Real Kyper & Bourne - Canucks Keep the Pressure On

Episode Date: May 13, 2024

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee start with a reaction to Carson Soucy receiving a 1-game suspension for a cross-check after the final buzzer on Connor McDavid as the Canucks take the series lead. Hockey Hall of Famer Kevin Lowe (5:19) looks back on VAN/EDM Game 3, the Oilers losing confidence in Stuart Skinner and why the Canucks' game plan has been so effective thus far. Later, they stay out west with Avalanche reporter Aarif Deen (27:45), who sets the stage for tonight's pivotal Game 4 against the Stars and shares why the Avs haven't been able to beat Oettinger like they did Hellebuyck in Round 1. Finally, they regroup with Sam for news and notes.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

here we go the kipper is justin born sammy mckee derrick brandeo david sysboomba a national hour on the real kipper and born show wherever you're watching live on sportsnet sportsnet 650 in van Vancouver. Sportsnet 960 in Calgary. Glad you're along for the ride. This hour of Real Kipper and Bourne brought to you by Bet365. In a few minutes, we'll welcome in six-time Stanley Cup champion, Hockey Hall of Famer, Kevin Lowe. We'll talk a little Oilers.

Talk a little Vancouver Canucks. We should have come into the streets and no name today. But Sammy, we got some breaking news. Oh, we do? Yeah. Carson Seuss got a game suspended. Yeah. Can't cross-check people in the face, guys. That's safe. Yeah, you can.

This is cross-checking. Right. That's a great point. Yeah, you can. Don't say you can't. I hate it when people say you can't. It's like, we just watched it. They said you can. So, like, what do you mean you can't. Right. I hate it when people say you can't. It's like, we just watched it. He did. They said you can. So, like, what do you mean you can't? You can't do it and go unpunished. Okay, there you go.

Okay. That's what you have to say then. Technically, then, you can do anything. So, watching the play. Yes. It is initiated by Connor McDavid swinging his stick wildly. Zdorov. What do you mean it's initiated?

That's how it started. Behind the net, Connor McDavid swings his stick wildly. Zdorov. What do you mean it's initiated? That's how it started. Behind the net, Connor McDavid swings his stick wildly. Hold on. Zdorov comes in and gives him a shot in the back, but he got suspended for 5K. He got fined. Yeah. Carson Susie. Domino effect. Carson

Susie does not go anywhere near McDavid's face if that cross check in the lower back doesn't happen. His stick was at waist level. He was protecting himself from a wild slash by the best player on earth. So the cause and effect, you got cross checked in the face, you got suspended a game, but if I was a Vancouver fan

I'd probably be a little bit pissed. To me it's like shooting your gun aimlessly and if you hit someone... Well you're not allowed to have a cross check when the guy's swinging his stick at you? It's the same with a high stick, Sam. If you have a high stick and it hits someone, it's reckless. You have to control your stick. So if you do this and someone hits someone in the face, you're on the hook for doing this.

Anybody but 97, it's a fine. Agreed. And that's fine. But I think the league itself should do that. We got to protect our stars. Can't touch a quarterback. You can't send a text message to a quarterback, let alone hit them.

And that's fine. They're the stars of the game. He's the best player on earth. But I mean. He deserves an ounce of extra protection. Sure. It's not upsetting to me. I mean, that's not the worst thing.

No, I'm just defending it. Anything more than a game. But that to me is secondary to the Vancouver Canucks making this. I mean, a hell of a series now. We got something going on here. We got some juice. This is real. This is sustainable and repeatable. Yeah, this makes it... You're lagging the juice, huh?

Makes it feel like it's a must win for Edmonton. They got a lot of firepower there. They got a power play that's over 50% that still has an impact here. Over 50% and they're losing. Yes, they're losing because they can't get a goalie to be a top three star. Top three star? Well, you just need to be one of three best players on your team.

