NHL FanHouse

Isles To Get Into Tort Law?

Jes Golbez — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 11:09:00 EST

Filed under: New York, Islanders, Lightning, NHL General, NHL Rumors

John Tortorella is out of a coaching job, and the New York Islanders are looking for a new coach.

Put two and two together, and you get the Coaching Rumor of the Day, courtesy of Tampa Bay Online.

Former Lightning coach John Tortorella could be in line to take over the vacant head coaching position with the New York Islanders.

The Islanders have contacted Tampa Bay seeking permission to speak to Tortorella, the Tribune has learned. The Lightning have granted the Islanders their request to talk to Tortorella.

Do you really think such an arrangement would work? If Garth Snow couldn't get along with Ted Nolan, don't you think the fiery Tortorella would be an even more explosive combination in the Isles five-headed front office? I'd expect the Isles wouldn't allow Tortorella the same level of power to their new head coach, but who knows what the Isles are thinking at any one time?

Now, I can't be the only one who hopes this hiring happens. Tortorella on a losing team equals hella-fun post-game conferences. Just imagine the tirades the guy would go on after putting up with the Isles for an entire season!

Isles To Get Into Tort Law? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 19 Jul 2008 11:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jagr Doesn't Want to Play for Penguins, Either

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:05:00 EST

Filed under: New York, Pittsburgh, Rangers, Penguins, NHL Free Agency

Much was made Wednesday of Marian Hossa's decision to sign a one-year deal with Stanley Cup champion Detroit, rather than take one of several lucrative multi-year offers that were available to him.

While Detroit is a fine team with fine fans, it's hard to get past the idea that Hossa simply didn't want to play for Pittsburgh anymore.

Once Hossa bolted, attention turned to Rangers captain Jaromir Jagr, who started his NHL career in Pittsburgh. While he was booed lustily during the Rangers' playoff series against the Penguins, it was still assumed that the Pens had a good shot at signing Jagr.

After all, who doesn't want to play with Sidney Crosby?

Evidently, Jaromir Jagr is going to pass on that chance.

Instead of taking an NHL team's offer, Jagr has decided to return overseas (NOTE: I'm an idiot, and carelessly said Russia was his "homeland". Thanks to the folks who called out my error), signing a two-year deal to play in Russia.

The Russian hockey team Avangard Omsk announced it has signed the former New York Rangers star and Jagr's agent, Pat Brisson, confirmed the move Friday afternoon.

"Jaromir signed a letter of intent with the Avangard Omsk Hockey team of the Russian CHL on or about 3am EST this morning. I won't comment on the terms of the agreement at this time.It was a very difficult but personal decision to make in light of the many NHL teams interested in his services. He is grateful to the NHL and especially the Rangers in recent years."

Local and international media are reporting that Jagr will be paid $35 million for two years. There is also reportedly an option for a third season.

Well, it's hard to fault Jagr for taking that offer. If the reported salary is correct, Jagr will likely make double what any NHL team was going to pay him, and also more than any NHL team would be allowed to pay him (because of the rule limiting a player's salary to 20 percent of the cap).

I had never been a Jagr fan, but I developed a great respect for him with how he played in the postseason this year. He carried himself like a captain, something I had never really observed from him in the past. I was hopeful he would re-sign in Pittsburgh, because it would be a great fit for his talents, and he could have helped Sidney Crosby back to the Cup Finals.

Instead, Jagr will play two years in Russia, for the team (Avangard Omsk) that he played for during the lockout year of 2004-2005. At age 36, there's no way of knowing if we'll ever see him in the NHL again.

Jagr Doesn't Want to Play for Penguins, Either originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yankee Stadium Back in Running to Host Winter Classic

Eric McErlain — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:39:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, New York, General NHL, Rangers, Blackhawks, NHL Economics

Back in May, it looked like plans to bring the NHL Winter Classic to New York's Yankee Stadium were in jeopardy thanks to some infrastructure problems.

Then, last month, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the league was all but ready to announce that the game would be coming to Wrigley Field in 2009.

Now the story has taken yet another turn. As reported by Rob Yunich at Random Reality Thoughts, NHL Vice President Bill Daly, appearing on XM Radio's Hockey This Morning, said that it was "safe to assume" that the league would be making an announcement about the Winter Classic being held at either Yankee Stadium or Wrigley Field.

Huh?

Looks like somebody threw a wrench in the works, eh?

At this point, I guess it's "safe to assume" that the two cities are now in the midst of a competition between one another for a chance to host the game. When you think about it, it's a heck of a turnaround for the NHL -- just three years ago the league was heading out of a devestating lockout, and now two of America's biggest cities are competing for the right to host an outdoor hockey game being held on New Year's Day?

Whatever else you want to complain about these days when it comes to the NHL, the Winter Classic isn't one of the things you'd want to carp about.

Yankee Stadium Back in Running to Host Winter Classic originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oh, the Irony: Islanders Draft Future Gopher

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, New York, General NHL, Islanders, NHL Draft

Minnesota Gopher men's hockey coach Don Lucia was not happy when the New York Islanders signed forward Kyle Okposo before his sophomore season was complete. Islanders GM Garth Snow wasn't happy about Lucia not being happy.

"Quite frankly, we weren't happy with the program there," Snow told the paper. "They have a responsibility to coach, to make Kyle a better player, and they were not doing that."

He continued, "[Okposo] just wasn't getting better - bottom line. And to me, that's the frustrating part. We entrusted the coach there to turn him into a better hockey player, and it wasn't happening. We feel more comfortable in him developing right under our watch."

"Whether it was Kyle or another player, until things change in that program we'd probably make the same decision," Snow told the Star-Tribune. "There should be a coach there that looks in the mirror. ... I don't think we'd be at this point if he was being coached properly."

