Thursday, June 3, 2010

A View of the Cup After Game 3



Listen to Eddie Olcyzk's amazement at the end of the video above. Puck leaving the Flyers' zone in overtime. Two Blackhawks head to the bench for a line change. (It's a long change, Olcyzk says, meaning the new skaters will have to go the length of the ice to help defend the net.)



The Flyers were too fast for that. Basically a shorthanded situation for the Blackhawks, who had no answer for Claude Giroux, who moved past his closest defender to get in place for a deflection. Dirty job. Giroux gets it done. Flyers have gained a measure of tangible confidence to go along with the "What, me worry?" attitude they had prior to Game 3.

Hold serve at home is the next job.



Danny Briere, Scott Hartnell, Aaron Asham and Giroux gave this team the spark on this night. But can they keep this up? To take the next game, or perhaps the next two and put themselves in better position to win at home in Game 6, the Flyers need this type of effort to be the rule rather than the exception.

And listening to Coach Peter Laviolette, you hear him admit for the first time that some people did not do as well in Games 1 and 2, which goes against what the coach was saying after those games.

This victory gives you room to reassess and not sound hopeful. listen to the Flyers' Mike Richards, below. That's the sound of confidence of purpose.



Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews calmly listed what he thought his team did well, and what was lacking. Well, no one was accusing Chicago of being overconfident, but now we have to wonder what will get the top line going on a consistent basis.

The puck possession issue, which Toews addressed, is not going away if the Blackhawks maintain their style of play. The Flyers are taking the fight to them, and the Blackhawks look like they are searching for a knockout punch rather than try a sustained offensive flurry of their own.

But Chicago is capable of doing it. Game 4 is a chance for them to prove that they can do it in response to a loss in the Cup finals.

Next is a little joust between Ron MacLean of CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Nothing like a little between-period entertainment last night. Just how uncomfortable do you get watching these two trying to stomp their foot down on the other's shadow?



Hmm, I think I would like to see the feet of these two as they sit next to each other. I imagine the two like kids, trading kicks to each other's shins, safely hidden behind the pew in front of them. (I like to imagine some competitive confrontation.)

Note to Mr. MacLean: It would be good to have a winger who can speak the bizbabble that any corporate executive might present. I'm not saying Mr. Bettman is lying, but he's using terms that you, whom I would never accuse of being stupid, did not seem to pick up on right away.

Note to Mr. Bettman: The fans of franchises who are reported to be having business issues, if you will, DO CARE about the status of their team, even amid some of the best hockey we have seen in years. Maybe you are right, but does have to take that nah-nah-nah-nah tone?

Now stop kicking each other while I mention that here is Puck Daddy's scorecard on the bout and that next up is the spreadsheet bookwork, followed by a few words from Don Cherry on the CBC's "Coach's Corner."

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
Best of 7
At Philadelphia 4, Chicago 3 OT
(Chicago leads, 2-1)
Recap is here.
Three stars by Puck Daddy.

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