2018 NHL Draft: San Jose Sharks Version (Part 1)

Photo credit: @SanJoseSharks

By: Ana Kieu

This Friday night marked the first day (and round) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

For the second time in franchise history, the Buffalo Sabres had the first overall pick in  the draft. As expected, the Sabres got the top prospect, Rasmus Dahlin, a Swedish defenseman who previously played for Frolunda HC in Gothenburg, Sweden. Dahlin is an exceptionally talented player who is often described as a smart, two-way defenseman that would be able to positively impact his team’s future.

And, of course, the Ottawa Senators, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Detroit Red Wings all held many first round picks.

The first 31 players were selected in the first round, and the San Jose Sharks had the 21st overall pick. The Sharks selected Ryan Merkley, a Canadian defenseman who last played for the Guelph Storm of the OHL.

Merkley then spoke to the media members in attendance for this year’s draft.

Catch rounds two through seven on Saturday morning at 8:00 am PDT on NHL Network and Sportsnet.

NHL Stanley Cup review podcast with Len Shapiro: In the final analysis for the Knights, the Caps just shut their game plans down

@Golden Knights photo: The Vegas Golden Knights’ Pierre-Edouard Bellemare bags his equipment for the summer saying before leaving, “probably the best experience of my life.”

On the NHL Stanley Cup podcast review with Len:

Len goes over the takeaways from this season’s NHL Stanley Cup Finals first-year franchise team the Vegas Golden Knights and the season they had. The Knights were just out-gunned and out-played in game 5.

The Knights and the Capitals tied up the game twice on Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, but in the end the Knights were just no match for the Caps, who won four straight games to win the Stanley Cup. Len also talks about playoff MVP Alex Ovechkin. Also, how the Caps just simply shut down the Knights’ game plan to take them out of the finals.

Len Shapiro did the NHL podcast reports throughout the 2017-18 NHL season for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL Stanley Cup Finals Vegas Knights podcast with Mary Lisa Walsh: It could be Good Knight for Vegas if they don’t get a Game 5 win

Photo credit: nhl.com/goldenknights

On the Vegas Golden Knights podcast with Mary Lisa Walsh:

For the Vegas Golden Knights, who won Game 1 and then lost three straight games, they are now facing elimination on Thursday night at the T-Mobile Center in Vegas for Game 5 as they’re down 3-1 in the series to the Washington Capitals.

We’ll take a look at some of the things the Caps have done to shutdown the Knights in this series. Also, we’ll discuss what Washington head coach Barry Trotz has done to keep the Caps charging. In addition, we’ll talk about some of the Knights’ key players who have been shut down by the Caps like Alex Tuch, Jonathan Marchessault, and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Game 5 is on the horizon Thursday night in Vegas. Can the Knights do it? The Knights will need this one to stay alive and force a Game 6.

Historical note: No NHL team has ever come back down 3-1 since 1942. The Toronto Maple Leafs did it against the Detroit Red Wings to win 4-3.

Mary Lisa Walsh does the Vegas Golden Knights podcasts in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL Stanley Cup Finals Washington Capitals podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Caps can wrap it up in Game 5 in Vegas on Thursday night at the T-Mobile Center

Photo credit: nhl.com/capitals

On the Washington Capitals podcast with Marko Ukalovic:

The Washington Capitals can come away with their first NHL Finals championship in 20 years Thursday night if they can take out the Vegas Golden Knights on their home ice. The Caps have the talent to get the job done with Evgeny Kuznetsov, who got four assists on Monday night against the Knights in Game 4.

“I’ve never been there,” said Kuznetsov in the postgame presser. “And I don’t really care about that yet, so it’s kind of easy for me.” Kuznetsov got help from his teammates T.J. Oshie, Tom Wilson, and Devante Smith-Pelly, who all scored in the first period. It was a matter of attack early because if the Knights can get an opening, they will take it to you with their great speed. Caps goaltender Braden Holtby stopped 28 shots on Monday.

Vegas hit the post with several shots, but it was for not they got two goals on Monday and lost by four goals 6-2. Fleury called losing Game 4 “frustrating and demoralizing.” The Knights will have to try and repeat what they did in game one and take it to the Caps early and quickly and they will have to do it in three games straight if they want this Cinderella season to continue.

Historical note: No NHL team has ever come back down 3-1 since the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs did it against the Detroit Red Wings to win 4-3.

Marko Ukalovic does the Washington Capitals podcasts in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Len Shapiro: It could be over quickly for Knights, who are down 2-1 to Caps with Game 4 tonight

a57.foxnews.com photo: The Vegas Golden Knights Alex Tuch (89) looked for a sure fire goal, but the outstretched stick of Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (70) stopped the puck in front of the crease to save the game for the Caps in Game 2.

On the NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Len:

If  you had to ask if the shot that Vegas Golden Knights’ Alex Tuch took in Game 2 that was stopped with the goalie stick paddle of Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby that Holtby outstretched with the stick to save the puck from going into the mouth of the net that would have taken the first-year expansion team to a 2-0 series lead.

Now after three games played in these NHL Finals and the Capitals with home ice, it’s looking grim for the Knights, who are down 2-1 and desperately need to tie up the series in Game 4 on Monday night and bring it back to Vegas for Game 5.

The Knights goalie Marc Andre-Fleury, who has been superb throughout the playoffs with a low goals against, has been tamed through the first three games of these finals surrendering four goals in Game 1, three goals in a loss to Washington in Game 2 and another loss surrendering another three goals in Game 3.

