Last Monday Alexander Semin’s agent, Mark Gandler, told ESPN his client will almost certainly play for a new team next season. The Washington Capitals are one of the NHL’s most intriguing teams because of the uncertainty about the head coach (at the moment they do not have one), style of hockey they’ll play, and how the stars on the team will respond after a year of having their commitment levels criticized. For all his talent, Semin is a player many teams would be unsure about tendering a long contract because he seems to personify the issues that have plagued the Caps for the past few seasons. While other teams are in the conversation, the most natural fit would be the Detroit Red Wings.

(Andy Martin Jr/The Hockey Writers)

He’s been criticized for not working hard enough on the ice, failing to back check, and in 2011-12 produced his worst point per game ratio in four seasons. But at 28, Semin is a player that’s entering his prime. In his career so far he’s never benefited from a quality leader in the locker room. He and Alex Ovechkin were given the team after the lockout and expected to raise their play to other stars, with only a bit of guidance from Sergei Fedorov. Enter Pavel Datsyuk. Datsyuk is the type of player Capitals brass would’ve hoped Semin would be. Datsyuk has three Selke trophies on his mantle, four consecutive Lady Bying trophies, not to mention a couple Stanley Cup rings. He also doesn’t have the infamous bongo incident attached to his name.

One of the most respected players in the game, Datsyuk (along with Henrik Zetterberg) play the type of hard working, two way hockey Semin needs to incorporate into his game to regain his 40-goal touch. Detroit also has a glaring need for another top six forward. With all due respect to Jiri Hudler, players like Duncan Keith would have a lot more to worry about if they knew they might have to line up against Semin, Datsyuk, and Franzen with Zetterberg and Bertuzzi waiting to hop off the bench. A more even distribution of talent would certainly improve Semin’s game and relieve some of the pressure he’s been under in the nation’s capital.

Detroit also has the cap room for Semin. With Nicklas Lidstrom and Tomas Holmstrom commanding relatively low salaries and potentially retiring, GM Ken Holland is looking at upwards of $20 million in space to work with this summer. Behind only New Jersey, Detroit is the second oldest team in the NHL and a young sniper entering his prime could give the locker room a much needed shot in the arm, especially one that could get a few pucks past Pekka Rinne next spring.

The Wings need a talent scoring winger and Semin needs somewhere new to call home where he can mature and turn into the player Washington though they were drafting. It’s a great match.

The Russians look like a pretty good bet to be crowned champions on Sunday. {Photo Copyright: Francis Larrede – Patxi64@Flickr}

So Russia looks poised to capture another World Championship later today as they face Slovakia in the final. Now they have been tested at times in the tournament but it seems every time a team gets close, the Russians find a way to close with a hard finishing kick. Russia was tied with Sweden in the prelims at three and then scored four straight in the third. In the quarterfinals, Russia and Norway were deadlocked at two after forty minutes and then they proceeded to score three straight in the final stanza to seal a semifinal berth.

Now there is the matter of Slovakia and that will not be an easy task as Slovakia plays a style that could cause Russia some trouble at times. This leads us of course to the part where we ask, how did they get here? It is time to proceed onward.

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Slovakia (5-0-0-2, 2-0 in medal round)

Here was a team that gave the Americans fits in the prelims then shocked Canada and managed to pull out a gutty win against the Czech Republic on Saturday. Slovakia did not have a single power play yet took one of the three Czech man advantages and converted it into a game winning shorthanded goal by Miroslav Satan. Satan had two goals today and has been an amazing presence in this tournament. The real surprise may have been Jan Laco, who made 36 saves on 37 shots. There was a feeling at times that the Czechs were all over the Slovaks but Laco was a brick wall at crucial times especially in the second period where Slovakia could have cracked.

However, they did not do so. The two third period goals in the 3-1 win do not happen without Laco’s stand. Slovakia has this ability to pop in three or four goals on a consistent basis. They also have kept every single game in the tournament close, except for the 5-1 blowout of Belarus. There are some nice depth scorers on this squad. When you look at the Tomas Kopecky’s of the world and Tomas Tatar’s, you realize that Slovakia has some talent and of course Zdeno Chara. Chara has been good even on the international ice surface with his ability to shut opposing power plays down. Tatar could be a real “X Factor” as his ability to break defenses down could come in handy against a Russian team that can be scored on at times.

Looking ahead to Russia, can Slovakia keep the score reasonable? That is the biggest question of all. Chara is going to have to play very close to 30:00, Slovakia will have to score a few early to get Russia thinking, and Slovakia will have to play a top to bottom physical game to combat Russia’s play-makers. Ultimately, time will tell how this all plays out.

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Russia (7-0-0-0, 2-0 in medal round)

So Russia has not lost a single game in this tournament and yet they have been quite well tested. Today was a bit different as the Russians went down one early then scored six unanswered goals including three on the man advantage. When you can pair Alex Ovechkin, Alex Semin, Pavel Datsyuk, and Evgeni Malkin on the power play, that is just unfair. Do not forget that Semyon Varlamov had a very good last couple months for the Colorado Avalanche as he wrestled the starting job back. Finland was outmatched as it seemed like every Russia scoring chances went in the net or nearly did so. The reality was Finland probably never should have escaped the quarterfinals and considering there was no Kari Lehtonen, the semifinal had to be almost too easy for Russia. Scoring chances were actually 16-12 Russia for what it was worth.

Russia was more tested in the quarters against Norway who had them on the ropes after forty minutes. However, you can only keep talent like that curtailed for so long before it unleashes itself. The three goals in a row were testament to that similar to the four goal outburst against Sweden in the prelims where that game went from 3-3 to 7-3 in the blink of an eye.

Another key factor is that Russia dresses seven defensemen and none of them average 20:00 of ATOI a night.Russia plays at the max roster level for a reason so that their players are all fresh for the third period. How often do you see Evgeni Malkin plays 12:12 in any game? Yes, he had a hat trick in the semifinals but still the shift times are right around :40 for the star Russian players which is an excellent rate for international ice.

