Flyers vs Blackhawks Game 6 Preview

Tonight, the Stanley Cup Playoffs may come to an end with the Blackhawks having a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6 in Philadelphia. So, can the Blackhawks do it and win their first title since 1961? Or, will the Flyers force a deciding Game 7 back in Chitown? Let's look at some of the key factors in Game 6...

*Homeice Advantage

-They Flyers are an impressive 10-1 at the Wachovia Center in Philly. The Broad Street Bullies have pushed around the opposition at home, and in Games 3 and 4 their offense carried the day with 9 total goals. It's ironic that in a Stanley Cup Playoffs that had seen the road team actually win a majority of games heading into the final that now we have seen the home team win each of the first 5 games of the Stanley Cup Finals! The Hawks though are 2 for 2 in clinching games on the road this postseason and still have a 7-3 road record this postseason. The Blackhawks forced Game 3 into OT, and I would expect another close game tonight.

*Who's Between The Pipes?

-Michael Leighton, the Flyers young standout goalie, was pulled for the second time in the series after giving up 3 first period goals in Game 5. Brian Boucher came in and also gave up 3 goals before an empty netter gave Chicago their lucky 7. So, Flyers nation (if such a thing exists) has to wonder who is going to be between the pipes for the do or die Game 6? All signs point to Leighton getting the nod, but his save percentage is down from 95% against Montreal to 86.7% in the Finals. He's also giving up goals in bunches and gave up 3 each in Games 3 and 4 in Philly. It seems like the Hawks might have figured out Leighton, and if he allows 3 more goals in the first period tonight, there won't be another second chance.

*Star Watch

-Chris Pronger has become the lightning rod of the Stanley Cup Finals. First, Pronger had this ridiculous child-like habit of stealing the game pucks from Chicago wins. Now, the Chicago Tribune has made things personal with this picture (I guess, I assume hockey players don't like being shown in skirts). On the ice, it seemed like Chicago finally neutralized him effectively in Game 5 by switching up a couple lines and having Dustin Byfuglein be physical with him. Splitting up Byfuglein from Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews and shuffling the Chicago lines worked perfectly - Big Buff had 2 goals and Kane showed up with a goal and an assist. The Blackhawks have such good depth that splitting up Buff, Kane, and Toews means that the Flyers can match Pronger up with only one of them and each line remains effective. If Chicago spreads the wealth on their lines again and gets contributions from each of them, then the Cup can be claimed.

*Intangibles

-The momentum heading into this Game 6 is firmly with the Blackhawks. But, it's not like the Flyers are incapable of climbing out of a hole - see the 3-0 3-0 comeback against Boston. But, the Blackhawks offense is much more capable than the Bruins, and it's hard to see either Flyers goalie turn it on at this point. I would expect to see Chicago continue their Game 5 strategy of splitting the top line and upping the tempo against the Flyers with wave after wave of attack. As long as Antti Niemi can play somewhere near his best, I see the Blackhawks lifting the Cup tonight. I'm just sad we won't get to hear this...

PICK: Hawks 5 Flyers 3

7 Things We Missed On Memorial Day Weekend

With everything going on over the Memorial Day Weekend, it's a great time for our semi-regular feature and take a look at the 7 biggest sports stories from the weekend!

1) Niemi Says No!

-The Chicago Blackhawks are off to a 2-0 series lead over the Flyers after a thrilling 6-5 win in Game 1 and a tense 2-1 victory in Game 2. In Game 1, it was the Hawks offense led by players like Bolland, Brouwer, and Versteeg and not Kane and Toews. The depth of the 'Hawks stood out in Game 1 as they were able to outscore Philly. Then, in Game 2, it was Antti Niemi's turn to step up with several huge saves in the 3rd period to hold on to a 2-1 win. Both games took different complexions and Chicago fans have to be juiced that they were able to beat the Flyers in both an up-tempo game and a physical slugfest... and now they go on the road where they've won 7 straight games!

But, the best news for the NHL is TV ratings going up, even after last year's Stanley Cup Finals between Pittsburgh and Detroit. This news comes on the heels of record ratings for the first two rounds on Versus of all places. While the numbers won't threaten the other major sports, it is encouraging for the sport that there continues to be an increase in ratings... now if we can only bring back the glow puck! Here's Game 2...

