Last night’s Pittsburgh Penguins’ NHL final series opening win vs the Nashville Predators might not have happened if P.K. Subban’s opening goal would have counted, as it should have.
The Penguins are a near great team and likely I will anoint them as great, as I believe they will win the title, as stated last week here.
However, the good but not great, and certainly NOT all time great announcer, Mike Emrick’s “Pittsburgh thing” and comments are getting to me.
He “slipped” in talking of the series going 7, 6 or 5, never saying four. The man who to his credit, hauled his briefcase to early N.J. Devils’ games in his “hustle” for work, would be happy for “his” Pens but not his NBC with a sweep.
Next he joked about Kunitz’ goal in #7 semis and apologized for an obscenity that got through from the “miked” Nashville dressing room.
We try to avoid those things said Emrick. Really, then do not chance the locker room “rah, rah” segment.
Gee was Mike Sullivan ever insightful in saying the Pens got a lift from the Subban goal being nullified. “No bleep, Sherlock.”
I am not quite ready to roll out the Pittsburgh final round mark, nor give them the title, as first off after a tough loss, maybe “Nash” gets the “wood” and it counts in #2, with almost surely an NBC “fix”/Nash crowd, gets the Preds #3, if they are down (2-0).
Maybe it is even (2-1) Nash, but more likely, not, and I say “Pitts” in 6 or less, knowing Emrick/NBC would love Pitts in 7. They got it the last two rounds and what Emrick/NBC/Bettman want, unfortunately as in life, as powers, they get.
I actually started this (3-0) Pitts, went to sleep (3-1) and was not surprised the “computer” voice (oh do I miss my pager!) said Pitts first.
However, my disgust increased greatly knowing I missed a game in which for the second straight Memorial Day Final opener, a team in its first final (last year San Jose down (2-0) tied it only to lose when Nick Bonino scored late in the third period) overcame a multiple goal deficit only to lose at Pitts (the Pens are (11-4) in home finals tilts) on a late third period goal, this as shown in the title by rookie Jake Guentzel, his 10th in these ‘offs.
Bonino had 2 goals, one completely lucky and an empty net goal, while Con Sheary, (he won #2 Final last year in OT), and the great Evgeni Malkin also had Pittsburgh goals.
The team winning game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final is (35-13) in the 48 previous post expansion title round series.
On what would have been President Kennedy’s (Jack) 100th birthday, it was JAKE Guentzel, pictured above, who had THE goal as the Penguins “opened” the Predators.
Perhaps Marilyn with Jackie in attendance and all things worked out sang happy birthday with Jake’s exploits on earth noted.
Still not happy with this tilt in which, incredibly the Penguins went 37 mins sans a shot on goal. They are near great, perhaps great, but teams like the glory days Canadiens, Islanders and Oilers would have “toyed” with them, certainly minimum, in my not so humble opinion, were discernibly better.
One hundred years ago today, John F. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts.
The Kennedy family has always called for Mr. Kennedy, the 35th United States President’s birthday and certainly life, be recalled with more “vigor,” (did not “Jack” say that word and so many others, so well.?!!) than his death, from a still, not certainly known assassin’s bullets.
All of us are born and eventually die. However, precious few live and die the way John F. Kennedy did.
On this birthday, I will try to recall the accomplishments and the man, I admire so.
John F. Kennedy pictured above.
Jim Rutherford, the current Penguins general manager and current Nashville coach, Peter Laviolette won a Stanley Cup together, each in the same role with the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes.
Now they or more precisely their teams clash for the title, the best of seven Cup Final beginning tomorrow night in Pittsburgh.
There were many references to the game during the Pirates/Mets telecast on Fox last night.
Since the Pittsburgh Pirates lost the 1927 World Series to a great New York Yankees team, the city of Pittsburgh is (13-3) in championship round action. The Pens are (4-1).
Only once before has a team from Tennessee played for a major North American sports crown, in it, the Tennessee Titans lost to the St. Louis Rams in the ’99 season Supe.