The controversy was a hot topic in Minnesota hockey circles through the Christmas season, as people who love and hate the Gophers opined on Okposo's departure. Minnesota floundered on the ice for a time, but found a way to make the WCHA tournament championship game and qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Okposo went on to earn a shot with the Islanders late in the season, and it appears likely that he'll be on the NHL roster from the outset of the 2008-2009 season. The Islanders appear to have forgotten how incompetent they think Lucia is, as they picked incoming Minnesota freshman Aaron Ness in the second round of last weekend's draft.

Snow changed his tune Saturday, saying, he blasted the Gophers because in a Star Tribune article the day before, "there were three people that took shots against our organization, against Kyle, and I wasn't going to sit idly by.

"Every situation is different. We're happy we got a good hockey player, and we support [Ness] getting his degree at the University of Minnesota."

When I spoke to Lucia in January, he made it clear to me that he was moving on from Snow's remarks, but he was also still bothered by the fact that someone would criticize his coaching without seeing him conduct practice.

I was very harsh on Snow in a post on my blog, and I stand by those words. Snow is in no position to call out one of the most successful coaches in the history of college hockey, no matter how mad he got at things that were said. Lucia's words were carefully-chosen, and they merited a similar response, instead of the rabid rant Snow went off on.

As for Ness, he's a great kid and a super player. He's not the biggest defenseman, and his lack of size means he may not be ideal for every system. However, he has great hands, unreal vision, and seems to be a natural leader. He's also very intelligent, having accelerated his high-school education so he could graduate a year early and start his college career.

His puck-moving ability makes him an ideal fit for Lucia's system, which relies on more wide-open hockey than others, in part because Minnesota's home games are played on Olympic-sized ice. His lack of size means he is probably in need of at least two seasons of college before he's pro-ready.

(By the way, that's two "full" seasons, Garth. Just an FYI.)

By the way, there is still no new agreement between the NHL and NCAA, so players can still be signed to pro contracts during their college seasons, no matter how ridiculous it may sound.

Oh, the Irony: Islanders Draft Future Gopher originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Sean Avery Internship at Men's Vogue

Eric McErlain — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:22:00 EST

Filed under: New York, General NHL, Rangers, NHL Gossip, NHL Rumors, NHL Free Agency

Last week I put a call into Sean Avery's agent asking if I might get a few minutes with the unrestricted free agent to talk about his Summer internship with Men's Vogue. I didn't get a call back, and now I know why: The magazine was sitting on its own feature by Avery, detailing the ins and outs of his first month on the job.

As it turns out, the story is as entertaining as Avery, which is something of a surprise considering I'm not much of a fan of fashion. One of the highlights -- how Avery accidentally dumped his lunch all over one of his co-workers -- a transgression that one would assume would have gotten just about any other intern shown the door on Day One:

[W]hile my stick-handling on the ice keeps getting better and better, my tray-handling leaves a bit to be desired. I still can't find the girl who fled the cafeteria with beef stroganoff spilled all over her, but just in case she's reading this: You can find me on the twelfth floor, and I owe you a new outfit.

Either that, or you can find him idling in a closet half-naked. Along with the feature, the magazine has also posted a slide show of the erstwhile member of the New York Rangers puttering about in a closet someplace at the magazine wearing a Rangers t-shirt and pretending to rack clothes and shoes -- and as for some of those shoes, I could swear I've seen them before at a bowling alley.

After reading the piece, one thing ought to be clear: Avery is happy in New York with the Rangers. Unfortunately for Avery, it looks like GM Glen Sather may very well be willing to part with Avery if it means clearing enough cap space to land a player like free agent defenseman Brian Campbell. As to how Avery might feel about having to find a job someplace else, well, that's a question the Men's Vogue feature just doesn't answer.

POSTSCRIPT: Forgive me for not being up on my Manhattan gossip for missing this item.

The Sean Avery Internship at Men's Vogue originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Gets Serious in Suit Against the Rangers

Eric McErlain — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:05:00 EST

Filed under: New York, General NHL, Rangers, NHL Media Watch, NHL Economics, MSG

From where I sit, the NHL's legal battle with Madison Square Garden over online marketing rights seems to have been going on forever. But while the dispute is simple -- MSG and the Rangers want to maintain control over online businesses that the league believes the member clubs have ceded to its collective control -- the legal details are pretty esoteric. To keep it simple, here's Skip Oliva of the Voluntary Trade Council:

Madison Square Garden, owner of the New York Rangers, sued the National Hockey League last year, claiming league rules regarding joint website marketing violated the Sherman Act. It's a strange argument. The NHL is, by definition, a form of "collusion" among the 30 member clubs. MSG's argument is that this collusion is legal when it likes the outcome of the league's decision-making process, but it's illegal if it doesn't. In other words, anytime a sports franchise is on the losing side of a league vote, it should be allowed to reverse the outcome under the antitrust laws.

Thanks to Skip for putting the legal dispute into terms everybody can understand. But the next thing everybody has to understand is that the NHL has filed a counterclaim against MSG alleging breach of contract and is asking the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to allow the league to proceed with internal disciplinary proceedings against MSG. That's an action that could result in termination of MSG's franchise rights to the Rangers. To read the complaint, which includes a letter to Cablevision Systems Chairman James Dolan describing potential disciplinary proceedings and possible outcomes, click here.

Now, does this really mean that the NHL is on the brink of taking the Rangers away from the Dolan family?

In procedural terms, if the court agrees, the answer is yes. But in practical terms, the answer is probably not. What we have here is a signal from the folks at NHL HQ that enough is enough, and it's time for MSG to end the nonsense and come to some sort of agreement with the league.

And while the league has provisions in place for revoking franchise rights, don't think for one second that it's a path it wants to travel. Taking the Rangers away from MSG -- an effort that could drag on for years -- is just the sort of legal and PR nightmare the league doesn't want or need.

And from the outside looking in, you can understand why the league has to stand its ground against MSG. What we really have here is one of the league's most valuable franchises insisting that it can nullify collective decisions anytime it wants. The Rangers want it both ways -- to be able to challenge the league constitution now, even though in the past they've invoked it to preserve their rights.