Simply Russia is built for competition at the World Championship and Olympic level because their players not only buy in but their chemistry is probably even greater than Team Canada’s was in their heyday. These players are always so fresh when their lines are called out and that counts for something in international competition. It is what makes Russia so tough to play against and a reason why they are now ranked #1 in the World according to the IIHF.

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The Prediction:

Most of the tournament had been kind to us except for the 1-3 quarterfinal round. The question has to be asked. Can Slovakia actually keep up with Russia? That answer is actually yes. There are enough scorers and defense that can at least slow down the Russian onslaught. However will they entirely slow down the Russians? It is something that is hard to say. The Slovaks will have to play a more counter intrusive game to bear Russia. Even then, there are no guarantees that it will work.

The Slovaks have been among the top teams when it comes to the penalty kill all tournament but they are facing the best power play unit and Russia can spread anyone out. Expect this to be a close game for most of the duration but in the end, Russia just has too much firepower to be contained for an entire sixty minutes.

Prediction:  Russia 5  Slovakia 3

(Scott Rovak-US PRESSWIRE)

So what do the St. Louis Blues need to do?

The St. Louis Blues entered the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs as one of the favorites to win the silver chalice.  Several days later, the Blues’ season was done, the victims of a sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings in the second round.  The Kings exposed several weaknesses, the most glaring being the lack of scoring against a Kings team that did a masterful job of playing keep-away with the puck.  The Kings are one win away from the Stanley Cup finals.

The most glaring weakness found in the Blues’ lineup is the lack of scoring, and this will be something that will need to be addressed in the months leading up to the 2012-13 season.  Whether this can be done via trade or free agency remains to be seen, but it is painfully obvious the Blues cannot continue to go without a legitimate scoring threat on its roster.

Should the Blues make a play for Columbus forward Rick Nash?  Young, big, strong, with a silky set of hands, Nash could be a potential answer.  Put on a line with Andy McDonald, the McDonald/Nash combo could strike fear in the hearts of opposing netminders.  But the question still remains…what would the Blues have to give up to get a scoring forward like Nash?  Could they keep the chemistry together while obtaining such a huge piece to their puzzle?

With Ken Hitchcock at the helm, chemistry could be the least of the Blues’ worries.  Hitchcock brought together a rag-tag group of players and molded them into a formidable team, a feat he could repeat as he has shown success the first time around.

Perhaps Nash is the answer.  Perhaps he is not.  One thing remains certain…the Blues cannot rest on their laurels if they hope to mount a challenge for the Cup.  With a new owner who may be willing to spend some money, the Blues could have some options available to them.  Time will tell, but one thing is very obvious…the 2012-13 Blues’ roster will have a decidedly different look to it.

Coming as far as they had for the first time in franchise history, surely the Phoenix Coyotes weren’t going to exit the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a whimper.  In Game Four of the Western Conference Final, they slugged out a victory over the Los Angeles Kings, staving off elimination.  In the process, they got contributions from two of their most important players, Shane Doan and Mike Smith.  Hence, the Kings will have to wait another day to advance and celebrate.

Jonathan Quick (Ric Tapia/Icon SMI)

Despite out shooting the Coyotes, 36-21, it wasn’t a pretty day on the power-play for the Kings.  Overall, Los Angeles posted an 0-for-6 with the extra attacker.

That wasn’t the case for the Coyotes.  In the first it was Doan from behind the net, lifting a backhand shot over Jonathan Quick, for a 1-0 advantage.  The tally was significant, not only because it meant a rare lead for a Kings opponent, but it was the first time following 30 successive kills, that L.A. had allowed a power-play goal.  A streak that dates all the way back to the first round against Vancouver.

Midway through the second, it was Doan again lighting the lamp.  Right off a draw won by Antoine Vermette, Doan ripped one right off the goal cam and out of the back of the net, for his second marker of the game and fifth of the post-season.

From there it was the Coyotes out hitting and blocking more shots than the Kings.  Not to mention Smith being a key penalty killer, smothering all 36 shots sent his way.  The 2-0 score also marked the first time in these playoffs that the Kings have been blanked.

It was a textbook case of a team up against elimination, playing grind it out hockey and it paid off in the end for Phoenix.  So now the series shifts back to Phoenix for Game Five, as the Kings attempt to advance and the Coyotes try to hand them their first road defeat of these playoffs.  In order for the Kings to move forward, they’re going to need to get their special teams back on track, especially on the power-play.

Game Four Three Stars: 1.) Shane Doan (2-0-2), 2.) Mike Smith (36 SVS), 3.) Ray Whitney (0-1-1).

Yogi Berra put it best: “It’s deja vu all over again.”

The New Jersey Devils dominated for most of the first two periods of Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Finals matchup vs. the New York Rangers, peppering Henrik Lundqvist with shots that were summarily turned away by the superb goaltender. Martin Brodeur was terrific for most of the tilt, making several key saves, but in the end, it was the New Jersey offense’s failure to get anything past Lundqvist that proved to be the difference.

It was eerily similar to Game 1 when New Jersey was in the driver’s seat for most of the game but unable to score thanks to the brilliance of Lundqvist. Game 3, however, featured less of the team shot blocking that the Rangers exhibited in Game 1, as Lundqvist virtually carried the team through a lackluster first two periods.

The Rangers took a 2-1 series lead on Saturday (Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE)

“It was almost a copy of Game 1,” said Brodeur after the game. “It’s unfortunate. We played well, we had a lot of jump, a lot of chances, but Lundqvist played well.”

New Jersey certainly had good chances to score, as they were again tough on the forecheck, but were unable to convert on those chances. Lundqvist made a key save on a Zach Parise shot off a two-on-one rush and a huge breakaway save of an Ilya Kovalchuk shot in the opening minute of the second period.

