Just How Important is Goaltending in the Playoffs

Now that we're down to the final four, it's time to start taking a look at the  masked men between the pipes. They're only players on the ice for a full 60 minutes and the ones who continually jump in front of flying rubber missiles but when things go wrong they receive all the blame. Being a goaltender is a tireless and thankless job, you're either the hero or the goat. So far in these playoffs we've seen our fair share of goats and hero's between the pipes.

Regular season success has absolutely no baring on the postseason. Just ask the Chicago Blackhawks who found themselves trailing the Detroit Red Wings 3 games to 1 in their Western Conference Semi Final. In the same sense goaltending in the regular season is a completely different ball game than goaltending in the playoffs. Just ask Marc-Andre Fleury who is growing roots on the bench in Pittsburgh.

The pressure on a goaltender in the playoffs is surreal. One wrong move, react half a second to late, lose the puck in a scramble, allowing a goal that zaps your teams momentum and you're getting boo'd off the ice. Mix all those worries with; rebound control, defencive errors and some insanely talented forwards and you have everything that's going on inside the mind of a goalie. There's so much to think about and roughly a 10th of a second to react.

No matter how many goals a team scores or how skilled that team may be, without a solid goalie that team will not succeed. Goaltending is key for a long playoff run and for any team who's mission is the Stanley Cup

It's been a roller coaster ride for goalies throughout these playoffs. Jonathan Quick went from being the goat in game one to statistically being the best goalie through 2 rounds. Then you have a goalie like Tuukka Rask who's really showing he belongs and has been making people forget Tim Thomas. But then Rask wipes-out giving the Rangers an easy goal and unfortunately costs his team the game, which turns Rask into the goat.

Goaltending can help solidify a teams chances at a Stanley Cup or be the flat tire on that road. Sometimes all a team needs is to change it's goalie. We're going to look at the goalies who are making a positive impact on their team and some other goalies who are holding them back these playoffs.

Jimmy Howard

If the Detroit Red Wings built Howard a statue it wouldn't be enough to thank him for his efforts between the pipes this season. Coming into the postseason as a 7th seed and upsetting the number 2 seed and nearly upsetting the number one seed. Howard has outdueled both Jonas Hiller and Corey Crawford and as a result the Wings have been winning. Howard went 7-7-2 through the first two rounds and ranked 3rd with a GAA of 2.22 amongst goalies who had played 11 games.

Upon taking a 3-1 stranglehold on the Blackhawks, Howard and the Red Wings had won 5 of their last 6 games and the goaltender had them at the doorstep of a Conference Final birth. Unfortunately defeating the Blackhawks is a lot easier said then done and they came back from their 3-1 deficit to beat the Wings in 7 games. Despite the second round elimination, Jimmy Howard came up big for the Wings.

Jonathan Quick

In all honesty has there been a better, more clutch goalie through the playoffs? When you look at the statistics the answer is no. Howard is 8-5-2 through the playoffs sporting a 1.50 GAA and a .948 Save Percentage. And oh by the way he also has 3 shutouts. This may only be Jonathan Quick's second season leading a team in the playoffs but he's quickly turning into a clutch playoff goalie.

The way the Western Conference Finals have shaped up, we'll see proven playoff goalie Jonathan Quick square off against Corey Crawford who has yet to prove himself in the playoffs. Which goalie will elevate their team to the Finals?

Henrik Lundqvist

It's hard to watch the New York Rangers and not feel bad for Henrik Lundqvist. He is such a skilled goaltender but his team can't do anything to help him win. Makes one wonder if the Rangers are wasting the best years of the "kings" career. Despite his team virtually not showing up through the playoffs, Lundqvist has continually come up big time after time. When the Rangers needed him most in round 1 he stepped up posting back to back shutouts in games 6 and 7.

With his team down 3 games to the Boston Bruins, Lundqvist came out ready to play in game 4 and made 37 stops to help his team get their first win of the series. While Lundqvist stood tall the Bruins proved to be too much for the Rangers as the King was eliminated in game 5. With the lack of success in New York will Lundqvist stay there?

Tomas Vokoun

If not for Tomas Vokoun coming off the bench and stepping up after Fleury's meltdown, the Pittsburgh Penguins would probably be at home instead of the Eastern Finals. Vokoun has been shinning between the pipes and helped the Penguins focus on what they're good at; scoring goals.

No one knows if the Penguins will put Fleury back in again but with the way Vokoun has been playing, it would be tough to pull him. This may be Vokoun's Stanley Cup run from now on.

Tuukka Rask

It's hard to criticize a goalie who's won 8 games but watching these playoffs I haven't been impressed by Tuukka Rask. The only reason he has these wins is because his team has bailed him out time after time. In game 7 of the first round against the Leafs, he allows 4 goals and his team ends up down 4-1. Since the Bruins came back no one showed to much concern but his play in the first round was alarming. He wasn't stellar and didn't look much better than James Reimer.

Rask has just 1 playoff run under his belt and it didn't go very well. He's fairly in-experienced, this is his year to show that he can carry the team and perform in the playoffs. Despite his 8 wins he's posting a rough 2.22 GAA and a .928 Save Percentage, not fantastic numbers. He's getting by because his team is scoring. When the Bruins had a chance to close out the series in New York, Tuukka didn't bother to show up. He'll need to stay on-top of his game in order for the Bruins to make it to the Finals, especially if he comes up against the Penguins. If you don't agree name 1 game Rask has "stolen" for the Bruins, these playoffs.

Craig Anderson

Craig Anderson is another goalie who is hard to criticize. He's been the backbone of the Senators team and dominated in the first round. But in the second round he just hasn't been good enough. It's tough for any goalie to stop the likes of Sidney Crosby, James Neal, Evgeni Malkin and Jarome Iginla, but Anderson needed to find a way to stop the Penguins offence.

Anderson ranks last with 5 wins and a 3.01 GAA amongst all goalies who have gone 2 rounds. The Senators weren't able to get the goaltending they need to take down the Penguins.

Corey Crawford

Want to know the one reason the Chicago Blackhawks wont win the cup? Their goaltending. Splitting the season with Ray Emery really benefited Corey Crawford. Now that Crawford has been relied on to play on his own and steal some games for the Blackhawks, he hasn't been able to. With the kind of slump the Blackhawks are in they needed their goalie to steal a game or two for them and Crawford has failed to do that.

The Blackhawks want Crawford to be their goalie of the future but if he continues to bomb in the playoffs that future may be over in a hurry. It may be time for the Hawks to allow Crawford to learn during the playoffs, much like the Bruins did with Rask.

