Posts Tagged ‘scott niedermayer’




Kings lead Stanley Cup Finals due to a defensive mistake

Thursday, May 31st, 2012

Anze Kopitar (Nichole Glaze, Wikimedia Commons)

The Los Angeles Kings are only three wins away from their very first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Wednesday night in New Jersey, Anze Kopitar scored on a breakaway in overtime as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the New Jersey Devils 2-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Kopitar was able to easily skate into the Devils zone when there was a Devils defensive breakdown. Dainius Zubrus and Bryce  Salvador both went after Kings’ forward Justin Williams, allowing Kopitar to be wide open.

It is interesting because of the timing. The error probably would not have happened when the Devils were so defensively sound a few years ago with Scott Niedermayer and Scott Stevens at the forefront of the Devils blueline.

With the win, the Kings are a perfect 9-0 in the playoffs. Former Oiler Colin Fraser, who was traded for Ryan Smyth in the offseason, opened the scoring with his first career playoff goal.

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Posted in NHL |

Lidstrom retires from NHL–Where should he rank among NHL defenceman?

Wednesday, May 30th, 2012

Nicklas Lidstrom (James Teterenko, Wikimedia Commons)

According to multiple sources, Niklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings is set to retire. Through his 20 year NHL career, Lidstrom, a native of Vasteras, Sweden, scored 264 goals and 878 assists in 1564 games, all with Detroit. He was also a +450, which ranked him first among active players.

He won a World Championship and Olympic Gold medal for his native Sweden, in addition to four Stanley Cup Championships in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008. He also won seven Norris Trophies and played in 12 NHL All-Star Games.

A couple of years ago, I heard Sportsnet’s Roger Millions say that he thought Scott Niedermayer was arguably the greatest defenceman over the last twenty years. I immediately disagreed. It quite simply has to be Lidstrom. As a matter of fact, I would rank him as the third best defencemen of all-time behind Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey.

Now it is your turn. Where would you rank Lidstrom? Please comment on www.anysportanytime.ca.

 

 

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Numerous Albertans to be inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

Jamie Sale and David Pelletier (Wikimedia Commons)

It was a special day at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary on Thursday as the announcement was made on who will be inducted in the October ceremonies.

Among the nine people inducted are five Albertans– figure skater Jamie Sale and speed skater Jeremy Wotherspoon of Red Deer, bobsledder Pierre Lueders and hockey player Scott Niedermayer of Edmonton, and Daryl “Doc” Seaman, the former owner of the Calgary Flames.

Sale reached stardom when she won an Olympic Gold medal with David Pelletier (also being inducted) at the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City in pairs figure skating.

Wotherspoon, who broke the World Record in his career in the men’s 500m and 1000m speed skating disciplines, recorded a remarkable 67 victories in his World Cup career.

Lueders, won an Olympic Gold medal in bobsled for Canada in the two-man at the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano and an Olympic Silver medal at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin.

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Posted in Amateur Sports, NHL, Soccer |