Kelvin LePotevin http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com ...getting known Mon, 21 May 2012 04:22:59 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Grizzlies’ Noonan drives in eight runshttp://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/grizzlies-noonan-drives-in-eight-runs/ http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/grizzlies-noonan-drives-in-eight-runs/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 04:22:59 +0000 kelvinlepotevin http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/grizzlies-noonan-drives-in-eight-runs/ Nick Noonan has driven in 26 runs through 36 games this season.

Nick Noonan has driven in 26 runs through 36 games this season. (Don Davis/Fresno Grizzlies)

When Nick Noonan came to bat with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the sixth inning Sunday, he’d already homered and driven in four runs. So when he worked the count to an advantageous 3-1, he thought to himself, “Let one fly.”

Only Noonan was thinking sacrifice fly.

The former first-round pick smacked a grand slam, giving him a career-high — and franchise-record — eight RBIs and capping the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies’ 11-5 victory over the Round Rock Express.

The win sealed a four-game sweep and was the visitors’ fifth straight overall.

Noonan’s eight RBIs eclipsed the previous club mark of seven, set by Dante Powell on May 26, 1998 and matched by John Bowker on Aug. 16, 2009.

The key to Noonan’s day?

“I saw the fastball well, which is always good,” said the shortstop, who turned 23 earlier this month.”

That’s the pitch the left-handed hitter found to his liking in a 2-1 count against Express starter — and Rangers’ No. 2 prospect — Martin Perez in the third inning. His two-run shot cleared the right-center field fence.

“I saw a lot of sliders in that at-bat,” Noonan said, “then I got in a good hitter’s count, saw the fastball good out of his hand and was able to pop it out.

“We did a good job of laying off [Perez's] slider and taking advantage of the fastball.”

Batting sixth, Noonan also singled home two runs in the first and led off the eighth with a double. In between, he faced right-handed reliever Sean Green in that eventful sixth-inning matchup.

“It was [against] a sidearm, three-quarter guy,” Noonan said. “All his pitches were outside. It was a 3-0 count and I took a fastball and then looked for it again 3-1.”

The grand slam was the Grizzlies’ second of the season. Joaquin Arias did the deed on April 9 in Las Vegas.

Noonan had not registered a multi-homer game in his six-year pro career. He eclipsed his previous single-game high by three RBIs after tripling, doubling and plating five runs for Class A Augusta on April 19, 2008.

Noonan attributed his re-emergence at the plate — he batted .237 in 2010 and .229 in 2011 — simply to aggressiveness. He is batting .326 with 13 extra-base hits and 26 RBIs through 37 games this season.

Whatever the reason, he’s performing at the right time. The big league club is without All-Star second baseman Freddy Sanchez and, despite the slick fielding of light-hitting shortstop Brandan Crawford, both middle-infield positions seem in a fluid state. Emmanuel Burriss, Arias and recent Fresno callup Charlie Culberson have all taken turns.

“It’s always on the back of my mind,” Noonan said. “I can’t help but think of it.”

Although he drove in all but three of his club’s runs Sunday, Noonan was not alone. Third baseman Conor Gillaspie — a 2008 first-round pick — and veteran outfielder Todd Linden each had two hits. Linden, who also scored three runs, went 12-for-18 with nine RBIs during the series.

Perez (3-4) was charged with seven runs — four earned — on eight hits and four walks over three innings. The left-hander has surrendered seven runs in consecutive starts, both losses.

Fresno counterpart Andrew Kown (4-1) limited the Express to three runs on seven hits over five frames.

Round Rock’s Ryan Spilborghs and Yangervis Solarte both went 2-for-4 to extend their hitting streaks to 14 and six games, respectively. Solarte has hit safely in 28 of his last 29 contests.

The Express have lost 10 of their last 11 games and were swept at home for the first time since Tacoma took four straight in August 2009.

Andrew Pentis is a contributor to MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at AndrewMiLB. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp

]]> http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/grizzlies-noonan-drives-in-eight-runs/feed/ 0 Cuan yields one hit over 6 1/3 frameshttp://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/cuan-yields-one-hit-over-6-13-frames/ http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/cuan-yields-one-hit-over-6-13-frames/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 04:22:59 +0000 kelvinlepotevin http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/cuan-yields-one-hit-over-6-13-frames/ Mets’ left-hander standing out in talented St. Lucie rotation

Angel Cuan has struck out 25 batters over 38 innings in seven appearances.

Angel Cuan has struck out 25 batters over 38 innings in seven appearances. (St. Lucie Mets)

The St. Lucie Mets have the best record in all of pro baseball, so it’s no surprise they lead the Florida State League in virtually every statistical category. Even on the rare days the team doesn’t win, the depth in starting pitching has been evident.