A goalie either becomes a hero or a goat in the playoffs, there's no room for average goaltending. The goaltenders who are turning heads and coming up big for their teams will be the ones who go far, while the others will fall into the shadows.

Has Raffi Torres Put the Final Nail in his NHL Career?

With the NHL changing the rules to cut down on head-shots and concussions, players who like to make big impact hits had to redefine their game or get left behind. Players like Matt Cooke, Dan Carcillo and Steve Downie have all had to change the way they play to stay on the right side of the law. But one player who hasn't been able to adjust his game successfully is Raffi Torres.

From his hit on Jordan Eberle in 2011 to his hit on Marian Hossa in last years playoffs, Raffi Torres just can't seem to figure out a way to play within the "rules". There is a fine line that a player like Torres must toe, but he continually crosses that line. Torres is the type of player who can't find a permanent home, he's bounced around between 6 different NHL teams. His job is to bring something to each team he plays for to convince them to keep him and thats usually physicality. But Torres keeps crossing the line and after his last hit on Tuesday night in the second round of the playoffs, it may be time for teams to start crossing him off their team.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei5UkHL0oNM

We'll start with his latest hit of Jarret Stoll. Was it a dirty hit or a head hit? It was not a dirty hit but rather an illegal hit, the principal point of contact appears to be the head. The tough thing about this hit is that Stoll leaned forward to get the puck and by that point it was virtually to late for Torres to stop. Had this been a player not named Raffi Torres, they probably get a phone hearing and 1 or 2 games max. Since this hit involves the controversial Raffi Torres, an in-person hearing is called and there's a lengthy suspension.

What's really startling about Torres is his MO. He seems to be aiming to take star players out of the game and that's exactly what the NHL is trying to get rid of. He hits Jordan Eberle one of the Edmonton Oilers best young players, Marian Hossa a key member of the Chicago Blackhawks offence and Jarret Stoll another key player on a Stanley Cup contending team.

Big hit's with unfortunate outcomes happen in the NHL, look at the Eric Gryba hit, but continually going after key players is something the NHL can't continue to allow.

When you look at the Stoll hit it's a really grey area that the NHL needs to make clear. Torres doesn't extend his elbow or leave his feet, but he did finish his check on an angle that targeted Stoll's head on the play. Basically what the NHL is saying is Torres took a "bad route" to finish his check, as he skated east-west. Torres also hits upwards into Stoll's body forcing his head backwards instead of hitting through Stoll. Had this been anyone else, I think they get the benefit of the doubt with this hit, but it's not it's the infamous Raffi Torres.

The consensus online is that Torres shouldn't be suspended for this hit and that the only reason this is such a big deal is because of Torres' history. A team can no longer get the benefit of the doubt when Torres hits somebody, anytime anything is borderline with this guy you know Brendan Shanahan will be calling. Which is why teams are going to start to give up on him. No team wants a player that can't get away with anything, he's become a liability on the ice.

Whether people like it or not and despite his best efforts, Raffi Torres is a dirty hockey player. The book is out on him, he likes to take star or impact players out of the line-up. If a 25 game suspension in last years playoffs didn't deliver the message clear enough to Raffi Torres what's it going to take?

With the 6 game suspension, could this be the final hit of his career? Raffi Torres will be an un-restricted free agent this coming offseason and if the San Jose Sharks don't resign him, where does he go? While his hit on Stoll wasn't malicious, it was a dangerous play and it may cost him a lot more than 6 games.

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What We Learned From the First Round of NHL Playoffs

The first round of the 2013 NHL playoffs is in the books. For the Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins the dream is still alive as they advance to the second round. But for the teams that fell just short, it's going to be a long offseason and for some the first round will have left a bitter taste.

The first 4 wins are in the books, now it's just the final 12. So what did we learn and what can we take away from the first round of the 2013 NHL playoffs?

• The Pittsburgh Penguins aren't as good as everyone thought.

This was supposed to be the Penguins year. A healthy Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin combined with James Neal and the addition of Jarome Iginla. The Penguins made a statement, their goal in the playoffs is nothing short of the Stanley Cup. While they still have a shot at that goal, some weaknesses have been exposed in their team and the road is only going to get tougher. Until the Penguins figure out their goaltending issues, they wont be able to lay claim to the Stanley Cup. Looks like Pittsburgh isn't the big power-house everyone believed.

• 8th seed don't care

Remember when Brian Burke was the GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs and he said he didn't want to just squeak into the playoffs in 8th only to be clobbered in the first round, then the LA Kings went on to win the Stanley Cup from the 8th seed? In the first round, especially in the East, what seed you finished didn't mean much. Look at the Islanders giving the Penguins all they could handle, The Senators as the 7th seed upsetting the 2nd seeded Canadiens and the Detroit Red Wings following along the Senators path by upsetting the Ducks.
Once you make the playoffs it's a whole new ballgame, throw out the regular season as it means nothing. In a best of 7 series, anything can happen- it all depends what team shows up.

• Never underestimate your opponent

After the Bruins closed out their series with the Leafs in game 7, Milan Lucic admitted that the Bruins kind of underestimated the Leafs.

"I think after Game 4 we did. I don’t think once the series started we underestimated them. That’s why we had a 3-1 lead after four games, but after that it just seemed like it was almost like a bit of we did underestimate them a bit and when it felt like we deflated them in that Game 4 overtime goal that wasn’t the case at all."

Underestimating the Leafs almost cost the Bruins the series as the Leafs showed no quit and a lot of heart, battling back from a 3-1 series deficit.

• Goaltending is kind of important

You can pretty much say every team that was eliminated in round one, didn't get the type of goaltending they needed. Look at the New York Rangers, when they needed a big game Henrik Lundqvist stepped up. In fact "the King" stepped up with shutouts in both game 6 and 7.  Look at the at the Canadiens and Canucks, both teams didn't get the goaltending they needed and as a result they're out. Goaltending nearly cost the Pittsburgh Penguins in their first round series but instead it cost the Islanders. Had the Islanders had someone other than Evgeni Nabokov between the pipes, they may very well have upset the Penguins.

• Despite no experience and having the odds against, the Leafs actually played pretty solid playoff hockey

Yes, everyone in Toronto is disappointed and so are the players, after coming within 11 minutes of moving on to the 2nd round, but they really shouldn't be. This series for Toronto was a win-win. They gained valuable playoff experience and now know what it takes to win in the playoffs. The Leafs did far better than anyone expected and nearly pulled off the unthinkable, that is a huge plus for the Leafs and will only help them going forward.

