Devils-Blue Jackets Recap

So another game and another frustrating loss for #JerseysTeam as they fall to 12-14-6. (Side note: anyone else notice how much the Devils are really pushing this whole "#JerseysTeam" thing since the Nets fled to Brooklyn? We know it's NJ, it's in the damn team name.. but I digress)  Yet another outing in which the Devils deserved to win and should have won, but for one reason or another lost.  This time you have to assign the lion's share of blame to the Hall-of-Famer-to-be in net.  Yeah, he got a few bad bounces (Atkinson's goal off his calf after Brodeur stopped Dubinksy's throw on net), but any time you allow 5 goals on 23 shots, it's probably not going to be a good day.

Anyone who follows the Devils knows that anytime the offense shows up and puts four on the board, it's a game where the boys in red should come away with two points, end of story.  The team is built on defense and it just wasn't there on Tuesday.  Anton Volchenkov was playing like some sort of Space Jam-like aliens stole his talents for a sequel hockey game against the Tune Squad (although it's not like any of them would target Volchenkov in the first place).  Yeah, he got hurt and came back into the game, but it's not like he was playing like Scott Stevens before he left.

Frustrating game from the Devils, as I can assure you Schneider wouldn't have needed four goals for a win Tuesday, guy has been winning with barely any offense in front of him and at this point he's clearly the number one.

There were a couple bright spots surprisingly enough as Damien Brunner finally snapped out of his zombie-like slump with two goals, which will hopefully give him the confidence he needs to jumpstart his play.  Michael Ryder stayed hot with another goal and now has four goals in his last five games, but perhaps the biggest help is the progress being made by two players that have missed significant time due to injury in Ryane Clowe and the captain Bryce Salvador.

Ryane Clowe, the walking concussion who I'm sure most people forgot was a Devil at this point (get used to it, he's signed for five years), should be back by the weekend or early next week.  Salvador began skating with the team this week on his way back and should stabilize the defense, which has played well in his absence for the most part, taking some pressure off of the rookies, Merrill and Big Gelly (friggin love Eric Gelinas).

Anyways, the Devils are back in action Friday in Pittsburgh.  On paper it's scary due to their record, but the Devils have won 4 of the last 6 against those assholes.  Either way, Let's Go Devils.

This needs to come back...

Super Bowl XLVII: 5 Reasons Why Each Team Will Win

Well here we are on the eve of the most hyped-up and celebrated television program of the year: the Super Bowl.  As Rent-A-Centers everywhere are buzzing with big screen TV rentals and corporations are desperately throwing millions at CBS for advertising slots, the Ravens and 49ers are wrapping up their preparations for the Big Game.  Here are five reasons why each time will win tomorrow in New Orleans and take the coveted Lombardi Trophy back home (Prediction at the end).

San Francisco 49ers

1. Colin Kaepernick.  I'll be the first to admit that I thought the Niners were making a mistake by replacing Alex Smith with the unproven Kaepernick in the midst of a season in which they were clearly contenders, and after a year where Smith dazzled in the playoffs, especially against the New Orleans Saints in a memorable divisional round matchup.  I'll also, however, be the first to admit that I was wrong.  Kaepernick has given San Francisco an added dimension on offense that Smith couldn't provide.  His legs, combined with his rocket of an arm, provide a deadly combination that certainly keep opposing defenses up late at night.  He has resurrected a seemingly-lost Michael Crabtree since he became the starting signal-caller in November.  Kaepernick will cause the Ravens' defense fits with his read-option and may also be able to get loose for a few big runs against a weaker Raven run defense than we're used to seeing.

Will Colin K. be flexin down in Nawlins?

2. The Front Seven.  You show me a better front seven in football, and I'll show you a liar.  The pass rush led by the Smith brothers, Aldon and Justin (no, they're not really brothers), paired with a linebacking corp featuring Navorro Bowman and Patrick Willis are a matchup nightmare for any blocking scheme.  They rush the passer better than anyone in the league and they tackle better than anyone in the league.  They are as sure of a thing as sure things come.  However, don't sell their secondary short either as Carlos Rogers, Dashon Goldson, and even Chris Culliver (who has made the press this week for all the wrong reasons) are nothing to scoff at either.

