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Pacific: Ducks glad to be back home after tough trip
By John Kreiser
November 19, 2009
Every team is glad to get home after a road trip, but few teams were happier to get home than the Anaheim Ducks were this week.
The Ducks start a seven-game homestand Thursday, and they'll need a big showing to get back into the playoff race after a nightmarish 0-3-1 trip that ended with a 5-2 loss at Pittsburgh Monday.
With his team struggling, not even a late-night flight back to the West Coast after the loss to the Penguins was enough to keep coach Randy Carlyle from holding practice Tuesday.
"I felt with our schedule that is coming, we're going to play every second day here as we go, that we should try to get on the ice as much as possible to try to improve our overall execution level," said Carlyle, who added that his decision was made in part because the Ducks didn't practice Sunday, and instead had one-on-one meetings.
"That first and foremost was missing from (Monday) night. It wasn't where it needs to be in the last 3-4 games and that has been frustrating for everybody."
The Ducks enter the homestand in the NHL's bottom five in goals-against per game (3.42) and penalty-killing (74.2 percent). Captain Scott Niedermayer said the simplest fix is to address the turnovers that have plagued the team.
"The biggest thing is you look at the giveaways," he said. "Those should be pretty easy to correct. There are good players in this League that are going to make plays. Things are going to happen even when you're doing your job, but to give them opportunities is tough."
Kings, too — The Ducks weren't the only Southern California team that's been on the road. But the Los Angeles Kings headed home with a 3-2-0 mark thanks to shootout wins at Tampa Bay on Saturday and Florida on Monday.
"It's a great road trip," coach Terry Murray said after the 4-3 win at Florida. "When you're playing in this League today, and traveling as much as we have through this trip, to get three wins at the end of the road trip, I would have been very happy to say to the team, before we started out, that it would be great if we could do that on this trip. And it's done."
The win against Florida especially was sweet because the Kings overcame a 2-0 deficit just four nights after they saw a 2-0 deficit at Atlanta turn into a 7-0 debacle.
"I thought we were playing a pretty good game," defenseman Drew Doughty told the Kings' Web site. "They just got those two quick goals. It wasn't like they were all over us or anything like that. We were playing solid. But after those two goals, we just kept it pretty positive on the bench, and when we got in the dressing room as well. We said, 'We've got to win this game. It's the last game of the road trip, and just blow it out.' I thought we did a great job."
Piling up points and injuries — The San Jose Sharks have been on the kind of run that powered them to the Presidents' Trophy last season -- going 9-0-3 in a recent 12-game stretch to move into first place in the Pacific Division and the overall NHL standings. They suffered their first regulation loss since Oct. 22 on Tuesday.
They got great goaltending from Evgeni Nabokov during the streak, as well as offensive production from the likes of Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau -- plus some timely performances from depth players who have ridden the Worcester-to-San Jose shuttle and helped the Sharks combat a tidal wave of injuries.
The Sharks also have done a good job playing the same way whether they're facing the l defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, or the last-place Carolina Hurricanes.
"It's more about our focus," said center Manny Malhotra, who's stepped right in as the Sharks' No. 3 center after signing just before the season began. "It doesn't matter if a team is 18th, first or 30th, it's about what we want to do and that's how we approach it. We know what we need to do."
Malhotra, who played for the New York Rangers, Dallas and Columbus before coming to San Jose, feels the Sharks have been excellent at making teams play their style.
"Every team has that focus, but in this locker room it is more about what we do," he told the Sharks' Web site. "Some other teams have to adjust. We want you to change your style."
Missing bodies — In contrast to deep teams like the Sharks, the Phoenix Coyotes are paying a big cost for a series of injuries that have wiped out much of their defense.
Kurt Sauer hasn't played since early October due to an upper-body injury, and both Zbynek Michalek and Ed Jovanovski have been sidelined with lower-body injuries.
"We're a group that needs everyone to play well," defenseman Adrian Aucoin said after Monday's 4-1 home loss to Tampa Bay, "and when you go a man short and only certain guys are getting on the ice, the other guys stiffen up and it's really hard to get a good rotation."
