Coaching Carousel claims another victim: Boudreau replaces Carlyle in Anaheim

The coaching carousel continued late last night when following a 4-1 win over the Canadiens, the Ducks fired Randy Carlyle and his entire staff. Taking over is Bruce Boudreau, who lasted a couple of days on the market after being relieved of his duties in Washington.

That Anaheim GM Bob Murray would make such a move 40 minutes after a game his team won stupifies. When the Habs made former Ranger assistant Perry Pearn the sacrificial lamb prior to a home game, that was disgraceful. But axing an entire staff that included a Cup winning coach following a game is classless. It's like when the Mets were on the West coast a few years back and fired Willie Randolph in a San Diego hotel after a game. I don't think I have to tell you what our resident Devil blogger, who also happens to be a huge Mets fan thinks. This was just as bizarre.

It's certainly understandable why Carlyle lost his job with a playoff team off to a dreadful start. Yesterday's win snapped a seven-game losing streak in which they entered with only one brownie point, sitting 14th in a deep West. They also happen to play in the league's most challenging division, the Pacific where every other team is ahead of them. It didn't matter that they won for just the third time in their last 15. The most successful coach in Ducks franchise history couldn't be saved.

It was only a few years ago that a group including Ryan Getzlaf, last year's MVP Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne went all the way for the team's first Stanley Cup. But that championship roster also included Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger along with Andy McDonald, Chris Kunitz, Dustin Penner, Joffrey Lupul, Sami Pahlsson, Travis Moen, and Rob Niedermayer. Only five are left from that team with tough guy George Parros and reacquired blueliner Francois Beauchemin the other two. In a Cap Era, this is what happens to great teams. Salaries increase for core players such as Getzlaf, Perry, much rumored Jersey native Bobby Ryan and struggling goalie Jonas Hiller. The overlooked spare parts get sacrificed or stripped down completely as the '09-10 Blackhawks show. All it takes is a mishap to throw things out of wack.

Is a team that boasts one of the most lethal lines in the game still good enough to compete? They should be. But the numbers don't lie with Perry and Getzlaf unable to match last year's output, while Ryan hasn't got untracked. In fact, only ageless Teemu has fulfilled expectations, pacing the club with 22 points (8-14-22). Perry leads them with 11 goals with Getzlaf's 14 assists tied with Selanne and 19 points ranking third. After second-year blueliner Cam Fowler, Beauchemin and vet Saku Koivu, it gets paper thin. Injuries to Lubomir Visnovsky, Jason Blake and Parros haven't helped the cause- further explaining the 7-13-4 start that has Anaheim in an early hole. The bottom six forwards aren't good enough and the back end misses Visnovsky, who put up nearly 70 points last year. After a solid start, Hiller has fallen apart getting pulled five times recently with his GAA ballooning to over 3.00. Dan Ellis isn't the answer despite good numbers. Tampa can vouch.

Is making Ryan available really the answer? He is all of 24 with three consecutive 30-goal seasons in which his production increased by seven points each year ('08-09-57, '09-10-64, '10-11-71). He has a cap hit of 5.1 million through '14-15 while Perry and Getzlaf can turn unrestricted following next season. You see the dilemma Murray has. Those are the franchise cornerstones who they can't afford to lose. So, Ryan is supposedly available for the right price. Is a team like the Rangers willing to pay up in players, prospects/picks? I've already suggested starting with enigma Brandon Dubinsky and Mike Del Zotto. Though I'm unwilling to part with Chris Kreider. They can have any other kid. Christian Thomas? Figure Anaheim to ask for a No.1 pick too. Of course, making such a blockbuster trade has risks when your team is going as well as ours. But the temptation to add another young, proven finisher is like seeing one of those Victoria's Secret models on the street. You just got to go over and talk to them.

If I were Anaheim, I'd hold off on giving up Ryan with Coach Haagen Dazs Bruce in the fold. One thing about Boudreau. He is an offensive mind who turned the Caps into a juggernaut before making players, including underwhelming captain Alex Ovechkin accountable. No wonder it fell apart. Boudreau will have just as much talent up front along with the young Fowler on the blueline. They may as well see what he can do before considering such a radical move.