The goalie. Yes. If he was an 875, they'd be laughing. He's a 790. That's it in a nutshell. It's a huge problem. It's a big problem right now. I think Frank Cervalli had an article in Daily Faceoff today

where he said the sample size is not small anymore. He's played 15 playoff games, and he has the worst save percentage of any goaltender to have's played 15 playoff games and he has the worst save percentage of any goaltender to have played that many playoff games. So then they go to Pickard, I guess, for game four? Yeah, just move on.

Not a chance. I'm with Kip. Not a chance. Not a chance? Not a chance. For me, not a chance. I think there's a chance, bud. Oh, there's a chance,

but I don't think they'll do it. They're having a long meeting today about it. Guarantee. Yeah, you're right. I think the mere fact that they pulled them in the third period, the game's not out of hand. 4-2 at that point? 4-2.

To pull a goalie at 4-2 is very significant. So you really took a chance there. Because if Pinker comes in and lets one goal in, just one, it's over. And he didn't. So the effect of Skinner not playing the third is equivalent to him thinking about almost not playing the next game. So the psychological effect that you had on a goalie that you're not good enough, Ed. Skinner should have been embarrassed to be pulled at 4-2. You're pulled at 3-0, 4-0, 5-0.

You're not pulled at 4-2. Vancouver didn't pull pull she loves when they went it was four on the other night so i think whatever whatever message you wanted to send skinner that you need to be better is now ingrained in him and you got to come back to him now i'm with you we got uh we got kevin all right let's go to Kevin Lowe. Lowezy, why don't you just pick up this conversation on who would you start next game? How's that for an opening question? I missed the early part,

so I'm going to beg forgiveness and not chime in, but I do agree. I think they've got to go back with Stuart Skinner. He's been their goalie he has proven that he's been able to to rally and although I mean at the end of the day I wouldn't be fearful having Calvin Pickard in there because he's played well for us but I think just overall you know the easy discussion is to pinpoint the goalie but uh you know there's some egregious errors that happen before some of those goals that need to be cleaned up so it doesn't even have to get to where the goalie has to stop the puck so overall i think the uh i don't think anyone in that dressing room should be feeling comfortable the way they played the other night

i don't think they they didn't look prepared and ready for the onslaught of Vancouver when they started the game. And they should have been because that's all Rick talked about for a couple of days was to play a more aggressive, meaner game against the Oilers. And they delivered.

Yeah, coming out of the gates, you saw both Lindholm and I forget who it was, and Joshua both hit Eckholm. It's hard to think Eckholm's ever been hit in the same shift, which is uncommon. He went on, he had a great game, he scored a goal, and it didn't affect him, but certainly a different Canucks team.

Are you seeing something from the Canucks that the Oilers wouldn't have expected? No, I think they, I mean, the Canucks beat the Oilers throughout the regular season, and, you know, we can look to the fact that it was early in the season. The Oilers weren't playing that well. But, I mean, I admire what Rick Talken's done. You know, he obviously played the game.

I wasn't as tough as him, but I liked the way he played the game. I think I tried to play the game firmly and hard. And, you know, obviously skill is a very important part of it. But he had those guys fired up for that game and they were ready to play. I'm not saying that the Oilers weren't, but I think the Oilers were a little surprised by it. So I think the response needs to be, hey, they're not going to turn the Oilers into the 72 Flyers, but it's the playoffs, man.

And everybody's got to finish their checks. And if they think that they just start with that, and I mean man-to-man. I mean, I'm not talking about Leon and Connor. I think Connor had four body checks himself. But I think down the roster, some guys got to look at themselves in the mirror and say, you know, forget about the scoring. Go out and play the game right. Finish your checks.

