Fantasy Hockey Playoff ONE (5/6)
This is the really fast fast edition of the Fantasy Hockey Playoff ONE. Yesterday had only one game on the schedule and honestly it was not a good day for fantasy owners. Did you have Henrik Lundqvist? Sadly, he gave up three goals on 26 shots despite all the really spectacular saves. Did you want Artem Anisimov? Sure he had two points but was on the ice for two of the three goals and particularly one where he ended up flat on his rear while Washington scored. Did you want Braden Holtby? He only stopped 18 of 20 shots faced which was hardly elite enough to make our list.
Oh, did you want Alex Ovechkin perhaps? He scored one goal and did not really do too much afterwards. There were quite a few one point players but nothing real spectacular. Granted, Jeff Schultz blocked nine shots but was a defensive albatross and even Rick DiPietro could have scored on him. The problem is what the heck are we left with here?
So it comes down to the most painful decision in Fantasy POTN history. Oh hell, do you want to decide this? Go right ahead! It was just that bad. We are letting the readers decide this one. Sure you may go Anisimov but there were too many defensive blunders on his part to count. This just cannot be done on a clear conscience.
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SCHEDULE TIME:
Sunday, May 6, 2012 |
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| Teams | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | at | Los Angeles | 3:00 PM | Gameday | ||
| Philadelphia | at | New Jersey | 7:30 PM | Gameday |
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So Sunday dinner will have to wait as we travel up to The Rock this evening. With the two games on the schedule, it will be interesting to see how St. Louis responds this afternoon in an elimination game and how Philly responds after a nasty OT loss to New Jersey. Lines have been jumbled and honestly it could still all go about the same way. Let's get this done quick...there is a game at 3pm ET after all.
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KEEP AN EYE ON:
Claude Giroux, W, Philadelphia Flyers
Where have you gone Mr. Giroux? He has just that one PPG in Game 1 and now has been shifted to a line with Wayne Simmonds to try and get him going. We will say this Simmonds is very effective at creating space so New Jersey will have to tweak its defensive plan to account for the change. This actually makes the Hartnell-Jagr combo a little less lethal potentially but do not count on a long breakup. Something tells me you will see all these guys together on the Flyers power play at some point. Giroux is the missing link in the contribution department so far, that and Ilya Bryzgalov of course.
Martin Brodeur, G, New Jersey Devils
A Happy 40th Birthday to the future Hall Of Famer goalie. Brodeur will not have an easy task tonight as he faces an angry Flyers team bent on ruining that special day. Truthfully, the goalie has been pretty shaky in parts of all three games but was best in Game 2. That Game 2 form is what Brodeur will have to display today if the Devils expect to go up 3-1 in the series. He will just have to play better than the 8 GA indicates in this matchup so far.
Jonathan Quick, G, Los Angeles Kings
Simply Quick has a chance to eliminate the St. Louis Blues in a sweep. The pressure will be on LA for the first time this series but Quick has been the best goalie so far in these playoffs. Even when he was not at his best in Game 3, the Vezina candidate came up big with six late saves to seal the victory, not that it was in doubt but that just thwarted any St. Louis hopes for a comeback. This will have to be his best effort of the series for the Blues to advance.
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OUR THREE STARS (PROJECTED)
1. Anze Kopitar
2. Patrik Elias
3. Jonathan Quick
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So good luck everyone and thanks again for reading. Now go watch those games and enjoy the show tonight at 8pm ET.