That's exactly a point the league made in today's filing, reminding the court that when the Colorado Rockies relocated to New Jersey and became the Devils, the Rangers extracted a $9 million payment from the franchise in exchange for violation of the team's territorial marketing rights and loss of potential television revenue.

So no, the league won't be taking the Rangers away from MSG anytime soon, as much as that prospect might cheer fans of the team who can't stand Dolan. But what it does mean is that the league has had enough, and is prepared to use whatever hammer they have to in order to get MSG to drop the suit.

Let the high-stakes game of chicken continue. For a complete historical rundown of the case, click here.

NHL Gets Serious in Suit Against the Rangers originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Airbrushing History With Jaromir Jagr

Eric McErlain — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:20:00 EST

Filed under: New York, Washington, DC, General NHL, Rangers, Capitals, NHL Rumors, NHL Free Agency

John Dellapina of the New York Daily News reports that Rangers General Manager Glen Sather hasn't been in contact with Jaromir Jagr about a contract extension, raising the possibility that the Czech winger might opt to sign with Omsk-Avangard of the KHL instead.

Fair enough, but what really caught my eye was this passage, which has to be read to be believed:

Not only can Jagr sign with Omsk-Avangard at any time, there seems to be little to be gained by making him sit and wonder whether the Rangers want him back. His personal experience (see: Washington 2000-2004) is that things don't go well when he's playing for a team that doesn't fully believe in him.

Excuse me? Granted, by the end of the 2003-04 NHL season, the Caps, who at that point were desperate to find any team at all to pawn Jagr off on, had ceased believing in him. But before then, the Caps did anything and everything in their power to make sure he was comfortable both on and off the ice in Washington.

That would include importing players like Michael Nylander and Robert Lang who were thought to be a better fit with Jagr's style of play. Recall, of course, that the team signed these players to large contracts, which meant the salary budget simply wasn't available to buttress other needs, namely an aging blue line.

Of course, the biggest reason the salary budget was strained, and continued to be strained even after Jagr was shipped out of town, was the huge 7-year, $77 million contract the team signed him to before he ever stepped on the ice in a Capitals uniform. One would think that a financial commitment of that size and scope would have led Jagr to conclude that the Caps believed in him.

The horrible truth: The Caps did believe in Jagr. Until of course, they learned the hard way that they couldn't believe in him anymore. Here endeth the lesson.

Airbrushing History With Jaromir Jagr originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rangers, Devils After Wheeler; Wild Denied

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, New York, General NHL, Devils, Wild, NHL Free Agency

Oh, to be a 21-year-old free agent in the NHL.

Granted, former University of Minnesota star Blake Wheeler can't break the bank when he signs his first NHL contract. His earning power is severely limited by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, to the point where he could have made much more money by signing with Phoenix, who had his draft rights.

As of July 1, Wheeler is free to sign with any NHL team. He's been free to talk to teams since June 1.

Since teams can only offer him so much money, Wheeler can shop his services and find the best fit. He's apparently at work on that. Larry Brooks of the New York Post says he met Wednesday with the New York Rangers, and he also stopped by the Devils facilities for a chat.

Certainly, the Rangers present an interesting potential match, and there will be other earning opportunities readily available for Wheeler in New York City if he can play well. New Jersey's organization has been quite kind to college players as of late, with Zach Parise (North Dakota) and Brian Gionta (Boston College) serving as prime examples.

Meanwhile, Michael Russo reports that Wheeler isn't keen on signing in Minnesota.

"He loves Minnesota and loves living there, but we're looking elsewhere because I think he wants to get a different life experience, explore a different part of the country and grow and mature and experience new things," (agent Matt) Keator said. "The Wild has shown plenty of interest. They've been great."

Hard to argue with that point. I love Minnesota, but there isn't a ton to do or see here compared to other places.

Rangers, Devils After Wheeler; Wild Denied originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Winter Classic at Yankee Stadium in Jeopardy

Eric McErlain — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:38:00 EST

Filed under: New York, General NHL, Flyers, Penguins

The leading contender to host the NHL Winter Classic on New Year's Day 2009 may have come up lame, and we're barely past the quarter pole. In an interview with USA Today, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, the league has run into some unspecified snags when it comes to using Yankee Stadium next year:

"There is some construction going on, which may impact us," he said. "There are some winterization issues because it's an older stadium. As I sit here today, I don't know whether or not they can be resolved."

Fair enough. And if Yankee Stadium won't be available, what other options does the league have?

We already know that Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has contacted the league and offered to have Penn State's Beaver Stadium host the game -- as long as its between cross-state rivals Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

Given how that series has proven to be something of a ratings winner for Versus during this playoff, it might not be a bad idea. As far as Bettman is concerned, he says that an announcement could come as early as next month.

But that's not the only option. There have already been reports concerning a possible game at Soldier Field in Chicago or even Fenway Park in Boston.

NHL Winter Classic at Yankee Stadium in Jeopardy originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 15 May 2008 09:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: Hockey Returns

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 08 May 2008 06:30:00 EST

Filed under: Dallas, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Rangers, Flyers, Penguins, Wings, Stars, Stanley Cup

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

Don't remind me that the offseason is quickly approaching. There will be many nights like Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Here's hoping the NHL Network can find better "vintage games" than Devils-Flyers 2004 Game Five. Listen, I have nothing against that game, but it's hardly a "classic". It's going to be a long summer. Oh, and it's the NHL Network. Give me that four-overtime Avalanche-Panthers Cup clincher. I mean, Uwe Krupp rules, and he scored the game-winner.

Back on task, you need not worry about a lack of hockey anymore. The Ice Sheet is back, as the conference finals are set to get underway. We've already offered you previews of the East and West (read the East one, because the West was written by some idiot from Minnesota). You're invited to check them out.

As for other hockey news, there is some. We'll cover that, and offer some final words on the NHL's version of the "Final Four" after the jump.