Len takes a look at what to expect in tonight’s Game 4 at Capital One Center for the NHL Stanley Cup Finals.

NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcasts with Matt Harrington: Series tied at 1-1, look for these finals to be razor-close games

photo from russianmachineneverbreaks.com: The Washington Capitals Evgeny Kuznetsov at the Saturday morning skate at the Capital One Centre in Washington preparing for their game 3 meeting for Saturday night

On the NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Matt:

#1 Washington Capitals’ top scorer Evgeny Kuznetsov is expected to be back in the lineup on Saturday night in Washington for game three. With the series tied at 1-1, Kuznetsov in Game 2 in Vegas was hit into the boards by the Vegas Golden Knights’ Brayden McNabb. The hit crumpled Kuznetsov to the ice holding his left wrist. Doctors and trainers have worked on Kuznetsov and say he good to go for Game 3. He was originally listed as day-to-day.

#2 Talk about the Capitals’ top players versus the Knights’ top players. For the Caps, Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Tom Wilson. For the Golden Knights, Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson, and Reilly Smith

#3 Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has allowed more goals per game in the finals than he did in the playoffs. Matt talks about those allowed Fleury goals.

#4 For the playoffs the Knights have scored first in 13 of their 17 contests and took 11 of those games. The Knights are potent in getting the lead in the first period–they’ve won seven out of eight times.

#5 So it’s Game 3 tonight for Washington a win on home ice would give them a 2-1 lead and an advantage going into Game 4 on Monday night. For the Knights a win would not only give them the one-game lead, but also a shot at a two-game lead if they can win Game 4 and a leg up going back to Vegas.

Matt Harrington does the NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Joe Lami: Caps’ Kuznetsov day-to-day after getting checked into boards in Game 2

Photo credit: @ScoresNStatsCom

On the NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Joe Lami:

The Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov is on a day-to-day basis nursing an injury that Caps head coach Barry Trotz wouldn’t say what it was. It was reported that Kuznetsov injured his left arm after being slammed into the boards by the Vegas Golden Knights’ Brayden McNabb.

Kuznetsov was in the Knights zone with the puck when McNabb hit him into the boards and fell and hold his left hand. After the Knights took a 6-4 two-goal win over the Caps in Game 2, the Capitals kicked into high gear in tying the series 1-1, taking the series back to Washington.

For both games, there’s little doubt that Vegas goaltender Marc Andre-Fleury has seen his share of shots and allowing four goals in Game 1 and allowing three goals in Game 2. Caps goaltender Braden Holtby was amazing in Game 2 with stretching the goalie stick to make a save on the Knights’ Alex Tuch’s shot.

Joe Lami is doing analysis on the NHL Stanley Cup Finals for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Phillies come in one of the toughest in the NL to face Giants at AT&T Park tonight

Photo credit: @Phillies

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 The Philadelphia Phillies are just one game back in the NL East. Atlanta holds the top spot as the Phillies are in third. The Giants in third in the NL West. How do you see this series, which starts tonight?

#2 Giants starter Chris Stratton comes into the contest 6-3 ERA 4.97. Michael talks about Stratton facing the Giants’ lineup.

#3 The Phillies’ Aaron Nola came out throwing 90 MPH heat against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday in the Phillies’ 2-1 win. Nola struck out seven in seven innings. The Phillies have been getting some good pitching of late and Nola was a huge contributor.

#4 The Giants have recalled pitcher Tyler Beede from Triple A Sacramento. Beede joins the Giants with a 0-1 and a 8.22 ERA. Beede is taking pitcher Jeff Samardjiza’s spot on the roster.

#5 Michael talks about the big breakout month that Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford had in May.

Michael Duca does the SF Giants podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

NHL Stanley Cup Finals Vegas Golden Knights podcast with Mary Lisa Walsh

Photo credit: @GoldenKnights

On the Vegas Golden Knights podcast with Mary Lisa:

#1 How much of a threat is the Washington Caps Alex Ovechkin? Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc Andre-Fleury allowed more than his average amount of goals in the first game.

#2 The Caps opened these finals on the road. Is this a disadvantage or it doesn’t matter that they face the Knights on their home ice?

#3 The Caps are deep in players, a roster with a team that has players that have been together for awhile.

#4 The Knights have been getting goaltending during this postseason from Fleury and he’s been the crux of the playoffs for them.

#5 The Knights-Caps go at it for Game 1 tonight. Mary Lisa tells us how she sees game two going into tonight.

Mary Lisa does the NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL Stanley Cup Finals Washington Capitals podcast with Marko Ukalovic

Photo credit: nhl.com/capitals

On the Washington Capitals podcast with Marko:

#1 Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson’s blindside hit on the Vegas Jonathan Marchessault that Wilson didn’t get suspended for. Wilson said he watched Marchessault finish his pass and Wilson said he went to finish his check.

#2 The hit laid him out in Game 1. He went to the locker room for concussion protocol tests at 14:15 in the third period.

#3 Wlson saying that after Marchessault when Marchessault was finished admiring his pass Wilson went to finish his check. Does that sound like there was some premeditated intent there?

#4 Marchessault said that he was confident that the league would take care of Wilson for the late hit, but Marchessault was not suspended.

#5 So with all that under consideration, what happens tonight? Will there be a rumble? Will the Caps create a physical environment and try to take Vegas out of their speed skating?

Marko Ukalovic does the NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com