Ray Calder

[raycalder]

Viewing Guide March 24, 2014

What I'm watching: It's a 6 game slate tonight and for me the best option is the Coyotes on the road at MSG against the Rangers.

The two clubs have been built in a similar manner and Coyotes GM Don Maloney of course came over from the Rangers personnel department. Both clubs are in the playoff picture in their respective conferences, neither comfortably. It's a big 2 two points.

Who I'm Watching: On the home side, there is flu going through the locker room and both Marty St. Louis and Derek Stepan are game time decisions. Stepan in particular has been very strong of late with a goal in three straight games. Henrik Lundqvist is coming off a very strong week so he's probably the watch with the other most interesting Rangers iffy to play. On Phoenix, I'll key in on defenseman Oliver Ekman- Larsson who is chugging along with 7 points in 11 March games entering this evening.

[raycalder]

Viewing Guide March 20,2014

What I'm Watching: There are a couple of strong options this evening but my pick will be the Ducks playing in San Jose against the Sharks.

These two teams have a very strong dislike for one another and are two of the biggest powers in a 2013/14 season that tilts very much West.

Who I'm Watching: Anaheim will start Frederik Andersen in net and he'll have his hands full in a road contest against the club that gets the most shots on net per game (35.0). For the Sharks, I'm becoming a bigger fan of forward Tommy Wingels with each viewing. His game is anything but flashy but he'll finish the regular season with close to 20 goals, and he's a smart,reliable type that will probably stand out a bit more when the playoffs begin and the game to game differences between clubs in a series gets smaller each round.

[raycalder]

5 Thoughts from Blues/Blackhawks

* Congrats to Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville who with the win reached the 700 win mark. That's Hall of Fame territory and he's obviously set up to stack quite a few more "w"'s on that record.

* The story of the game was the injury to Patrick Kane. It appeared to be a knee injury rather than an ankle or foot, and the team has already stated he'll miss the next 3 weeks. A huge loss but one that the team can probably work around- the club's biggest strength is the depth accumulated throughout the organization.

* Chicago as a team was more jubilant than normal after the win. That tells you all you need to know about whether they think this Blues team are a threat to a Stanley Cup repeat.

* The best Blues player was Patrik Berglund who managed 5 of the clubs 23 shots.

* Ryan Miller dropped his first decision in regulation since being acquired from the Sabres on February 28.

[raycalder]

Viewers Guide March 19,2014

What I'm watching: After last night's buffet of 12 games, many of them with intriguing storylines, the selection tonight is an open and shut case. I'm going with the Blues in Chicago to face the Blackhawks.

A Blues win will allow them to clinch a playoff spot already as they boast a 101 point line through 68 games. They would become the first team in 2013/14 to punch their ticket to the postseason tournament. The Hawks have lost 5 straight games to their Central Division rivals, and sit with 93 points through 69 contests.

Who I'm watching: For the visitors, obviously the story getting the most play has been Ryan Miller and his superb netminding since arriving from Buffalo. My interest though will be in the efforts of David Backes and Jaden Schwartz. Both players are scout's dreams. Not only do they contribute on the score sheet, but they do all the small things that make a difference in contests often decided by a single goal. For the Hawks I'd be most excited to see David Rundblad, the trade deadline acquisition from Phoenix. I thought picking him up was one of the shrewdest moves any club made over the deadline period. With Michal Rozsival out several games, this may be where he slots in with the defending Cup champs.

[raycalder]

Viewing Guide March 18, 2014

Tonight is one of those evening's when if you have purchased either the Center Ice package or the online product (GameCenter) you remember exactly why. There are 12 games on the slate and everybody from the Eastern Conference, with the exception of the Tampa Bay Lightning, is in action.

Game to Watch: My eyes and those of the hockey world will be on Montreal where former Habs great Patrick Roy will return as the bench boss of the visiting Avalanche.*

The Avs are a ridiculous 21-9-2 as a road club this season far surpassing the expectations of even their own fans.

