Playoff Predictions Round 1: Western Conference

Here are my picks for the West's first round.  Who do you guys have?
Be sure to check out my Eastern Conference Predictions too!

Playoff Predictions Round 1: Eastern Conference

Here are my picks for 1st round winners in the East, who do you guys have?

Win Your Kid a Day with the Cup!

Every hockey player’s dream is to hoist the Stanley Cup.  It’s what you play for in pickup as children, what you doodle in class, and what you make replicas of while you cheer on your favorite team.

For the first time ever, Discover is offering a chance for one player aged 13 or younger to spend a day with the Stanley Cup. Yes, the real Stanley Cup.  The NHL has never done anything like this before, allowed exclusive access to youth hockey players.

Here’s how to enter: send in a short video of your child’s most memorable hockey moment to facebook.com/doscover before April 13th.  Between April 15 and April 21, the videos will be online for viewing and rating by fans.  The three videos receiving the highest number of votes will be the finalists, and those videos will be submitted to a panel of judges who will decide the winner.  The judges will decide the winner based on enthusiasm, appropriateness of theme, originality, creativity, and sincerity.

Neuvirth Epitome of Problem with Head Injuries

Hits to the head have been a hot topic in both the NHL and NFL for some time now.  Everyone has seen the research and potential effects.  NFLer, for example, have an average life expectancy of just 55 years old (and 52 for linemen).  The problem isn’t that life-or-death for most NHLers yet, but new studies are coming out implying fighters have the same kind of brain damage as NFL linemen.

The problem in both sports isn’t a judicial one.  Rules don’t necessarily need to be changed or suspensions handed down.  It needs to begin and end with respect, and it has to begin and end with the players themselves.  Part of the problem was evidenced tonight with Washington Capitals goaltender Michal Neuvirth.

Early in the first period in the Caps game against the Lightning, Neuvirth took a puck to the facemask.  The force of the puck sent his mask flying, and Neuvirth needed to go to his backup.  He continued playing like everything was fine.

However, when the second period began, we didn’t see Michal Neuvirth between the pipes.  Instead we saw AHL call-up Braden Holtby.  When VERSUS asked Bruce Boudreau during the second period whether or not Neuvirth’s absence had to do with the shot he took to the head, Boudreau had a one-word answer, “Yes.”

Cornell Women take Second-Straight ECAC Title

Photo by: Robyn Wishna/the Ithaca Journal

The Cornell women captured the ECAC Championship on Saturday with a 3-0 shutout victory over Dartmouth.  Dartmouth had been the only team to beat the Big Red in ECAC play this season, but this time Cornell played a grinding game and gave up zero opportunities, ensuring their second straight title.

“They didn’t make many mistakes,” said senior Dartmouth defenseman Katie Horner. “We’ve been the kind of team that capitalizes on another team’s mistakes.  When you play a team like that, that doesn’t mess up often, there isn’t too much you can capitalize on.”

Dartmouth’s win over Cornell came with a lot of help from their power play, but Cornell had clearly been studying tape as they shut down all six extra-man advantages.  Cornell scored a goal in each period, with the first two coming from tournament MVP Chelsea Karpenko.  Hayley Hughes scored the lone goal in the third period.

Wall Steps up, Calls Out Wizards Teammates

Last night, the Wizards were beat bad.  This isn’t was really qualifies as “news,” but a couple of things made last night’s game notable.  One was that the loss came at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers, not exactly what one would call a powerhouse.  They remain at one road win for the entire season. And it’s almost March.

The other thing that made this game special is John Wall.  Not necessarily on the court, during the game, but his comments in the locker room after.  He did something rookies rarely do: he called out his veteran teammates on their lack of heart.

I will admit it does seem hypocritical that after I was critical of P.K. Subban for not knowing his place, I am now praising John Wall for an essentially similar thing.  Here is the difference; the instances I was referencing with Subban and Dallas Cowboys rookie Dez Bryant were incases in which they were being cocky, undeservedly flashy, and entitled.  Wall was being honest.

Caps Dev Camp Invitee and Miami Forward Miele Frontrunner for Hobey Baker

It’s hard to argue that the Caps don’t have a good eye for prospects.  They have been able to find good players late in the draft and late in rounds, where their position has been the last few seasons.  Now their eye is being complemented by another player: Andy Miele.

Though Miele isn’t a Capitals prospect, he was invited to the Caps Development Camp last July.  He was certainly one of the stand-out players, which is saying something considering he was playing among kids like Evgeny Kuznetsov, Marcus Johansson, and Stanislav Galiev.

He is drawing a lot of attention this season in his senior year with Miami University (OH).  In just 32 games this season, he has set career bests in goals with 17, assists with 39, and points with 56.  Miele currently leads the nation in scoring, and is just the second RedHawk to have a 50-point season in 14 years.

He is fast with smooth hands, a combination that certainly never hurt anyone.  Miele told Rock the Red over the summer that that player he models himself after is Pavel Datsyuk.  Given his defensive role, particularly on the penalty kill, and his leadership (he is an alternate captain for the RedHawks this year), that’s not a completely absurd comparison.