The Glory of 'Sudden Heroes' in Playoff Hockey

by **davetherave** on Mon May 04, 2009 4:39 pm

From Darren Elliot at SportsIllustrated.com:

Playoff hockey puts a decisive shine on role players

With Sunday's road wins, the Hurricanes and Ducks tied their respective series at one apiece. The Blackhawks earned their split in Vancouver against the Canucks on Saturday night. Will the Penguins follow suit in Washington and head home with the series tied?

One would presume it's a good possibility. Game 1 was close and it turned on Capitals' goaltender Simeon Varlamov's diving desperation stop of Sidney Crosby with the score tied 2-2 late in the second period. Certainly that was a difference-making moment, yet Crosby did score the first goal of the series.

In the battle of the stars, his marquee counterpart on the other side, Alex Ovechkin, matched him with a power play goal.

That first game saw Ovechkin's gang -- namely Alex Semin and Nick Backstrom -- outperform Crosby's crew of Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal.

In fact, with all the focus on the top players, this series may actually come down to performances turned in by forwards 7-10 on each side. Staal centers the third unit for the Penguins, yet the Caps' fourth-line center, David Steckel, scored. If the Penguins earn a split with a win on Monday night in Washington, look for Staal, Tyler Kennedy or Matt Cooke to be in the mix.

After all, much was made of Ovechkin versus Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, but that series turned in Game 5 when fourth-liner Matt Bradley scored shorthanded in the first period and followed it up with a second tally, at even strength, less than eight minutes later.

So, while Varlamov made the big save, Ovechkin scored, Semin and Backstrom each had two assists, and Tomas Fleischmann had the game-winner, Steckel's offensive contribution proved to be that little extra unanticipated boost that teams need in the playoffs.

It's the same every year: The game is tougher and tighter in the playoffs, which leads to increased reliance on role players. They get more ice time than during the regular season and the game suits their style of play a little better.

Look at the playoffs this year already: Chad LaRose was a point-a-per-game performer in the first round against the Devils and he ranks second on the Hurricanes in playoff scoring overall. The Blackhawks' David Bolland scored twice on Saturday in Vancouver, and the most obvious example of a role player stepping into the spotlight was the Ducks' Todd Marchant netting the game-winner on Sunday in the third overtime.

So, if everything else is equal -- goaltending, star contributions and special teams -- the Penguins need a boost from below the top-six demarcation.

That production must be consistent in this series in total because depth is a quiet, hidden strength of the Capitals. Bradley and Steckel, along with the likes of Brooks Laich and Boyd Gordon, give them good size and grit beyond the team's stars.

Ovechkin and Crosby will garner the headlines, but buried on the back page is the real story.

The team that gets more from their group of grinders will win this game . . . and the series.

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Who are some of your favourite 'sudden playoff heroes'?

And who do you think will have their moment in the sun this year?

by **SpezDispenser** on Mon May 04, 2009 6:20 pm

I love these guys. Really, I do. I appreciate what these guys bring - and find myself cheering for them when they make an impact.

by Guest on Mon May 04, 2009 6:24 pm

Yeah so do i .... they've come such a long way in two years ... they have a championship team now too!

It's been a long long time since bobby hull ... he got to the finals lots, but only actually won last in 61 i beleive ...

by **davetherave** on Mon May 04, 2009 6:29 pm

HowieMorenz wrote:Yeah so do i .... they've come such a long way in two years ... they have a championship team now too!

It's been a long long time since bobby hull ... he got to the finals lots, but only actually won last in 61 i beleive ...

1961 for the Blackhawks, Howie...I was six years old.

Their playoff heroes included one Reggie Fleming...

by **davetherave** on Tue May 05, 2009 2:28 am

For those who love hockey trivia and stories of the sudden glory of playoff heroes, who remembers Steve Payne?

From blogger Dan Leggieri:

Unlikely Stanley Cup Heroes

...Number nine on the list is one of two players to score the most goals in the playoffs while playing for a team that didn’t win the Stanley Cup.

Steve Payne scored 17 goals for the 1981 Minnesota North Stars, who lost to Mike Bossy’s New York Islanders in 5 games. (Bossy and Payne tied with 17 goals each in 1981)

Maybe the biggest surprise on the list is Reggie Leach, who potted 19 goals for the Philadelphia Flyers as they unsuccessfully defended their Stanley Cup title and lost to Ken Dryden and the Montreal Canadiens. Leach would score 4 times in the finals and would walk away as playoff MVP, a bitter-sweet moment for sure.