“I got a good chance, I just didn’t lift the puck. I beat him and he just left his arm there. I should have put it up,” Kovalchuk said of the save, which seemed to galvanize the Rangers. “He made a great save. We have to score on our chances.”

Their special teams also failed the Devils, as their power play unit went 0-for-5 on the day managing a pitiful six shots in those ten minutes with the man advantage.

The penalty kill, a strength of the team all regular season, surrendered a Dan Girardi power play goal 3:19 into the third that proved to be the game winner. It was the fourth power play goal surrendered by New Jersey in the series, a troubling  trend. Their penalty kill sits at a mediocre 71.4% for the playoffs.

“We had a couple that weren’t really good at all,” Patrik Elias said of the power play. “We had three or four that we moved the puck real well, we just didn’t find the back of the net. When you have two teams playing each other tight defensively, you have to take advantage of those opportunities.”

Devils head coach Pete DeBoer, showing a bit of frustration in the post-game press conference, summed up his team’s performance perhaps better than anyone.

“We’re not the first team that Lundqvist has done this to,” DeBoer said. “You have to battle through. It’s a little frustrating. We gave up 20 shots, maybe five scoring chances. The tendency when you lose a game like this is to microscope everything to death. We played a real good hockey game. We lost. We have to find a way to score goals.”

The Devils will take on the Rangers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final Monday night at Prudential Center.

At this moment in the hockey world, there are fewer teams as irrelevant as the AHL’s Texas Stars.

However, yesterday Andrew’s Stars Page/ESPN Dallas published a prospect update on goaltender Tyler Beskorowany that demands a response.

From end to end it is an insult to the young goalie from Sudbury. The article relies entirely on quotes from Director of Scouting and Player Development Les Jackson, who repeatedly calls out and questions Tyler’s level of commitment to playing pro hockey. It presupposes an outright falsehood–that the organization has given him every chance at the AHL level, and he has fallen short.

Beskorowany in action (Credit: Lisa Battista)

Either Jackson is wholly ignorant of the situation in Cedar Park, or he is on the receiving end of misleading or terrible information from General Manager Scott White, or he is deliberately banging the gong on Beskorowany, for reasons only he could say. It doesn’t much matter; the organization is hanging the kid out to dry and he doesn’t deserve such repulsive and shameful behavior.

‘FLOUNDERED ALL YEAR’

Of the many slings and arrows, Jackson is quoted as saying, “[Tyler] had a great opportunity to take the net when we got Richard (Bachman) up to the big team, but he kind of floundered all year.”

Did he?

Granted, Jackson’s statement is somewhat confusing because the clauses don’t fully support one another. Nonetheless, it is not unreasonable to conclude the following: He is saying that Beskorowany ‘floundered’ his ‘great opportunity’ to take the number one job.

That is a fallacy.

Richard Bachman left for Dallas at the end of November. Beskorowany’s ‘great opportunity’ began in the month of December. Let’s take a look there:

‘Besko’ (Credit: Lisa Battista)

In that month, the Stars played 11 games. Tyler started nine of them.

• Record: 5-4
• Goals Against Average: 2.69
• Save Percentage: .900
• Shutouts: 1

Two of those wins—including the shutout—came against the pre-Matsumoto-trade Charlotte Checkers.

Perhaps there is an alternate explanation for his posting a winning record on a losing team. Maybe Texas’ offense was firing on all cylinders? Averaging 2.7 goals per game, I say no. That month, every road broadcaster inevitably gushed about the Texas Stars power play. So maybe the kid was its great benefactor?

He was not. The team was 3 for 38 in those games, or eight percent (generously). Meanwhile, the penalty kill, where there is no more important player than the goalie, was 26 for 29, or almost 90 percent.

THE BIG SLEEP

By January, Kari Lehtonen had returned to the Dallas roster. Bachman stayed as the back-up, and Andrew Raycroft, despite being in the second and final year of a (now) one-way contract, was sent down to Texas.

Beskorowany was putting up good numbers on a bad team. Yet with Raycroft’s arrival he suddenly found himself on the bench. Inexplicably, Raycroft was handed the reigns on arrival, starting 11 of the team’s 12 January games.

Why?

Why, when no one in the organization could have possibly had any confidence in him? The no-confidence vote began the year before, when then-Dallas coach Marc Crawford had so little confidence in Raycroft that he felt he had to start Lehtonen in 33 of the team’s final 34 games.

Why, when Beskorowany was playing well, and is a second-round draft pick, and is a team prospect?

In late November of 2011, when Lehtonen was injured, Raycroft moved into the number one role in Dallas, saying, “I’ve been a starter in the league and to be honest, feel more comfortable with it most of the time.”

Most of the what? The night he was quoted, his record was 0-5. He spun it into a 2-8 record, and flunked out of the NHL.

In Cedar Park, Raycroft put on a display of incredulous indifference and outright disrespect for the fans, his teammates, and the AHL. Unlike Jackson, I was at every home game and I watched each road game. He was as unhurried a goalie as I have ever seen. Urgency? Never. His lateral movement was not even true lateral movement, it was just the momentum he gained from having dropped into a butterfly well ahead of the play and glided across the crease. He frequently rested his glove arm on the crossbar, not in a Ken Dryden or Patrick Roy style mind-game but in an I’m-better-than-all-this bit of posturing.

Evidently, earning $650,000 in the AHL is exhausting. When on the bench, Raycroft wore a cap pulled low enough that you would have been forgiven if you thought he was catching up on his six-figure sleep.

Maple Leafs fans know this isn’t an exaggeration (Credit: Lisa Battista)

Raycroft started 21 games. His 9-10-1 record belies the fact that Beskorowany had to relieve the porous and ‘leepy Andrew four times in an 11 game span.

According to a reliable source associated with the team, Raycroft was getting starts not because coach Jeff Pyle made the call, but because GM Scott White did. If true, it’s hard not to wonder why White was so enamored of Raycroft–or so unimpressed with Besko–that he would meddle with it all, especially for those of us who are wholly unimpressed with White.

