Stanley Cup Playoffs 2013 – Day 9

Day-9 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs:

INKTIME  on RINKTIME Observations and Random thoughts by Chris Madsen:

Well, if you sneezed you missed the Canucks post-season.  Having lost 10 of their last 11 Post-Season series since  a run to the Stanley Cup Finals  2011, the mood in Vancouver is so sour that already the Vancover Sun is running a Poll that gives fans four choices: 1.) Fire coach Alain Vigneault: He’s had a seven-season run, and the team is in decline.  2.) Fire GM MikeGillis: Coaching not the main problem; poor trades and drafting are.  That’s on the general manager.  3.) Fire both Vigneault and Gillis: Cleaning house and bringing in a new management  team is paramount.  4.) Keep both Vigneault and Gillis: They have been the architects of the most  successful Canucks team ever, and deserve the opportunity to rebuild.
If I told you Option #3 was the runaway favorite –at the time of this posting–would you really be surprised?

As for the Sharks, this sweep vindicates San Jose GM Doug Wilson for his faith in Coach Todd McLellan after last years disappointment.  And the Coach plans to use this extra time to prepare for Round-2 wisely: “It’s a big relief.  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 favor.”

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Karma…Now that the Senators have pushed the Canadiens to the brink, here’s a backdrop story that every dyed-in-the-wool hockey fan can appreciate:  11-year old Keila Penner and her family were the guests of Senators owner Eugene Melnyk at last night’s 3-2 Ottawa victory in Overtime. Apparently, Keila was sent home from her Montreal-area school last week  for refusing to remove her Senators sweater on `’Habs Jersey Day.” No word yet if Keila and company will be Mr. Melnyk’s guest for Thursday’s possible elimination game IN Montreal.

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Crazy 8’s:  With their series tied at 2-apiece, it’s a swing game tonight in St. Louis–where the Blues have won eight in a row on Home ice, while the Kings have dropped eight on a row on the Road! And why have the Blues been so effective at Scottrade Center?  Because they have only allowed an average of 1-goal against during that span–remarkable!  However, it sure sounds as though Kings Coach Darryl Sutter is content to grind another game out: “There hasn’t been much difference in the games whether it’s home or road.  It’s all one-goal games and they’re all third-period games.”

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Will the hits just keep on coming?  Did you realize that during the Bruins 5-2 win on Monday night, they also outhit the Maple Leafs 51-49?  100 hits in a single game?  Pass the ice bag please!!!!  BTW, the Bruins lead the Series 2-1 entering tonight’s tilt.

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THIS JUST IN:  The Vezina Trophy finalists have just been announced.  And they are:  Sergei Bobrovsky, Blue Jackets… Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers…and Antti Niemi, Sharks).  High praise, considering the three best goalies in the NHL are selected by the General Managers.

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UNTIL THE NEXT TIME WE LACE ‘EM UP AND HIT THE ICE!–Chris Madsen

TONIGHT’S SCHEDULE: