WASHINGTON — To appreciate what Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ian Cole can do, replay one shift from their 3-2 win against the Washington Capitals at Verizon Center on Thursday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Second Round series.
Cole and defense partner Justin Schultz were out against the Capitals’ top line of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie with the score tied 2-2 in the third period.
It’s all in how you say his name.
When chanted by fans around the NHL — and some in Anaheim who have had cause to consider Kevin Bieksa too mistake-prone and slow to keep up in today’s NHL — it’s pronounced “Bee-EKK-saaa,” with each syllable drawn out and sung in a mocking tone.
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Right wing Jesper Fast could be considered the New York Rangers’ version of a Swiss Army Knife; he can do it all.
If a top-nine forward is struggling, losing focus in the defensive end or in need of a wake-up call, Fast will be called upon to replace him.
If a line is losing its chemistry, Fast will be put on it.
Who’s to say exactly what factor will decide a game – or even swing the series – when the Predators take on Chicago in the First Round of the Western Conference playoffs?
It might be something as clear cut as brilliant goaltending, superior firepower or punishing physical play.
Then again, the difference in a single, tightly contested game – and by extension a series – might might be more swift and subtle.
The first key to fashioning the perfect toilet paper necktie is to track down some two-ply. Much stronger than the generic, single-ply brands sold at your local convenience store. Next, you’ll need dexterous, dainty mitts, for knotting the actual thing. It’s still toilet paper, after all. No sense shredding your creation before the big reveal. “And then,” Brian Elliott says, working toward the final, most important lesson, “you’ve got to rock it when you get to the dance floor.”
CENTENNIAL, Colo.–It’s only been four games, but Anton Lindholm is showing a certain sort of promise for the Colorado Avalanche.
The 22-year-old Swedish defenseman was recalled on March 13 and made his NHL debut on the 15th against the Detroit Red Wings at Pepsi Center. Since then, he’s continued to impress those keeping an eye on him.
NEW YORK — Boston Bruins left-wing Brad Marchand, Pittsburgh Penguins centre Sidney Crosby and Calgary Flames goaltender Brian Elliott are the NHL’s three stars of the week.
Marchand led the league with nine points (five goals and four assists) in three games, all multi-point efforts. His week included his second career hat trick in a 6-3 win over Vancouver on March 13.
The text tone on Ian Cole’s cell is as predictable as the pain.
He’s been felled by a slap shot. To the instep of his foot. To the exposed upper crust of his kneecap. To the bone atop his shoulder. Right to the gut. Wherever the puck hits, it hurts.
But it hurts nowhere quite like it hurts back home in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Because that’s where Mom is watching.
The element of surprise has long been extinct when Viktor Arvidsson finds the back of the net.
He’s done it 25 times this season, obliterating his previous career high of eight, and his 25th, which came Thursday night in overtime in Washington, may have been his most important of the campaign.
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