Play hard. And I think eventually the skill level of out and play the game right. Finish your checks. Play hard. And I think eventually the skill level of the Oilers will take over. They've proven that in a couple games. They outshot them badly. I know the Canucks might have been sitting back on that lead, but when the Oilers get fired up, it's tough for the Canucks to compete. But when the Canx bring it into a muddy track like they did early in the game last night,

the Oilers got to respond. We're talking to Kevin Lowe, six-time Stanley Cup champion, Hockey Hall of Famer, and once upon a time a teammate of mine in New York. So, Lowe, we're seeing kind of a night and day style of play when it comes to the regular season at times, and there's a lot of games, no question, but the tight checking, the physicality that you see now,

and the effect that it can have on your star players. And, you know, we've seen it over the years in Toronto with sometimes Matthews, Nylander, Marner not being able to break out. We've seen two games already in this series where mcdavid is pointless and i'm just wondering you know in your early days with the oilers with the likes of coffee and and yari and uh you know some of the greats glenn anderson and 99 of course like was was was that the case back then where the attention to detail was so great on the stars that they just had to find different ways to produce? Yeah, you have to.

Yeah, absolutely, Kipper. I mean, you know, Wayne Gretzky never scored a goal in the Stanley Cup Finals, I think, until I want to say Game 3 in 1985. He went scoreless, and that's an unknown fact. And, of course, Wayne did everything, and he won the Conn Smythe. But you've got to find a way to battle through, and sometimes you can go through these things. I mean, you know, everything is compounded because it's the playoffs,

and you only have so many games to do it. But – and I don't think that – i don't think and there's more emphasis on what's happening you know the camera angles and the stuff and they're they're emphasizing the stars if they aren't producing and why is it happening uh like i don't think susie meant to cross check connor in the face uh last night but that's something people will be talking about how abusive the playoffs can be to the stars but hey listen if you want to win the stanley cup you got to find a way through it and and and uh and the refs i mean they do as good a job as they can they miss a few things but but by and large uh

you know everybody's playing within the rules the game within the game as you know kipper the you know the the pushing and shoving after the face-offs, you've got to figure that part out, and the little cheap shots when the refs aren't looking. But, hey, it's not an easy trophy to win, and if you want to win it, you've got to figure out how to do it. I'm curious to get your thoughts on Vancouver and Edmonton, the third period last game.

You know, there's sort of this idea, you know, Edmonton really took it to Vancouver. I think the shots were 22 to three, but a lot of the high danger chances, I think we're like one, one or two, one Vancouver, really packing it in against the Oilers. How do you break through that? I know it's been a wall for the Leafs that we've talked about.

It's just when another team is content to just sort of pack it in, block shots. What are the best avenues to break that well you know when you're leading in a game and your game plan seems to be effective it's it's easy to stay in that in that tightness that you're talking about they're not going to you know they're on their game plan they're going to stay that way it's working so i mean the key is to come out of the gate and get them on their heels like i don't generally when the oilers are playing their a game particularly at home they come out and out shoot the opposition they're ready to go and and you know the speed and they finish their checks

and and they they they're a great home team and and you know like as i mentioned earlier i i just think that they they're on their heels a bit early and then then Vancouver, hey, the puck went in the net. I don't think it was terrible goaltending by Stuart Skinner. But at the end of the day, you've got to make a save or two to sort of help get your team back on track. And, you know, I think once you do that, then, you know, you've got to put some, not some fear in the opposition,

but you've got to get them out of their element where they get behind, and now they got to score a goal, and then that opens, you know, that's what our team's strength is. When they do get the opposition down, they can really finish them off. You know, Losey, one of the things

throughout the regular season I was questioning on is the depth of that blue line, but, you know, it just seemed like once at home really came in off of that blue line, but it just seemed like once Ekholm really came in off of that trade, it's kind of just reset them all. Maybe you can just speak of how you've watched that blue line evolve over the last few years

and maybe what Paul Coffey has brought as well. Yeah, Coffey's done a great job and just in some of the basic common sense things about the game, you know, like, you know, for instance, if a defenseman makes a play that, you know, looks egregious to the fans, but it was the right play, he just didn't execute it. You know, Koff will, you know, reaffirm that,

no, no, that's the right play, just execute it the next time. I think our defense get too much criticism you know, reaffirm that, no, no, that's the right play. Just execute it the next time. I think our defense get too much criticism, to be honest. I think, you know, there's so much emphasis on analytics and all those crazy stats. And at the end of the day, you know, if anything I'd want out of them is, you know, safe plays, a little more physicality,

make it a little tougher on the opposition. They move the puck overall as a group well. And as you say, a lot of that changed when Matthias Ekholm came. I mean, I'm just loving watching this guy play. He's as good a defenseman as I've seen play for the Oilers, you know, since Chris Palmer. So, you know, I figured it was going to be a long series, and the Canucks are a tagger, and the Oilers are down now.