• Maybe Alex Ovechkin Really Can't play in the playoffs

Sigh, yes another disappointing first round exit for Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. I really thought they would advance this year and Ovechkin would finally find the playoff success that has eluded him, but sadly that was not the case. Ovechkin was held scoreless for the last 5 games of the series and most importantly in game 7 when his team needed him the most. Ovechkin scored just 1 goal and added 1 assist, a far cry from his dominance during the regular season. It's been 9 seasons since Ovechkin joined the Capitals and they've failed advance past the 2nd round in any year.

Interesting stats

• The Kings and Blues played in the closest series. The teams spent 98.8 either tied or within 1 goal of the other. Through 6 games there was only a 5 minute span where the was a 2 goal cushion. Talk about some close, nail-bitting hockey.


• Carey Price is 4-11 in his last 4 playoff appearances and hasn't made it out of the first round.


• How close were the first round match-ups? Well a staggering 17 games needed extra time to decide a winner, which breaks the previous record of 16 in just one round.


• Remarkable all 6 "original 6" NHL teams made it into the playoffs and 4 of them are still alive.

Round two begins tonight. Get ready for even more exciting hockey as teams look to add 4 more wins on route to the Stanley Cup.

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Why the Ottawa Senators Will Beat the Pittsburgh Penguins

On paper you see the 7th place Ottawa Senators squaring off against the 1st place Pittsburgh Penguins, and you feel sorry for the slaughter the Senators are going to go through. But the best part about the NHL playoffs is what's written on paper doesn't matter once you hit the ice. Just ask the Penguins how their easy round one with the 8th place New York Islanders panned out.

The Senators are not your typical 7th seeded playoff team. When you look at the final Eastern Conference playoff standings just 2 points separated 8th from 5th. The Senators were one win shy of 5th place and a match with the Boston Bruins and just one point up on 8th and a first round match with the Penguins. Since the East was so close and the Sens were just one point out of 5th you have to treat the Senators like a 5th seeded team.

After a hard-fought series with the Islanders, the Penguins must be ready for another hard-fought series with the Sens. The Sens are a very young and skilled team. They don't just rely on one guy to get the job done, it's a combined effort from everyone. The Senators easily dispatched of the number 2 ranked Montreal Canadiens by forcing them back on their heels and getting them off their game. If the Sens can do that again, it could be another long series for Crosby and the Pens, one that could see them eliminated.

While the Senators are nothing like the Philadelphia Flyers or Boston Bruins when it comes to physical play, the playoffs require every team to raise their level of physicality and the Sens have done that. Remember the big hit Eric Gryba laid on Lars Eller? Or game 3 when both teams barely had enough players to ice 2 lines after a line brawl?

The Senators, a much tougher team, baited the Canadiens into a physical battle. If the Sens manage to draw the Pens into that physical battle and force them off their game plan, it'll be lights out for the Pens who will be wondering what hit them.

The Ottawa Senators are also not the same team as they were 3 months ago. Erik Karlsson is back in the line-up and is beginning to look like the Norris winning defencemen he was a year-ago, Craig Anderson is back between the pipes and has been lights out posting a .950 Save Percentage and the Sens could be getting another boost should Jason Spezza return to the line-up.

The Senators are a young team that has been relying on the youthfulness of Erik Karlsson, Mika Zibanejad, Cory Conacher, Kyle Turris and Jean-Gabriel Pageau to lead the team. While the Pens rely on the skill of Sidney Crosby, James Neal and Evgeni Malkin to lead the way. The Penguins are a much older team than the Sens and use their veteran leadership and depth throughout the line-up to their advantage. But their age truly showed in round one against the Islanders. They were slow and lost battles for loose pucks all series, the Sens should be able to exploit that with their younger quicker players.

The two things that make the Senators a very scary threat in the East is their goaltending and defence.

The Penguins got lucky having to face a weak goalie in Evgeni Nabokov who allowed them to keep pace with the goals the Islanders were scoring. The Senators have one of the best netminders in the league in Craig Anderson. If the Penguins go back to Marc-Andre Fleury and he falters early on, the Sens will jump all over it and Anderson will shut the door.

Anderson is boasting a 1.80 Goals Against Average and a .950 Save Percentage while only allowing 9 goals throughout the first 5 games of the playoffs. The Sens don't let a lot of goals in, the Pens will need to score 1 or 2 garbage goals and then rely on their goaltending to squeak out close games in this series.

Then there's the whole matter of defence, before you even get to the brick wall that is Anderson. Their defence was the 2nd best in the NHL during the regular season allowing just 2.08 goals a game. Their penalty kill was the best ranked in the league killing off an outstanding 88% of their penalties. Plus they have one of the best defenceman in the NHL back on their blue-line with Karlsson who isn't afraid to rush the puck and pick up the slack by netting some goals himself.

The second round match-up between the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins is going to be a tough series and perhaps one of the closest in the playoffs. All the pressure will be riding on the Penguins a role reversal from 2007, the last time the Senators beat the Penguins in the playoffs. The Penguins are the team that everyone was and is expecting to challenge for the Stanley Cup and the Senators are just a speed block on that journey. The Senators have nothing to lose in this series, they've already come farther than most expected and have shown just how good a team they have.

After their tough series win over the Islanders the Penguins are a team that is down on the matt and now is the perfect time for the Sens to jump quickly and kick them while they're down. The Senators may be the Penguins toughest opponents in this years playoffs, the question becomes can they survive two series' where the underdog teams give them all they can handle?

At the end of the day this series is likely going to come down to goaltending. The Senators have no issues with Anderson and know he can get the job done. The Penguins have a number one goalie who can't stop a beach ball and is rattled, while their back-up is capable. Do the Penguins let Tomas Vokoun have a shot or do they go back to Fleury? Whoever the Penguins choose to go with will have to come up big in this series.

With Craig Anderson leading the way, the Ottawa Senators have all the tools to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins. In fact the Senators pose a very real Stanley Cup threat, not bad for a team who was decimated with injuries in March.

Hockey Moms

Since today is Mothers Day I’ve decided to write a post thanking all hockey moms and dedicate it to my mother Pat Campbell.

Mothers are our biggest fans, best supporters and loudest cheerleaders. They want nothing more than to see their child succeed in their sport and life. They put their own hopes and dreams on hold so that their little athletes can chase theirs. When things go right they're the first ones to celebrate and when things go wrong they're the first ones to comfort and wipe the tears away. They dedicate their entire lives to a sport, they are more than just moms- they are the infamous hockey moms.

They come to every hockey game and no one can out-cheer them. When you score or make a big save they swell up with pride. They hold their breath when you get hit and yell at your opponent. They're there for you when you don't make the team and ready to console after a 5-0 loss. They know the words to say before a game and when to be quiet when no words are needed.