3. Vernon Davis is a matchup nightmare.  Vernon Davis' numbers were down this year, mostly thanks to a disappearing act at the end of the season, back he has seemingly resurrected himself and become the force that we know him to be.  The Ravens will likely be forced to bring a nickel back onto the field for much of the game to cover Davis, but there will be times throughout the game where he'll be staring across the line at a linebacker, a matchup that Colin Kaepernick must exploit.  Few tight ends deserve the attention that Davis warrants, but then again, there aren't exactly too many 250 lb tight ends that run a 4.38 (40-yard dash).

4. Jim Harbaugh is the better coach.  No disrespect to John here, and this "Harbowl" is clearly something to commemorate because we may never see anything like it again, but Jim has the upper hand.  Sure, John is the longer tenured coach, but he inherited a fearless defense with surefire Hall of Famers in Ray Lewis and Ed Reed and all-pro caliber players like Haloti Ngata.  Granted Jim was handed most of his team as well, but the players he was given never demonstrated any sort of success prior to his arrival.  Hell, San Francisco hasn't been this relevant since the Jerry Rice and Steve Young days (even with T.O. and Jeff Garcia, who somehow has a smokeshow of a wife).  All in all, I contend that Jim utilizes his team's strengths better and owns a better overall gameplan on a week-to-week basis.

5. The football gods owe them.  We all remember (or at least should) Kyle Williams' devastating fumble that, for all intents and purposes, fumbled the game away last year in the NFC Championship Game against the eventual champion New York Giants.  If Williams fields a relatively routine punt cleanly, Eli Manning is still sitting on one championship.  However, Williams muffed the punt, which was recovered by the G-Men, sending the Niners home sooner than it seemed they would.  When a break goes so far toward the other team in professional sports, things tend to go your way the next time; everything has a way of evening out, a level playing field, if you will.  The signs would indicate that the Niners are due, and due for something big like, dare I say it, a Lombardi Trophy.

Baltimore Ravens

1. Joe Flacco. I started off San Francisco's list with Kaepernick, so it only seems fair to go Flacco here, but all-in-all he is a difference maker.  I really think Flacco's play alone will dictate this contest; I think he is the biggest variable.  He's been nothing short of spectacular this postseason, as he boasts an 8-0 touchdown-to-interception differential.  He received an awful lot of criticism when he claimed that he believes he's the best quarterback in the NFL last year, and by criticism I mean a lot of laughs.  However, why shouldn't he be confident? He's backed it up with two consecutive AFC Championship game appearances and now a Super Bowl berth.  If Flacco continues his stellar play, I think it's Baltimore's game to lose, but if he falters, they'll be in a world of trouble.  This is his chance to prove that he is, in fact, an elite quarterback, and I definitely think he is capable of answering that call.

Joe Flacco is about to get paid if he wins one more game.

2. Ray Lewis' last hurrah. Will Ray Lewis be as big of a factor as he was in the Super Bowl XXXV victory in which he was named MVP? Absolutely not.  However, he will be extra motivated to go out on top, and I think his teammates want to help him do that (if for no reason other than to usher him out the door).  Big name players have seemed to go out on top recently, so why can't he be the next one to retire after winning "The Big One" with the likes of John Elway, Jerome Bettis, and Michael Strahan?  Say what you want about his character, his past, or his sudden devotion to his faith, but the guy can play some ball.  Besides, how could I call myself a (quasi)sports writer without mentioning Ray Lewis in a Super Bowl column?

3. Torrey Smith.  I'm a big fan of Torrey Smith's.  I skyped with the man last year (no, but really, I did) and he's a genuinely nice human being, however that doesn't even begin to describe how good this guy is.  He may not get the press that other high-level receivers get, but Torrey Smith has quietly (a nice chance of pace for a team with Ray Lewis) become arguably the best deep threat in the NFL.  With Joe Flacco having what is most likely the strongest arm in the league, Torrey Smith can just put a move on the DB and turn on the jets because Flacco will get him the pigskin.  Smith will play a major role in this game, as no team has had an answer for him thus far in the playoffs.