They're going to have to, again, put their big boy pants on and come out and win a game tomorrow night. But I think there's enough desire in the room to want to win a cup, and that's half the battle. How have you felt about the Oilers depth forwards? You know, Drysaddle and McDavid played quite a bit last game, 29 minutes plus each, you know, that, that puts a lot of pressure on them. Are they getting enough support from the guys beneath them?

Well, you know, they were just, and they were like behind, you know, and those guys were dominant. So, yeah, but those are bad. Those are not good minutes for those guys. They can't sustain that. That's a recipe for disaster. And again, you know, in fairness to the bottom end guys, they, you know, they get some criticism because they're not producing, but they're not on the ice. But at the end of the day, a little less worry about producing, scoring goals, that is, and a little bit about getting out there,

finishing your checks, making life difficult on the Vancouver's defense, make them play in their end a little bit more and soften them up, and that allows the big guys to come out and work their magic. I've got to ask you about the power play running over 50% here. And you had Gretzky, you had Curry, you had Koff, and you're like, this one's better? Really? Yeah. I mean, it's amazing. They're feeling it, you know, they're feeling it.

They obviously, they've got what I like about them. They have so many options, right? And they all can score. You know, Ekholm, when he's out there as well, you know, when he gets out there for the second part, but, you know, the Busch bomb and, you know, Nugent's the bumper a lot of times, but, I mean, he can score goals.

So it's hard to believe that they're doing it at the pace that they are because we just haven't seen that ever, really. But let's just hope it keeps going for the owner's sake. How have you felt about officiating in the series? I think some Oilers fans would like to see a few more calls for their superstars. How have you felt in general?

It's always, you know, when you lose a a game it's the official's fault um um you know someone high up in the nhl world uh told me a long time ago and and this isn't a slight against the officials you know they like to keep the same amount of marbles in each pocket you know so sure do you could all you could almost bet and again i'm not suggesting they did it on purpose but because of what happened in vancouver you know the missed call on the Quinney Hughes high stick and a supposed slew foot uh you knew that the refs were going to be watching closely again I'm not suggesting they they went out to call penalties but they certainly weren't going to miss any and and uh in terms of the stars uh it's playoffs it's playoffs man you just gotta you gotta fight through that and

eventually eventually you keep playing that you know playing hard uh and playing as you know as well uh if we're talking about particularly uh connor and leon the the refs are going to catch the opposition uh doing what they do they're going to the opposition are going to push it too far and they're going to get called and and hopefully the Oilers score on them. I don't want to age you here, Losey, but you watch in every year this time of year in Edmonton and the tailgating parties and the ice district locations and all of that.

Just, man, it must be a great time out there. It really is magical, I have to say. I'm so fortunate to be here watching it. But I see it from a different lens now, really. I see how important it is, obviously, to the fans and to the players, but I see it for the economy, for the businesses, for the taxi drivers and the bars and restaurants and just for the general well-being of the city. It's so critical and so exciting to see when the team is playing.