Angel Cuan allowed one hit over 6 1/3 shutout innings, but didn’t factor into the decision after the bullpen was unable to hold on to the lead in the Class A Advanced Mets’ 2-1 loss to the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

Cuan, pitching for the first time since being used out of the bullpen for three innings on May 9, struck out three and walked two batters.

Dixon Machado recorded the lone single against the 22-year-old to lead off the fourth inning, but the 5-foot-11 native of Panama stranded him in scoring position by retiring the next three batters.

Ryan Fraser replaced Cuan — signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2007 — with one out in the seventh inning. But Lakeland scratched across a pair of runs on four hits to deny Cuan his fourth win of the season.

In seven games, including six starts, Cuan has a 2.37 ERA and he has held hitters to a .225 average. He has not allowed more than four runs in any outing, and in five of his appearances he has allowed two runs or fewer.

All but one of the Mets’ regular starting pitchers has won at least three games, and among them only one — Yohan Almonte, who is 3-0 — has an ERA above 3.25. St. Lucie also leads the league in shutouts (seven) and saves (19) and only the Brevard County Manatees (11) have allowed fewer homers (13).

St. Lucie fell to 34-9 with the loss, but still holds a 12.5-game lead atop the Florida State League South Division.

The team’s 2.64 ERA is almost a full run lower than the league average (3.60) and it ranks second in the Minors behind only Class A Lansing (2.48).

Ashley Marshall is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp

]]> http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/cuan-yields-one-hit-over-6-13-frames/feed/ 0 O’s Bundy goes five, gets first pro winhttp://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/os-bundy-goes-five-gets-first-pro-win/ http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/os-bundy-goes-five-gets-first-pro-win/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 04:22:58 +0000 kelvinlepotevin http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/os-bundy-goes-five-gets-first-pro-win/ Dylan Bundy was the fourth overall selection in the 2011 Draft.

Dylan Bundy was the fourth overall selection in the 2011 Draft. (Tony Farlow/MiLB.com)

Just when it seemed things could only get worse for Dylan Bundy, they appear to be getting even better.

Bundy, MLB.com’s No. 9 prospect, allowed one hit over five scoreless innings to earn his first pro win Sunday as the Class A Delmarva Shorebirds beat the Hagerstown Suns, 3-1.

Bundy (1-0) retired the first 12 batters and ended up facing only two over the minimum. Suns cleanup man Matthew Skole doubled leading off the fifth and advanced to third on Steven Souza’s sacrifice — the same Souza whose seven homers rank third in the South Atlantic League — but was stranded. Bundy plunked the next batter, J.P. Ramirez, before recording his final two outs in order. He struck out four overall.

“When I was commanding my fastball today, they weren’t really on it,” Bundy told MLB.com, referencing how few changeups he incorporated.

The fourth overall pick in last year’s Draft has started his career with eight strong outings spanning 30 innings. He has allowed two unearned runs — one each on May 7 and May 14 — while his ERA remains unchanged at 0.00.

The 19-year-old’s eye-popping strikeout-to-walk ratio? Try 40-2.

Sunday marked his second straight outing of five innings. The Orioles’ No. 2 prospect allowed a run on two hits on Monday against Lakewood. Bundy is scheduled for another five-inning outing against first-place Greensboro on Saturday.

Is there anything left for the Oklahoma native to accomplish in the South Atlantic League? Maybe not.

“Dylan has clearly forced the issue for a point of discussion about, ‘Let’s talk about the next phase of this.’ I think that is coming sooner than later,” Orioles director of pitching development Rick Peterson told MASNsports.com on Sunday night.

The Shorebirds scored twice in the second and once in the third to support their starter. Brenden Webb, Gabriel Lino and Mychal Givens started the second with consecutive base hits against Suns starter Kylin Turnbull, with Givens driving home Webb with the game’s first run.

Turnbull (1-3) was charged with three runs — two earned — on six hits over five frames.

Andrew Pentis is a contributor to MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at AndrewMiLB. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp

]]> http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/os-bundy-goes-five-gets-first-pro-win/feed/ 0 Dominant Holmberg douses Blazehttp://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/dominant-holmberg-douses-blaze/ http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/dominant-holmberg-douses-blaze/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 04:22:58 +0000 kelvinlepotevin http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/dominant-holmberg-douses-blaze/ David Holmberg has posted a 3.25 ERA through nine starts this year.