The defense corps was further thinned Monday against Tampa Bay, when Jim Vandermeer was given a boarding major and a game misconduct in the first period. That meant lots of ice time for the other five blueliners: Keith Yandle led the Coyotes with 27:11, and Aucoin logged 24:19.
"They're doing lots and lots of work. They're doing more work than they should be doing. They're pushed into that work and they're trying. ... But just because of our situation with the injuries, they've been called on to do more. They're giving every drop they have, and it's got to continue."
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Wild's Clutterbuck defines hockey toughness
By John McGourty
November 19, 2009
Just as a society benefits from the diversity of its citizenry, hockey teams benefit from a diversity of skill sets. A team needs a goalie who can stop pucks, players who can pass, shoot and score, and players who can defend their teammates when needed.
Teams also need players like the Minnesota Wild's Cal Clutterbuck who, as a rookie last season, led the NHL with 356 hits in 78 games. His job is to deliver fatigue and frustration to his opponents. He's a burr under the saddle, grit in the gears, sand under your skates.
Sometimes, you just want to smack a guy like that.
"A big part of my game is trying to get other people to take penalties," said Clutterbuck, whose play is so disciplined he received only 76 penalty minutes while rivals went to the penalty box far more often.
"It's hard to frustrate your opponent if you yourself are being penalized. Then, they say you're undisciplined. Staying disciplined, staying out of the penalty box, is something that I'm focused on. The coach doesn't have to tell me that. I've played that way since minor hockey."
At 5-foot-11 and 213 pounds, Clutterbuck, 22, is well-built for the job, but it still takes toughness to invite repeated contact every game. It also takes toughness to not retaliate when an agitated opponent throws a punch or gives you a face-wash.
"The toughest thing to do is take an extra hit and an extra shove and not retaliate," Clutterbuck agreed. "It's not a good feeling. It angers you but you have to be able to suck it up and move on. If you don't, it can cost your team. The ability to move on is really important and not easy to do. It's a team game and there's something to be said for guys who take it and suck it up.
"There are two kinds of toughness in hockey. There's the obvious kind, guys who are willing to fight anybody, and then there's the kind that goes unnoticed, the guys with the consistent willingness to go in the areas that are difficult to be in, be willing to take punishment and be able to dole out the kind of punishment that helps you get to pucks first.
"It requires toughness to be the forechecker who separates the puck carrier from the puck. You have to be tough to take a hit to make a play. These things aren't clichés in hockey, they are important and it takes a physically and mentally tough person to be able to do it on a consistent basis."
Clutterbuck's toughness really shows in the late stages of games. It's only slightly less painful to throw checks than receive them, but Clutterbuck keeps the banging going from first puck drop through the final horn. His job is to produce an erosion of desire and intensity in his opponent.
"Hockey is a funny game. One night, you have all the room in the world and the next night, you feel like you're in a phone booth because of the amount of pressure being applied," he said. "I like to keep the pressure on by being relentless. You do it over a long period of time and people will make mistakes.
"Even when you are tired, they will turn pucks over because they are used to you being there. When I'm consistent, it makes opponents more tentative with the puck.
"My job consists of lots of little things, creating loose pucks and turnovers. The most important aspect is to have the opponent second-guessing what they want to do because they feel pressure from me or a teammate."
Clutterbuck is dealing with two new situations this season; a new coach (Todd Richards) and overcoming injury. He didn't miss a game due to injury last season while throwing more checks than any other NHL player, but he hurt his ankle in the fourth game of this season, against San Jose, and missed the next five contests. Clutterbuck returned on Oct. 24 and scored 4 goals in his first 10 games after the injury.
"It took me a little while to get over it," Clutterbuck said. "I was still feeling the effects for probably four or five games. I was able to play, but I wasn't 100 percent and it affected me in my ability to generate speed and change direction quickly, two big parts of my game. I felt hindered but it's gotten better."