THE WRITING ON THE WALL

No joke, many Texas fans await July 1 for no other reason than it spells the end of Raycroft’s contract.

Yet the number one role in Cedar Park next season is both predetermined and not named Tyler: the job is Jack Campbell’s, and it’s not even his to lose. The organization, with Kari and Richard in tow, is embarrassingly giddy for Jack. That Les Jackson would even pretend otherwise, and hint that Tyler has a shot provided he work hard this summer, is the final arrow.

One year remains on his entry-level contract. Whatever happens then, he deserves better than this. Whether next season he is better served backing up Campbell in the AHL, starting for Idaho in the ECHL, or being somewhere else altogether, I don’t know.

Unfortunately, I question whether the organization knows either, or that beyond the empty call-out, it really even cares.

(Ed Mulholland-US PRESSWIRE)

The Rangers entered Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals in the same situation as their first two playoff series. Tied at a game apiece, and needing at least one win on the road to regain home-ice advantage, the Rangers felt comfortable going into New Jersey to battle the Devils. Maybe it was because they had been through it before, or maybe it was because they have Henrik Lundqvist in net.

In what was a tale of two games, the Rangers’ MVP repeatedly stonewalled the Devils’ offense in making 36 saves, and the Rangers scored three times in the 3rd period, including two goals in a span of 1:57 to win 3-0 and take a 2-1 series lead. Despite the final score, the Rangers had trouble for a good portion of the afternoon.

In the first period, the Devils outshot the Rangers 11-5, and controlled the action throughout the period. As was the case in Game 2, the Rangers had trouble with the Devils’ aggressive forecheck, and when they were able to enter the zone, the Devils defense was able to keep them to the outside. However, Lundqvist kept the Rangers in the game with many saves on odd-man rushes, including two breakaway saves on Ilya Kovalchuk.

This trend continued early in the second period, and Rangers head coach John Tortorella called a timeout to try and change the momentum of the game. Although the Devils outshot the Rangers 15-9 in the period, the pace of the game and the momentum of the game began to shift towards the Rangers. As good as Lundqvist was in net for the Blueshirts, Martin Brodeur was equal to the task for the Devils. Although Brodeur wasn’t tested often, he robbed the Rangers’ Ryan Callahan on a point blank shot at the side of the net to keep the game scoreless after two periods.

The Rangers finally broke the scoreless tie early in the third period. With the Devils’ Bryce Salvador in the penalty box after being called for hooking, Brad Richards won a faceoff back to Dan Girardi, and the Rangers’ defenseman fired a wrist shot in between Brodeur’s side and blocker to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead. The goal was Girardi’s 3rd of the playoffs (2nd of this series), and all three goals have been game winners.

Less than two minutes later, the Rangers extended their lead. After struggling for most of the afternoon at maintaining puck possession inside the Devils’ zone, the Rangers 4th line was able to keep the puck in New Jersey’s end during the shift after Girardi’s goal, and on the following shift, Ryan McDonagh’s shot was tipped by Chris Kreider past Brodeur. The goal was Kreider’s 5th of the postseason, and he has goals in three consecutive playoff games, becoming the 2nd Rangers’ rookie to do so (the other being Don Maloney in 1979).

The Devils continued to put pressure on the Rangers, but even when they were able to get one by Lundqvist, the post was in the way. Lundqvist’s shutout was his 2nd of this series, the first time since 1997 that a Rangers goalie had two shutouts in the same series (Mike Richter vs. the Devils).

On June 5, 2012, the OHL will host its annual awards ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.  All of these young men worked hard all throughout the season to achieve their accolades; each one is deserving of the honour he has received.  This year’s awards ceremony will have one of the deepest talent pools in league history which speaks volumes to both the OHL as a developmental league and to the players who are developing in it.  A lot of these players have had considerable success in the league for years now while some are just getting their feet wet in the OHL.  The future is just going to get brighter and it just shows how the OHL produces some of the best prospects in hockey, as well as some incredible members of society.

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Michael Houser was both the OHL’s most valuable player and top goaltender for the 2011-12 season after a 46-win campaign in 62 games. (Aaron Bell/OHL Images)

Red Tilson Trophy (OHL Most Outstanding Player)

OHL Goaltender of the Year

Michael Houser won both the Red Tilson Trophy, which is given to the most outstanding player during the OHL regular season, and the league’s goaltender of the year award.  Houser appeared in more games during the 2011-12 campaign than any other goalie, registering 62 starts throughout the year.  The pressure did not have any bearing on his statistics whatsoever, finishing with personal best numbers by the end of the campaign. Houser finished the season with a record of 46-15-1, a 2.47 goals-against average, a .925% save percentage and six shutouts.  He played a remarkable 3698 minutes and he faced an unbelievable 2014 shots.  Houser had a nine-game winning streak from December 30, 2011, and January 22, 2012, winning two of those games by shutout.  He was also instrumental in helping the Knights win their second regular-season title and their second OHL championship; now he is hoping to help them win a second Memorial Cup championship.  He has yet to be drafted to the NHL but there is every reason to believe that he will finally hear his name called at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, which is held in his home state of Pennsylvania.  Hopefully, the third time will be the charm.  For now, Houser is concentrating more on the Memorial Cup.

