Gm #1 Notes

[IE]

Ben Bishop (elbow) won't be available for Game 1 on Wednesday.

Bishop is one of the main reasons the Lightning made the playoffs in the first place. He had a 2.23 GAA and .924 save percentage in 63 games this season.

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Patrick Sharp practiced on a line with Michal Handzus and Marian Hossa on Tuesday in preparation for the Blackhawks playoff opener on Thursday in St. Louis.

It was the first practice in nearly a month where the Hawks iced a completely healthy lineup.

Head Coach Joel Quenneville chose to split up his three highest producing forwards in Sharp, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane onto separate lines. Coach Q appears to be favoring a balanced attack in the playoffs, but Sharp has proven that he could excel with anyone on his line this season. Though Sharp played with Toews the majority of the year, the talented forward managed three goals and two assists without the dynamic centerman in the final seven games of the regular season.

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Evgeni Malkin is still questionable for Game 1, but took a step in the right direction on Tuesday by officially returning to practice for the first time since sustaining a foot injury on March 23.

Malkin is close to returning, but Penguins coach Dan Bylsma would like to see how the superstar center feels on Wednesday before declaring him fit to play in the Pens? playoff opener versus Columbus. "I cant say right now? but I feel great, I skated the full practice, and we?ll see (how the foot feels) tomorrow," said Malkin after Tuesday?s skate.

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Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller discusses his plight
http://www.latimes.com/sports/sport...oalies-20140414,0,5103875.story#ixzz2yz4hQC4f

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[IE]

The Blues had a number of walking wounded back on the ice during an optional skate on Tuesday at St. Louis Outlet Mall.

Coach Ken Hitchcock said he is expecting all of his players ?including forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who had the cast removed from his right hand ? to be available at some point in the series with the Chicago Blackhawks.

"We're going to have everybody back at some point in the first round," Hitchcock said.

Among the group skating were Tarasenko, T.J. Oshie, Brenden Morrow, as well as defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Barret Jackman.

All of those players missed the final game of the regular season, a 3-0 loss to Detroit, because of injuries.

"It felt good to get around, sweat a little bit," Oshie said. "It feels like I haven't been doing anything in a long time. the first couple of days were pretty tough for me, but I've been getting a lot of rest, a lot of time at home with the family, relaxing. I woke up this morning, felt pretty good and went out there skated and felt pretty good out there."

Asked if he could play in Game 1, Oshie replied: "I don't know. You've got to see how I am tonight, how I am tomorrow morning. It really is a day to day thing. If I can, if medically it's OK and I'm not going to hurt myself worse, or hurt my team, I'll be in."

Tarasenko has not played since suffering an injury to his right hand in the final moments of a game at Nashville on March 15.

Tarasenko, who had 21 goals this season, had a cast removed on Monday and skated without that protection for the first time on Tuesday. He looked good while shooting and handling pucks. But in medical terms, looks can be deceiving.

?We'll see,? Tarasenko said, when asked how soon he could play. ?I don't know yet. We'll see tomorrow.

?It felt good. This was my first time with the guys. It was hard, but I'm so happy to be back.?

Morrow made a surprise appearance on the ice, after it was believed that he suffered a fractured foot in practice last week in Minnesota. He was wearing a walking boot on his foot when the Blues traveled to Dallas.

"I got a couple of days to get a little better," Morrow said. So I've got to knock the rust off and hopefully be ready on Thursday."

Those who have missed time with injuries and were not on the ice Tuesday were David Backes, Vladimir Sobotka and Patrik Berglund.

Hitchcock indicated some of them would likely skate on Wednesday when the Blues conduct a full practice. But he warned observers not to read too much into players participating in an optional skate.

?We got to get a proper evaluation off a hockey practice and see ? when the tempo goes up ? whether they can keep up,? Hitchcock added, ?This was an optional skate. Our roster is really fluid right now. We're not as set as Chicago is ? they're set.

?We're not there yet. We're hoping we get more set by Thursday, and get some really good news. But I don't think any of us can tell that right now, not until we get a real hockey practice.?

Hitchcock said the returns will give the Blues a different look.

?I think everybody knows that if we get some help back, we're a lot better team than the one that finished the year,? he added. ?That's just the reality check we had to deal with.?

Hitchcock wasn't ready to say that the cavalry is coming back soon, but several of the Blues' injured players appear to be making progress.

 

[IE]

In the last 21 seasons, every single Stanley Cup winning team has been in the Top 10 for goal differential.


Rank Team Goals Per Game Goals Against Per Game Goal Differential Per Game
1 Boston Bruins 3.15 2.09 1.06
2 Anaheim Ducks 3.21 2.48 0.73
3 St. Louis Blues 2.91 2.29 0.62
4 Chicago Blackhawks 3.18 2.59 0.60
5 San Jose Sharks 2.91 2.35 0.56
6 Pittsburgh Penguins 2.95 2.49 0.46
7 Los Angeles Kings 2.41 2.05 0.37
8 Colorado Avalanche 2.99 2.63 0.35
9 New York Rangers 2.61 2.32 0.29
10 Tampa Bay Lightning 2.83 2.55 0.28

one of those 10 teams is your winner..

also,


76% of Stanley Cup winners have a Goal Differential of +0.50 or higher, this year there are just 5 teams (Boston, Anaheim, St. Louis, Chicago, and San Jose). The Bruins are the only Eastern team.


==SportingCharts credit

 

[IE]

Stanley Cup Final matchup - 4/16/2014 7:05 PM (EST)


Boston Bruins vs St Louis Blues +1145
Boston Bruins vs Chicago Blackhawks +1255
Boston Bruins vs San Jose Sharks +1310
Boston Bruins vs Anaheim Ducks +1440

 

[Snafu]

"flu bug" hits Boston Bruins:

Illnesses reduce Bruins? ranks at practice

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2...ks-practice/FOhhlMtuNrIDELW4QIRVqJ/story.html

they won't start before friday

 

[donly1ace]

In the last 21 seasons, every single Stanley Cup winning team has been in the Top 10 for goal differential.


Rank Team Goals Per Game Goals Against Per Game Goal Differential Per Game
1 Boston Bruins 3.15 2.09 1.06
2 Anaheim Ducks 3.21 2.48 0.73
3 St. Louis Blues 2.91 2.29 0.62
4 Chicago Blackhawks 3.18 2.59 0.60
5 San Jose Sharks 2.91 2.35 0.56
6 Pittsburgh Penguins 2.95 2.49 0.46
7 Los Angeles Kings 2.41 2.05 0.37
8 Colorado Avalanche 2.99 2.63 0.35
9 New York Rangers 2.61 2.32 0.29
10 Tampa Bay Lightning 2.83 2.55 0.28

one of those 10 teams is your winner..

also,


76% of Stanley Cup winners have a Goal Differential of +0.50 or higher, this year there are just 5 teams (Boston, Anaheim, St. Louis, Chicago, and San Jose). The Bruins are the only Eastern team.


==SportingCharts credit

Would be interesting to have the stats for the period -POST TRADE DEADLINE- unitl the end of regular season... TY for the above info IE - always a treat for us to have you post this interesting stuff. :0074