It's December 1 and we've already seen four coaches given their walking papers. Davis Payne was fired by St. Louis last month and the Blues have responded under disciplinarian Ken Hitchcock by losing just once in regulation since. They were my sleeper entering the year. Business sure picked up after Thanksgiving with Paul Maurice and Boudreau sent packing Monday. Then two days later, Carlyle becomes victim No.4 with Boudreau landing on his feet. Guess he'll have to hold off on that Haagen Dazs franchise. It's part of the business. No matter how successful you are, things can change in a hurry. Ask Tom Coughlin, who probably is gone unless the Giants somehow beat Dallas twice. Nobody is untouchable. The Devils are one of the best run organizations and have gone through a plethora of coaches.

Randy Carlyle finishes with a 273-182-6 record- ranking first in Ducks history in wins. His teams made the postseason five of six years, including their run to the franchise's only Cup. That shouldn't be forgotten. A quality coach who will wind up elsewhere. Scott Arniel and Jack Capuano still have jobs. Either could be his next destination.

With the coaching carousel hitting victims at a frenetic pace that would make Freddy Krueger proud, who will be the next casualty? We're not even at Christmas.

Christy, Gaborik solve Hiller in shootout win

Nobody comes under more scrutiny than Erik Christensen. Not even the much debated Sean Avery, who will make his season debut tomorrow versus the Canadiens with Wojtek Wolski on the shelf.

Christy is an interesting character, who gives you a lot of perspective into the person he is on and off the ice. When the inconsistent center isn't there driving myself and many fans nuts, it's hard to make a case for retaining him. Just when you think you know someone, we got a very different look into a young man who's contributed to two consecutive home wins over San Jose and Anaheim. Against the Sharks, he made two nifty passes to set up big goals and versus the Ducks, there he was again solving Jonas Hiller along with Marian Gaborik in the Rangers' 2-1 shootout victory at MSG Thursday.

“I’m happy I got a chance to go. My record isn’t that good,” the Great Gabby said after converting only his third in 20 career attempts. “I had my move before I went. I tried to fake a move before I shot and it worked out well. Before I went to shoot, I tried to make up my mind, and I looked at him, and he was kind of challenging me a bit.”

While it's easy to point to the Great Gabby's (yes, he's back) wizardry in Round Three that ultimately decided it with Henrik Lundqvist snuffing out Bobby Ryan in last licks, Christensen kept a cool head leading off in the first to score the team's first shootout goal of the season. After being blank in two prior attempts, he went back to his Swedish roots by emulating Peter Forsberg with the ever exciting one-handed deke which snuck through Hiller. Perhaps that was enough to finally break the brick wall the much overlooked Anaheim goalie put up following unsung hero Jeff Woywitka's first as a Ranger. It's not often but the goaltending from Hiller was off the charts. Fantastic. Super. Sensational. Yes. Lundqvist wound up with three more stops (27 to Hiller's 24) but that was due to a strong Duck third where they used their speed and tempo to make life difficult. Outside of maybe one he'd like back on a ripper of a shot from Ryan that knotted it late in the second, King Henrik was stellar- standing up to the challenge in a busy third that saw Anaheim outshoot New York 15-4.

In particular, Cam Fowler was everywhere. Some still like to compare the rebirth of Mike Del Zotto, who ironically sports the identical No.4 as the second-year Duck. However, John Tortorella doesn't trust MDZ enough to put him out in the final minute of tie games. He can lean on emerging star Ryan McDonagh and warrior Dan Girardi while Marc Staal recovers from PCS. Randy Carlyle doesn't have that luxury. Even with Lubomir Visnovsky, Toni Lydman and Francois Beauchemin, he opted to give Fowler the opportunity to go for it in crunch time. The man who skates like Scott Niedermayer didn't disappoint, creating dangerous chances by jumping in and shooting the puck. If there's one bugaboo with Del Zotto, it's that he still is hesitant to fire away- instead opting to defer to either Gaborik or Brad Richards. Not that there's anything wrong with it as one odd pass to Gabby nearly ended it in overtime.

Speaking of the fancy four-on-four, it was terrific. Both teams went for it but the Blueshirts had like five different chances to win it only to see Hiller get in the path or alter shots high and wide. Our team made the extra passes and cut it too fine. All credit to the elite goalie, who has recovered nicely from vertigo. His play didn't go unnoticed.