Where does Jagr end up? Jaromir Jagr is a free agent this summer. Take note, because this has never happened before. Jagr knows it, and he is also likely aware that this is his last chance at a big-money contract. The Rangers may have been bounced in the second round with relative ease by Pittsburgh, but Jagr proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he can still play, and he has the desire to win.

For his part, Jagr says the Rangers are the first option for 2008-2009. He hinted that he's likely to return to Europe in two more years to fulfill a promise to his father. That means he will want to play for a team that has a real chance at the Cup. Do the Rangers qualify? They have a lot of money tied up in veteran forwards, and they are sorely in need of an upgrade on defense. Henrik Lundqvist is a great goaltender, but he can't do it alone, and he was too often left on an island against Pittsburgh. Either guys weren't getting back, or they would screen him when they did get back. New York will continue to be good, but they aren't a legitimate contender if they don't address their issues on defense.

Paul Maurice: You're fired. No surprise here. Maurice got the axe in Toronto after two years outside of the playoffs. One year is bad enough in Toronto, but a second year would get anyone fired up there, even if there wasn't a new GM coming. Colleague Jes Golbez makes a great point on his blog, saying that it's not like the Maple Leafs have been a well-oiled machine from the top down. Bad signings and bad trades crippled the roster, and while Maurice doesn't inspire confidence in his tactical abilities, he didn't have much of a shot with this team.

Make fun of the rabid Toronto fan base all you want, but they don't accept mediocrity. Then again, "mediocrity" would be a step up from what we saw much of this past season.

The Maple Leafs job reminds me of the Dallas Cowboys coaching position. The pressure is tremendous, and the chances of satisfying a significant percentage of the fans, along with ownership, are usually not very high.

What you may have missed. The NHL hasn't been doing much, but FanHouse has been busy. Here's a quick sample of what you may have missed since that four-overtime game Sunday night.

Leafs Give Maurice the Boot
John Tavares Fires Agent, Hires Mommy
Ron Wilson May Need Some Lessons on Motivation in the Workplace
Sabres Sign Boston College Star Gerbe
Detroit's "Mule" Pulls a Big Load
FanHouse Roundtable: NHL Playoff Officiating
America, Prepare to Be Blinded by Don Cherry
Hockeysfuture Purchased by CraveOnline

Final thoughts: Conference finals. If you're looking for more great material on these series, check out James Mirtle, who interviewed bloggers from the final teams, and Earl Sleek, who has some great stuff on the Dallas-Detroit series.

I already opined on Dallas-Detroit, and I like the Wings in a close shave. In the East, I feel the series will come down to the play of Marc-Andre Fleury. He's been great so far, but the Flyers have made two goalies (Huet and Price) look bad so far in the playoffs, and they'd love to do the same to the Pennsylvania rival goaltender. If Fleury plays well, can he frustrate a team that's scored a few softies so far, or will the Flyers bear down and beat him anyway? I like Pittsburgh, but I don't think it will be anything close to a cakewalk. It should easily be tougher than either of Pittsburgh's first two series.

Random YouTube, or maybe not Random at all. It's been 20 years since Jim Schoenfeld dropped a tirade for the ages on Don Koharski. In fact, May 8 is the 20th anniversary of the controversial one-game suspension handed down to Schoenfeld.

I'm almost embarrassed to state that Koharski's officiating career easily outlasted Schoenfeld's NHL coaching career, which ended in 1999. And he still stinks after all these years.

Let's all have a doughnut in honor of this monumental anniversary.

The Ice Sheet: Hockey Returns originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 08 May 2008 06:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marian Hossa Scores Two Goals, Pens Eliminate Rangers in OT

Pat Lackey — Sun, 04 May 2008 20:37:00 EST

Filed under: New York, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Rangers, Penguins, Eastern, Stanley Cup

It's strange what a role momentum plays in the playoffs. Even with a loss today, the Penguins would've held a 3-2 lead against the Rangers with a game in Mellon Arena in Game 7 if necessary. Still, after the Rangers scored two early goals in the third period to tie things up, Game 5 this afternoon certainly felt like a must-win game for Pittsburgh.

Of course, one of the amazing things about the playoffs is how quickly that momentum can shift. After withstanding the Rangers push in the third period, overtime was all Pittsburgh as New York never got their feet under them after killing off a Chris Drury double-minor that carried over for two and a half minutes into OT. While the Rangers didn't get a shot in overtime, the Pens' had six with the sixth being the game winner off of Marian Hossa's stick. Coupled with the Flyers' win last night, JP's "Battle of Pennsylvania" is now an Eastern Conference Final reality. The residents of Pennsylvania are certainly psyched by this development. The residents of every other Eastern Conference city? Probably not so much.

Marian Hossa Scores Two Goals, Pens Eliminate Rangers in OT originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 04 May 2008 20:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Penguins Are Walking a Thin Line

Pat Lackey — Sun, 04 May 2008 13:56:00 EST

Filed under: New York, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Rangers, Penguins, Eastern, Stanley Cup

Teams walk a thin line in the playoffs. The Pittsburgh Penguins won three games in a row to open their series with the New York Rangers and seemed to be cruising to the Eastern Conference Finals. Their loss in Game 4 certainly wasn't a crushing loss, especially given that they'd won their first seven playoff games. Still, there's a very real feeling that the Penguins have to finish this series off this afternoon or they're going to find themselves in some serious trouble.

Game 4 was a complete win by the Rangers. Jaromir Jagr turned in a vintage performance, Henrik Lundqvist stood on his proverbial head, and the Rangers D stifled and frustrated Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. but from a series perspective all it earned them was a trip back to raucous Mellon Arena, where the Pens' haven't lost in the playoffs. On the other hand, the Penguins weren't going undefeated in the series and were probably well served to get that wake-up call while they were ahead 3-0 in a series rather than early in a series against the Flyers. From both perspectives, the Rangers' win was nothing earth shattering.

