Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff always gives a good quote or two for the media (AP Photo)
Written by: Paul Kukla
In just seven or eight games the season will be over for 14 teams. But it is about six or seven teams we are keying on during these final games.
Can a few of those teams sneak into the playoffs, will a couple of those suddenly go into a slump, suffer a 3-4 game losing streak, and find themselves looking at the playoffs from the outside?
Whatever happens, just hold on to your seats while you watch every shift, every game, and you are in for a wild ride. A few teams need wins in regulation, thereby not giving their opposition a "loser" point. We may see goalies pulled when we least expect it, we may witness two forwards playing defense, anything is possible in the upcoming games.
We all have a team or two we hope makes it to the second season. Washington and Buffalo are mine. Washington for this simple reason: they are fun to watch and the NHL sure could use Alexander Ovechkin in the playoffs.
My other choice, Buffalo, may surprise you. I just want Lindy Ruff coaching in the playoffs. He is a quote machine and brings some passion to the game. Anticipating his post game rants is something I look forward to and hope they make the playoffs and face the Devils in the first round.
On A Roll or Not
We tend to think a playoff bound team needs to be on a roll when entering the playoffs. I disagree with that statement and find the most important thing for a team is to be rested and injury-free.
The playoffs are such a long grind, basically playing every other day, so rest and injuries play a huge roll when determining the next Stanley Cup winner. Does your team meet my criteria? If so, look for a long playoff run and be prepared to get on a roll with your team. It doesn't matter what seed they are, it all depends on health and rest. The better your team stands in these two key areas, the more likely they are to be playing in June.
On a side-note to this topic, I spoke with TSN and NBC analyst Pierre McGuire last week and asked him what team he felt had the most depth personnel wise. He mentioned the Anaheim Ducks and began to name-off six or seven players who can play a key role if need be. We saw that last season during the playoffs so why should this year be any different?
Just Listen
At times, I have told my readers to try a few unique things when viewing a game on TV. One of my favorites is to tell you to close your eyes and just listen to the sounds of the game.
Last Sunday, during the NBC broadcast of the Penguins/Flyers game, you received a real treat if you just listened. Of course a good receiver with 5.1 Dolby helps and if you just listened, well, you heard a lot. NBC had microphones everywhere, picking up sounds from along the boards, and you could actually hear the coaches and players passing on their advice to the on-ice players at times. It was a real treat for those who love the audio part of the game and it definitely enhanced our viewing pleasure.
Now, if we could have that type of sound for every game - are you listening regional carriers - we would all be happy campers. Also, HD must no longer just be an option for hockey broadcasts. It is time all carriers broadcast every game in HD, no more excuses. If some regional carriers can do it, both home and away, all networks can also do it and we should be demanding that they do!