The inevitable NBA Finals (the NHL title round is the Stanley Cup Final, the corresponding NBA series is “the finals,” with the NHL usage being correct) battle between the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers and top ranked (for a third straight season) Golden State Warriors, has manifested for a third straight season, a first in NBA annals.
The teams went a combined (24-1) to reach the final (note the usage), with top ranked Golden State going (12-0).
This upcoming Cleve/GS final will be the fourth title round clash between the same team for three consecutive seasons, one in each major North American sports entity and no matter who wins, on all four occasions one team will have evoked “Meat Loaf’s” song and won two of three, which is much better than “not bad.” In fact, making three straight final rounds and certainly winning one of three, is also better than “not bad.”
The first such instance was in baseball from (1921-1923) as the New York Giants won the first two. I regret, as I do so many things regarding my father (talk to your parents and if possible have them record a narrative about their lives and those things meaningful to them and you!!) never asking if he had any recollections of the ” Frankie Frisch, Johnny Rawlings, High Pockets Kelly involved double play, that clinched the Giants World Series win over the Yankees in 1921. They won again, without losing a game in 1922.
The next year, the Yankees had their own home, Yankee Stadium and topped the Giants, as they also did in the next/last four World Series battles to date (’36,’37, ’51 and ’62).
The Yankees a stellar (27-13) in World Series play lost in their next World Series, (yes the great Grover “Pete”/Cleveland Alexander did fan Tony Lazzeri in the Series’ big spot, but “Poosh Em Up” (Lazzeri) was also great in his playing career,) before winning in a mind blowing 15 of their next 16 W.S. appearances.
Speaking of Cleveland, the city, not Mr. Alexander’s middle name, they were involved the lone time the same teams met for the NFL crown in three straight seasons, the Detroit Lions winning in ’52 and ’53 before the Browns won in ’54.
As was the case in the other two league final round contests between the same teams for three straight seasons, the lone instance in NHL play manifested in one team (twice a Detroit team has won two straight title round entities against the same team, before losing in the third straight season clash) the Detroit Red Wings winning vs the Montreal Canadiens in the first two final round battles, (Tony Leswick a distant relative of 1986 #7 World Series winner, Len Dykstra, scored in overtime of game 7 in 1954 and the Wings again 7’d the Habs in ’55) before Montreal began the greatest run, as the greatest NHL team, with the first of 5 straight title wins (’56-60) by topping the Red Wings in the 1956 Stanley Cup Final.
After so many tangents and I hope some reasonably interesting info, (at least it is accurate, unlike a recent otherwise fine Sports Illustrated piece on Cleveland in 1954 and much of what that entails, in which it was disseminated that “Dusty” Rhodes #1 ’54 W.S. game winning HR was hit to left, when of course it was hit to right), I offer one more tidbit and a shaky prediction on the fourth such series.
Above, without identifying him, I referenced Grover Cleveland, a United States president.
Alas, as cited in the other three such situations, one team won the first two before losing the third. This Cleve/GS has and will be different as the teams (GS in ’15 and Cleve, aided immeasurably when Silver suspended Green in ’16) split the first two final round meetings.
Since Mr. Cleveland won the presidency in 1884, lost in 1888 but won it in 1892, only Golden State, technically can “pull,” or at least evoke, Mr. Grover Cleveland, (win, lose,win), the only man or woman for that matter, to win a presidential election, lose one and then win one.
I say 12 to 5 favorite, Golden State will “pull a (Grover) Cleveland,” by winning in six games.
Grover Cleveland, pictured above.
The defending Stanley Cup champion, Pittsburgh Penguins, now (4-7) in home 7th games, (10-7) in any seventh games, (did Emrick need to say “series tied” after imparting it was game seven, which also was largely unnecessary) advanced to their second straight NHL Final, and 6th in franchise history, (4-1) in previous), riding Chris Kunitz’ goal in the second overtime period, to a (3-2) win vs the courageous Ottawa Senators, whose goaltender Craig Anderson was brilliant in defeat.