Clutterbuck's intensity, consistency and defensive focus appealed to former Wild coach Jacques Lemaire, who gave the rookie increasing ice time and responsibilities last season. But Lemaire stepped down at season's end and was replaced by Richards, who has a mandate to develop a more offensively focused style of play.
"It's a lot different this season," Clutterbuck said. "Their coaching styles are different. Personally, the style we play now is what I was used to growing up in junior hockey and then in the AHL when Kevin Constantine was my coach. The transition this year has been fairly easy for me. I'm trying to find the happy medium between being able to get in and get the big hits while being responsible at the same time."
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Flames need Olli Jokinen to break out of his scoring slump
By Todd Kimberley
November 19, 2009
CALGARY — Brent Sutter, the resident landlord, said it loud and clear the other night.
The rent’s due, and Olli isn’t paying the bills.
Addressing the 800-pound elephant in the room — otherwise known as the monumental offensive slump of $5.5-million-a-year man Olli Jokinen — Sutter acknowledged that 2 goals in 19 games don’t cut it for a first-line NHL forward.
"We certainly need production from him. I’m not going to deny that. I think he’s fighting it a little bit, no question," the Flames' coach said following Calgary’s 3-2 home-ice loss to Colorado on Tuesday. "He just has to keep pushing, and hopefully he can find his way, because we do need him to get production.
"He does play quality minutes, and he is one of our of our core group of guys. We need him to play up to his level, and part of that level is production. He’s worked on other parts of his game to make it better, but we do need some offence from him."
Were this a problem limited to the past six weeks, it might be a little easier for the Flames' faithful to bear. But Jokinen’s offensive troubles stretch back to last spring — not long after he was acquired in a March 4 blockbuster trade with Phoenix that many believed would ensure a long playoff run in Calgary.
Jokinen, a former No. 3 overall draft pick, was a house afire during his first six games with the Flames. He scored 8 goals and enjoyed a five-point performance, which included a hat trick, on March 14 in Toronto.
Since then, however, the 29-year-old from Kuopio, Finland, has been colder than the ice around the net. Except for one two-goal outburst in Game 4 of the Flames’ first-round series against Chicago, Jokinen didn't score during his final 19 regular-season and playoff games of 2008-09.
Combine that with his drought to begin 2009-10 and Jokinen had a paltry 4 goals in his previous 38 games heading into the Flames’ home date against the Blackhawks on Thursday night.
"I think . . . seven or eight times, I’ve hit the post so far this year," the 6-3, 215-pounder said after Thursday's morning skate. "Half of those go on, nobody would be questioning anything.
"You just want to work hard and play good as a line (he’s on the Flames’ top unit with Jarome Iginla and Curtis Glencross), and when you get those chances, you want to bear down. We’ve just got to find a way to score one more than they do."
Jokinen’s protracted slump flies in the face of his steady production during the past six seasons. Since 2002-03 campaign, when he broke out with 36 goals for the Florida Panthers, Jokinen has averaged nearly 34 per season, including 39 in ’06-07.
Jokinen has no shortage of well-meaning advice from his teammates and coaches.
Sutter himself, re-addressing the issue Thursday morning, said the snake-bitten center has "a big cloud over his head," and is "probably putting a little bit of extra pressure on himself . . . he just needs to relax a little bit, here, and enjoy the game."
Fellow Flames forwards were also quick to commiserate, and comment on how much of the game is played between the ears.
"I don’t think anyone on this team is worried about him, that’s for sure," David Moss said. "When pucks aren’t going in, you feel like you’ll never score another goal, and when things are going well, everything seems to come easy. It’s just working hard and trying to do all the little things right. When they start going in, you’ve got to try and keep that confidence."
Added Iginla, the Flames' captain -- who himself got off to a slow start before breaking out with 8 goals in the past seven games: "He’s getting better and better every game; I think he’s going to be breaking out pretty soon here. Most players are streaky, and he usually gets hotter as the season goes on. He’s been through it before, and that’s a good thing."