Hockey moms everywhere have played a key role in their hockey players development. From house league to the NHL, it all started because of a willing hockey mom. Thank you! Here's just a little peek into the life of a hockey mom.

• To all the moms who understood the passion that their children had and allowed them to pursue what they loved, without any question. Thank you.


• To all the moms who woke up and drove their kids to hockey practice at 7 in the morning. Thank you.


• To all the moms who put off buying what they wanted to help buy hockey equipment. Thank you.


• To the moms who became accustomed to the long road trips, living out of the car and staying in hotels on a weekly basis. Thank you.


• To the moms who were cool with hockey tournaments over Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and March Break. Thank you.


• To the moms (Especially goalie moms) who couldn't bare to watch the action sitting there peeking through their fingers and holding their breath on every rush. Yelling out where the puck was and to "Watch that player!" like your goalie could hear you. Thank you for putting up with the heart-attacks.


• To the moms who sat in freezing cold hockey arena’s on hard bleachers cheering their kids on to victory. Thank you and the support means more than you could have imagined.


• To all the moms who spent hours traveling from city to city and often knew other cities better than their own.


• To the moms who ran around the arena to the bench to make sure your kid was ok. Thank you and your concern is touching.


• To the moms who put up with all the quirky superstitions and had their own. Thank you.


• To the moms who drove hours so their kid could find a team. Thank you.


• To the moms who sat in emergency rooms, tapped ankles and wrists and went to visit doctor after doctor until you found the right prognosis. Thank you.


• To the moms who educated themselves about a sport they didn't know so they could join in hockey conversations and watch hockey games. Thank you for your effort.


• To the moms who got blisters from tying their young hockey players' skates. Thank you.


• To the moms who ate the horrible arena food and delicious popcorn. Thank you.


• To the moms who turned the car around and went back home when their hockey player forgot a helmet or elbow pad. Thank you.


• To the moms who referred to the rink as their second home. Thank you.


• To all the moms who remember your the first hockey game when you couldn't see over the boards and the jersey didn't fit and the last game where you were big and strong. They wonder where the time went in between. Thank you for watching your little hockey player grow.

Today while driving around to hockey games and practices, remember to take a moment to thank your hockey mom. She gave up more than you can imagine so you could live your dream. Hockey moms are the biggest and craziest fans around, but they just want whats best for you and to see you happy.

Thank you for everything you do hockey moms, your hockey player wouldn't be half the hockey player they are now without your support.

Lastly I'll leave you with a video. Hockey moms just know how important hockey is to you and are willing to help you live your dream.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9SerQmK20A

Why Mike Gillis is to Blame for the Vancouver Canucks Debacle

It's been another disappointing season for the Vancouver Canucks. After an early exit in the first round of the playoffs, for the second season in a row, one has to expect changes are coming for the Canucks. Aside from the goalie saga, the first major change that everyone is talking about is the need to fire Alain Vigneault. But why fire Vigneault when Mike Gillis is to blame for the Canucks debacle?

Where did things go wrong? The Canucks built themselves a skilled team with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Alex Burrows, Ryan Kesler and Derek Roy. They have two solid number one goalies in Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider and they have the all time winningest Vancouver Canucks coach behind the bench. On paper there is no way the Canucks, with all the talent they have should be getting swept in the first round.

With any disappointing season comes finger pointing. While Alain Vigneault will probably bare most of the blame and be dismissed, the Canucks management needs to think long and hard about keeping Mike Gillis.

The Vancouver Canucks were built by Mike Gillis. He built the team he thought could win a Championship, only problem is he traded many key players along the way. Perhaps one of his worst moves was destroying the confidence of Cody Hodgson and then trading him for Zack Kassian. Hodgson for the Canucks is a perfect 2nd or 3rd line centre and would have provided that scoring depth they needed. The Canucks scored just 8 goals in their first round match with the San Jose Sharks, simply not good enough. When 3 goals is the "bench-mark" to win a hockey game, the Canucks fell short by only scoring 3 goals once in the last game.

Turns out Hodgson isn't as bad as the Canucks were leading everyone to believe. He finished with a point-per-game pace for the Buffalo Sabres and has turned into a first-line centre. Maybe you should have given him a shot Gillis.

The Canucks, led by Mike Gillis have become one of the most hated teams in the NHL and they brought it on themselves. Outside from Vancouver there's not too many hockey fans sad to see the mighty Canucks fall once again in the first round. They're a smug team who looks down on everyone else in the league. They've made a mockery of diving and embellishing to draw penalties and then whine and complain when their opponents return the favour.

It's pretty ironic how the Canucks, particularly Kevin Bieksa went to the media to complain about Joe Thornton and Logan Couture diving and not playing the game the right way. Yet who was sitting in the box when the Sharks tied the game to force OT- Kevin Bieska. Daniel Sedin was also handed a questionable penalty in OT that probably wouldn't have been called on another team. Sometimes players need to realize when to shut up and just play hockey.

The main reason Mike Gillis is to blame is for how he handled the goaltending situation. What he needed to do is unload Luongo for a solid forward who would have helped the Canucks in the postseason. Instead he kept the goalie hoping to luck out and in the end it cost the Canucks. The goaltending was a distraction and a topic of discussion all season long and when Luongo started games one and two over the injured Schnieder the plot only thickened.

It's understandable that Gillis wanted to hit a home run when trading away Roberto Luongo. He's a great goalie who would improve any team, but his contract stinks. Gillis needed to accept the fact he wasn't going to get equal trade value for his goalie. Instead his reward would have been moving the netminder and putting an end to the goalie saga thus ending to the distraction. Look at the Columbus Blue Jackets, did they get equal trade value for Rick Nash, not really. Yet they still banded together and just narrowly missed the playoffs. It's not always about what you can get back, instead it's about who you already had stepping up.

I talked about how the Canucks needed to get rid of Luongo at the beginning of the season if the team was to move forward and have success this season. They didn't trade him, they didn't move forward and they didn't have any playoff success and that's because they kept Luongo.

The Vancouver Canucks and Mike Gillis are at a crossroads. After 7 years it's time for a new coach behind the bench, the Canucks core is aging and can't seem to get it done in the playoffs and the Canucks can't possibly bring back Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider again next season can they?

It's time for the Vancouver Canucks and Mike Gillis to face the facts; They don't have a team that is built for playoff success. From the head coach to goalies, for whatever reason they can't seem to conquer the playoff demons. Before you point the finger at Alain Vigneault for another dissapointing season, make sure you remember who built this team behind the scenes.

Is It Time for the Pittsburgh Penguins to Play Tomas Vokoun?

