AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > June > 05
Thursday, June 5, 2008
The Best Team Won The Cup
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With sixteen teams qualifying for the playoffs, many times the eventual winner isn’t the one who came into the tournament as the best team in the league. Sometimes the goalie of a lesser team gets hot and he carries the team to the championship. Sometimes a squad just peaks at the right time or the President’s Cup winner gets ousted by a team that simply matched up against them well.
This year was not one of those times.
The Detroit Red Wings were the best team in the 2007-’08 NHL season and they were the team that lifted the Stanley Cup following Wednesday’s 3-2 game six win against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Their 115 points led the NHL…seven better then the second highest point total. Their 3.15 goals per game was tops in the league as was their 2.18 goals against. Also, their 34.4 shots per game average and their 23.5 shots against average set the mark for best in the league.
Last season the Anaheim Duck lifted the cup following the playoffs, but they entered them with two teams having better records. The year prior, Carolina earned the NHL championship after finishing the regular season tied for the third highest point total. In fact, the last team to win the President’s Cup who went on to hoist the Stanley Cup the same year was in 2002 when it was done by…The Detroit Red Wings.
The game ended with Chris Osgood sprawled out across the goal mouth with Marian Hossa trying to jam in a rebound just off to the right side of the net. The puck squirted back through the crease as time expired. Replays showed that if the puck had made it past the Detroit keeper and across the line, the clock had already gone to triple zeros…so it may have gone for naught anyway.
The Conn Smythe trophy was awarded to Henrik Zetterberg who finished the playoffs with 13 goals and 14 assists, including a goal and a helper in game six.
So then… congratulations go out to the Wings players, coaching staff, front office and entire organ-I-zation. Also, nods go out to Sara, Sharon, Alan, Wings Fan in Ga and the rest of the Red Wing fanatics that frequent this blog.
You gotta be feelin’ good today!
It’s Only A Flesh Wound
Broken nose…stitches to the face…chipped tooth? None of that was going to keep Pittsburgh’s Ryan Malone down.“Actually it’s not too bad, it could be a lot worse”, said Malone of the injuries incurred after taking a slap shot to the face in Monday’s game five of the Stanley Cup Finals.
He returned to the game later to help his team to a 4-3 triple overtime victory. He played without a visor Wednesday night in game six.
The 28-year old left-winger and native of Pittsburgh will be a free agent this summer.
Wolves One Win Away
The Chicago Wolves now have a three games to none lead on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins after Wednesday’s 6-1 win. W-B/S took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission having outshot Chicago 12-5. But it was all Wolves in the second as they scored five times on nineteen shots.
Jesse “I know NOTHING” Schultz scored a pair of goals for Chicago. Joel Kwiatkowski, Jordan Lavallee, Matt Anderson and Mike Hamilton also scored. Opie turned away 24 of the 25 shots he faced.
Game four will be played Friday night at Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza.
Tampa Says Ta-Ta- To Torts
As had been widely rumored, the Tampa Bay Lightning sent John Tortorella packing following their disappointing 71-point season. It was the first time since 2002 that the team had not qualified for the playoffs. The move makes way for the rumored hiring of Barry Melrose as his replacement.
Tortorella’s overall record with the Lightning was 239-222-36-38 and they won the cup following the 2003-’04 season.
Now that Torts is officially on the market…what are your thoughts on considering him for the job here? Personally, I’m not a fan, but there are some up-sides. He is very familiar, of course, with the Southeast Division… he has a history of winning and would bring a certain edge with him that some may deem necessary to turn this team around.
So…what are your thoughts?
Rut-Roh, Boots
Nashville Predators Co-Owner “Boots” Del Biaggio is being sued. He is accused of defrauding a bank in order to secure a $10 million loan that he used to buy an ownership stake in the Preds.
This is familiar territory for the 40-year old Del Biaggio as three separate lawsuits accuse him of providing forged documents in order to procure multimillion-dollar loans that he has not repaid.
Toronto Waits For Wilson
Ron Wilson is taking his time thinking about the Leafs coaching offer. It was reported that he was offered the job earlier this week and now it seems that the Leafs are looking for an answer by Monday.
Can’t say I blame him for mulling it over…Leafs Nation is a bit of a grumpy place these days as they are about four decades removed from their last championship. Toronto’s going to be a pressure cooker for whomever takes that job. Better to make 100% sure it’s what you want to do before jumping into those waters, I suppose.
Hey Ron…should you choose not to take the gig in Toronto, we still have a job opening for ya here….