4. They're the underdogs.  There's just something to be said about an underdog.  While they may only be a small underdog in Vegas (+3.5 last I looked), most are predicting a Niner victory.  Well, tell that to Baltimore.  They weren't supposed to beat Denver.  They did it.  They weren't supposed to beat New England.  They did that too.  Why not San Francisco?  Tell me. Why not?

5. The leg of Justin Tucker.  There's something special about the leg of this young man.  He's been virtually automatic on the year, missing only 3 FGs all season long as a rookie.  He's made four from 50+ and has already drilled a 47-yard game winning FG in double OT in Denver (how's that for clutch?).  I think this is a close game, and Baltimore has the better, more consistent kicker right now in Tucker, whereas David Akers has been a mini disaster this season for San Francisco.  This game has all the makings of a dogfight and if it comes down to the wire, I like the foot of the youngster.

Prediction

It's going to be close, and I think anyone who believes otherwise is kidding themselves.  (Of course when it's a blowout I'll have the taste of foot in my mouth for a week).  As with my last point made, I think it's Justin Tucker hoisted on the shoulders of his Raven teammates as the clock expires, bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Baltimore, sending Ray Lewis off into the sunset (thank God).

Baltimore, 27-24.

-TA

Hockey Is Back: One Week In

So after what I'd like to call a lengthy sabbatical, I need to return to one of my favorite pastimes: sports writing.  Now I know everyone who has visited my blog has been waiting with baited breath for my return, well here it is.  I had a lot running through my mind during this horrific excuse for a class (thank God I took it pass/fail), so I went to the old reliable pen and paper (or I guess laptop, but it doesn't sound as cool).  So here we go with some hockey...

Eastern Conference

First impressions after a week or so:

The Bruins seem to be the team to beat- Boston is one of the most physical teams in the league, and they have shown it.  Milan Lucic is a man-beast on the ice with an unparalleled balance of physicality and skill, and with guys like Shawn Thornton, Nathan Horton, Zdeno Chara, and even the 19-year-old Dougie Hamilton added to the mix, the Bruins have the size to not only match up with any team, but outmatch them.  Even their smallest guys like Brad Marchand fearlessly throw their weight around.  Their size and skill in front of underrated goaltender Tuukka Rask make them the frontrunner, in my mind, to recapture the East.

Yeah, I wouldn't exactly be jumping at this chance to stare Lucic down.

The Devils don't seem to be missing Zach Parise too much- My beloved Devils are off to a 3-0-1 start and their defense, paired with the tremendous play of ageless wonder Marty Brodeur in net, is their biggest strength.  The Devils return their entire defensive unit from last year's Stanley Cup Final team, something that Brodeur has said he feels greatly comforted by.  The team should have last year's rookie sensation and playoff hero Adam Henrique back by the end of the week, adding to a group of forwards that have already featured strong play from David Clarkson, Patrik Elias, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Travis Zajac.  While the Devils are in a nice position 4 games in, they need to address their slow first period starts if they want to keep it that way.  Right now they look like a contender, but they clearly can't relax in what is probably the best division in hockey.

The old man's still got it.

Tampa Bay's offense is a force to be reckoned with- You already know what Steven Stamkos, Marty St. Louis, and Vinny Lecavalier bring to the table (although the latter two may be a bit of surprise with their high levels of play as they continue to age), but there has also been a surprise with the addition of the AHL's reigning MVP in Cory Conacher.  Conacher looks to be a potential Calder Cup frontrunner as the league's top rookie, as he has contributed 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points in the club's first 5 games.  The smaller rookie (listed at 5'8" 179 lbs) has seemed to have no trouble transitioning to the next level.  They'll need goalie Anders Lindback to step up at times to balance out the attack, but the Lighning have struck early.

