hockey
We talk pucks and objects of that kind. We yell, complain, and analyze in the language of hockey fandom. Gretzky can do no wrong.
Stanley Cup Final Game Five: What Happens in Vegas...
Well, it happened. The Vegas Golden Knights are the 2023 Stanley Cup Champions, and they did not mess around in Game Five of the Stanley Cup Final. The Florida Panthers were completely demoralized entering this game; they couldn't muster a comeback in Game Four on their home ice, and even worse, they had to play Game Five without their anchor, Matthew Tkachuk. Something told me that this would be it for the Panthers, and while I was right, I was not expecting the Panthers to completely phone it in.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
Stanley Cup Final Game Four: Sunset in Sunrise
The Florida Panthers enjoyed their first Stanley Cup Final game victory in franchise history on Thursday night, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights, 3-2, in overtime. It wasn't easy, but they got the win, and this year's Final now has some "oomph" in it. Here's what the team could have faced entering Game Four. Had they lost that game, they could have faced getting swept in the Final on the exact anniversary of the other time they were swept in the Final. Instead, the Panthers made it a series, and they have a chance to even this thing and turn this battle for the Cup into a two-out-of-three series.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
The Incredible Career of Raymond Bourque
After 22 years...Raymond Bourque...is featured on Vocal! Born on December 28, 1960, Raymond Jean Bourque's foray into hockey began in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, instantly becoming the league's top defenseman. At the age of 18, Bourque was drafted eighth overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1979 NHL Draft, though the Bruins actually had plans to draft another defenseman: Keith Brown. The Chicago Blackhawks ended up snagging Brown at 7th, so the Bruins decided to "settle" for Bourque. Boy, what a consolation prize!
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
Stanley Cup Final Game Three: Scratching and Clawing
June 10, 1996. Nearly 26 years to the day. That was the last time that the Florida Panthers hosted a Stanley Cup Final game; the memorable 1-0 triple overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche that completed a four-game sweep. Though the Panthers fans were happy to see the Cup Final at their place for the first time since that exact date, they know that they would be even happier with something that the team hasn't had: a win in a Cup Final game. The Panthers entered Game Three down 2-0 against the Vegas Golden Knights, and becoming the second team in NHL history to lose their first six Cup Final games, joining the St. Louis Blues (who lost their first 13) on that short list.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
Stanley Cup Final Game Two: So Much Misconduct, So Little Time
You know, when a team loses Game One of a series, it's often followed by said losing team usually learning from whatever mistakes they make, but even then, the outcome is fluid. Said team could end up winning Game Two and evening things up. Or...they could still lose, but still leave their game playing much better than they did before. What we saw from the Florida Panthers in Game Two of this year's Stanley Cup Final was the absolute opposite of either of the outcomes I mentioned.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
Stanley Cup Final Game One: Welcome to the Big Time
For the first time in five years, we are guaranteed a first-time Stanley Cup Champion. The Vegas Golden Knights and the Florida Panthers face off in this year's Stanley Cup Final, with each team looking to win the Cup for the very first time. This is the second Final appearance for each team; Vegas is currently in their sixth season of play, while Florida's last appearance came in 1996. Speaking of Florida, this is the fourth straight year that the Sunshine State is represented in the Cup Final, with the Tampa Bay Lightning reaching the Final during the last three years. It's somewhat reminiscent of the province of Alberta dominating the Cup Final between 1983 and 1990.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
2023 Stanley Cup Final Preview
It's here, folks. The Stanley Cup Final has been set for a few days now, and it's an interesting one. For the first time in five years, we will be guaranteed a first-time champion, as neither team has hoisted Lord Stanley's Cup. The last Final to guarantee such a historic feat was 2018, which featured the Vegas Golden Knights facing the Washington Capitals that year. 2019 was the last time that we saw a team win their first-ever Cup, as the St. Louis Blues won ended their tenure-long drought.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
A Look at the Last 10 Presidents' Trophy Failures, and the Aftermath of Each One
With the Boston Bruins' shocking first round exit in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, it now marks a full decade since a team won the Presidents' Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the same season. The Chicago Blackhawks remain the last team to win both trophies in the same year, doing so in the 2012-13 season. You would have to go back a bit farther than that to find the last team to accomplish this feat in a non-lockout season, as the Detroit Red Wings were the last team to do so, winning both trophies in the 2007-08 season. In fact, the Wings are the only team to accomplish this feat twice, as they won both trophies in the 2001-02 season as well.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Stars Lose West Final, but Go Down Swinging
With the Eastern Conference Final ending in a four game sweep, the spotlight turned to the Western Conference Final between the Dallas Stars and the Vegas Golden Knights. It looked like we would get the same outcome, as Vegas was up 3-0, and a sweep was a foregone conclusion. However, Dallas managed to win Game Four in overtime, but you know how that goes. The team down 3-0 wins Game Four: "Well, at least they won't get swept. Yet the Stars won Game Five. Now, it's serious. Now it could be possible for them to pull off the reverse sweep. After all, they were back at home for Game Six, and home ice is always an advantage...except when it's not.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
A Look at the 2020-21 Montréal Canadiens
Normally, I feature Stanley Cup Champions in my stories, but the NHL has been known for some of the craziest, most unexpected, and most memorable Cinderella runs in sports. We are currently in the midst of one with the Florida Panthers, literally the worst of this season's playoff teams, reaching the Stanley Cup Final. The run has been amazing, and it could result in the Panthers reacing the top of the proverbial mountain. However, while the team mentioned in this story did come up short, they did give us something to make us smile during a really tough period.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: All Calm, No Storm
Here's what I love about the playoffs, in any sport. When the top team in the entire league gets knocked out early, the pecking order changes. This year, the Boston Bruins ended up ousted early after a 65-win season, so that caused a huge paradigm shift in the NHL pecking order. Once they and the then-defending champion Colorado Avalanche were both gone, the new top favorite out of the remaining teams became the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, the Leafs ended up ousted, so who ended up as the best team left? The Carolina Hurricanes.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
A Look at the 2018-19 St. Louis Blues
As the saying goes, "You always remember your first." That line definitely relates to the St. Louis Blues. A season prior, the Washington Capitals finally hoisted their first Stanley Cup after 44 years of trying and being snakebit at every turn (usually by the Pittsburgh Penguins). As jinxed as the Capitals were, the Blues' story is that much more heartbreaking. Here's what the team had to go through entering the 2018-19 season.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