Michael Sgarbossa finished the OHL regular season with 102 points, winning himself the Eddie Powers Memorial Award. (OHL Images)

Eddie Powers Memorial Award (OHL Leading Point Scorer)

Michael Sgarbossa won the Eddie Powers Memorial Award, which is given to the OHL’s leading scorer during the regular season.  A Colorado Avalanche prospect, Sgarbossa finished the season with 102 points (47 goals, 55 assists) in 66 games, two ahead of his closest competition.  He was held pointless in only 13 games during the 2011-12 campaign.  Sgarbossa’s success can be attributed to consistent point production throughout the months of the season.  His monthly point production broke down as follows: three points in three games in September, 11 points in 11 games in October, 18 points in ten games in November, nine points in seven games in December, 18 points in 13 games in January, 25 points in 13 games in February, and 18 points in nine games in March.  He enjoyed an unprecedented 19-game point-scoring streak between January 27 and March 6, 2012; his incredible February, which saw him record at least one point in each game that month, garnered him OHL player of the month honours.  Sgarbossa recorded nine three-point games, four four-point games, three hat tricks and one five-point game.  He also led the OHL with 18 powerplay goals.  Sgarbossa clinched the award after scoring four points (three goals, one assist) in the Wolves’ last regular-season game against Kingston.

Dougie Hamilton won the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL’s top defenceman after scoring 72 points in 50 games. (Terry Wilson/OHL Images)

Max Kaminsky Trophy (OHL Defenceman of the Year)

Dougie Hamilton won the Max Kaminsky Trophy for the OHL’s top defenceman after he scored 72 points (17 goals, 55 assists) in 50 games, leading all OHL blueliners in scoring.  Hamilton was one of the most consistent scorers among OHL defencemen, being named the defenceman of the month three times.  One of his best months was October 2011 in which he recorded 20 points in 12 games.  The Boston Bruins draft pick did miss some time during the season representing Canada at the World Juniors and with a lengthy suspension after a head check in a January contest against Sudbury.  Hamilton scored three points in September, 20 points in October, 15 points in November, seven points in December, five points in January, 13 points in February and nine points in March.  Additionally, it should be noted that nine of Hamilton’s 17 goals were powerplay goals.  Hamilton had eight three-point games throughout the 2011-12 season and two four-point games.  He was also one of Niagara’s best players during the OHL playoffs, recording 23 points in 20 games.  Unfortunately, the IceDogs could not solve the London Knights and they were beaten in five games.

Aaron Ekblad scored 29 points as a 1996-born defenceman, highlighted by ten goals, to garner OHL top rookie honours. (OHL Images)

Emms Family Award (OHL Top Rookie)

Aaron Ekblad won the Emms Family Award for the OHL’s top rookie after he showed why he was worthy of being granted “exceptional player” status to be drafted a year early.  Blessed with great size and offensive ability, Ekblad led the Colts blueline in scoring with 29 points (ten goals, 19 assists) in 63 games.  He played on a rather veteran corps that included Ryan O’Connor, Alex Lepkowski, Chris Buonomo and Reid McNeill; that being said, however, Ekblad proved not only that he belonged with them but he can play just as well, despite being up to five years younger.  Ekblad was the only defenceman in Barrie to achieve double-digit goal totals in 2011-12 and he was seventh in team scoring.  Dale Hawerchuk used the 1996-born rookie in all situations, especially on the powerplay, and it relayed in seven of his ten goals being scored on the man advantage.  Ekblad was also given the opportunity to play for Ontario at the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, winning the gold medal for his home province.  There were many other sensational rookies in the OHL in 2011-12 but the fact that Ekblad had the incredible year he had, especially as an underage defenceman, made him a rather fitting choice for the award.

Brandon Saad recorded 38 penalty minutes in 44 games, all the while scoring 76 points upon returning to Saginaw from the Chicago Blackhawks. (OHL Images)

William Hanley Trophy (OHL Most Sportsmanlike Player)

Brandon Saad had a rather impressive season upon his return to the OHL from the Chicago Blackhawks.  He had 18 points in eight games in October, highlighted by a five-point game (four goals, one assist) in only his third game back with the Saginaw Spirit.  Saad had one of the OHL’s best point-scoring streaks during the season, a 16-game streak between January 15 and February 24, 2012, in which he scored 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists).  Saad enjoyed seven two-goal games, four four-point games, and eight three-point games. After Ryan O’Connor was dealt to the Barrie Colts at the OHL trade deadline, Saad assumed the captaincy of the Spirit and the points continued to accumulate.  Additionally, Saad played in all situations for Saginaw.  He had an incredible plus/minus of +35, one of the best in the OHL considering that he only played in 44 games between his tenure with the Blackhawks and also playing at the World Juniors for the United States.  He finished the season with 76 points (34 goals, 42 assists) which was highlighted by nine powerplay goals and six shorthanded goals.  He had only 38 penalty minutes in that stretch.

Mark Visentin led the OHL with a 1.99 goals-against average in 2011-12, thanks to ten shutouts. (Terry Wilson/OHL Images)

Dave Pinkney Trophy (Lowest Team Goals-Against Average)

Mark Visentin has been one of the OHL’s best goaltenders since he entered the league.  He was named the OHL’s top goaltender in 2010-11, despite missing time representing Canada at the 2011 World Juniors, but he did not repeat the accomplishment in 2011-12, losing the goaltender of the year award to London Knights netminder Michael Houser, who also bested him in the 2011 OHL Championship.  That being said, however, he did have a fantastic season.  He led all OHL goaltenders with a 1.99 goals-against average, .926% save percentage and ten shutouts, the latter being a new OHL record.  Missing time due to injury and World Junior duty, Visentin did manage to put together a solid 30-9-2 record in 42 games in 2011-12.

Chris Festarini’s 2.27 GAA with Niagara helped the IceDogs secure an OHL-lowest 2.42 goals against. (Terry Wilson/OHL Images)

Thankfully, for Visentin, he also had a reliable backup goaltender.  Chris Festarini was traded to the Niagara IceDogs from the Erie Otters shortly after the Otters had Ramis Sadikov return; as well, the IceDogs had traded Jaroslav Pavelka to the Windsor Spitfires.  Festarini, a 1993-born goaltender who had only five OHL career wins going into his tenure with Niagara, completely relished the role of backup.  Additionally, he had solid numbers in his own right.  In 22 games with the IceDogs, he had a record of 15-6, a 2.27 goals-against average, a .918% save percentage and two shutouts.  Festarini recorded his first OHL career shutout on December 15, 2011, against his former team.  He also recorded a shutout on March 18, 2012, against the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors.  Between Visentin and Festarini, the IceDogs had a goals-against average of 2.42, the lowest in the entire OHL.  With Visentin now graduating to the Phoenix Coyotes organization, Festarini is expected to be the #1 man between the pipes for the IceDogs in 2012-13.