The Rangers and Flyers need to pick it up- These two division foes handed in quite an entertaining affair in their first meeting, a game the Flyers won 2-1, but their slow starts have them looking up within the division (even behind the Islanders, bleh).  While the Rangers' 2-3 and the Flyers' 2-4 starts may have produced a little bit of panic amongst fans, these teams are built well enough to make the playoffs, which is all a team needs to do in a shortened season.  The Rangers have arguably the best goalie in the NHL in Henrik Lundqvist and one of the best top lines in the league with Rick Nash, Brad Richards, and Marian Gaborik.  The Flyers took a hit with the loss of Scott Hartnell for a month, but the return of Danny Briere helps along with one of the best young players in the game in Claude Giroux.  Philadelphia's defense remains suspect and they'll ask more out of Ilya Bryzgalov in net this season, but I think they're a good enough team to make the playoffs.

Hartnell is a big loss, although I'm not convinced this isn't Hagrid.

Washington fans should be panicking- Something is wrong in the nation's capital.  The Caps don't look quite right; Alexander Ovechkin doesn't look quite right.  Ovechkin seems to be missing something.  He has moved from left wing to right wind, but that can't be what's wrong.  Whether it's that he's trying to do too much or whatever, the Caps can't contend with their star performing like he has.  Their goalie play has struggled as well, although their defense isn't helping.  Last year's playoff surprise, Braden Holtby has struggled mightily allowing 10 goals in his two games.  Michael Neurvirth has been slightly better for Washington, but the goalie play in total needs to be better and that begins with the defense, which has allowed the two goaltenders to be peppered with shots, something that can't continue.  Unless the team turns it around quick, they're in trouble with each game that much more important in a shortened season.

Western Conference

Chicago has regained its Stanley Cup swagger- There hasn't been a better team in the early going so far than the Chicago Blackhawks.  Their offensive attack, led by Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane, and Jonathan Toews has been stellar, and goaltender Corey Crawford, who struggled at times last season, has been tremendous.  Chicago is 6-0-0 and is showing no signs of slowing down.  The best way to put it is simply: the 'Hawks are back, back to their ways that brought the Stanley Cup back to Chicago in 2010.

Patty Kane, ladies and gents.

The Kings are off to a "slow start"- There has been a bit of a hubbub about Los Angeles' "slow start", but I'm not one of those worriers.  The team is 2-2-1 and currently sitting in what is now 8th place in the West, which is a playoff spot in case you needed reminding.  This is a team that won the Stanley Cup last year from the 8 seed.  Anze Kopitar is just getting his sea-legs back after suffering an injury while playing overseas, and while the injury to Matt Greene puts a damper on the defense, they still have a tremendous goaltender in the reigning Conn Smythe winner, Jonathan Quick in net and most of the same team that won Lord Stanley's Cup a mere 7 months ago.

This could be Edmonton's breakthrough year- The Oilers have now been bad for what seems like decades. However, after amassing top pick after top pick in the draft, Edmonton has started 3-2 and while it is respectable, it's a vast improvement from where the team has been, which is in the basement. Their young talent is starting to come together with guys like this year's top pick Nail Yakupov, with former top picks Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.  The Oilers have gotten solid goaltending from Devan Dubnyk and the early signs point to Edmonton perhaps being a playoff team as early as this year.


For many other teams it's been business as usual, which can be good (in the cases of San Jose and St. Louis) or bad (in the cases of Calgary and Toronto).  While we've all been deprived of our hockey for the better part of 4 months, it is back and as strong as ever.  Record ticket sales and viewership have been reported in the opening week, meaning the boost the NHL received last year through the playoffs has not only not receded, but has continued to grow.  We have less hockey now in our 48-game season, but we have more meaningful hockey and more hockey in a typical week.  The NHL knew we'd be back and we knew it too, regardless of how much apathy we pretended to have through the whole lockout.  However you felt and whoever you blamed is not deemed irrelevant and the indignant nature and feelings have calmed.  Hockey is back and beginning to regain its glory days of the 1980s and 1990s when Gretzky and Lemieux ruled the ice.

 It's an exciting year for the NHL, even if it will carry an asterisk in the record books.  We have a jam-packed season on our hands and I, for one, am beyond excited.  So hockey fans, and those who are just reading this because they like me (even though I'd have no idea how you made it this far), enjoy it, because it will be a hell of a ride.

-TA