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Another day, another update on injuries
By Rocky Bonanno
November 19, 2009
WEDNESDAY'S ROUNDUP:
I'm not really a doctor. I just play one when writing about fantasy hockey.
The season-long injury parade hit another peak with the news of several new ailments and the depressing diagnosis of ongoing injuries to a hoard of fantasy-useful players.
In spite of the carnage, 10 NHL teams somehow totaled 32 goals Wednesday. I don't know about you, but very few of those few goals counted for my fantasy team(s), and I lost my grip on first place by one point in the competitive Yahoo! Friends and Family League. I had to put Alexander Semin on injured reserve, and the best replacement I could find at the moment was Wayne Simmonds of the Kings.
Let's grab some charts and make the rounds ...
Kings left wing Ryan Smyth (22 games, 9-14-23, owned in 93 percent of all Yahoo! leagues), who sat out Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Flyers, is expected to be sidelined a month with an undisclosed upper-body injury. "It could be up to four weeks with that," coach Terry Murray said. "It's very unfortunate that you lose a player that's an important player for your team, that's going to be out up to that length of time. But you know, you take a look around the League, there's all kinds of injuries to top players. You've got to deal with it. It's part of the game."
Getting back to Semin, the Capitals' star left wing has a "sore" right wrist that was in a brace Wednesday. An MRI exam revealed no serious damage, but GM George McPhee told the Washington Post Semin (18, 9-8-17, 98 percent) likely will miss games Friday and Saturday against Montreal and Toronto, respectively, after missing Tuesday's win against the Rangers. "The wrist got sore (but) it's not from a blow or anything," McPhee said. "He just tweaked it."
You won't believe this, but Pittsburgh's last remaining healthy defenseman, Mark Eaton, did not participate in the morning skate at Scotiabank Place in advance of Thursday's game at Ottawa and is listed as a game-time decision, reports the team Web site. Eaton (21, 2-3-5, 1 percent) is suffering from back spasms. However, here's the good news -- the Pens' best defender, Sergei Gonchar (9, 2-6-8, 76 percent) will play his first game since suffering a broken wrist Oct. 20.
Vancouver left wing Daniel Sedin (4, 0-4-4, 96 percent), out since Oct. 8 with a broken foot, will not play Friday as initially projected. The home contest against Colorado will be his 18th straight game missed. Sedin's new target date is Sunday at home against Chicago and he'll probably be a game-time decision. "Everyone thinks it was more of a setback, but I had to try," said Sedin, who was with the team for a portion of its five-game road trip in hopes of playing, but never was comfortable enough to suit up. You can watch a video of Sedin talking to the media here.
Panthers coach Peter DeBoer told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that left wing David Booth suffered a setback in his recovery from a concussion sustained Oct. 24. Booth (9, 2-1-3, 57 percent) was cleared to begin light workouts but then was stopped. He has missed the last 10 games. "We've kind of taken our foot off the gas and given him a few days off before we look to go back at it again," DeBoer said. "But that's anticipated. We knew going through this process there was going to be good days and bad."
Fantasy owners of Brian Gionta will be without the Canadiens forward indefinitely. He has a broken bone in his left foot and was on crutches at Montreal's practice facility Wednesday. Gionta (19, 8-5-13, 74 percent) was hit on the foot by a shot in a game against Atlanta on Nov. 3 and played the next four games in pain. He already has sat out the last two contests. "It's a fast game and a lot of things happen," Gionta told the Montreal Gazette. "We have pads all over and we have injuries all the time. There's only so much you can do to prevent injuries."
Having already missed the last seven games, Hurricanes center Eric Staal (13, 3-2-5, 95 percent) is at least another week away from returning from an upper-body injury. Starting goalie Cam Ward (15, 2-9-3, 2.97 GAA, 79 percent) has missed the last four contests with a leg laceration, and GM Jim Rutherford said his target return date is Dec. 5. Even backup goalie Michael Leighton (5, 1-2-0, 4.38 GAA, 2 percent) is out with a groin injury, leading to the signing of free agent veteran Manny Legace and the promotion of two goalies from the minors Wednesday -- Justin Peters from Albany (AHL) and Mike Morrison from Florida (ECHL).