Pittsburgh will face the Nashville Predators in the Stanley Cup finals which open on the Monday of Memorial Day weekend, in Pittsburgh, for the second straight year.
It is the second straight season in which the Pens who led (1-0) and (2-1) won a Thursday night home game 7/semis by a goal, without trailing.
Their coach, Mike Sullivan, hired during last season, has won all 7 series thus far, as Penguins’ coach while netminder Matt Murray, who was in goal for 15 Pens’ wins en route to the 16 needed for the crown last season, won #7 semis, also for a second straight season, this on his 23rd birthday.
Ottawa coach Guy Boucher was again denied in a 7th game road semis loss in a series in which the home advantage winning team (the ’17 Pens and eventual ’11 winners, the Boston Bruins) won games 2, 5 and 7 at home, while Boucher’s teams (the ’17 Senators and ’11 Tampa Bay Lightning) won #1 on the road and #6 at home. This time Boucher’s team won the third at home and lost #4, in ’11 Tampa Bay did the opposite in #’s 3 and 4 at home.
Chris Kunitz, pictured above.
It was exactly 40 years ago today that I wore a beautiful white suit, looking so great and journeyed to see the great Muhammad Ali, who of course looked even better, in a light gray suit.
The juxtaposition over 40 years could be frightening, but I choose to remember the good, especially that, emanating from Ali’s personality that day.
That great personality and his kindness is what I remember most fondly about that day and about Muhammad Ali.
He talked into my big tape recorder and I did plead with him to retire. A kid walked away without Ali writing “to his name.” “What’s the name, Ali asked emphatically.
The kid said “Donald, to Donald.” On we go.
Eleven years later, another “double digit” year Ali, Angela and Andy B.
If “Antenna TV” can do it, so can I. Instead of notes on Ottawa forcing a 7th game, for what will be a bit nervous NBC and Emrick, Thurs in Pitts (THE game, #7 of the ’60 World Series, was on a Thursday in Pittsburgh!) and Mr. James “knowing” to dribble out the potential spread covering possession, in Cleve’s “no cover” of the Celts, to take (3-1) series, command– I speak briefly today of a shift in Antenna TV’s programming to honor Roger Moore.
Mr. Moore passed away, it was announced yesterday. He might need a “James Bond” code book, to realize we and Antenna T.V. hail him, as a fine actor, certainly a tremendous “James Bond.”
Antenna Television shifted programs and ran a Carson Tonight Show, originally airing after the ’82 Oscars (among other things Jane had accepted Henry Fonda’s long due best actor nod the night before, and the other guest Maureen Stapleton had thanked everyone she ever met, doing so in a precise sentence and not delineating all, after winning an Academy Award) that featured Roger Moore.
A story that Mr. Moore had played a rather “blue” “roast” of Don Rickles, including Johnny “saying words and things he normally would not,” the sound reverberating off the mountains, near his European villa, with Carson as a guest was told.
I think of their good lives juxtaposed (a word Carson used in describing the “blared” roast) with so many that are below the line, but feel the joy Moore, Johnny and others passed to us.
Thus I have no bitterness toward them. In fact, I would shout to those mountains thank you Roger Moore, Maureen Stapleton, Johnny Carson and others. Oh do I miss them, especially now.
Roger Moore was great as “The Saint.”
Colton Sissons scored three goals including the go ahead to stay, game winner with 6 minutes left in the third period while Pekka Rinne made 38 saves as Nashville 6’d Anaheim (Ducks) (6-3), advancing to their first NHL finals series.
Likely the 16th ranked Predators will face the second ranked, defending champion, Pittsburgh Penguins but still might face the 13th ranked Ottawa Senators in the finals, which will begin on the Monday night /Memorial Day, likely, but again far from definitely, in Pittsburgh, with a “happy” Emrick for a second straight season.
In their 18th season, Nashville has made its first finals, winning a home 6th, vs a higher ranked team just as San Jose (Sharks) did in their 24th season (18 is 3/4 or 75 percent of 24), a year ago.