That all changes if they do it again this afternoon in Pittsburgh. The Rangers dominated long stretches of Game 3 before taking a stupid penalty that sunk their chances in that game for good. Another strong performance from Lundqvist, Jagr, and company brings the series back to Madison Square Garden with all the pressure in the world on the young Penguins to avoid a Game 7. It's not time to hit the panic button for the Penguins or their fans yet, but not closing out this series today could present a big problem for the team that everyone had penciled into the Stanley Cup Finals just four days ago.

The Penguins Are Walking a Thin Line originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 04 May 2008 13:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily News Offers Thin Gruel on Avery Reporting

Eric McErlain — Thu, 01 May 2008 11:13:00 EST

Filed under: New York, General NHL, Rangers, Penguins, NHL Injuries, NHL Media Watch

One day after the New York Daily News attempted to airbrush their original reporting on Sean Avery's trip to St. Vincent's Hospital following Game Three of the Rangers-Penguins playoff series, reporter John Dellapina decided to take a shot at the various news outlets who found fault with the paper's reporting:

Finally, for all those from other media outlets and newspapers who have sarcastically dismissed our initial web story about Sean Avery's hospitalization since the Rangers refuted it Wednesday afternoon, I wonder:
Was your initial reaction that the story couldn't have been correct or did you simply race up to the MSG Training Center to get player reaction? And, did you call the hospital and/or Avery's representatives to get the real story or did your "reporting" simply consist of taking the team's word for what happened?

Fortunately, the intrepid men an women of the press who have exposed baseball's steroid problems didn't similarly regurgitate what they were told by people who understandably want their businesses viewed as beyond reproach.

In the main, Dellapina's shot at his critics, including yours truly, is a fine caution to journalists everywhere not to necessarily believe everything that you're told. Unfortunately, the problem with the original story wasn't just the content, but the fact that the paper erased that reporting so quickly once the team's official statement hit the wires.

So despite Dellapina's carping, it wasn't the blogosphere or his fellow journalists who threw him under the bus. It was his own editors who decided to backtrack on the original story once others uncovered an alternate explanation -- whether it was the official line or not. So as far as I'm concerned, the questions remain. Even better, we should have another question for Dellapina: What was it about your original sourcing on the Avery story that made your editors decide that they couldn't stand behind it, going so far as erasing it?

There wouldn't be a whole lot of controversy here if the Daily News had simply kept a paragraph in all subsequent stories referencing the original report. That they didn't has to be considered pretty telling.

As always, our friend Greg Wyshynski has questions of his own too, wondering what else Dellapina knows, but can't write. But if he doesn't know for sure, why write it in the first place?

Daily News Offers Thin Gruel on Avery Reporting originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 01 May 2008 11:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: Habs on Brink

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 01 May 2008 06:30:00 EST

Filed under: Dallas, New York, Philadelphia, General NHL, Flyers, Canadiens, Stars, Sharks, Stanley Cup

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

Guy Carbonneau took an incredible risk Wednesday night.

It was admittedly a risk, even though I felt like it was necessary. Carey Price struggled, and it looked like the confidence was gradually seeping from him. Carbonneau was given almost no choice. Yes, Price was incredible down the stretch after Cristobal Huet was traded to Washington. But he looked to be slipping, and Montreal needed a win Wednesday to keep alive realistic hopes of winning this series.

With that in mind, Carbonneau went with fellow youngster Jaroslav Halak, who was asked to make just two third-period saves in relief of Price in Game Three.

The Canadiens' hopes are dwindling quickly. A power-play goal by Daniel Briere late in the third period nullified a late Montreal comeback, as the badly-outshot Flyers rode the goaltending of Martin Biron to a 4-2 win over Montreal and a 3-1 series lead.

The brilliant WhoWins website reports a probability of over 90 percent that a team up 3-1 in a best-of-seven will win the series. The percentage only falls to 87.5 percent when the team up 3-1 has to play Game Five on the road, as Philadelphia does.

This wasn't Halak's fault, however, as the Canadiens' netminder played well, with his highlight coming as he stopped an early breakaway by Jeff Carter. He was just outplayed by Biron, who is out of his head right now and carrying his team. He was also undone by another lackluster effort from Montreal's forwards. Alex Kovalev was practically a no-show, with Tomas Plekanec, the Kostitsyn brothers, Saku Koivu, Chris Higgins, and others taking turns making bad decisions with the puck.

Philadelphia isn't necessarily as talented as Montreal, but they're proving the age-old thought in hockey that "will beats skill". The Flyers have more will in their top line than Montreal's entire roster has shown so far.

(Still to come: The Stars try to close out ~~Ron Wilson~~ San Jose, Sean Avery's season is over, his teammates should soon follow, and we'll take a random look into the wonderful world of YouTube)

Sharks stay alive. Another physical game Wednesday night, which was only slightly surprising. Yes, these are the playoffs. Yes, San Jose's season was on the line. However, Game Three was noticeably hard-hitting, and it wasn't unreasonable to suggest that playing on back-to-back nights would slow the teams down a bit.

It didn't. Both teams played with great intensity, and both teams played well defensively. San Jose had a superb third period in a 2-1 victory that forces Game Five Friday in San Jose. Ron Wilson lives to coach another day.

Early on, it didn't look good for the Sharks. They had three power plays in the first period, but generated next to nothing. Then, Devin Setoguchi set up Jere Lehtinen with a great centering pass in the second period for the game's first goal. Of course, Setoguchi isn't likely to have done that on purpose, being that he plays for San Jose while Lehtinen is a longtime Star. Later, Patrick Marleau scored a short-handed goal for the second straight night, and a Milan Michalek power-play goal in the third gave San Jose a 2-1 lead.

The Sharks weren't exactly free-flowing on offense, and Dallas goalie Marty Turco still made some great saves. If the Sharks are to continue this comeback effort, they're going to need more out of their front-line players five-on-five. Marleau has the two shorties in the two games in Dallas, but the top line did nothing even-strength. And with how these games are being officiated, you know the vast majority of the 60 minutes will be played even-strength.