Devils forward Patrik Elias has played five of the last six games, and even had 2 assists in the team's most recent contest, but he admitted to the (Newark) Star-Ledger that "I don't know if I'll ever feel 100-percent this year." Elias (5, 0-2-2, 91 percent) had hip and groin surgery June 12 and arthroscopic groin surgery in September. "The best part is I know I can play the next game now after I play. But I still feel just all right, not great. I just play. Sometimes it hurts and sometimes it doesn't. I just have to stay patient."
Atlanta's goalie rotation for the next two games is Ondrej Pavelec (13, 6-5-1, 2.90 GAA, 44 percent) at home against Boston on Thursday, and Johan Hedberg (7, 4-1-0, 2.63 GAA, 4 percent) at home against Pittsburgh on Saturday. "It makes tough decisions, but that means that's a good thing," coach John Anderson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "You've got a tough decision to make on two good players. If you see our schedule, they'll both get time."
The Blue Jackets also have a set goalie rotation -- Steve Mason (14, 7-5-2, 3.67 GAA, 86 percent) at Dallas on Thursday, and Mathieu Garon (8, 4-1-0, 2.46 GAA, 12 percent) at Nashville on Saturday.
The St. Petersburg Times reports Mike Smith (9, 3-3-3, 3.33 GAA, 31 percent) will make a second straight start for the Lightning on Thursday at Anaheim, a reward from coach Rick Tocchet. "Smitty is going to take the ball," he said. "But (Antero Niittymaki) is going to play, too."
Remember Maxime Talbot? He debuts for the Penguins on Thursday at Ottawa, finally recovered from offseason surgery on his left shoulder. With career-highs of 13 goals and 26 points, he's moderately fantasy-useful. "It will definitely be nice to see him back out there," teammate Pascal Dupuis told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "Max is a special guy. He brings that energy and plays the game with so much speed. We need him." Pittsburgh's Web site projects Talbot (1 percent) to play on a line with Matt Cooke and Craig Adams.
As has been speculated all this week, the Bruins may get back left wing Milan Lucic (6, 0-3-3, 49 percent) for Thursday's game at Atlanta, but there has not been an official announcement as of yet.
Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf (19, 2-20-22, 98 percent) had 3 assists in his first seven games. Since then, he's taken off to the tune of 2-17-19 in 12 games, and he scored at least one point in 11 of those contests.
The Washington Times reports goalie Jose Theodore (14, 5-3-4, 3.24 GAA, 52 percent) returned to practice Wednesday, a day after taking leave from the team to tend to a personal matter, but McPhee said Theodore could miss the next two contests, which may be split between Semyon Varlamov (10, 8-1-1, 2.59 GAA, 71 percent) and recent call-up Michal Neuvirth (zero percent).
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Leading defense scorers for November
Through Wednesday's games
Chris Pronger (PHI), 7 games, 2-6-8
Mike Green (WSH), 7 games, 1-7-8
Niklas Kronwall (DET), 7 games, 3-4-7
Duncan Keith (CHI), 6 games, 2-5-7
Lubomir Visnovsky (EDM), 8 games, 2-5-7
Dan Boyle (SJS), 9 games, 2-5-7
Anton Stralman (CLM), 7 games, 1-6-7
RECENT INJURIES:
Arron Asham, RW, Philadelphia: Is day-to-day with a strained oblique muscle.
Brian Gionta, RW, Montreal: Is out indefinitely with a broken bone in his foot.
Alex Goligoski, D, Pittsburgh: Will be out 2-3 weeks with a lower-body injury.
Michael Leighton, G, Carolina: Is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Matthew Lombardi, C, Phoenix: Is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Jay McKee, D, Pittsburgh: Will be sidelined 2-4 weeks with an infected finger.
Mattias Ohlund, D, Tampa Bay: Is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Joni Pitkanen, D, Carolina: Is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Alexander Semin, LW, Washington: Is day-to-day with a right wrist injury.