Payne and Leach were both very good players in their own right, but were never superstars in the league.

Most Playoff Goals In One Playoff Season:

1. 1985 Jari Kurri, Edmonton Oliers - 19
2. 1976 Reggie Leach, Philadelphia Flyers - 19
3. 1996 Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche - 18
4. 1981 Mike Bossy, New York Islanders - 17
5. 1982 Mike Bossy, New York Islanders - 17
6. 1983 Mike Bossy, New York Islanders - 17
7. 1985 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers - 17
8. 1919 Newsy Lalonde, Montreal Canadiens - 17
9. 1981 Steve Payne, Minnesota North Stars - 17
10. 1991 Kevin Stevens, Pittsburgh Penguins - 17

Read more: "Most NHL Playoff Goals: Who Holds The Record For Most Goals Scored In One Playoff Season?" - http://national-hockey-league-nhl.suite101.com/article.cfm/most_playoff_goals#ixzz0EbvgrUPq&A

by **davetherave** on Thu May 07, 2009 8:16 am

Jussi Jokinen...7 goals this season...5 goals this year in the playoffs including the OT killer against the B-Boyz.

by **shabbs** on Thu May 07, 2009 8:32 am

It's awesome to see some players step up and really thrive in the playoffs. it's equally interesting to see players who dominate the regular season just fade for no apparent reason in the post season.

Ahhhh the magic of the pressure of the Stanley Cup.

by **davetherave** on Fri May 08, 2009 6:25 am

ANDREW LADD...a Stanley Cup Champion as a Hurricane rookie...a Stanley Cup Playoff Hero as a Chicago Blackhawk.

by **davetherave** on Tue May 12, 2009 8:09 am

How about the Caps' OT hero and newfound scoring sensation 'Super Dave' Steckel?

Meanwhile, as shown in this photo from Super Dave's personal Photobucket album, his teammate Sergei "Badness" Federov seems to be doing some timely scoring as well...

by **shabbs** on Tue May 12, 2009 8:27 am

So, who will be the Sudden Hero in Game 7?

by **SensGirl11** on Tue May 12, 2009 8:54 am

How bout Kane? He seemed to be pretty lost out there until last night, IMO.

by **SpezDispenser** on Tue May 12, 2009 10:33 am

Patrick diddling Kane. Wow. Scared2

by **davetherave** on Tue May 12, 2009 10:45 am

SensGirl11 wrote:How bout Kane? He seemed to be pretty lost out there until last night, IMO.

Hmm...not sure about that one...8 goals in 11 games in the playoffs so far.

cool)

by **SensGirl11** on Tue May 12, 2009 1:22 pm

504Heater wrote:I love these guys. Really, I do. I appreciate what these guys bring - and find myself cheering for them when they make an impact.

Which guys are you talking about? The Hawks?

by **SensGirl11** on Tue May 12, 2009 1:27 pm

davetherave wrote:
SensGirl11 wrote:How bout Kane? He seemed to be pretty lost out there until last night, IMO.

Hmm...not sure about that one...8 goals in 11 games in the playoffs so far.

cool)

Oh, I didn't realize. I didn't think he was doing THAT well. He's freaking amazing regardless. I just thought that he was being pretty quiet (for Kane) until last night.

What a great player he is, first hat trick for a Hawk in how long? Since 75 or something ridiculous.

Very heroic.

I love this Hawks team, there isn't 1 person I can think of that I don't like on that team. I really hope they can take it all this year.

by **SpezDispenser** on Tue May 12, 2009 1:32 pm

SensGirl11 wrote:
504Heater wrote:I love these guys. Really, I do. I appreciate what these guys bring - and find myself cheering for them when they make an impact.

Which guys are you talking about? The Hawks?