Avery update. Not much new to report. Eric McErlain and Pat Lackey did an outstanding job Wednesday, so there's no point in me laying any more shots in at the New York Daily News for screwing up the initial report. I'm glad to hear Avery will be okay and he will make a full recovery.

Meanwhile, Rangers coach Tom Renney did his part later in the day Wednesday to put to bed the "rushed to hospital at 3am" report the Daily News started this whole thing with.

"Our medical people were quick to react to that and did a great job. On my way home I knew that he was on his way to the hospital, and I got home before 3 a.m."

A source close to Avery told me Wednesday that he was resting comfortably and watching television in his hospital bed. It was early evening that Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur unexpectedly showed up. He stood between Avery and the television and started waving his arms back and forth.

(Sorry. On the bright side, I've now fulfilled the "one bad joke per month" provision in my FanHouse contract.)

Rangers, Avalanche on the brink. Avery's teammates could soon join him in the whole "season's over" thing. The Rangers face Pittsburgh at the Garden (7pm ET, Versus), trying to hold off elimination and get on the board in the series. The Rangers outshot and probably outplayed Pittsburgh in Game Three, but the opportunistic Penguins found a way to win by two goals.

New York isn't the only team down 3-0 trying to keep the season alive Thursday. Colorado will host Detroit (10pm ET, Versus) with the back against the wall. The Avalanche gave a valiant effort against Detroit Tuesday, but it wasn't enough to overcome the obviously superior Red Wings. By the way, I know not many of you have noticed, but Chris Osgood is 5-0 as the starting goalie for Detroit. Just sayin'.

We have two teams trying to avoid elimination. For the sake of entertainment for all of us who don't want to watch the NBA Playoffs, let's hope at least one of them wins Thursday.

Random YouTube Time! Obviously, we were all concerned for a time Wednesday about the health of Sean Avery. It's not the first time we've been scared for his well-being. This one goes all the way back to his time with the Los Angeles Kings.

The Ice Sheet: Habs on Brink originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 01 May 2008 06:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NY Daily News Fumbles Avery Story

Eric McErlain — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:55:00 EST

Filed under: New York, General NHL, Rangers, Penguins, NHL Injuries

Right now, somebody at the New York Daily News has got some explaining to do.

Earlier today, the paper reported the news that New York Rangers winger Sean Avery had been transported to St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan after being "found unconscious and not breathing" and in "cardiac arrest".

But now other reports are coming out that seem to indicate that Avery's arrival at the hospital was far less dramatic. First came TSN's report that Avery had suffered from a lacerated spleen, a frightening injury to be sure, but one that couldn't be necessarily be connected with Avery's penchant to frequent the most popular clubs in Manhattan.

Here's ESPN's Scott Burnside:

The Rangers said Avery was admitted to St. Vincent's Medical Center following a CT scan and is expected to make a full recovery. Avery walked into the medical facility with team doctor Andrew Feldman, and the two took a car to the hospital, not an emergency vehicle, the team said.

He "walked" in? That's a heck of a distinction. Now, in an updated version of the Daily News story, there's no mention of the initial report the paper made of Avery's alleged condition last night, but to be sure there's a mention of his alleged connection to the seedier side of Manhattan night life. It's almost as if they were wishing that the two were connected.

I guess we should be glad a blogger didn't get hold of this story first and screw it up.

Back on the side of the story where we're dealing with actual facts, the Toronto Sun got on the horn with Avery's mother, who reported that her son suffered the injury in the first period of last night's game with the Penguins when he collided with an unidentified Pittsburgh defenseman. Even though he was in pain for the remainder of the game, Avery stuck it out the rest of the way.

UPDATE: Alanah at Kukla's Korner chimes in with much the same message, but with some additional details on the timeline, including links to David Singer of HockeyFights.com, who helpfully grabbed a screen shot of the very first story where the Daily News reported all of the details they later sought to airbrush out of existence. And our buddy Greg Wyshynski is asking the same questions we are.

NY Daily News Fumbles Avery Story originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Sean Avery: It's a Lacerated Spleen

Eric McErlain — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:27:00 EST

Filed under: New York, General NHL, Rangers, NHL Injuries

Just about an hour ago, the news hit the wires that New York Rangers winger Sean Avery had been transported to a Manhattan hospital overnight after suffering from cardiac arrest. Now TSN is reporting the why: A lacerated spleen:

Sean Avery has a lacerated spleen and will be out the remainder of the season, sources tell TSN.

The source went on to say that the laceration was detected with a CT scan after Avery was taken to hospital following the Game 3 with the Penguins.

The New York Rangers expect Avery to make a full recovery in the off-season.

This is one heck of a frightening injury, but one where an individual can make a full recovery and return to the field of play. Back in 2001 in the midst of the Stanley Cup Finals, Colorado's Peter Forsberg suffered from a ruptured spleen during the 2001 playoffs in ~~Game Six against the New Jersey Devils~~, but recovered soon enough to play in 75 games the following season.

It was much the same with Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin, who suffered his injury in December 2006, but recovered well in time to rejoin the team before the end of the season and play a major role in the team's run to a title. And over in the NFL, Tampa Bay quarterback Chris Simms had his spleen removed after a game in September 2006 and missed the entire 2007 NFL season, though the latest reports indicate that he's fully recovered, and expects to compete for a job with the Bucs in camp this season.

Thanks to FanHouse colleagues John "J.P." Press, Earl Sleek and Bruce Ciskie for some timely research help.

UPDATE: Looks like there were a number of holes in the original NY Daily News report.

On Sean Avery: It's a Lacerated Spleen originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sean Avery Hospitalized With Cardiac Arrest

Pat Lackey — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:15:00 EST

Filed under: New York, General NHL, Rangers

When the Rangers and their fans left Madison Square Garden last night after a 5-3 loss to the Penguins, falling behind 3-0 in their Eastern Conference Semifinal, most people probably thought that things couldn't get a lot worse for the Blueshirts. Unfortunately, they were very wrong. According to the New York Daily News, Sean Avery was hospitalized early this morning with cardiac arrest after being found unconscious and not breathing.