David Holmberg has posted a 3.25 ERA through nine starts this year. (Ken Weisenberger/MiLB.com)

The last time David Holmberg pitched, the Visalia Rawhide lineup made things easy for him by putting up 26 runs on 31 hits. This time, the offense again showed up, but Holmberg didn’t need the help.

The D-backs’ No. 7 prospect allowed just one hit without a walk over seven shutout innings Sunday, leading the way as the Class A Advanced Visalia Rawhide shut out the Bakersfield Blaze, 8-0.

Holmberg (6-3) tied a season high with nine strikeouts, giving him 60 in 55 1/3 frames. Though Visalia made three errors in the game, he faced one batter over the minimum thanks to a double play and two men caught stealing.

“My fastball command today was working pretty well,” said Holmberg, a second-round pick by the White Sox in 2009. “It was working well with our catcher [Tyson Van Winkle] behind the plate. We were going with offspeed and breaking balls to make them get themselves out.”

After retiring seven of the first eight batters he faced, Holmberg gave up a two-out double to Jaren Matthews in the third. He got out of the frame by inducing a flyout off the bat of Billy Hamilton.

“I started [Matthews] with two sliders and got him 1-1,” Holmberg said. “I wanted to speed up his eyes and tried to go in on him. I got it in but it was a little up, he got his hands on it and drove it to the fence.”

Over his final four innings, Holmberg set down 10 of the 12 batters he faced — with both baserunners reaching on errors. The 20-year-old left-hander lowered his ERA from 3.72 to 3.25 in the process.

On the offensive side, No. 11 prospect Bobby Borchering homered twice and drove in four runs for the Rawhide. Repeating at Class A Advanced after spending all of last year with Visalia, the 21-year-old outfielder is hitting .248 with five longballs and 27 RBIs.

“It was great. It’s always great when your team scores some runs,” Holmberg said. “It’s a little overshadowed by [the] High Desert [game] — about a week ago, we scored 26. The guys were definitely swinging the bats well today.”

Holmberg, who was traded to Arizona with Dan Hudson in exchange for Edwin Jackson in 2010, also finds himself back with the Rawhide after making 13 starts for them last season. He put together a 4.67 ERA in those outings, striking out 76 in 71 1/3 innings.

The Florida native said his improved results this season are partially a product of his experience last year.

“It gave me a little confidence coming into this year, knowing what to expect in terms of atmosphere, hitters, things of that nature,” Holmberg said. “I just carried that through from last year to this year.”

David Heck is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp

]]> http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/dominant-holmberg-douses-blaze/feed/ 0 Frisco’s Loux earns ninth straight winhttp://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/friscos-loux-earns-ninth-straight-win/ http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/friscos-loux-earns-ninth-straight-win/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 04:22:58 +0000 kelvinlepotevin http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/friscos-loux-earns-ninth-straight-win/ Barret Loux has struck out 48 batters over 50 1/3 innings.

Barret Loux has struck out 48 batters over 50 1/3 innings. (Shawn E. Davis/MiLB.com)

Rangers’ right-handed prospect Barret Loux says his remarkable start to the season has as much to do with luck and run support as hitting spots and mixing his pitches.

Considering Loux is now a Minors-best 9-0, he may also lead the league in modesty.

Texas’ No. 19 prospect allowed one run on two hits and a walk while striking out six batters over seven innings Sunday in the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders’ 2-1 win over the San Antonio Missions.

That’s nine starts, nine victories for the 23-year-old, who was last on the losing end of a decision in July while pitching for the Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

“It’s pretty cool, but you have to have a lot of luck involved,” said Loux. “[The team has] scored more runs than I’ve thrown innings. They’ve scored so many runs in games when I’ve pitched, it’s been unbelievable. I had full confidence in them.

“I only have two goals this season, staying healthy and giving my team a chance to win.”

Loux was originally selected by Arizona sixth overall in the 2010 Draft, but the club chose not to sign him due to injury concerns. Texas took a chance on him a few months later and the risk paid off.

Loux retired the side in order in the first inning Sunday, but he surrendered a leadoff homer to Cody Decker on the first pitch of the second. Loux then retired 17 of the next 18 players he faced before Jonathan Galvez singled to left field with two outs in the seventh. But the Texas native induced an inning-ending ground ball off the bat of Edison Rincon with his 90th and final pitch of the evening.

“The first pitch of that inning I threw a not-very-good slider and he hit it a long way,” Loux said of Decker’s 14th homer of the year. “I wanted to throw it low and away and either miss for a ball or get a swing. I left it a little bit over the plate.

“I was keeping the fastball down. I got a few ground balls and a few fly balls. I was trying to locate my pitches, force contact and let the defense work behind me. They were out in front early and I wanted to keep it there. I knew the hitting would come around.”