2) Mr. Ashley Judd Wins The Indy 500

-Dario Franchitti won his 2nd Indy 500 on Sunday, using fuel mileage and a little luck with a last lap caution to emerge victorious on Sunday. Franchitti had the best car the entire race and was a very deserved winner. However, the race wasn't exactly a classic with few meaningful lead changes. Perhaps the most memorable moment came when Mike Conway had this terrifying crash on the final lap and suffered just leg and back injuries.

3) Kurt Busch Sweeps Charlotte

-The Coca-Cola 600 provided the traditional Memorial Day Sunday nightcap and it was Kurt Busch with his 2nd straight win at Charlotte after winning the All-Star Race last week. Busch sits 6th in the standings and looks on his way to making the chase. In looking at where we stand in NASCAR at the first of June, Kevin Harvick has a surprising lead at the top of the standings. Jimmie Johnson hasn't quite shown the consistent dominance as in years past, but is tied for the series lead with 3 wins. NASCAR desperately needs a competitive season and a new champion to help gain back some fans bored with the Johnson Era.

4) US On The Way To SA

-The US Soccer team won their sendoff game against Turkey 2-1 as they hit the road to South Africa. Bob Bradley played many more starters than against the Czechs, but it was a couple bench guys that shined the most - Jose Torres and Robbie Findley. Many questioned Findley's inclusion, but he helped set up the first goal and Torres played inspired two way soccer in the center of midfield during the second half. It was interesting to see the different combos that Bradley used up front - Altidore/Dempsey -> Altidore/Findley -> Dempsey/Findley. It looks like Bradley might go the Altidore/Dempsey route and use Findley's speed as a sub if needed. Nevertheless, there are still many options for the coach, and it looks like there are spots open as the US plays Australia Saturday in their last WC warmup.

5) England Names WC Squad

-Today, Fabio Capello named his squad for the World Cup. The surprise is the exclusion of winger wunderkind Theo Walcott. Thankfully, the US won't have to worry about seeing this in Rustenburg...

Walcott would have given the US a ton of trouble on the wings with their speed, but Aaron Lennon from Tottenham appears to have beat him out. Expect Steven Gerrard to be pushed wide left while Frank Lampard occupies the middle of midfield with either a fit Gareth Barry or perhaps Michael Carrick/Ledley King. The other worry for England is the 2nd striker spot where Capello picked Peter Crouch, Emile Heskey, and Jermaine Defoe beside Wayne Rooney. It is a dilemma for England, much like the US - do they change their style of play and place Rooney by himself with support from Gerrard/Lampard or pair him with Crouch or Heskey? So many questions surround this game and the subplots are so intriguing that I can't wait for June 12!

6) Just What The Doctor Ordered

-Roy Halladay continues to prove that he is the best pitcher of the Steroid Era. He became only the 5th Cy Young winner to throw a perfect game Saturday in Florida. It's amazing to think that Halladay has been around for 12 years now, getting his first win in 1998. The funny thing about Halladay is that his career numbers don't blow you away - 155 wins and a 3.37 ERA with only 2 20 win seasons. But, unlike others with injury issues (Santana) or ethical issues (Clemens), Halladay has been there through it all with the same consistency. Maybe now that he has a perfect game, and is pitching in a big American market, he'll get the credit he deserves.

7) The Grammatica Files

-Kendry Morales-Grammatica thought that with everything in the sports world going on this Memorial Day Weekend, that the best way to get his name in the papers was to go out and break a leg... literally. Morales becomes the first man in baseball history to injure himself while jumping on home plate while celebrating a walk-off home run! Congratulations Kendry! Of course it's a fluke thing and just plain bad luck... but you have to wonder if his own team will have him beaned when he gets back from the DL for breaking an "unwritten rule of baseball."

D'Oh!

Stanley Cup Finals Preview

Here we are, the Stanley Cup Finals are upon us with two of the most recognizable franchises in the NHL, the Blackhawks and Flyers. Can Chicago break one of the longest championship droughts in sports? Can the Flyers ring in a new era of the Broad Street Bullies? No matter who wins, the NHL will be the big winner if another classic series follows up last year's Stanley Cup Finals. Find out who has the edge in every matchup, here at RSS!