“Hiller is good,” Lundqvist praised of his Swiss counterpart who displayed a cat-like glove that even denied unlikely first period candidate Steve Eminger, who could only chuckle during a stoppage. “He’s a good one-on-one goalie. He’s quick side-to-side.”

"He made some real big stops,” Carlyle added. “I think the first period, he kept us alive and we only gave up the one goal.”

Hiller's act was good enough to earn 2nd Star even though in our book, he was No.1. They gave it to Gaborik. A fine choice. He once again dominated throughout. It doesn't seem to matter who he plays with. Though when our team failed on a couple of power plays and couldn't find a second goal, I was begging Tort to doubleshift him with Richards to try for another. Instead, Ryan came flying down the right side and used McDonagh's backing in to blast one past Lundqvist. Sometimes, the coach must do what it takes to get offense. What's wrong with giving Artem Anisimov a shift with former Draftmates Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan? He's been outplayed by Derek Stepan but isn't being put in a position to succeed. These are areas the coach can do better.

Early on, a wonderful diagonal Gaborik pass found Woywitka, who shot through a D-Step screen for his first. Pretty awesome. News had spread that the club had reached agreement with D Anton Stralman (rumored to be 1 year, $900,000). So, who knows how long Woywitka will stick around. I'm rooting for him to stay as he's been a pleasant surprise. Nice move giving Woywitka the Broadway hat. A very cool moment.

“We had some good zone pressure and Gabs is coming around the net there, he made a great play and I stayed a little wider, a little higher and he got the pass through to me," the steady waiver pickup said. "I wanted to get it off as quick as I could, as hard as I could and got it past the first set of legs, and once you do that anything can happen. It was exciting.”

In the skill competition, ageless wonder Teemu Selanne tied it with a backhand deke top shelf. I swear the Finnish Flash could play till 50 if he so desired. The skating, hands and ferocity are still there. He'll always be one of our faves. During MSG's coverage, they flashed back to that amazing rookie season of '92-93 when he shattered Paul Stastny's records with 76 goals and 132 points the same year Eric Lindros came in. Teemu has 642 career goals, ranking second to Jaromir Jagr (646) among active players. Both should pass Brendan Shanahan (656) for 11th all-time with Luc Robitaille (668) within reach.



After Richards was denied by Hiller, Lundqvist got a piece of Corey Perry's high labeler, setting the stage for Gaborik. Instead of doing something ordinary, he danced and faked shot twice before going to the backhand for a spectacular goal. All that was left was for Lundqvist to exact revenge on Ryan, who got the better of him in oddly enough, a 2-1 Anaheim shootout win in Stockholm. King Henrik got a shoulder on it and pumped his fists.

“He’s been our best player this year," a pleased Tortorella explained of Gaborik. "Two for 19, but he’s ready to take the next step. I’m glad for him. I hope it helps him. Because he’s been our most consistent player offensively and I’m glad for him it worked out.”



BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Cam Fowler, Ana (27:03, 2 SOG, +1, dangerous)
2nd Star-Marian Gaborik, NYR (assist, shootout decider, game high 7 SOG)
1st Star-Jonas Hiller, Ana (24 saves incl. some highlight reel)

Zach's deuce leads USA into Medal Round

The Zach Attack finally struck. All tournament, Devil sniper Zach Parise had come close. But when it mattered most, he delivered scoring twice in the third period to break a scoreless tie- leading Team USA past Swiss in the first Olympic quarter into the medal round. His nifty power play deflection of a Brian Rafalski shot held up in a wacky third that had some close calls before the Minnesota kid sealed it with an empty netter late.

Despite a 33-8 shot edge that included Ryan Kesler's turnaround which Jonas Hiller bobbled into his own net with the buzzer just beating the puck in, the No.1 seeded Americans were still knotted with pesky Switzerland, who played as expected. Solid skating, tenacious checking and relying on the Anaheim No.1 goalie to give them a chance at the upset. Not surprisingly, Hiller was sharper than yesterday's 3-2 shootout squeaker that ousted Belarus. Facing a US barrage, he stopped almost everything including an early Parise opportunity to keep it scoreless. The hot goalie also got some help from the crossbar on a wicked curl and drag by Phil Kessel that drew iron. He finished with 42 saves including 18 in a busy first.

