan Shanahan is already a busy man. The NHL's vice-president of safety might also have to look at this hit by Detroit winger Justin Abdelkader on Anaheim defenceman Toni Lydman in the Ducks' zone. But Anaheim dominated at the other end, scoring three goals in the third period for a 4-0, Game 3 victory and 2-1 series lead.

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stanley Cup Stories: Habs get even, Crosby falls short

Carey Price took a page out of Craig Anderson's book and Sidney Crosby made an impressive return in our top Stanley Cup playoffs stories from Friday night:

1. Looks like the goalies in the Canadiens-Senators series find teeth overrated. Ottawa's Craig Anderson shrugged off a lost tooth Thursday with a stellar 48-save performance in Game 1. Then in Game 2, Montreal's Carey Price chipped two chiclets after taking a skate to the mask. But the Canadiens netminder was nonchalant as he skated to the bench and handed parts of his cracked teeth to one of the trainers. Price and the Habs went on to defeat the Senators 3-1 for the series split at the Bell Centre before heading to Ottawa for Game 3 on Sunday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET).

2. After getting his own dental work done, Sidney Crosby sported extra face protection in his return to the Penguins' lineup after recovering from a broken jaw. Pittsburgh's captain scored a pair of early goals in Game 2 against the Islanders, but after that it was all New York. Kyle Okposo capped off New York's rally over the Pens, 4-3, though some say he had some help from Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

3. Senators defenceman Eric Gryba was suspended two games for his hit on Lars Eller in Game 1. NHL Department of Player Safety chief Brendan Shanahan said in his video explanation, "Gryba's route is not correct and we do not feel that he makes enough of a full body check for this hit not to qualify as an illegal check to the head." Eller spent Thursday night in the hospital with a concussion and facial and dental fractures, but the Canadiens forward returned home Friday morning.

4. Coach Randy Carlyle cracked the whip during his Maple Leafs' practice Friday afternoon, writes Tim Wharnsby. Carlyle vowed "some changes" for Game 2 as Toronto seeks their first post-season victory in nine years against the Bruins on Saturday night (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET). Meanwhile, the contrasting personalities between bench bosses Ken Hitchcock and Darryl Sutter make the Blues-Kings series all the more intriguing.

5. Raffi Torres's overtime showstopper against Vancouver could not have been more poetic. The Sharks forward 'burned' his former team — see the boxscore for who earned the assist (spoiler alert: it's Brent Burns) — to clinch a 3-2 victory in Game 2. The series shifts to San Jose for Game 3 Sunday (10 p.m. ET).

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Did You See That? Carey Price loses tooth

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price chipped two teeth during the second period against the Ottawa Senators Friday night at the Bell Centre.

That seems to be theme in the opening series between the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators.

One night after Sens goaltender Craig Anderson lost a tooth, Habs counterpart Carey Price chipped two teeth in the second period of Game 2 Friday night at the Bell Centre.

The future dental work was needed when Price was kicked in the mask by Habs defenceman Jarred Tinordi.

Price would then skate to the bench and hand parts of his cracked teeth to one of the trainers.

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Penguins showing troubling signs

The Pittsburgh Penguins let another playoff lead get away as the New York Islanders upended the No. 1 seed 4-3 Friday night.

PITTSBURGH -- The New York Islanders entered Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarter-finals having been embarrassed in Game 1, and facing the daunting prospect of Sidney Crosby being back in the lineup.

With the series even, the first playoff game in six years will be played at Nassau Coliseum on Sunday.

The pressure will most certainly be on the Penguins come Sunday.

Unanimous favorites to emerge from the conference, the Penguins have lost three consecutive series and will feel significant pressure should they fall in Game 3.

Troubling to the Penguins was not so much that they fell to the Islanders but rather the way in which they lost. There is little question that the traits exhibited in this game were remindful of the Penguins' meltdown against Philadelphia last season.

Consider:

The Penguins blew a 3-1 lead against the Islanders. They blew leads of 3-0 and 3-1 at home in the first two games against the Flyers last season, losing both games.

Marc-Andre Fleury allowed a horrendous goal for the New York game-winner in the third period. Forward Kyle Okposo missed the net, his shot caroming off the boards behind Fleury.

The goaltender, much like in Game 3 against Philadelphia last season, knocked the puck into his own net once that came in his direction. Fleury, who uncharacteristically did not speak with reporters following the game, threw the puck out of the net after Okposo scored.

The Penguins were guilty of exceptionally careless play, something that was a trademark of their performance against the Flyers. They were charged with 11 giveaways, compared to only two for the Islanders. And really, those numbers probably aren't even accurate, as the Penguins turned the puck over time and time again, opting for fancy drop passes as opposed to getting the puck deep and going to work on the forecheck.

Crosby did score two goals, both early in the first period. He was playing in his first game since March 30, when he broke his jaw. Crosby clearly was fatigued in the final two periods, showing little burst and often cutting his shifts short. Although he maintains he hasn't dropped significant weight, Crosby currently looks thinner than usual and is still using a modified diet.

He won his first eight faceoffs, but only about 30 per cent of his draws in the final two periods.

The Islanders carried the play throughout the evening, even when they trailed 3-1 in the first period.