Blackhawks Offense vs. Flyers Defense

-While the young guns like Kane, Toews, Sharp have been consistently good throughout the playoffs, the real emerging star for the 'Hawks has been Dustin Byfuglein. After going scoreless in the 1st Round against Nashville, Big Buff has lit the world on fire scoring 8 goals, many of them game-winners.

Side Note: At the Blackhawks/Blue Jackets game we attended earlier this year, both Y1 and my lovely fiancee had to ask me who this Bye-foog-lin guy was.

Matching up with Big Buff will likely be all-world Flyers D Chris Pronger; their battles in front of the net will certainly be influential in this series. The rest of the Flyers defense is not exactly deep and the Blackhawks top 3 lines are all very dangerous in attack. If the Hawks can fight through the physicality the Flyers will try to enforce and raise the tempo, especially crossing through the neutral zone (I know, it almost sounds like real hockey analysis?!) they can control the series. Edge-Blackhawks

Flyers Offense vs. Blackhawks Defense

-Since their dramatic comeback against the Bruins, the Flyers have shown just as much depth offensively as the Blackhawks. Danny Briere, Claude Giroux, Simon Gagne, and captain Mike Richards all have at least 6 goals in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Blackhawks have perhaps the best defensive pairing in the NHL in Brent Seabrook and Norris Trophy finalist (and now hero to all dentists) Duncan Keith. But, the Blackhawks defense doesn't stop there. Niklas Hjalmarsson has been fantastic throughout the playoffs, as well as forwards Dave Bolland and Marian Hossa, who shut down Joe Thornton in the Sharks series. While the Flyers have some weapons, it seems the Blackhawks have the capability to match them. Edge-Push

Goaltending

-If you had asked even the most hardcore NHL expert, they'd had thought you were crazy if you'd told them the goalies in the Stanley Cup Finals would be Antti Niemi and Michael Leighton. But, both have answered the call to carry their teams into the final round. As a rookie, Niemi was given the nod from the beginning of the playoffs and, after a shaky start, has really found his groove (1.67 GAA against San Jose). Meanwhile Leighton was forced into action after an injury to starter Brian Boucher against the Bruins. He certainly rose to the occasion with a 6-1 record in the playoffs, including 3 shutouts against Montreal. The key will be how both of these young goalies respond to the first bit of adversity. Based on Niemi facing much tougher offenses on his team's trip to the finals, he gets the slight edge. Edge-Blackhawks

Playoff Beards

-One of the great traditions that makes the Stanley Cup Playoffs so unique...the playoff beard! As a bearded man myself, I recognize the power full facial hair provides. The young Hawks were always going to struggle in this department...I'm not sure some players are even old enough to own razors. And, based on the "beard" grown by Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews...Chicago might be in trouble.

X-Factor

-There are so many weird X-factors in this series it almost boggles the mind! The Flyers do the impossible and come back from 3-0 down in the Conference Semis against the Bruins. The Blackhawks haven't won a Stanley Cup since 1961, but have won 7 straight road games! But, above them all is the curse of Marian Hossa. Hossa is the 1st player to reach 3 straight Stanley Cup with 3 different teams...of course, the only bad part is that he lost in his two previous appearances. That's definitely a bad sign for the Blackhawks and their fans. Edge-Flyers

The Pick

-So, with all of this in mind...who's the pick? While the Flyers have had a great run, it has to end here. They're a #7 seed for a reason, and the Blackhawks clearly represent the most talented team Philly will have faced in the playoffs. The Blackhawks will be able to pressure Michael Leighton unlike Boston or Montreal while relying on their composed defense and the hot hand of Antti Niemi. Look for Niemi to say NO! enough for the 'Hawks to close out the Flyers on the road in Game 6. Pick-Blackhawks in 6

Top 10 Games of the Decade-Hockey-2009 Pens v Wings: Game 7

Our Games of the Decade Series continues with our next game coming exactly three months after the epic 6 OT game between UConn and Syracuse. This time, we go from the hardwood to the ice with our hockey game of the decade. Hockey suffered through a tumultuous decade, becoming the first American sports league to lose an entire season due to a work stoppage. The '04-'05 lockout, and subsequent drop from ESPN has left hockey in a distant 4th place amongst the 4 major pro sports in popularity. However, epic games like this one can slowly bring hockey back to the mainstream.