Hiller's superb goaltending and his teammates' fine attention to detail, blanketing early American power plays that overpassed, allowed a pro-Swiss Hockey Canada Place crowd to think upset. But over on the other end probably bored to death, Ryan Miller was unflappable en route to the 19 save shutout, becoming the first Team USA netminder to record one since the Rangers' Mike Richter in the Olympics eight years ago in Salt Lake. That team went all the way to the gold medal game before falling to Canada. They'll get the winner between tonight's third game between Czech and Finland at 10 ET. Meanwhile, the main event gets going in a little while when gold medal favorites Russia and Canada battle at the bottom of the hour just to qualify for the medal stage. Incredible.

Ron Wilson's new top line of Parise, Paul Stastny and captain Jamie Langenbrunner generated plenty of chances but couldn't get one past Hiller. Bobby Ryan- who also was brilliant- had a couple of tremendous rushes but was stoned. Pesky play from Chris Drury, Dustin Brown and David Backes during one strong shift was snuffed out. Drury along with Ranger 'mate Ryan Callahan again were superb in a checking role, doing their usual diligent work on important penalty kills with the duo registering at least eight of the 23 or 24 blocked shots. Blueliners Tim Gleason and Erik Johnson also were instrumental with the Cane getting in the path of a one-timer while the younger Blue made a saving stickcheck breaking up a three-on-one late in the second which may have prevented the first goal.

Hometown Canuck Kesler was also effective in all facets, nearly tallying at the second's dramatic conclusion. But his turnaround prayer that Hiller bobbled into his own net didn't cross the line in time, which the review confirmed. The Swiss were literally Saved By The Bell. Go figure that a guy named Zach would then do them in in a hectic third that saw another American goal wiped out. After Parise somehow got his stick out to redirect Rafalski's shot for a PPG early in period three, a wild sequence took place with Switzerland coming oh so close to tying it. Off a nice set up, Sandy Jeanin went around a sprawling Miller and hit the right post. Team USA came the other way and appeared to score when Ryan Suter's left point blast beat Hiller. However, an involved Kesler high sticked a Swiss' helmet off negating it.

Despite the bad break, the focused Americans dug in killing off the power play. They would get tested all period but the defense was stellar and the last line of defense wasn't about to allow anything. When he was needed, he did the job stifling Julien Sprunger.

Desperate to tie it, the Swiss pulled Hiller for an extra attacker. A pass for an open Roman Wick missed connection in the slot. Eventually, Team USA worked the puck around to Parise, who then used his guile to sneak past a Swiss defender and deposit the insurance marker with 12 ticks left. He got congrats from who else but Langenbrunner. Switzerland had nothing to be ashamed of putting out another yeoman effort in an attempt at a monumental upset. They just fell a little short.

Canada-Russia faces off at 7:30 on CNBC followed by Czech Republic-Finland at 10 with Henrik Lundqvist and defending gold medalists Sweden taking on Zdeno Chara and Slovakia at midnight.

USA holds off Swiss for first Olympic win

 
It was far from perfect. But Team USA did what they had to, holding off a feisty Switzerland team for a hard fought 3-1 win on Day One of Olympic Hockey in Vancouver. Bobby Ryan, David Backes and Ryan Malone scored the goals for the Preliminary Round win, allowing the Americans to earn three points. Somewhat predictably, Ryan Miller didn't have a ton of work but turned aside 14 of 15 Swiss shots earning the victory.

After a sluggish start probably due to all the travel, Ron Wilson's group got on the board first when Cherry Hill, Jersey native Ryan whistled one home from the slot past Anaheim teammate Jonas Hiller with 1:01 left in the first. On with Ranger duo Ryan Callahan and Chris Drury, the 22 year-old kept a play alive with a hit along the boards, eventually getting to a loose puck and rifling home his first Olympic goal. He sure was pumped, raising his arms emphatically as teammates congratulated him.

Even though they didn't get a ton of shots, the Swiss had opportunities to tie it in the second with former NHLer Hnat Domenichelli and Julien Sprunger combining for a stuff try which Miller snuffed out. Another close call from Thierry Paterlini saw Miller kick out the puck, leading to a brilliant goal by Backes who went coast to coast for his first of the tournament. On the play, the St. Louis Blue blew past Yannick Weber in the neutral zone going around the Hab product before deking Hiller and finishing off with a brilliant forehand at 5:52. As both Doc Emrick and Ed Olczyk noted on USA Network, Miller should've been credited with an assist.