Details are incredibly few and far between right now. There's no indication who found Avery or where he was, but the Daily News is reporting that he arrived at St. Vincent's Medical Center in Manhattan around 3 AM this morning, which would be about five hours after the Rangers game with the Penguins ended.

This is obviously one of those situations that transcends even the polarization that Avery brings to hockey. As a Penguins' fan, I spent most of last night being annoyed by his presence. This morning I can only hope that things aren't nearly as bad as the Daily News Report makes it sound. I know the urge is going to be to speculate, especially with a player like Avery, but the truth is that we just don't know a whole lot right now and it's in incredibly poor taste to do that in a serious situation like this. We'll certainly keep you updated here at the NHL 'House as we find out more throughout the day.

UPDATE: The latest from TSN is that Avery suffered from a lacerated spleen.

Rangers vs. Penguins

** FILE ** In this April 25, 2008 file photo, New York Rangers hockey player Sean Avery skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first period of Game 1 of an Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series in Pittsburgh. Avery has been hospitalized after lacerating his spleen during a playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. In a statement Wednesday April 30, 2008, the team said the noted agitator was taken to St. Vincent's hospital after New York's 5-3 loss Tuesday night. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins players fight in the first period during Game 3 of an NHL Eastern Conference semifinal hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The fight resulted in three roughing penalties charged to each team. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

New York Rangers winger Jaromir Jagr waits for a faceoff against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a minute left in the final period during Game 3 of their NHL Eastern Conference semi-finals hockey series in New York, April 29, 2008. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

New York Rangers' Scott Gomez reaches for a wide pass in the second period against the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game 3 of an NHL Eastern Conference semifinal hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Penguins won 5-3, and lead the series 3-0. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Pittsburgh Penguins' Evgeni Malkin, left, of Russia, celebrates with Ryan Malone, center, and Marian Hossa after scoring a goal in the first period against the New York Rangers during Game 3 of an NHL Eastern Conference semifinal hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Malkin scored two goals in the Penguins' 5-3 win. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, Sweden, reacts after giving up a goal to the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period in Game 3 of an NHL Eastern Conference semifinal hockey playoff series Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Penguins won 5-3, and lead the series 3-0. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

New York Rangers Jaromir Jagr sits on the boards during a third period break in play against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 3 of their NHL Eastern Conference semi-final hockey series in New York, April 29, 2008. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

New York Rangers Jaromir Jagr (C) and coach Tom Renney (back) during a third period break in play against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 3 of their NHL Eastern Conference semi-final hockey series in New York, April 29, 2008. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury makes a save on New York Rangers Brendan Shanahan during the third period in Game 3 of their NHL Eastern Conference semi-final hockey series in New York, April 29, 2008. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

NEW YORK - APRIL 29: Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins defends the net against the New York Rangers during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 29th, 2008 in New York City. The Penguins won the game 5-3 and lead the series 3-0. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Sean Avery Hospitalized With Cardiac Arrest originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: Stars, Penguins, and Red Wings Push Opponents to Virtual Elimination

Earl Sleek — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dallas, Detroit, New York, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Rangers, Penguins, Wings, Avalanche, Stars, Sharks, Stanley Cup

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

From an efficiency standpoint, these playoffs are delivering possibly the quickest second round in NHL history. Three series got a lot less interesting last night when the New York Rangers, the San Jose Sharks, and the Colorado Avalanche all came up short in must-win Game Threes. They will all be hearing lots about the brutal history of a 3-0 series deficit, a hole no NHL team has conquered since the 1975 New York Islanders. Well, maybe the Sharks won't have a chance to hear that much history -- they actually face elimination tonight.

I guess there's a bright side to one-sidedness: with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Dallas Stars, and the Detroit Red Wings all on impressive winning streaks, it's looking to be an interesting third round. That there are three series at 3-0 less than a week into Round Two seems an odd phenomenon, though, as most games seem to have been toss-ups. Collectively, the Penguins, Red Wings, and Stars are 9-0 this round despite scoring the opening goal of the game only three times.

Stars 2, Sharks 1 (OT): In Dallas, defenseman Mattias Norstrom scored at 4:37 of the first overtime to propel the Stars to a comeback win over San Jose. For the fourth game in a row, the Stars surrendered the game's first goal, a shorthanded breakaway by Patrick Marleau. For the fourth game in a row, they fought back for victory, with Sergei Zubov tying the game on a 5-on-3 power play early in the third period. Dallas seems to have a real knack for playing past the forty-minute mark these playoffs: during third periods and overtimes they have collectively outscored their opponents 19-5. The Sharks also managed to extend a franchise streak: for the third year in a row, they lost three consecutive games in Round Two. Ouch.

(After the break, more on the win streaks of the Stars, Penguins, and Red Wings, plus some comeback advice from an unlikely source.)

Just for kicks, here's what I said before the Sharks-Stars series in the Second Round Playoff Roundtable discussion:

I think the Sharks take this series, and I don't think there will even be a Game Seven this time. The main thing the Sharks have to worry about is their ability to close out the second round (they have lost the last two postseasons in the second round despite leading the series 2-1 both times). Still, I think having those disappointments in previous years (plus a pretty serious scare in Round One) makes the Sharks less likely to melt down in Round Two this year.

Oops, that prediction's not looking so hot. Norstrom, by the way, has two goals in nine games in this postseason, which matches his goal output in the previous 87 games he's played in a Stars uniform (regular season and playoffs).

Penguins 5, Rangers 3: Evgeni Malkin was the hero in this game, scoring two goals and adding an assist as Pittsburgh won their seventh straight game this postseason. The Rangers came back from an early deficit in the second period when Ryan Callahan and Jaromir Jagr scored goals just over a minute apart to tie the game 3-3. Less than three minutes later, the Rangers were penalized when Ryan Hollweg boarded Petr Sykora, and Malkin potted the eventual game-winner during the ensuing power play. It was a tough loss for the Rangers, who outshot the Penguins 39-17 in the game but will still face elimination tomorrow at Madison Square Garden.