Who: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings

What: Stanley Cup Finals Game 7

Where: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit

When: June 12, 2009

How It All Unfolded: The 2009 Stanley Cup Finals was a rematch of the previous season's championship round. The veteran Red Wings had held off the upstart Penguins in 6 games in 2008 to win their 2nd Stanley Cup of the Decade. All of hockey was rooting for a rematch when 2009, and the Penguins made a remarkable run back to the Cup Finals from the #4 seed. The Wings had a veteran roster with plenty of All-Star performers like Datsyuk, Franzen, and Holmstrom, along with veterans Osgood, Chelios, and Draper. The Penguins were led by hockey's next big thing Sidney Crosby, the league's youngest ever MVP in 2007, and Evgeni Malkin, winer of the Art Ross trophy. The series was set to be a classic.

The teams traded home wins all the way up until Game 7. Going into the game, Detroit's veteran leadership and championship experience had them the slight favorites. However, stars like Crosby and Malkin were capable of winning the Cup on the road for Pittsburgh's first title since the days of Super Mario. The first period was played like you would expect in a Game 7 with physical play and neither side giving an inch. As the 2nd Period began, the Penguins got the breakthrough with Max Talbot converting a turnover. As the Pens took the lead though, they lost their star Crosby to a big hit on the boards. But, it was Talbot who was leading Pittsburgh as the unlikely hero (12 G in '08-'09) as he got his 2nd of the period on a 2 on 1 breakaway. The Pens were 20 minutes away from the Cup.

With 6 minutes left, Detroit got one back, setting up one of the most dramatic finishes in hockey history. Niklas Kronwall drilled the crossbar with over 2 minutes to go, and as time expired Pens G Marc-Andre Fleury came up with one of the most famous saves of all-time as he dived across his goal to stop Wings Captain Nick Lidstrom as time expired and the Penguins won the Cup. It was everything the NHL could have hoped for as its star phenom Crosby celebrated with owner Mario Lemieux and lifted the Stanley Cup, here's the highlights!

Why We'll Remember It: This game wasn't just important for the Red Wings and the Penguins, but for the sport of hockey. The lockout of 2004 did untold damage to the sport. Love or hate ESPN, but they control the sports landscape. The NHL being off ESPN is a huge hill to climb for the league. Yes, you can point to attendance numbers all you want, but TV money and viewers rule the day. And, compared to the NFL, hockey is a gnat flying around on the Versus network. However, the game is more entertaining than ever, and stars like Crosby can bring back viewers and networks. 2009's Game 7 on NBC was the most watched hockey game in the US since 1973 drawing 8 Million viewers. In other words, hockey was once again relevant on the national sports landscape.

And, in truth, the NHL couldn't have asked for a better game to bring back the masses to the ice. You had two of the hallmark franchises of the league going toe-to-toe, you had stars all over the ice, an unlikely hero, and a thrilling finale. Of course, the NHL has a long way to go before it can come back to national prominence and compete with the other 3 major pro sports. Violence and injuries in the game have to be addressed before someone gets seriously injured as we've seen a high number of high impact injuries this season.

But, for one magical night in June, Lord Stanley's Cup drew the attention of a nation, and they were captivated from beginning to end. Let's hope that for the sake of hockey, and for sports in general, we can look back on Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals as the night that hockey was back.

Also Considered:

-2000: Eastern Conference Semis - Flyers 2 Penguins 1 5 OT

-2000: Stanley Cup Finals Game 5 - Stars 1 Devils 0 3 OT

-2002: Stanley Cup Finals Game 3 - Red Wings 3 Hurricanes 2 3 OT

-2006: Stanley Cup Finals Game 1 - Hurricanes 5 Oilers 4

We'll be back on Monday with all of the news from this weekend, including Tiger Woods and Bud Selig. See you then!