Less than three minutes later, Malone increased to 3-zip when he tallied on the power play. Following a quiet shift from the top line of Patrick Kane, Paul Stastny and Zach Parise, the Tampa power forward who entered without a goal in his last 11 had no trouble getting to a Ryan Suter rebound with Joe Pavelski in front, steering the puck home for his first. A nice read by Suter, who wisely took the shot with plenty of traffic distracting Hiller enough to let out a rebound that Malone finished.

Despite being up three, Team USA wasn't sharp turning over the puck numerous times leading to a few odd-man rushes the Swiss failed to capitalize on, including a gaping net for Sprunger set up perfectly on a three-on-one, that he fired over the top. A couple were the result of bad pinches while a few others were just careless mishandles like a Suter turnover that Miller had to be ready for. That kind of carelessness can't continue when they face powers Canada and Russia after Norway Thursday.

Credit Switzerland for hanging in there, changing their physical trapping style to more attacking late in the second and third with good results. In fact, they controlled a large majority of the final stanza staying on USA and generating chances. As clashing analysts Jeremy Roenick and Mike Milbury alluded to, some were missed wide while others Miller got or a US defender blocked. Pretty evident on a couple of penalty kills where Ryan Kesler sacrificed his body on a point shot. The Americans didn't get much in terms of chances with Kesler ringing the post and a Callahan/Drury shorthanded rush forcing Hiller to make a save, allowing his teammates to come the other way and finally score their first of the Olympics when a Roman Wick backhand centering feed went in off a pokechecking Miller. The PPG cut it to 3-1 with under nine minutes to go.

Swiss continued to be aggressive coming dangerously close a couple of more times but ultimately couldn't draw closer. Finally, Team USA strung together a couple of good shifts with their best player Backes doing solid work along with Pavelski and Dustin Brown, who otherwise had an ineffective day. With a couple of minutes left, veteran Switzerland coach Ralph Krueger opted not to pull Hiller due to Pierre McGuire referencing goal differential as a key tiebreaker. Still, we felt he should've as his team deserved a better opportunity to make it closer. What if they'd scored to make it 3-2? Isn't two goals and a potential one-goal defeat better in the long run? Oh well.

Time finally ticked down as the Americans emerged victorious in their first Olympic game of the tourney, with 1980 Miracle On Ice hero and former captain Mike Eruzione lending support from the stands.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Hnat Dominichelli, SUI (assist, SOG in 10:23)
2nd Star-Bobby Ryan, USA (scored first goal of Olympics)
1st Star-David Backes, USA (1st of tournament)

USA vs Swiss 1st Period Observations

They finally dropped the puck in British Columbia. With the 30-Year anniversary of the greatest Olympic hockey game less than a week away, another bunch of gritty Americans not expected to medal have begun their journey against a pesky Swiss team that was a huge story four years ago in Torino upsetting mighty Canada thanks to Martin Gerber. The first period was pretty competitive with the pesky Swiss playing a physical, tight checking game which gave our boys trouble. Especially in neutral zone. Ryan Miller even had to make a couple of big saves before a sweet finish with 61 ticks left by our breakout player Bobby Ryan for the period's only goal. Other observations:

-great work by David Backes on Ryan's goal hustling in the corners as did the Duck, who as Doc Emrick duly noted, beat a Duck in Jonas Hiller.

-Ryan Callahan was one of USA's best players playing his usual physical game, finishing checks. He and Ranger 'mate Chris Drury nearly hooked up for a goal thanks to a strong Ryan takeout of a Swiss along the boards. Dru made a nice dish across for Cally, who patiently waited but fired off the side of the net.

-Not much heard from the top line but Zach Parise did get a quality chance from the right circle, rifling a high riser off Hiller's mask.

-former NHLer Hnat Domenicelli impressed for SUI generating a couple of chances including one dangerous one. Former Ranger property Phillippe Fuhrer was also good.

-no commercials speeds up the game so much. My Dad's right.

Game is already back on. Here are lines from what we gather:

Kessel/Kane-Stastny-Parise
Brown-Kesler-Langenbrunner
Malone-Pavelski-Ryan
Backes-Drury-Callahan