Who I'll be watching: On the visitors side, my focus will be on rookie Nathan MacKinnon who will no doubt have plenty of family in the Bell Centre crowd.I had hoped to see Semyon Varlamov in the Avalanche net but the club has elected to start backup Jean-Sebastien Giguere instead. With the Canadiens, I'd like to see if Lars Eller can build on a couple of solid efforts over the weekend where he was re-united with "Kid line" mates Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher.

* As a Rangers fan, I will also be keeping an eye on the Blueshirts via Center Ice as they face the Senators in Ottawa.

[raycalder]

5 Thoughts from Coyotes/Kings

5 Thoughts from Coyotes/Kings

* The Coyotes were the more desperate team and it showed. They were easily the better club in the first and third periods.

* As mentioned yesterday, the Kings are pretty much locked into their playoff seeding. With the loss to the Coyotes, they've now dropped just 3 of their last 11 games and all three have been by a single goal.

* Coyotes goalie Mike Smith was the difference maker on the winning side as he stopped 36 of 39 shots.

* The King's new acquisition Marian Gaborik looked extremely comfortable playing alongside Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. He had his 8th goal of the season in the loss and used his speed to create some space for his linemates.

* I'm a big fan of Mikkel Boedker and there was a lot to like on this evening. He scored a first period goal on a weapon rarely used- a mid slot beautiful backhand, took a pair of shots and delivered a single hit. He seems like a good bet to see his first 20 goal season needing 3 over the last 13 contests.

[raycalder]

Viewing Guide March 17,2014

Coyotes@ Kings 10:30 Eastern

The Kings are pretty much a lock as a playoff club and the Coyotes have some work to do if they're going to play beyond mid April.If the playoffs began tonight, the Coyotes would be on the outside looking in, and the Kings would be staring at a first round showdown with their state rivals in San Jose, the Sharks.

Who I'm curious to see: Two of the Kings young players who I liked coming into this season the most, Tyler Toffoli and Slava Voynov. Toffoli has just a goal and 2 assists in 7 games in March, and Voynov has 3 assists and just 11 shots in 7 March games. Both players need to produce more when the postseason starts or the team will be forced to try and win their games 2-1, a daunting task in the ultra strong Western Conference.

[raycalder]

5 Thoughts from Capitals/Rangers Feb. 12, 2012

*Ryan Callahan continued playing some of his best hockey of the season. The Rangers captain had a goal on 4 shots taken, had 5 other shots attempted and also ended the day with 6 hits in 18:57 of ice time.

* The Rangers were very fortunate that defenseman Ryan McDonagh appears to have avoided serious injury. McDonagh scored the home sides second goal and on his follow through lost his balance and his left leg buckled as he crumpled to the ice. He was helped off to the lockerroom but returned and finished the game. With Michael Sauer out of the lineup already, and Marc Staal still finding his way after missing much of the early season with concussion problems, an injury to McDonagh would have been a tough blow to the East's best team. 

*Capitals LW Alexander Ovechkin was nowhere to be seen much of the day.He logged a robust 22:32 of ice but didn't create much in the way of chances until the visitors were trying to push for the tie late in the third. No question that #8 misses having Nicklas Backstrom around but yesterday was just more evidence that Ovechkin may not be in the class of a Malkin or even a Steve Stamkos anymore.

* One of the players most noticeable yesterday for all the wrong reasons was Caps blueliner Dmitry Orlov. As Pierre Macguire pointed out on the NBC coverage of the game, Orlov was wearing a face shield and having a great deal of difficulty picking up the puck and much of what was going on around him. Yesterday was not a good day at the office for him but at 20 years of age and already playing as a top 4 defenseman on what should be a playoff caliber team. If you play fantasy hockey in any sort of keeper/dynasty format the kid is somebody anybody should be trying to acquire for the long haul. He has a chance to be special.

* Unless the Rangers are facing one of the Flyers goalies the powerplay remains a sore spot. If New York does anything significant at the trade deadline it should be to address that weak spot. The team currently ranks 26th in the league in powerplay percentage (14.4%). 

[raycalder]

A Creative Thought

"It is easier to edit than to create."

I heard this thought some time ago and while I can't remember the source and a Google search doesn't help much , here's hoping I can do some of both here.