On paper when you see the Pittsburgh Penguins squaring off against the New York Islanders in the first round of the playoffs, you wouldn't expect the series to be tied at 2 after 4 games. Some fans may have expected the Islanders to have already been eliminated, but the Islanders are sticking around and they owe a huge thank you to Marc-Andre Fleury. With Fleury not playing his best hockey, is it time for the Penguins to turn to Tomas Vokoun?

After the Pittsburgh Penguins made major strides to build the team for a deep playoff run, seeing them struggle in the first round is a big shock. Heading into the playoffs the Penguins had a roster boasting the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Jarome Iginla, and Kris Letang. When looking at their roster it's hard to find a weak spot but it's becoming more apparent goaltending may be that weak spot.

After last years melt-down in the first round against the Philadelphia Flyers, there have been questions about Marc-Andre Fleury's goaltending. Just how worried were the Penguins about their goaltending? Worried enough to acquire Tomas Vokoun to help lighten the load and be ready in case Fleury has another playoff implosion.

It appears that once again Fleury is having a playoff meltdown and that meltdown appeared to hit rock bottom after a laughable 6-4 loss in game 4. The Penguins helped out their netminder as much as they could but when they needed a big save they didn't get it, instead they got several questionable goals.

This is nothing new for Marc-Andre Fleury and is a major cause for concern for the Penguins. For a goaltender playing behind a world class team Fleury's lack of playoff success is alarming. In his last 10 playoff games (including last year) he's 4-6 with a 4.11 GAA and a .860 Save Percentage, not the type of numbers a team needs to advance in the playoffs. For those who don't put their stock in GAA and Save Percentage, Fleury has allowed 3 or more goals in 10 of his last 13 playoffs games and 4 or more goals in 9 of those last 13. Whatever Fleury is doing isn't working and he's beginning to get a reputation as a playoff "chocker".

Even when you look back at the year Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup, Fleury's numbers weren't good at all. He recorded a 2.61 GAA and .908 Save Percentage in 24 games. When you dig a little further and look at Fleury's regular season stats he's right around the middle of the pack, average, he seems to just float by in the regular season. Which begs the question, does Marc-Andre Fleury just benefit from a skilled Penguins roster?

For a goalie that has a Stanley Cup ring, Olympic gold medal and two World Junior Championship silver medals, Fleury certainly isn't playing like a championship level goalie.

It doesn't matter if a team has the skill to score 8 goals a game, if they don't get key saves from their goalie when they need them they will continue to lose. When a goalie lets in a weak goal, the team know's and it takes a lot of momentum out of their game. What good is it to score 6 goals if your goalie is just going let in 7?

If you watched the game and saw the reactions of the Penguins players after the weak goals, you can see how frustrated the Penguin players are with their netminder. The players have lost faith in Fleury and now is the perfect time to play $4 million back-up Tomas Vokoun.

Tomas Vokoun is 3-0 against the New York Islanders this season with a .90 G AA and a .970 Save Percentage. Putting in Vokoun who has been solid against the Islanders, may be the Penguins only move in game 5. Fleury and the Penguins are reeling and looking for answers, Vokoun may be the answer. Switching goalies may serve as a wake-up call for the Penguins who have been out-played 5 on 5 by the Islanders in games 2, 3 and 4. Vokoun is a very capable goalie and not your average back-up goalie. With 13 NHL seasons under his belt he's been around the league and has experience.

Two things people can take away from this series; The Penguins aren't as good as everyone believes they are and the Islanders aren't as bad as everyone believes. The Islanders have been, out-working and out-skating the Penguins, using their speed and youth to their advantage. The Islanders also don't have any pressure, no one gave them a shot in this series, if they pull off the upset all the focus will still be on what went wrong for the Penguins. The Islanders deserve some credit for playing their best and forcing the Penguins to make a goalie change, they've come out a lot better than everyone expected.

While goaltending isn't the only issue for the Penguins in this series, it's a big piece of the puzzle. At this point heading into game 5 the Penguins don't have any other choice than to play Tomas Vokoun. You can't throw a delicate ticking time bomb in Fleury back out there, that would be feeding him to the Wolves who already know they can eat him.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If the Penguins want to advance in the playoffs they'd be wise to give Tomas Vokoun some playing time. Crosby has the skill and wants to win multiple Stanley Cups, don't waste his skill waiting for a goalie to figure out his playoff woes.

The Unsung Hero Of Each Playoff Team

Every team has big name players that are counted on to produce and carry the team. These players like Phil Kessel, Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews and Corey Perry, get all the glory when the team is successful. But when the stars stop producing it's up to the secondary players to step up and fill in the hole. While the unsung hero of each playoff team may not get the recognition or attention, their team wouldn't be nearly as good without them.

Chicago Blackhawks- Niklas Hjalmarsson

When you look at the Blackhawks blue line the names that pop out are Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. Rarely do you immediately think of 25 year-old Niklas Hjalmarsson as one of the team's top defenceman. Despite being a relative unknown, he's paired with Keith on the Blackhawks top defencive pairing and has been given the task of facing the Minnesota Wild's top players.

He's one of the Blackhawks best penalty killers and leads all Blackhawk players in time on the ice while shorthanded averaging 2:45 a game. New this year Hjalmarsson has also added some offence to his game. He put 10 points on the board in 46 games on the Blackhawks blue line.

Pittsburgh Penguins- Matt Niskanen

Much like Niklas Hjalmarsson, when you look at the Penguins blue line Matt Niskanen isn't the first name that comes to mind. But Niskanen had a solid season, putting up 14 points (3rd best for Penguins D) and averaging over 20 minutes a night. To pick an unsung hero for a team like the Penguins is so difficult as they have stars all throughout their line-up but Niskanen is a guy who is a consistent producing defenceman who continually flies under the radar.

Anaheim Ducks- Daniel Winnik

Daniel Winnik has turned himself into a key player for the Ducks. Winnik finds his home on the third line wing with Saku Koivu and Andrew Cogliano. The three of quickly become one of the Ducks most creative and dangerous lines combining for 69 points in the regular season. In addition to the lines offence, they've also become the Ducks go-to shutdown line and have been given the task of shutting down the always-dangerous Pavel Datsyuk.

Winnik has been a fantastic two-way forward this season, focusing on his own end first (+13) and still putting up 19 points. Daniel Winnik is the type of forward that teams win with and right now the Ducks are benefiting from his strong play. Look for him to play a big role in the Ducks Stanley Cup run.

Montreal Canadiens- Brandon Prust

When a guy is voted as the unsung hero of a team, then you can't not put him on the list. Brandon Prust has had a huge impact on the Canadiens. From helping with their physical play to mentoring Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk, Prust has done it all for the Canadiens and he's even had an impact on the scoreboard.

