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Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2 Predictions
 Posted
5/14/2013 8:35:00 AM
Results from Round 1:
Bob Stauffer: 6-2 (missed San Jose & New York)
Dan Tencer: 4-4 (missed San Jose, New York, Ottawa & Detroit)
Jack Michaels: 6-2 (missed San Jose & Ottawa)
Reid Wilkins: 6-2 (missed San Jose & Ottawa)
Dave Campbell: 6-2 (missed Ottawa & New York)
(1) Chicago vs. (7) Detroit
Bob Stauffer: Chicago in 5
Dan Tencer: Chicago in 6
Jack Michaels: Chicago in 5
Reid Wilkins: Chicago in 6
Dave Campbell: Chicago in 6
(5) Los Angeles vs. (6) San Jose
Bob Stauffer: Los Angeles in 5
Dan Tencer: Los Angeles in 5
Jack Michaels: Los Angeles in 6
Reid Wilkins: Los Angeles in 5
Dave Campbell: Los Angeles in 6
(1) Pittsburgh vs. (7) Ottawa
Bob Stauffer: Pittsburgh in 5
Dan Tencer: Pittsburgh in 5
Jack Michaels: Pittsburgh in 5
Reid Wilkins: Pittsburgh in 6
Dave Campbell: Pittsburgh in 7
(4) ...
Let's get the QB talk rolling
Posted
5/13/2013 12:23:00 PM
Get ready, you are going to hear, see and read a lot about quarterbacks over the next two months. It will be the most watched event at Eskimos training camp. In fact, the battle for the open full back position, the spot on the O line and in the defensive backfield may go completely under the radar, because everyone will be paying most if not all of their attention to the quarterbacks. Mike Reilly and Matt Nichols, Matt Nichols and Mike Reilly.
The two quarterbacks will battle for the Eskimos starting job, when training camp officially gets going on June 2nd.
Nichols, with two years experience in an Eskimos uniform will be fully recovered from his severe ankle injury that forced him into a couple of off season surgeries. He is also ready to, and expecting to take the next step in his career.
So is Reilly. He knew there ...
Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 Predictions
Posted
4/30/2013 3:12:00 PM
(1) Chicago vs. (8) Minnesota
Bob Stauffer: Chicago in 5
Dan Tencer: Chicago in 5
Jack Michaels: Chicago in 4
Reid Wilkins: Chicago in 4
Dave Campbell: Chicago in 4
(2) Anaheim vs. (7) Detroit
Bob Stauffer: Detroit in 6
Dan Tencer: Anaheim in 7
Jack Michaels: Detroit in 6
Reid Wilkins: Detroit in 6
Dave Campbell: Detroit in 7
(3) Vancouver vs. (6) San Jose
Bob Stauffer: Vancouver in 5
Dan Tencer: Vancouver in 6
Jack Michaels: Vancouver in 7
Reid Wilkins: Vancouver in 5
Dave Campbell: San Jose in 6
(4) St. Louis vs. (5) Los Angeles
Bob Stauffer: Los Angeles in 6
Dan Tencer: Los Angeles in 6
Jack Michaels: Los Angeles in 7
Reid Wilkins: Los Angeles in 6
Dave Campbell: Los Angeles in 5
(1) Pittsburgh vs. (8) New York Islanders
Bob Stauffer: Pittsburgh in 5
Dan Tencer: Pittsburgh in 4
Jack Michaels: Pittsburgh in ...
9 in 8 update
Posted
3/11/2013 3:49:00 PM
A few weeks ago, I posted a blog which broke the NHL season into six, eight-game segments. For the Oilers to have a shot at the playoffs, they must get at least nine points in each segment.
They started off on target, going 4-3-1 for nine points in the first segment. However, the next two segments saw the Oilers go 2-4-2 for just six points in both sections.
After 24 games, that put them at 21 points, which is six behind the pace they need to make the post-season.
The good news is that the Oilers started the fourth segment of the season with a 6-5 win in Chicago. But to get back on track, they'll have to rack up 11-13 points in each of the next two sections. That would put the Oilers in position for a meaningful stretch drive over their last eight games.
It should be ...
Blackhawks streak stands the test of time
Posted
3/7/2013 10:31:00 AM
The Chicago Blackhawks have gone half the season without losing in regulation time.
Okay, it's a shortened season, but their mark of 21-0-3 is mighty impressive. They're 11 games behind the record 35-game unbeaten streak put together by the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers.
Of course, there is the argument that the Blackhawks run can't be compared to other streaks because they have the benefit of overtime and shootouts.
That's true for teams who played in the era when you didn't get a point for losing in overtime or a shootout. That's not true for the Flyers, who compiled their record when there was no regular season overtime.
For that reason, Chicago's record is directly comparable to Philadelphia's. Both teams receive a point for being tied after 60 minutes. The only difference is that Chicago has additional time to turn the tie into a win.
If there were no regular season overtime ...
TENCER: The "F" Word
Posted
3/6/2013 2:24:00 PM
Frustration.
Players, coaches, management, fans...everyone in Oil Country is feeling it right now. I talked to captain Shawn Horcoff about the frustration before the team departed for the lengthy road trip, and he made a good point about the difference between this year and some times in the past. He told me to make sure that I didn't confuse frustration with negativity, that frustration is having difficulty breaking through as the process continues while negativity is a question about whether or not there's any light at the end of the tunnel.
To his point, I hope that the frustration isn't born out of a question about where this team is headed. I truly believe that the positive outlook for the Oilers isn't based on any sort of "homer" mentality, as conversations with other coaches and managers and players around the league (on and off record) yield similar bullish projections. The ...
Time for a sus-BENN-sion
Posted
3/1/2013 10:14:00 AM
I find it surprising that there's even a debate about whether Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn should be suspended for his crosscheck on the Oilers Ryan Jones last night.
The debate shouldn't be "if," but rather "for how long."
Let's look at the facts:
- The puck was not nearby.
- Benn hit Jones directly from behind. Jones had no reason to suspect contact.
- Benn came off the bench (legally) and went straight for Jones. That's premeditation.
- Benn had no other reason to hit Jones except for trying to injure him.
- The game was out of hand, and Benn's action shows a lack of respect for another player.
Sure, it could have been worse. Benn could have gone for Jones' head, or speared him, or tried to break his ankle. Yes, Jones had just committed a (mild) foul against Benn's goalie. But that doesn't make Benn's crosscheck ...
Province has the ball; must shoot for city to score
Posted
2/26/2013 10:30:00 AM
The movie quote tells us, "If you build it, they will come."
Besides being tired and overused, that line is not always true. In Edmonton, we have built the Saville Community Sports Centre, which is a glorious and modern facility for curling, gymnastics, fitness, badminton, volleyball, and basketball.
In this case, it's the 12 full-sized FIBA basketball courts that have caught the eye of Basketball Canada. Our country's hoops governing body wants to make the Saville Centre the full-time home of nine of our ten national teams. The tenth, which is the senior men, would train in Edmonton part-time.
There's no one who doesn't want this to happen. But, we've built it, and they still might not come.
"Right now, it's really in the hands of the provincial government," Basketball Alberta Executive Director Paul Sir says. "We're hoping the ministers can find the money and fund this endeavour because ...
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