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May 20, 2013
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.
12-1 WASHINGTON CAPITALS
HOW THEY WIN When Washington is allowed to breathe on offense, it wins. In their first 11 games, the Caps averaged 2.27 goals. Then their offense exploded and their average leapt to 3.21. It’s no coincidence they became contenders again when their flashy attack started to work like it did three or four years ago. HOW THEY LOSE With such a free-flowing offense, the defense is sometimes lacking. The Caps allow among the most shots per game. Braden Holtby faced 30 or more shots 26 times in 31 starts. Putting that kind of demand on a young goalie is unhealthy during a post-season run. QUESTION MARK Every playoff team, including Washington, beat down the Southeast Division all season. But the Caps were below .500 against the rest of the East. Can they…
20-1 SAN JOSE SHARKS
HOW THEY WIN Largely by details. The Sharks are the NHL’s No. 2 faceoff team and block a ton of shots. They’ve been excellent on the penalty kill and Antti Niemi has put up Vezina-worthy numbers in net. Through mid-April they had just one regulation loss at home. HOW THEY LOSE Scoring has been a battle for San Jose, which struggled so much it moved mobile defenseman Brent Burns to right wing to shake things up. The switch yielded nice results, but underscored the problems inherent with a top-heavy team. QUESTION MARK For years the Sharks have been the Big Team That Couldn’t. After trading staples Douglas Murray and Ryane Clowe at the deadline with Raffi Torres and Scott Hannan arriving in separate deals, the Fins have a new look, but will…
LONG, LONG TIME COMING
OH, BABY DON’T IT FEEL LIKE heaven right now. Don’t it feel like something from a dream.” As Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers sung in 1981, the waiting is the hardest part. No team knows that better than the Toronto Maple Leafs, who last won the Stanley Cup in 1967 and have gone nine years and two lockouts without a playoff appearance, the NHL’s longest active drought. This season, however, at least one of those streaks is coming to an end. Barring a collapse of U.S. housing market circa 2008 proportions, the Leafs will have clinched a playoff spot by the time you’re reading this for the first time since 2004. To put into perspective how much time has elapsed since then, consider that Nazem Kadri wasn’t yet in high school and five…
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS 5-1
HOW THEY WIN With Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp, the Hawks can ice two first-line units every night. They boast plenty of youth and depth to support their stars, too. Rookie Brandon Saad keeps getting better, Dave Bolland saves his best for the playoffs and Andrew Shaw has the blend of scoring touch and snarl every team needs this time of year. Chicago was careful not to overwork Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook and now has the luxury of playing its top two blueliners half the game during the playoffs. If not, Johnny Oduya, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Nick Leddy are there to eat minutes. HOW THEY LOSE The Hawks’ power play was weak for such a talented squad, ranking 21st at 15.9 percent. They’ll find themselves in…
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