Daniel Altshuller had a 3.55 goals-against average in 30 games, the best among all OHL rookie goaltenders. (Aaron Bell/OHL Images)

F.W. “Dinty” Moore Trophy (Best Rookie Goals-Against Average)

Daniel Altshuller had a solid rookie season in the OHL in 2011-12 after he was traded to the Oshawa Generals from the Belleville Bulls.  The Nepean native had an impressive track record coming into his first OHL season, including a gold medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge for Ontario (he led the tournament with a 1.39 goals-against average and a .946% save percentage) and another gold medal with Canada at the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.  He also had a 3.22 goals-against average and a .906% save percentage in 43 games with the Central Tier 1 Hockey League’s Nepean Raiders in 2010-11.  Altshuller initially began the 2011-12 OHL season as the backup to veteran netminder Kevin Bailie but, as the season progressed, they began to share the goaltending duties in Oshawa. Altshuller recorded a win in his first OHL career start on September 23, 2011, against Kingston, making 37 saves.  He had ten games in which he faced over 40 shots, the most coming on November 19, 2011, against the Frontenacs; he faced 55 shots in a 7-6 overtime loss at the General Motors Centre.  He did manage to also have a five-game winning streak between December 28, 2011, and January 6, 2012.  He also secured the #1 job for the month of February after Bailie was felled by an injury.  He finished the season with an 11-16-3 record in 30 games (he rendered a decision in every start), with a 3.55 goals-against average and an even .900% save percentage.  Due to new rules that govern age restriction on rookie awards in the OHL, Altshuller was given the F.W. “Dinty” Moore Trophy for the best goals-against average for a rookie goaltender.  (He was actually one of only a few rookie goaltenders in the OHL in 2012-13; many of the other first-year goaltenders were too old to be considered “rookies.”)

Tyler Toffoli scored 100 points this season, winning a second consecutive Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy. (OHL Images)

Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy (OHL Top Scoring Right Winger)

Tyler Toffoli is one of the best scorers in recent OHL history, scoring 333 points in 252 career games.  In 2010-11, Toffoli led the OHL in scoring with 108 points; it was also the first time that he was named the winner of the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the top-scoring right winger in the OHL.  2011-12 was no different for the Ottawa 67′s sniper.  The Los Angeles Kings draft pick scored 100 points (52 goals, 48 assists), losing the scoring title by two to Sudbury forward Michael Sgarbossa. After recording an assist in his only game of September, missing time while still at Kings camp, he completely made a splash in the scoring department. He recorded 24 points in 11 games in October, 22 points in 12 games in November, eight points in nine games in December (albeit missing time to attend Canada’s World Junior camp), 21 points in 12 games in January, 14 points in 11 games in February, and ten points in nine games in March.  Toffoli had seven three-point games, two four-point games, two five-point games and two hat tricks.  Also as remarkable was his dependability in all situations, scoring eight powerplay goals and seven shorthanded goals.  Unlike in 2010-11, when he had to share both the Eddie Powers Memorial Award and the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy with Kitchener Rangers forward Jason Akeson (himself also a right winger), Toffoli got to have the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy all to himself this year as Sgarbossa plays centre.

Andrew Agozzino had 88 points in 2011-12, his overage season, garnering him the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy. The third-year IceDogs captain was also awarded the Mickey Renaud Captain’s Trophy. (Terry Wilson/OHL Images)

Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy (OHL Overager of the Year)

Mickey Renaud Captain’s Trophy

Andrew Agozzino had an incredible overage campaign in the OHL in 2011-12.  He had a personal best 88 points (40 goals, 48 assists) in 67 games, leading all 1991-born players in scoring. He had 16 points in 12 games in October, 12 points in 11 games in November, 17 points in 11 games in December, 16 points in 11 games in January, 17 points in 11 games in February, and ten points in eight games in March. He thrived on special teams, scoring 13 powerplay goals and seven shorthanded goals.  He helped the Niagara IceDogs win their first conference championship in franchise history, something extra special for Agozzino since he was the first draft pick in their history after relocating to St. Catharines. Additionally, the OHL found Agozzino to be a worthy recipient of the Mickey Renaud Captain’s Trophy, especially since he was captain of the IceDogs for three seasons between 2008 and 2012, assuming the ‘C’ during the 2008-09 OHL season, the campaign after the namesake of the award passed away.  (Mickey Renaud died on February 18, 2008; at the time he was the captain of the Windsor Spitfires. His parents helped create an award in his honour after his death which is presented to the OHL captain who best personifies the qualities he possessed on the ice.)

Austin Watson won the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as OHL playoff MVP after scoring 17 points in 19 playoff games. It is his second OHL title. (Terry Wilson/OHL Images)

Wayne Gretzky 99 Award (OHL Playoffs’ Most Valuable Player)

Austin Watson has played for the Windsor Spitfires and the Peterborough Petes in the past but it is now with the London Knights where he is starting to enjoy incredible success.  The Nashville Predators 2010 first-rounder joined the Knights in a trade at the deadline and he has completely thrived with his new club.  He scored 35 points in 29 games after arriving in London, which included two goals in his second game with the Knights.  Watson also had an incredible 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in February 2012. It was during the playoffs, though, where he really started to show what he was made of.  Watson already had Memorial Cup pedigree, winning in 2009 with the Windsor Spitfires as a rookie and he used that experience to his advantage with his new team.  In April alone, he had 12 points (seven goals, five assists).  Watson finished the playoffs with 17 points (ten goals, seven assists) in 19 games.  He scored the all-important first goal in the fifth and deciding game in the OHL championship final against the Niagara IceDogs en route to winning a second league title.