Loux exited with Frisco trailing, 1-0, but his teammates picked him up with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning and the bullpen put up zeros in the final two innings to secure another win.

Consecutive one-out singles by third baseman Alex Buchholz, left fielder Val Majewski and catcher Zach Zaneski tied the game, and right fielder Jared Prince plated what turned out to be the eventual winning run with a groundout to second base.

Wilfredo Boscan worked a perfect eighth, left-hander Joe Ortiz set down both batters he faced and Johan Yan needed just two pitches to retire Nathan Freiman for the final out to record his 10th save of the year.

Loux has not surrendered more than three runs this year, but he has allowed at least two runs in five of his nine outings. Frisco, however, has averaged more than seven runs and 11 hits in games he has started. Entering Sunday, Loux had only pitched five innings with his team trailing.

While Loux’s winning streak remained intact, shortstop Jurickson Profar was unable to record a hit in his Minor League-leading 30th game of the year. Texas’ top prospect grounded out in the first, walked in the fourth, struck out in the sixth and flied out to center field in the eighth.

“He’s an unbelievable player. He’s very athletic and powerful and he’s a great guy to be around.” Loux said of Profar. “He makes great defensive plays and it’s fun to watch him play.”

Loux became the first nine-game winner this year. Arizona’s top prospect — and MLB.com’s No. 8 — Trevor Bauer won his eighth game of the season in his Triple-A debut with Reno on Thursday, while Akron’s T.J. McFarland ran his record to 8-1 after allowing a run on a season-high 12 hits in Sunday’s 3-2 victory at home to Richmond.

Loux will go for his 10th win either in the finale of a three-game set in Tulsa on Friday or in Game 1 of a three-game series in Northwest Arkansas on Saturday.

Ashley Marshall is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp

]]> http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/baseball/friscos-loux-earns-ninth-straight-win/feed/ 0 Blues Looking To Offseason For Answershttp://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/blues-looking-to-offseason-for-answers/ http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/blues-looking-to-offseason-for-answers/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 02:11:08 +0000 kelvinlepotevin http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/blues-looking-to-offseason-for-answers/
Added by Justin Halbersma on May 19, 2012.
St. Louis Blues beat San Jose 2012

(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.

…and from elsewhere around the web:

http://thehockeywriters.com/

]]> http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/blues-looking-to-offseason-for-answers/feed/ 0 2012 Men’s World Championship: Russia Poised For Final Win!http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/2012-mens-world-championship-russia-poised-for-final-win/ http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/2012-mens-world-championship-russia-poised-for-final-win/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 02:11:08 +0000 kelvinlepotevin http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/2012-mens-world-championship-russia-poised-for-final-win/
Added by Chris Wassel on May 20, 2012.

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.

===========================================

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.

======================================

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.

======================================

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

…and from elsewhere around the web:

http://thehockeywriters.com/

]]> http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/2012-mens-world-championship-russia-poised-for-final-win/feed/ 0 Semin Needs Detroit and Detroit Needs Seminhttp://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/semin-needs-detroit-and-detroit-needs-semin/ http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/semin-needs-detroit-and-detroit-needs-semin/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 02:11:08 +0000 kelvinlepotevin http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/semin-needs-detroit-and-detroit-needs-semin/
Added by Jeff Stone on May 20, 2012.

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.

…and from elsewhere around the web:

http://thehockeywriters.com/

]]> http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/semin-needs-detroit-and-detroit-needs-semin/feed/ 0 New Jersey Devils Fail to Convert Early Chances in Losshttp://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/new-jersey-devils-fail-to-convert-early-chances-in-loss/ http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/new-jersey-devils-fail-to-convert-early-chances-in-loss/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 02:11:07 +0000 kelvinlepotevin http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/new-jersey-devils-fail-to-convert-early-chances-in-loss/
Added by Carl Stoffers on May 20, 2012.

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.

Game 1 NJ vs NY 2012

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.

…and from elsewhere around the web:

http://thehockeywriters.com/

]]> http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/new-jersey-devils-fail-to-convert-early-chances-in-loss/feed/ 0 Kings Go Doan In Game Fourhttp://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/kings-go-doan-in-game-four/ http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/kings-go-doan-in-game-four/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 02:11:07 +0000 kelvinlepotevin http://kelvinlepotevin.bloggingfamily.com/2012/05/hockey/kings-go-doan-in-game-four/
Added by Michael Gwizdala on May 20, 2012.

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 Kings

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).

…and from elsewhere around the web:

http://thehockeywriters.com/

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