Guys like Ben Eager, Burish, Hordichuk, S.Thornton. The energy 4th liners who contribute from time to time.

by **davetherave** on Thu May 14, 2009 6:47 am

Former 'Cane (drafted by the Whalers) and Hawk--and Cup winner--Craig Adams...whose goal started the Caps' collapse...

by **davetherave** on Fri May 15, 2009 12:44 am

Difficult to imagine two players more worthy of being 'Unsung Playoff Heroes' than tonight's Game Seven game winning goal scorers...Detroit's Dan Cleary and Carolina's Scott Walker.

by **davetherave** on Sun May 24, 2009 4:06 am

Dan Cleary: Not Just A Playoff +/- Leader, But A Study in Perseverance

KUKLASKORNER.COM/PuckStopsHere 05/24/09

The playoff +/- leader is Daniel Cleary of the Detroit Red Wings. His +15 rating in only 14 games gives him a surprisingly big lead.

He is three points ahead of Milan Lucic of the Boston Bruins and four points ahead of teammate Henrik Zetterberg (who has the second highest +/- rating among players still in the playoffs).

Cleary has had a good playoff so far. His thirteen points place him third on the Detroit Red Wings in scoring.

That is not bad for a guy who at one time looked like he would be one of the biggest failed prospects in history.

At age 16 when he entered the OHL, he was expected to be the first overall pick in the 1997 NHL draft. He had almost as much hype surrounding him as Eric Lindros or Sidney Crosby when they started their junior careers.

It quickly wasn’t to be. Cleary was not mature enough to live up to his expectations. He had a DUI arrest while still 16 years old and was cut from the Canadian team in the World Junior Championships (coached at the time by Mike Babc0ck).

When he came eligible for the NHL draft, he was chosen thirteenth overall by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Everyone knew he had potential, but it looked like a good bet that he wouldn’t manage to jump to NHL stardom.

His NHL career did not begin successfully. He had failed stints in Chicago, Edmonton and Phoenix and almost played himself out of the league.

The Detroit Red Wings gave him what looked like his last chance to have an NHL career. His first season in Detroit (2005/06) did not go to well. He scored only three goals and 15 points in 77 games. However, from that point on Cleary has odne better.

Cleary has become a reliable depth player on the Wings who can score about 40 points a year and be relied upon in defensive situations. He is playing quite well in the 2009 playoffs.

Daniel Cleary has been one of the better Detroit forwards in the 2009 playoffs. He has a large lead in playoff +/- (though he is not playing the toughest calibre of opponents). He is scoring pretty well.

Cleary will never become the superstar that he was once projected to become, but he has become a pretty good NHL player.

by **davetherave** on Tue May 26, 2009 4:38 pm

Any other players stand out as "Sudden/Unsung Heroes" as we edge towards the Stanley Cup Finals?

by **davetherave** on Thu May 28, 2009 8:10 pm

Maxime Talbot is known as a checking forward...but his goal fluttering past Cam Ward's glove put the kibosh on a Canes comeback against the Pingu Posse...

Ladies' man Max may also be motivated by the thought of Hollywood hottie Hayden Panettiere getting up close and personal with the Cup...

by **davetherave** on Sun May 31, 2009 6:17 am

Young Justin Abdelkader becomes another Sudden Unsung Playoff Hero as he jumps from Michigan State (via the Grand Rapids Griffins) to play for this hometown heroes, scoring his first ever NHL goal in a Stanley Cup playoff game...that proves to seal the deal for the Wings in their first game of the 2009 rematch against the Penguins.

by **davetherave** on Mon Jun 01, 2009 11:48 am

And Mr Abdelkader does it again!

by **davetherave** on Wed Jun 03, 2009 12:42 pm

davetherave wrote:Maxime Talbot is known as a checking forward...but his goal fluttering past Cam Ward's glove put the kibosh on a Canes comeback against the Pingu Posse...

Ladies' man Max may also be motivated by the thought of Hollywood hottie Hayden Panettiere getting up close and personal with the Cup...

With his two goals that clipped the Wings last night, is Mad Max becoming the Pingu Posse's answer to Dandy Dan Cleary?

by **SpezDispenser** on Wed Jun 03, 2009 12:57 pm

That's dirty Hayden. Dirty, dirty, dirty.

Dirty little monkey. :pirat:

by **Acrobat** on Wed Jun 03, 2009 6:36 pm

504Heater wrote:That's dirty Hayden. Dirty, dirty, dirty.

Dirty little monkey. :pirat:

And what could be more motivating that that?

The Glory of 'Sudden Heroes' in Playoff Hockey

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