Adam Pelech won both the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award and Bobby Smith Trophy, the first to win both academic awards in the same year. (OHL Images)

Ivan Tennant Memorial Award (OHL Top High School Athlete)

Roger Neilson Memorial Award (OHL Top University/College Athlete)

Bobby Smith Trophy (OHL Student-Athlete of the Year)

Adam Pelech was one of the best student-athletes in the OHL in 2011-12.  Attending McDowell Senior High School in Erie, Pennsylvania, Pelech, a second-year defenceman, excelled in the classroom, finishing with a 95% average in six courses: Algebra, Computer Applications, English Introduction to Business, Physical Education, and Sports & Entertainment Studies.  Pelech’s aptitude in the classroom, as well as on the ice, garnered him the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award, which is presented to the OHL’s top high school athlete of the year.  His oldest brother Matt won the inaugural Ivan Tennant Memorial Award in 2005 while playing for the Sarnia Sting.

Kyle Pereira was named the OHL’s top university/college athlete after a successful year at the University of Guelph. (Photo: Terry Wilson/OHL Images)

Kyle Pereira, who plays for Erie’s Midwest Division rival Guelph Storm, was given the Roger Neilson Memorial Award for the OHL’s top university/college athlete of the year.  Pereira, an overage defenceman, had great marks in a full six-course schedule: Computer Science, Crime & Criminal Justice, Dynamics of Behaviour, Microeconomics, Nutrition & Society, and Sociology.  With Pereira’s OHL tenure now over, it begs the question of how well he will do in his future studies and his hockey career, as well.

If the first award was not nice enough of an accolade, Pelech was further recognized with the Bobby Smith Trophy, which is given to the OHL student-athlete of the year.  While it is not unusual for a player to win the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award or the Roger Neilson Memorial Award in consecutive seasons, this was a league first.  It was the first time in OHL history where a player who has won a subsidiary league academic award has won the top award in the same year.  That was an accomplishment his brother could not even accomplish.

Andrew D’Agostini won the Dan Snyder Memorial Award for exemplary humanitarian commitments in the Peterborough area. (Terry Wilson/OHL Images)

Dan Snyder Memorial Award (OHL Humanitarian of the Year)

Andrew D’Agostini can thank Anthony Romanelli for one of the many reasons why he has won the Dan Snyder Memorial Award.  The six-year-old has had cystic fibrosis for the last three years and, ever since meeting Anthony in December 2011, D’Agostini has become the spokesman for the 2012 Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides Walk.  He also has captained a team called “Shutout for Anthony,” which has raised over $5000 to date.  In addition to this, as if doing that as well as playing as the #1 goaltender for the Peterborough Petes and keeping up with his studies, D’Agostini became almost like a goodwill ambassador in the Liftlock City.  Over the last three seasons, he has helped with the Petes’ “Partners in Education” program (D’Agostini himself was the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award winner in 2011), as well as helping out at the pediatric ward at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre and playing floor hockey with a group of Special Olympian athletes.  D’Agostini also has visited a young fan who was in the hospital after getting into a car accident leaving a Petes game and is now recuperating at home.  Five Petes have won the OHL humanitarian award over the years and this was the first year that Petes have won in back-to-back seasons; Jack Walchessen won the award in 2010-11, his overage season in which he served as the team’s captain.

Connor McDavid was the third player to be granted “exceptional player” status to be drafted early to the OHL. The 1997-born forward scored 72 points in 33 games in 2011-12, as well as getting the winning goal for the Toronto Marlboros in the GTHL final. (OHL Images)

Jack Ferguson Award (First Overall Pick in the OHL Priority Selection)

Connor McDavid is about to prove that good things come in threes.  He is the third player since 2005 to be granted “exceptional player” status, joining the likes of John Tavares and Aaron Ekblad to be given the opportunity to be drafted a year earlier than he was supposed to.  The 1997-born forward, who was chosen first overall by the Erie Otters, surely demonstrated in 2011-12 why he was worthy of Hockey Canada’s allowance of him to be given the permission.  Serving as an alternate captain on the Toronto Marlboros Minor Midgets, McDavid was named the GTHL’s player of the year after scoring 72 points (33 goals, 39 assists) in only 33 games.  In addition, McDavid recorded 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) in only 14 playoff games, helping the Marlboros win the GTHL championship.  He scored the championship-winning goal with only 21.6 seconds left in regulation in the fifth and deciding game.  McDavid also shone at the OHL Cup, recording 19 points (11 goals, eight assists) in only seven games at the tournament; he was named the most valuable player of the OHL Cup tournament for his efforts, despite the Marlboros losing in the final to the Mississauga Rebels for the second straight year.  McDavid will be joining a rebuilding Otters team, one that is excited at the potential of the likes of Stephen Harper, Devin Williams, Connor Brown and Dane Fox all helping to return the Otters to the respectability they have had in previous seasons.  McDavid will also have several former minor midget teammates in the OHL in 2012-13; Roland McKeown and Samuel Bennett will play for Kingston, Joshua Ho-Sang will play for Windsor, Jeremiah Addison will play for Saginaw, Daniel De Sousa and Michael Cramarossa will play for Belleville, and Jaden Lindo will play for Owen Sound.

While the Bamboozle Music festival rages on the Jersey Shore, New Jersey Devils fans are also raging at the Prudential Center in Newark.  What was supposed to be a 2-0 lead for the New York Rangers became an uncertain turn heading into Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The question has become what’s wrong with the Rangers? Apparently, they’re just moody.

In  Game 2, Coach John Tortorella said he didn’t see many positives to take away from their performance. In other words, homework and discipline were in order to win Game 3, or take more drastic measures.

Benching Marian Gaborik in Game 2 roused the media to question Torts and his tactics:
“You guys like calling them benchings and all that stuff, but as coaches we’re trying to find a way to win a hockey game, and we make decisions accordingly.”