Prust suited up for 38 games in his first season with the Canadiens and put up 14 points and led the team with 110 penalty minutes. He's stepped up as leader for the Canadiens and proved to be a very valuable asset. For the Canadiens to make a deep playoff run they'll need Prust to play his best and by the off-ice leader of the Habs.

Boston Bruins- Dennis Seidenberg

Dennis Seidenberg may be one of the most underrated defenceman in the entire Eastern Conference. He has a Stanley Cup ring, 52 games of NHL playoff experience and is one of the Boston Bruins top defenceman night in and night out. Yet he is continually overlooked.

Seidenberg is the type of player who can do it all. The coach has faith to send him into any situation. He ranked second in the NHL in plus/minus, was 2nd amongst Bruins defenceman in points (17) and he took just 5 penalties all season. He's the type of defenceman who understands just how valuable he is and what it takes to win. He laid his body on the line to block 115 shots this season, that dedication and heart.

St. Louis Blues- Chris Stewart

When I looked at the St. Louis Blues' stats from this season, I was shocked to see Chris Stewart leading the team in scoring. Chris Stewart is not only the Blues unsung hero he's also one of the most under-appreciated players in the Western Conference.

Stewart put up 36 points this season with the Blues, more than he has in any other season and doing so this year in just 48 games. He lead the Blues in goals, power play goals and points, despite playing four minutes a night less than David Backes who put up 28 points. The Blues in general are a pretty under the radar team, but despite that they've managed a 2-0 series lead over the defending Stanley Cup Champions. Teams overestimating Christ Stewart and the Blues can only help the Blues.

Los Angeles Kings- Trevor Lewis

Anytime your own teammates crown you the unsung hero of your team you know you're doing something right. Trevor Lewis plays wing on a line with Jarret Stoll and Dwight King, the line was a key part in the Kings Stanley Cup win last season. Once again the three will show what they can do in the playoffs. Dwight King was the surprise last playoffs scoring 5 goals and finishing 3rd on the team in playoff scoring and this post-season many are expecting Trevor Lewis to play the same role.

“He’s got the skill, he’s got the shot, he’s got the speed. Just a matter of not only our line but every line coming together and ramping it up an extra notch or two." ~ Jarret Stoll

Lewis finished with 14 points through 48 games while averaging 15 minutes a night and was one of the Kings best penalty killers. If the Kings are to come back from being down 2-0 in round one, Trevor Lewis will need to start scoring again.

Vancouver Canucks- Jannik Hansen

Jannik Hansen finished the season as the 4th leading scorer for the Canucks behind the Sedin twins and Derrick Roy. Hansen put up 27 points in 47 games this season and continued to prove just how valuable he can be- despite being the 10th highest paid forward. Hansen kills penalties, spends time on the power play and uses his great speed for both offence and defence. He plays a great defencive game and was +12 on the year. He's one of the most versatile Canucks forwards as he can play either wing and fit in on any line.

Toronto Maple Leafs- Jay McClement

At the beginning of the 2013 season no one expected the Leafs to even come close to the playoffs. But thanks to a break out season from Nazem Kadri, stellar goaltending from James Reimer and great coaching from Randy Carlyle, the Leafs are in the playoffs. But aside from the big names on the Leafs another player who deserves some major credit is Jay McClement.

The biggest turnaround for the Leafs has been their penalty killing. Last season they were the 3rd worst penalty killing team in the league, this season they're 3rd best. Who's been killing all these penalties- Jay McClement. If you're questioning the impact that McClement could have had on the PK, just remember he was the cornerstone of the Avalanche PK that went from 30th to 12th once he joined.

McClement is a versatile forward who can fit anywhere in the line-up and take key face-offs when Tyler Bozak needs a break. He wears an A his jersey and provides solid veteran leadership for this young Leafs team. Picking up Jay McClement may have been one of Brian Burke's best moves.

Washington Capitals- John Carlson

Time to put another defenceman on the list. When you think of the Washington Capitals you don't exactly think of a shutdown defencive team, you think of the highflying Alex Ovechkin. Even the Capitals defenceman have exceptional offence and a prime example is John Carlson.

But Carlson's defence is extremely underrated. Carlson ranks 7th on the Capitals and 2nd in defenceman with 22 points. But aside from the offence Carlson is 2nd on the blue line with 59 hits and leads all Capitals defenceman with 17 takeaways. He ranked 3rd in the NHL with 123 blocked shots. Adam Oates also trusts John Carlson on the penalty kill and as a result is the Capitals best penalty killer averaging 2:53 on the power kill. Not bad for an "offensive-minded defenceman".

San Jose Sharks- TJ Galiardi

Galiardi is a player who has struggled to find his place in the NHL and at the beginning of this season it looked like he still hadn't found his place. But Galiardi picked up his play near the end of the season and began to look like the player of the future that the Sharks thought he was. He but up 14 points in 36 games with the Sharks and was a +1.

New York Rangers- Derek Stepan

It's easy to get over-looked in New York City. With all the bright lights, big names and sports teams there is so much happening in the city. The Rangers stars include the king Henrik Lundqvist, Rich Nash, Ryan Callahan and Brad Richards, but one player who's managed to fall through the cracks is Derek Stepan. For a player whoes coach was worried about centering the 2nd line, Derek Stepan has silenced all his critics.

The 22 year-old had a break-out season that saw him lead the New York Rangers with 44 points and 18 goals. He had a stellar end to the season, notching 3 game-winning goals and recording 7 multi-point games insuring his Rangers a spot in the Playoffs. John Tortorella has gone from being worried about the youngster to using him in any situation- Power play or penalty kill.

Detroit Red Wings- Justin Abdelkader

Aside from Red Wings fans, how many of you have heard of Justin Abdelkader? Now how many of you have heard of Pavel Datsyuk? Well Abdelkader is a winger on the Pavel Datsyuk line. He brings a strong net presence and is one of the Red Wings best Penalty killers. He put up 13 points in 48 games this season.

Ottawa Senators- Patrick Wiercioch

Senators rookie defenceman Patrick Wiercioch put up 19 points from the blue line, ranking him 2nd amongst Senators defence. Wiercioch has been brought up through the Sens program and has transformed into a solid offencive defenceman.

Minnesota Wild- Mikko Koivu

After a big offseason all the focus this season was on Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, someone who was overlooked was the guys wearing the C- Mikko Koivu. To the surprise of many Koivu actually out-scored James Neal, Corey Perry and Jarome Iginla, not bad for the Wild captain who was overshadowed. These numbers are typical for Koivu yet he still doesn't get the recognition he deserves around the league; Hopefully the playoffs will be his coming out party.