They fired 20 shots on net that period, a sign that they were hungry for a victory despite their poor defensive start. New York finished with 43 shots, a number that infuriated the Penguins. Head coach Dan Bylsma, in fact, could be seen berating his team in the first period, while they were winning, a clear sign that he wasn't happy with their play.

The Islanders believe the game turned while, down 3-1, Okposo challenged defenceman Matt Niskanen to a fight. Okposo landed a right hand that cut Niskanen's face.

The Penguins played without injured standouts James Neal (right leg) and Brooks Orpik (lower-body injury). It remains unknown when either player will next be available.

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Top #hockeynight tweets of the night

The Habs and Sens were back in action Thursday following an emotional opening game on Hockey Night in Canada. In the late game, the Wild hoped to tie up the series against the Blackhawks. These were the best tweets.

[<a href="//storify.com/monikaplatek/top-hockeynight-tweets-of-the-night-11" target="_blank">View the story "Top #hockeynight tweets of the night" on Storify</a>]

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ryan Kesler can't steer Canucks back into series

Ryan Kesler scored twice and led the Canucks with five shots and six hits. He tried to grab the wheel and steer the Canucks back into the series. Instead, the team continues to weave dangerously toward the ditch.

By Jim Morris, special to CBC Sports

VANCOUVER -- All night, Ryan Kesler hustled and hit and tried to be the difference maker.

Later, in the quiet Vancouver Canucks dressing room, Kesler looked like a wrung-out rag. He was physically and mentally exhausted after the Canucks' crushing 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks.

The defeat leaves the Canucks trailing 2-0 in the best-of-seven NHL Western Conference quarter-final series. It also wasted the best performance of any Vancouver player not named Roberto Luongo this playoff.

Kesler scored twice, once on the power play. He led the team with five shots and six hits. He tried to grab the wheel and steer the Canucks back into the series. Instead, the team continues to weave dangerously toward the ditch.

"It's tough," Kesler said. "We deserved better.

"I thought we played exceptional tonight. We just didn't get it done. We have to regroup and focus on Game 3. Tomorrow we will learn from this and move on."

The Canucks were just 56 seconds away from a win that would have mended some tattered confidence. Instead, Vancouver heads to San Jose needing to win in a building where the Sharks were 17-2-5 during the regular season.

No one says it's impossible. But it won't be easy.

"It's just about making a couple more plays," coach Alain Vigneault said. "We should be disappointed and upset with ourselves.

"But we were a couple of plays away and a couple of seconds away from getting the win. It's going to burn for a couple of more hours."

It was an overtime Vancouver easily could have avoided.

With Shark goaltender Antti Niemi on the bench for an extra attacker, Jannik Hansen missed an empty net. Then captain Henrik Sedin failed to clear the puck, allowing Patrick Marleau to tie the game with less than a minute remaining.

"It's tough," Daniel Sedin said, who along with brother Henrik assisted on Kesler's first goal. "This is the way it goes. We have to stay positive and build on this game.

"I thought we played a heck of a game. It was tight and we played a really good third period. In the overtime anything can happen. That's the way it is."

Canucks shuffle lines

Vigneault tried to kick-start his offence by moving Derek Roy to centre the second line. Kesler shifted from centre to right wing while Chris Higgins played on the left side. That lasted until the third period, when Kesler returned to centre between Higgins and Hansen.

Kesler, who looked lethargic in Wednesday's 3-1 loss, showed signs of his old rambunctious self. In the second period he took a couple runs at hulking Shark captain Joe Thornton. He drew a high-sticking penalty. He tried to run defenceman Justin Braun through the boards.

"He's a world class player and he knows how to play," Shark Raffi Torres, who scored the overtime winner, said. "These are the kind of games he steps up in.

"Two big goals from him and he gives his team a chance to win."

Thornton scored San Jose's other goal.

Prior to the game the Canucks talked about needing to create more traffic in front of the net and prevent Niemi from getting clean looks at shots.

Vancouver did manage to apply some pressure but many of their 31 shots came from long range. The big, mobile Shark defence was able to control the rebounds and send the puck up the ice.

The game wouldn't have been close if not for another outstanding performance from Luongo.

During a San Jose power play in the first period the big goaltender stopped T.J. Galiardi, then Marleau. In the second period a diving Luongo gloved a shot after Torres was left alone in front of the net.

Luongo will have to continue his heroics. Cory Schneider, who took over the starting duties this season, is still bothered by an undisclosed injury that many people suspect is a groin problem. Vigneault said Schneider might not travel with the team to San Jose.

It was the sixth consecutive home playoff defeat for the Canucks dating back to their Game 7 loss against Boston in the 2011 Stanley Cup final. Vancouver is now 1-8 in their last nine playoff games. During that stretch the Canucks have scored just 13 goals.

The series now shifts to San Jose for games Sunday and Tuesday. A fifth game if necessary would be Thursday at Rogers Arena.

Kesler's efforts Friday night planted a seed of hope. Only time will tell if that seed will grow or shrivel away.

"Game 3 is a must win," said Kesler. "We need to go on a  winning streak here."

Follow Jim Morris on Twitter @jememorris

Back to accessibility links

21.22 | 0 komentar | Read More