TIME TO REMOVE THE TRAPEZOID !!!!

With all of the talk about player safety, head-shots and goal scoring going down, it is not time to get rid of the trapezoid? Since the lockout the NHL has not allowed goalies to play the puck behind the goal line unless they were in the trapezoid. Getting rid of the trapezoid would allow goalies to help their defensemen more. They could leave the net to freely play the puck to save their defensemen from the rush of fore checkers, and keep them from the brutal zone behind the net where many blindside hits occur. On top of that many goalies are not very good at playing the puck. 

If you watched Game One of the Western Conference Final on Sunday, you get what I am talking about. Roberto Luongo turned a simple dump in, into an unassisted goal for Joe Thornton (view it here : http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2010030321). Anyone that has put skates on could have scored that one. Anti Niemi’s giveaway cost the Sharks the tying goal when he left the net to move it up the boards, right to a waiting Raffi Torres (view it here : http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2010030321).  Many goalies egos are too big to just leave the puck alone. They drive their coaches crazy and too often leave themselves out of position because of their need to be involved. 

Goalies like Martin Brodeur, Marty Turco and Carey Price are great at helping their teammates. They start breakouts with a lead pass, or move the puck up the boards in a timely manner to save a defenseman from a crushing oncoming hit. Most goalies are not so good at it, especially the European ones. Giving goalies free reign will help correct a slew of problems for the NHL. It’s time to let the skilled goalies excel and the ones that are miserable at handling the puck fail.

-Mark Chyz

Send questions or comment to me on twitter @chyz1.

BOLTS AND Bs - GOING TO BE A ROCKING SERIES !!!!

Even though I am a dejected Flyers fan, I figured it was time to make some picks for next round. Losing in the second round of the playoffs is like losing to 3^rd graders in four square when you’re a month away from graduating the 4^th grade, it sucks, big time. Playoff hockey has this indescribable fixation on TRUE hockey fans, that’s hard to describe. I get so wrapped up in it that I forgot to do simple things like laundry, dishes and sleep. All my brain thinks is beer, hockey, beer, hockey, over and over again.

With that being said, I just don’t see the Bruins advancing past Tampa. I’m not sure what happened to the Flyers in round 2, it might have been fatigue, or just a continuation of goalie issues, but Tampa will not falter. Let me explain. The bolts dismantled Washington in four straight games. Their power play is operating at just under 27%, an unthinkable number. But if you actually think about it, with a PP unit like Stamkos, St. Louis, Lecavalier, Gagne and Marc-Andre Bergeron what can you expect? Comparing the Bolts and Bruins power play is like comparing cats and dogs.

After a dominating Game 1 victory, Tampa looks to take a commanding 2-0 series lead Tuesday night in Boston. To me the most surprising part of Tampa’s victory in Game 1 was the productivity of the second and third lines. At least one of the Bolts big three; Stamkos, Lecavalier, and St. Louis generally find the score sheet when the team puts up 5 or so goals. This was not the case Saturday night as Tampa’s goals came from Bergenheim , Clark, Purcell, Bergeron and Gagne. If the Big 3 finding the twine and the second and third lines see success like they did in Game 1, the Bruins will soon be golfing right next to the Flyers.

I predict Boston to come out hard in Game 2 in front of a home crowd who will be anxious, to the say the least. If the Bruins can grab a win before heading to Tampa for two games, I think they can extend the series to 6 or 7 games, but if Tampa steals the show again on Tuesday night I’m taking the Bolts in 5 games. Either way, expect to see a tighter game Tuesday night, with lots of defense and physical play in all three zones as these teams look for the chance to play for Lord Stanley’s Cup. Bolts in 5.