Red Wings 4, Avalanche 3: The return of Peter Forsberg was not enough to spark the Avs to victory, especially as it coincided with injuries to forwards Ryan Smyth and Paul Stastny. Detroit built a 4-2 lead through two periods and held on for the win, with Pavol Datsyuk scoring two goals and an assist, and Johan Franzen adding his league-leading eighth goal of the postseason. Andrew Brunette scored his second goal of the night to bring Colorado within one, but they could not put another puck past Chris Osgood, who is 5-0 this postseason. For a bit of personal redemption, here's what I said about this series in the Roundtable:

The Wings will be on a mission this round, and I don't know how well the Avalanche can withstand a properly motivated Red Wings squad. Though there will be a lot of "renewed rivalry" hype, I don't think this series will be that evenly matched.

Whew, at least that prediction's looking a bit better. Forsberg was held pointless in the game, but his six penalty minutes did at least get him on the scoresheet.

The Forty-Minute Split: It's interesting to look at the three winning streaks for Detroit, Dallas, and Pittsburgh, and what happens in the first two periods compared to what happens in the rest of the game. The Red Wings have won five games in a row, largely because of how they've dominated the first forty minutes of each game, outscoring opponents by a collective margin of 14-5. Past forty minutes it's a more modest 4-3 edge. This is a different pattern than the Stars or Penguins -- both those teams have owned third periods and overtimes during their postseason win streaks.

The Penguins have won seven games in a row. In the first two periods, they have outscored opponents 14-10. In the third period, however, they've simply slaughtered opponents 13-2. The Stars are even more lopsided in their current four game winning streak. During this stretch, Dallas has actually been outscored 5-3 in the first forty minutes, but has stormed back afterwards, outscoring opponents 11-1.

I'm not sure if there's too many conclusions to be drawn -- these numbers are based on a small sample size of purely wins -- but I thought it was a noteworthy pattern. In any case, all these teams have shown an ability to repeatedly win close games, which is certainly a coveted skill. Right now there's three opponent teams who would really love to learn how to quickly throw together a four game win streak of their own.

Tonight's Schedule:

Montreal Canadiens at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 pm. Flyers lead series 2-1. Suddenly this seems to be the most interesting series of the second round.

San Jose Sharks at Dallas Stars, 9 pm. Stars lead series 3-0. Break out the brooms, Texas.

Obligatory YouTube Embed: Thanks to a scheduling conflict with an already-eliminated Dallas Mavericks team, the Sharks will be facing elimination tonight. Four consecutive wins is a tall order, but maybe they can take some inspiration from their cupless neighbors to the south, who were able to pull their own miracle comeback against Marty Turco this season. Enjoy!

The Ice Sheet: Stars, Penguins, and Red Wings Push Opponents to Virtual Elimination originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaromir Jagr and Sidney Crosby: Not the Best of Friends

Pat Lackey — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:14:00 EST

Filed under: New York, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Rangers, Penguins, Eastern, Stanley Cup

Before this Penguins/Rangers' series even started, Jaromir Jagr starting taking gentle pot-shots at Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, saying the Penguins' young stars weren't on the level of Mario Lemiuex at this point in their careers. That's kind of an obvious statement that doesn't serve to do much beyond rile up the Penguins (I personally imagined Lemieux telling his young house guest, 'Jagr thinks you ain't s#!t' at breakfast before Game 1), but I suppose it's all part of playoff gamesmanship.

Jagr, however, is taking things up another notch today. After Fedor Tyutin threw Crosby to the ice (I'll leave my opinion out of this since I'm biased, but all the NBC commentators agree that Crosby didn't have much of a choice other than to go down on this particular play), the big Czech snapped at Crosby to "STAND UP!" which set off a harsh response from both Ryan Malone and the Penguins' crowd, which is certain to amp Jagr up even further. We're one game and one period into things, and it's obvious this is going to be a very intense series.

As the intermission report just pointed out, Jagr's always been a tough player to figure out. He's as talented as anyone that's ever stepped on the ice, but sometimes it seems like he'd rather be anywhere else in the world. That's certainly not the case right now, because Jagr's is playing with as much fire and passion as he ever has through the early part of this series.

Jagr and Crosby: this is what the playoffs are all about.

Jaromir Jagr and Sidney Crosby: Not the Best of Friends originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How Does the Press Affect the Refs? Find Out at Two on NBC!

Pat Lackey — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:10:00 EST

Filed under: New York, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Rangers, Penguins, Stanley Cup

As FanHouse's resident Penguin fan, I've done my best to stay away from the fallout from the interference call made when Martin Straka tripped up Sidney Crosby at the end of the Pens/Rangers game on Friday. My opinion of the play is exactly what anyone's would be when their favorite team's best player was involved. I am, however, interested in how the media fallout effects the way today's game (and the rest of the series) is called.

If you're living under a rock, in the 36 hours or so since the end of game 1, Tom Renney, Brendan Shanahan, and Straka all more or less accused Crosby of diving to get the call, which was followed by Michel Therrien defending his superstar, which was followed by everyone in New York saying, "HAH! The Pens are still talking about this when we've moved on," which they pretty clearly had't. It's pretty clear that both sides are working the refs through the press, and that leaves me with a simple question: will it work?

I love a conspiracy theory as much as anyone, but if the NHL were truly making these playoffs up as they went along, there's no chance that Crosby/Ovechkin gets erased on a questionably timed penalty call that went against the Caps. Instead, the truth simply is that referees are human and humans are imperfect and subjective. So will all of this talk affect them? If so, how? And more importantly, will all of the clamor from these playoffs make the league move towards more objective officiating standards? I don't know the answer to any of those questions, but today's Game 2 between the Penguins and Rangers should provide some answers.

How Does the Press Affect the Refs? Find Out at Two on NBC! originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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