The lower ranked team, (the Cup winning ’14 L.A. Kings and ’15 Chicago Blackhawks were the other two teams to do so) has won four consecutive Western Conference finals in the NHL.
Last year, when the Pittsburgh Penguins failed to clinch the title at home in #5/finals vs San Jose (Sharks), NBC and its crew had to journey Pittsburgh to San Jose again and also back.
Surely they did not like that. I will never forget the collasal gall of Mike Francesa complaining that he had to sojourn to Vancouver and back, after the Canucks forced a 6th game of the ’94 finals.
While I would not count out either Anaheim (Ducks) or the Ottawa (Senators), it looks like Emrick and the boys will have relatively short trips this season, Pittsburgh to Nashville and back either for “got to call a Pirates at world champion Cubs game,” Emrick to go home or to “Civic Arena” for game 5 and then ???
Of course it is not Civic Arena, of course it has a corporate name, the Pens are a near great team for the second time in their history but though it will still send some chills if (and likely, far from certain), or when, the hockey czar calls Sid (Caesar, Bing) Crosby to receive the silver, lord knows “it ain’t what it used to be.”
Sidney Crosby and the Pens are 6 to 5 faves to make Emrick and the crowd at Foley’s in New York City happy with their third “Cup” together.
With it, if it, Sid will approach Sid Caesar (pictured above) greatness in his field.
Last night as certainly predicted here, the Nashville Predators won (3-1) at Anaheim vs the Ducks to take a (3-2) semis lead, recalling past “semis” games 5 in Anaheim sports history, most notably involving the Angels.
There was the Sunday glory of the Ducks semis game 5 win at Detroit vs the still powerful Red Wings en route to a 6 game semis triumph and eventual 5 game finals victory over the Ottawa Senators in the ’07 finals. (By the way, Ottawa is in its third semi and all three times the Ducks, the Might Ducks in ’03, have been in the “other” semi.)
Also the Angels wrapped up their semis series/ALCS vs the Minnesota Twins, whose roster included a young David Ortiz, with a Sunday game 5 home win, en route to the ’02 title.
The Chicago White Sox ended the Angels season, “5 ing” them, ending on a Sunday with Joe Buck, en route to their first title in 88 years in ’05. Last year fellow Chicago baseball team, the Cubs ended a title drought that was 20 years longer, with Joe Buck.
Edmonton, dispatched by the Ducks in a 7 game “quarter,” last week, “5’d” the Ducks in the ’06 semis, before losing to the Carolina Hurricanes, who were “guided” by current Nashville coach Peter Laviolette.
Twice the Angels under hard luck manager Gene Mauch, whose 1964 Phillies famously dissipated a big lead and also failed to win the pennant, lost Sunday 5th games, either officially being ousted at Milwaukee (Brewers), now a National League franchise or should I say “brand,” in a decisive 5th in ’82, and most memorable and heartbreaking of all, dissipating a (5-2) 9th inning lead in a Sunday home 5th and eventually a (3-1) semis/ALCS lead, to the Boston Red Sox in 1986.
Last night the Mets held off the Angels in a reg game, Joe Buck was there, (as with so many unpleasant things–is not he everywhere?!), that Sunday in ’86, I headed to the Mets’ Shea Stadium home for #4NLCS vs Mike Scott and Houston.
One day as requested in “Grease,” I will “tell you more,” regarding all that happened that day.
Current “Nash” coach, Peter Laviolette, guided the ’06 Carolina Hurricanes to the title with general manager, Jim Rutherford.
Perhaps the two will clash in the ’17 finals, as Jim Rutherford, who titled last season, is the Pens’ general manager.
Last season, the Lightning won at “Pitts” in an Emrick night 5th of the semis, but the Pens led by Bryan Rust won in 7. Emrick and NBC want the Pens to win, ideally in 7. I would not try “the lose game 5 at home trick” again, if I were them, but it is a day game, giving “Ott” a good chance.
However, what Bettman and Emrick/NBC want, they usually get. Happily, not a Triple Crown bid, but I completely “dogged” the 28 dollar winning horse.
Andy B Sports 