New York Islanders- Frans Nielsen

The Islanders this season were carried by the play of John Tavares and Evgeni Nabokov, but those two got a little help along the way. Frans Nielsen finished 4th on the team in scoring with 29 points, now while Nielsen has never lead the Islanders in scoring or even made an all-star appearance he's still a key member of their team. He's become a key member of the penalty kill and often generates short-handed chances based on his creativity. While Tavares may lead the way, without the help from players like Nielsen it would have been another year without a post-season birth for the Islanders.

Why Eric Gryba Shouldn't Have Been Suspended

By now I'm sure you've seen the Eric Gryba hit that left Lars Eller unconscious and lying in a pool of blood. It was a nasty hit to watch, as Eller was unconscious before he hit the ice and a hit you knew the NHL was going to take a look at.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNOwP3fUW6c

After contact Eller's body flew violently through the air and he landed face first on the ice. He lay unconscious with blood pouring from his face. He lay motionless for several minutes and was taken off the ice on a stretcher. He was released from hospital and is said to have suffered a concussion, multiple facial fractures, and he lost some teeth.

Immediately after Eric Gryba laid the hit, debate broke out about the legality of the hit and whether it was a head shot or a suspendable offence. League disciplinary Brendan Shanahan decided that the hit did deem a suspension and handed Eric Gryba a two-game suspension.

While the NHL saw the hit as suspendable there is still some serious debate about the hit; Is this really the type of hit the NHL is trying to take out of the game or was this just the Shanahan appeasing the fans?

It's never a good scene to see a player unconscious and lying in a heap of blood. Your heart breaks for the player and his family as there's no guarantee he'll ever play again or be the same. But at the same time this is playoff hockey and with playoff hockey comes hard, bone crushing hits.

Gryba was assessed a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct, but the hit wasn't interference. I'm okay with Gryba receiving a game misconduct right after the hit. It's best to get him off the ice after that huge hit. Emotions are running high and the Montreal Canadiens would have had a bounty on his head. But the referees need to at least get the call right, this was in no way interference.

Eric Gryba delivered the hit while the puck was on Eller's stick. Interference is called when a player hits an opposing player who isn't in possession of the puck. Eller had the puck on his stick making him fair game for a big open ice hit. If anything, the better call on the play would have been a major for elbowing.

This was a horrible suicide pass from Rafeal Diaz, but I'm sure he already feels bad enough so let's not harp on him. Plain and simple this was a hockey hit gone horribly wrong. It's a collision you see virtually in every NHL game and a play that the Ottawa Senators use in their game plan.

Take a look at Jared Cowen levelling Jeff Skinner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2A4Z2ikaHU

This is in essence the same hit, but Cowen wasn't suspended. The reason Cowen wasn't suspended as opposed to Gryba is due to the extent of the injury. As much as the NHL doesn't want their suspensions to be based off the extent of the injury on the play, sometimes that's the way it works. After seeing Eller unconscious in a pool of blood there isn't anyway you can't suspend Eric Gryba, it looks bad.

When you fully look at the hit and dissect it, Eric Gryba didn't leave his feet, he didn't land a flying elbow and Lars Eller's head wasn't the principal point of contact. Which makes this a clean hockey hit, anytime you take the puck up the middle of the ice you open yourself up for a big hit. The blood that was pouring from Eller's face was from the impact of his face hitting the ice, not the hit.

The toughest thing about this play is Eric Gryba had to lay a hit there in the neutral zone, it's his job. What if Gryba chose not to hit Eller and Eller passed the puck to another player or takes the puck himself and scores? Gryba read the play perfectly and wasn't going to pass up the hit, after all he's in the NHL because of his physical play. The injury to Eller was unfortunate but Eric Gryba's hit was the right play.

This is the prime example of how the NHL deals with borderline hits and suspensions. If there's a player lying on the ice unconscious or in a pool of blood, or if the player leaves the ice on a stretcher chances are the player who laid the hit is going to get suspended. If you look at the elbow Andrew Ference laid on Mikhail Grabovski, there's more intent to injure in that play yet Ference only got a one-game suspension.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Aq5kTC2XpY

The NHL needs to take a long hard look at the way they're handing out suspensions before the NHL turns into the no hitting league. Eric Gryba laid a clean, hard hockey hit that any defenceman or player would step up to make. It's the type of hit players anticipate in their sleep, a big open ice hit.

Aside from the injury to Lars Eller, there is no way Eric Gryba should have suspended at all. In fact if Eller had not been injured and skated off under his own power there's no suspension. This was a clean, big, hockey hit that unfortunately went wrong. The suspension was the NHL's attempt to please people who thought this was a dirty hit and to make up for Eller's injuries.

Why the Leafs Stand A Chance Against the Bruins

Last night the Toronto Maple Leafs played their first playoff game in 9 years. What was supposed to be a happy moment for Leaf fans, turned into a nightmare when they found out just how good the Boston Bruins are.

Despite the fact the Leafs got manhandled during the opening game of this series, there's still a lot of hockey to be played and the Leafs still have a shot against the Bruins. There was no question heading into this series that this would be a tough match for the Leafs, but every match-up in the playoffs is tough.

My biggest pet peeve is many Leafs fans' started counting the Leafs out before the puck even dropped on this series. I understand that the Bruins have won 9 of the last 10 games against the Leafs, but the playoffs are a different story, everything else gets wiped away. Yes the Bruins destroyed the Leafs last night, but a bounce or two in favour of the Leafs and it's a different hockey game. If James van Riemsdyk had buried the puck instead of hitting the crossbar, then the Leafs are up 2-1 instead of down 2-1 after the first.

The Leafs, at least for the first period were in the game and competing hard against the Bruins. If you call yourself a Leafs fan and are saying they don't stand a chance, don't call yourself a Leafs fan. You're not being a realist, anything can happen in the playoffs and Leafs match up just fine against the Bruins.

The good news for the Leafs is players like Nazem Kadri, James Reimer and Tyler Bozak who didn't have any NHL playoff experience, now have an NHL playoff game under their belt. They got their first taste of playoff hockey and now they know what's it's like and what it takes to be successful in the playoffs. Using what they learned in the last game, not just the rookies but all the Leafs, can now come out better prepared for game two.

Here's my three reasons why the Leafs stand a chance and if they utilize these aspects, could defeat the Bruins.

1. Goaltending

As inexperienced James Reimer is in the playoffs, Tuukka Rask is also pretty inexperienced. Rask was the backup in 2011 and 2012 and was responsible to the Bruins mega collapse in 2010. Last night Rask did not look good. He looked shaky and frustrated early on and if the Leafs had managed some sustained pressure they would have been able to beat him early.