Devin Setoguchi, RW, San Jose: Is day-to-day with a leg injury.
Ryan Smyth, LW, Los Angeles: Is sidelined a month with an upper-body injury.
Scott Walker, RW, Carolina: Is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
TRANSACTIONS:
Anaheim Ducks: Recalled C MacGregor Sharp from Bakersfield (ECHL). Reassigned LW Matt Beleskey, RW Troy Bodie and D Brett Festerling from San Antonio (AHL) to Toronto (AHL). Assigned LW Ryan Donally from San Antonio (AHL) to Bakersfield (ECHL).
Atlanta Thrashers: Assigned D Boris Valabik to Chicago (AHL) for a conditioning assignment.
Carolina Hurricanes: Placed G Cam Ward on long-term injured reserve. Placed C Eric Staal on injured reserve. Recalled F Patrick Dwyer and G Justin Peters from Albany (AHL). Recalled G Mike Morrison from Florida (ECHL). Assigned F Tim Conboy to Albany (AHL).
Chicago Blackhawks: Recalled LW Bryan Bickell from Rockford (AHL).
Columbus Blue Jackets: Activated F Raffi Torres from injured reserve.
Minnesota Wild: Recalled RW Danny Irmen from Houston (AHL).
Montreal Canadiens: Reassigned D Mathieu Carle to Hamilton (AHL).
New Jersey Devils: Recalled D Tyler Eckford from Lowell (AHL). Assigned D Cory Murphy to Lowell (AHL).
Pittsburgh Penguins: Recalled D Chris Lee from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL). Recalled F T.J. Fox from Wheeling (ECHL).
San Jose Sharks: Reassigned F Benn Ferriero, F Jamie McGinn and F Logan Couture to Worcester (AHL).
Washington Capitals: Recalled D John Carlson from Hershey (AHL).
NHL.COM EXPERTS LEAGUE:
Week 7 results through Nov. 18
Philly Cheesestakes 6, Rocky Trottier 3 (2 ties)
Skoula Hard Knocks 5, No Shanahan-igans 5 (1 tie)
Clown Shoes 7, Ovi's Heroes 2 (2 ties)
Hammerhead United 5, Hempstead Slowpokes 2 (4 ties)
Out on a Dan Hinote 8, The Birdcage 1 (2 ties)
Big Skillets O'BKLYN 9, Code Monkeys 1 (1 tie)
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No way! I can't be more emphatic than that. No way you or anybody else should cut Shane Doan (21, 5-9-14). You're essentially giving away a very useful fantasy right wing to the first team in your league that will claim him off the scrap heap. And for what? A fill-in defenseman for the next two weeks? Goligoski is probably 14 days away with a lower-body injury. And when Goligoski returns, would you cut his replacement and then go fishing in the free-agent pool for another right wing? You won't find one anywhere near as useful as Doan.
I know all too well how insane the injury parade has been this fantasy season. My own teams have not gone unmarked, and in some leagues I have more guys on injured reserve than my league allows injured-reserve spots. But if the prognosis for return is no longer than four weeks and the injured player is a known commodity (think first 7-10 rounds of a standard 10-team fantasy league), then that player most likely should not be cut.
Your first responsibility is to work out a trade. Aside from that, I'd rather cut Moulson than Doan. Yes, I know Moulson has 10 goals and 8 assists in 21 games, but there is no track record there to go on. I doubt he'll become a 50-goal scorer and make me eat my words, but I also doubt Moulson will become a 30-goal scorer. Taking that a step further, I'd rather play two weeks with an injured Goligoski in my active lineup than cut Doan.
Lastly, there is a good reason by Doan is owned in 93 percent of all Yahoo! leagues, and Moulson is owned in only 54 percent.
Also, I have to point out the declining value of Demers. In his first 10 games, he had 8 assists. In 13 games since, Demers has a goal and 3 assists. This trend is not uncommon for a rookie defenseman.
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