Marian Gaborik (bridgetds/Flickr).

Just winning games is what the Eastern Conference Champs are supposed to do, but now desperate to do. If the Rangers want to compete at the level of Stanley Cup Champs, then they need to learn how to close the door on a series as confidently as the Los Angeles Kings.

New York’s leading playoff scorer, Brad Richards, has just one point and three shots on goal this series through Game 2. It would be doubtful if Torts would bench Richards to send a message, but if it happens, the Rangers would become transparent in their desperation. Richards did rebound in Game 3 with an assist, so he’s safe for now.

Tortorella also griped about how the media spends “too much time talking about streaks.” From Torts’ perspective, “We just spend time trying to make corrections in our game, trying to be better in the things we think we need to be better for our next game, and go about our business.”

That’s exactly what the Devils are doing. Devils captain Zach Parise is working on hockey business as usual aside from “more media coverage than we’ve ever seen.” New Jersey doesn’t seem to have the same level of concern as the New York Rangers have displayed.

What General Manager Lou Lamoriello and Coach Peter DeBoer have done in Newark is impressive. New Jersey came into the Eastern Conference with hope, not necessarily expectations. New York expects to win. And they should based on what they can accomplish in blocking, hits and the mastery of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. John Tortorella hates the excuses, and refuses to succumb to giving them in press conferences.

New York feels the heat of not advancing. The Rangers are aware they should be cleaning up right now, but refuse to get that cocky.  Defenders of Coach Tortorella are correct in their assessment of his stylist approach to avoid his team becoming the scapegoat. The guys are doing what Torts and Callahan are directing. All this blood, sweat and high gear is exhausting the tough New York team.

Last year’s rock stars, the Vancouver Canucks were in a sweet spot last season, but lost at the last possible moment. Now, Roberto Luongo is looking for a new home. If the Rangers advance on to the Stanley Cup Finals, whether they win or lose, expect the band to break up. It always happens.

With a spirited Game 3 shutout, 3-0, the rock stars in the Rangers are alive and kicking. The chances for the Rangers to advance are good if they continue the dominance. If the Blueshirts flip-flop throughout the series, their opportunity to advance is good, but not great.

On the surface of another 3-0 loss to the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals, there doesn’t appear to be much good news for the New Jersey Devils. But in breaking down the game, they outplayed the visitors pretty decisively for the first two periods, and according to their players, they didn’t score because they didn’t bury their chances; it wasn’t anything that their opponents did that was so radical.

That’s the way the longest-active Devil not named Martin Brodeur (Patrik Elias) saw it, and his coach Pete DeBoer agreed too. “It wasn’t anything really that they did better (than us),” said Elias sitting back in his locker with his arms crossed. “I thought it was a pretty good hockey game; even though they had 12 shots or whatever at the end of the second period, they had some quality opportunities. Marty was great and we had our chances. Plenty of them. We didn’t put them in, they put one in on their power play. Right away, a couple of shifts after that, they got second one; we tried to make a push (at the end) and they got an empty-netter.”

The Rangers tallied two goals in a span of 1:58, stunning the home team and it’s fans for a bit, before a late Devils surge almost broke the shutout. Just like in Game 1, defenseman Dan Girardi got the first goal of the game (and game-winner) with a long shot that unlike in Game 1, Brodeur saw. “Yeah I saw it all the way,” admitted Brodeur, “it beat me clean.”

But Elias (a two-time Champion and 14-year veteran)  also admitted that his team’s confidence has not faltered, at all. “It’s not a big deal. It’s not like we got outplayed or something; we just have to find a way to put the puck in. Obviously both teams — when they are playing with the lead, it’s tough to come back, to get back in the game.”

New Jersey registered double-digit shot totals in each period, New York didn’t reach double-digit shots in any period, but still won the game with three, third period goals — the same formula they used in winning Game 1. Three of Henrik Lundqvist’s biggest saves came on breakaways while the game was still scoreless, and he finished with 36 saves for his second shutout of the series and third of these playoffs. “We had two breakaways, a two-on-one, we have to find a way to score a goal,” said the Devils coach afterwards. “We’re not the first team Lundqvist has done this to, we have to battle through. It’s a little frustrating, but we’re creating chances, we carried the play, we did a lot of good things; we’re gonna stick with it.”

“If we find a way to score one in the first two periods, it’s a different game,” said DeBoer at his post-game press conference. “We didn’t. Can’t feel sorry for yourself.” When asked about his team’s struggles to score in the series the coach admitted that he will only look to make minor tweaks and not change his team’s philosophy going forward. “The momentum shifts, when you lose a game like where you out-chance, outplay the other team for long stretches — it’s easy to look at it under a microscope and say ‘oh boy they played two great shifts here and that was the difference in the game.’ We strung together six or seven great shifts and we didn’t capitalize on it, that’s the story of the game.”

The Rangers were also able to kill off five Devil power plays, including two huge chances in the third period while they were up 2-0. “We just have to put the puck in,” Elias said when asked of his team’s struggles on the man-advantage. “We had a couple of them where we didn’t really get anything going, and we didn’t move the puck well at all. Then we had a couple of them where we moved the puck great and we had some quality opportunities that just didn’t go in for us.” It was about as simple as an explanation gets for why a team is struggling, but Elias was dead-on in his assessments — the Devils played a solid game, but they just didn’t score. “When you’re playing a team that is so tight five-on-five, you have to take advantage of those opportunities on the PP, no question.”

When asked how does he feel going into Game 4 on Monday night, Elias smiled, looked up and said, “It’s good, thanks. We’ll be fine, we had energy here (in the building), we created a lot of good chances, a lot of good plays. We made some mistakes, but it’s a matter of staying patient; and try to get a goal first.”

Dan Rice can be reached via Twitter: @DRdiablo321 or via email: drdiablo321@yahoo.com