While this may not be a popular opinion, I think the Leafs have better goaltending this year  in James Reimer than the Bruins do in Rask.

Reimer has something to prove, he wants to show the Leafs brass that he can get the job done and be the number one goalie for the Leafs in the future.

If James Reimer can find his game and hold the Leafs in games where they're being outplayed the Leafs will have the edge between the pipes.

2. Special Teams

The Leafs have a very skilled roster. With players like Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul, James van Riemsdyk, Nazem Kadri and Tyler Bozak. Aside from Tyler Seguin the Bruins don't have any young skilled forwards.

The Leafs also boast the 2nd best penalty kill in the league. While the Bruins also have a solid penalty kill heir power play is horrendous ranking 26th in the league. If the Leafs can make the most of their opportunities with the extra man and limit their time spent in the box, they'll win the special teams battle.

3. Leafs aren't afraid of the Bruins

For the Leafs to go into this series thinking they're going to beat the Bruins physically is just wrong. You can't beat the Bruins at their own game. Many have tried and all have failed, the Bruins WILL ALWAYS win the physical battle. There's not one player on their roster who won't beat the crap out of an opposing player.

But the Bruins count on hard-hitting and intimidating their opponents to win games. The good news is the Leafs aren't intimidated or afraid of the Bruins. They know what to expect from the Bruins and they know they're going to get hit and beat up in this series. You saw Mikhail Grabovski get assaulted several times last night but he never shied away.

So while the Leafs can't be more physical than the Bruins, they can frustrate them by not giving up or joining them. The old saying- "If you can't beat them join them", is what the Bruins count on. They coax their opponents into an intense physical battle and strike when their opponents are off their game plan. The Leafs need to play tough but stick to their game plan and not roll over. If the Leafs can hang tough and keep coming back for more punishment, they'll frustrate the Bruins and likely force them into taking dumb penalties.

Here's an interesting tidbit for all you Leafs fans out there. The last time a 5th seed won the Stanley Cup was the New Jersey Devils after the last lockout shortened season. Guess who the Devils beat in round one? The Boston Bruins.

While it isn't going to be easy and it wont be likely, if the Leafs can get stellar goaltending from James Reimer, make the Bruins pay for taking stupid penalties and force them into taking stupid penalties, there is a chance the Leafs can take this series.

 

Having said that I still stick to my prediction of Bruins in 6 games.

 

Why the Toronto Maple Leafs Stand A Chance Against the Boston Bruins

Last night the Toronto Maple Leafs played their first playoff game in 9 years. What was supposed to be a happy moment for Leaf fans, turned into a nightmare when they found out just how good the Boston Bruins are.

Despite the fact the Leafs got manhandled during the opening game of this series, there's still a lot of hockey to be played and the Leafs still have a shot against the Bruins. There was no question heading into this series that this would be a tough match for the Leafs, but every match-up in the playoffs is tough.

My biggest pet peeve is many Leafs fans' started counting the Leafs out before the puck even dropped on this series. I understand that the Bruins have won 9 of the last 10 games against the Leafs, but the playoffs are a different story, everything else gets wiped away. Yes the Bruins destroyed the Leafs last night, but a bounce or two in favour of the Leafs and it's a different hockey game. If James van Riemsdyk had buried the puck instead of hitting the crossbar, then the Leafs are up 2-1 instead of down 2-1 after the first.

The Leafs, at least for the first period were in the game and competing hard against the Bruins. If you call yourself a Leafs fan and are saying they don't stand a chance, don't call yourself a Leafs fan. You're not being a realist, anything can happen in the playoffs and Leafs match up just fine against the Bruins.

The good news for the Leafs is players like Nazem Kadri, James Reimer and Tyler Bozak who didn't have any NHL playoff experience, now have an NHL playoff game under their belt. They got their first taste of playoff hockey and now they know what's it's like and what it takes to be successful in the playoffs. Using what they learned in the last game, not just the rookies but all the Leafs, can now come out better prepared for game two.

Here's my three reasons why the Leafs stand a chance and if they utilize these aspects, could defeat the Bruins.

1. Goaltending
As inexperienced James Reimer is in the playoffs, Tuukka Rask is also pretty inexperienced. Rask was the backup in 2011 and 2012 and was responsible to the Bruins mega collapse in 2010. Last night Rask did not look good. He looked shaky and frustrated early on and if the Leafs had managed some sustained pressure they would have been able to beat him early.

While this may not be a popular opinion, I think the Leafs have better goaltending this year in James Reimer than the Bruins do in Rask.

Reimer has something to prove, he wants to show the Leafs brass that he can get the job done and be the number one goalie for the Leafs in the future.

If James Reimer can find his game and hold the Leafs in games where they're being outplayed the Leafs will have the edge between the pipes.

2. Special Teams
The Leafs have a very skilled roster. With players like Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul, James van Riemsdyk, Nazem Kadri and Tyler Bozak. Aside from Tyler Seguin the Bruins don't have any young skilled forwards.

 The Leafs also boast the 2nd best penalty kill in the league. While the Bruins also have a solid penalty kill heir power play is horrendous ranking 26th in the league. If the Leafs can make the most of their opportunities with the extra man and limit their time spent in the box, they'll win the special teams battle.


3. Leafs aren't afraid of the Bruins
For the Leafs to go into this series thinking they're going to beat the Bruins physically is just wrong. You can't beat the Bruins at their own game. Many have tried and all have failed, the Bruins WILL ALWAYS win the physical battle. There's not one player on their roster who won't beat the crap out of an opposing player.

But the Bruins count on hard-hitting and intimidating their opponents to win games. The good news is the Leafs aren't intimidated or afraid of the Bruins. They know what to expect from the Bruins and they know they're going to get hit and beat up in this series. You saw Mikhail Grabovski get assaulted several times last night but he never shied away.

So while the Leafs can't be more physical than the Bruins, they can frustrate them by not giving up or joining them. The old saying- "If you can't beat them join them", is what the Bruins count on. They coax their opponents into an intense physical battle and strike when their opponents are off their game plan. The Leafs need to play tough but stick to their game plan and not roll over. If the Leafs can hang tough and keep coming back for more punishment, they'll frustrate the Bruins and likely force them into taking dumb penalties.

Here's an interesting tidbit for all you Leafs fans out there. The last time a 5th seed won the Stanley Cup was the New Jersey Devils after the last lockout shortened season. Guess who the Devils beat in round one? The Boston Bruins.

While it isn't going to be easy and it wont be likely, if the Leafs can get stellar goaltending from James Reimer, make the Bruins pay for taking stupid penalties and force them into taking stupid penalties, there is a chance the Leafs can take this series.

Having said that I still stick to my prediction of Bruins in 6 games.