So that's what I hope for now. Of course, I want to see Connor win a Stanley Cup because he's deserving of one because he's such a great player. And that's how, you know, as Wayne Gretzky told me many years ago before he won a cup, that that that that that that was his ultimate, ultimate wish was to be able to say lifted a cup like, you know, like Bobby Orr and Beliveau and all the greats before him. But I really, you know, the, you know know daryl cates and the cates group did an amazing job the the ice district is you know so exciting there i mean there's thousands you know 15 20 000 people just around the rink which is kind of cool because you know not everyone has a ticket or can afford it to you know the price of a ticket so yeah they can be part of the

atmosphere it's it's really special well listen if you find yourself in toronto in the next couple of days i can get you a cab like that here they're not they're not busy at all here a reservation anything you want actually cheering for the leafs i was cheering for the first time ever i have to say first time didn't help losey you won you won a bunch of cups, and you couldn't help the Leafs. Losey, we'll take any Stanley Cup on Canadian soil anywhere. Yeah, that's right. Losey, thanks for doing this, man. Really appreciate it.

Always great to see you. Yeah, anytime, you guys. Thanks for your time. Edmonton Oil are great. Kevin Lowe. So, you know, this series is fascinating to me. What do you got? Well, just officiating and –

Yeah, I got to tell you. It's always the case. Kudos to these two fan bases. It's always the case. They are losing their mind. It is at like a fever pitch. This is excellent playoff. This is awesome.

Like it's back and forth. Like McDavid's talking about the crosscheck today. and apparently the media wanted to talk to zadorov and like the representative said no they didn't he didn't talk good like it's just this is that was like all the columns the hearing before media availability vancouver one of the the hearing first before yeah why is that i just they wanted it out of the way and Vancouver wanted the hearing first. Yeah. Why is that? They wanted it out of the way and they wanted the answer and they

and I don't know what was said during media availability so I'm not privileged to that information but I would imagine it was just to probably think that if a one game suspension was coming they get to voice their displeasure on an off day. The one thing, so leading into the series and even during it,

I've said that I don't really see a way forward for Vancouver. I thought that Edmonton was a much better team, and I thought that was going to play out. I'll take my L there. I was wrong. Happy to see that we've got a great series on our hands now. There reaches a sample size where you have to sort of reevaluate. And what Kevin Lowe just say, the Canucks are 6-1 against them this year.

And to me, when the score is close, like in the first period, the Canucks come out and control the shots. You know, like they look like a team that. That first shift was peak playoff hockey. Unbelievable. They're just, everybody's cross-checking and fighting. And there's the two hits and they take it to the net like they came out hard immediately and so it's really hard not to notice that the Oilers are having a tough time five on five yeah when they're behind they're

chasing the game they're you know great in the power play and they're great chasing the game but they haven't exactly looked like boy they should they're gonna get this series the way even when it was 1-1 Boston Florida waslorida, I was like, it's Florida. I don't feel that way. You start puck watching in your own zone, and Fogle ends up coughing one up the middle there. Those are game-changing, series-changing moments. I mean, Skinner let in a couple softies last night,

but I have a hard time. I didn't like the one far post either. On Vesser? On Vesser. That's a pretty good shot. He gave him so much. There's a lot of net there. He lost his net.

And actually, he doesn't get enough of the inside post. It's inside the net. It's not post in there. No, it's not. I mean, I have a bigger problem with fogel tossing a pizza into the middle and then having one of the it's a world-class goal score between the hash marks beat him low glove like i i have a hard time killing him for that one people will but man besser lindholm yeah and it's not even petterson that's the crazy part like

he scored or whatever in the other game but it's just yeah they're winning without him he's barely noticeable they brought up some guy from i'd i'd never even heard of him from the ahl to play with them it's so funny that bester was a guy who was kind of widely known to be available and he's become such a crucial piece for them i think we need to discuss the she loves reach back grab of derrick ryan stick while the puck is in behind him. Is that not holding? Yes, it's a penalty. It's an unbelievable play. Great presence of mind.

It's a holding penalty. It's absolutely a penalty. For sure. It's the first thing I thought. How do you not see it? I think because a referee has literally never seen that play ever in the history of the game. Good point.

And they're like, what is happening? And then it's over. It's like something you do play with your friends. I don't know how he had the thought to do that but you're right it's definitely a penalty but i just i don't blame the ref on that one they're like how am i supposed to what happened she loves credit he seems like he's in the moment he's got some puck luck too yeah oh they beat him post the cane post what was dry sidles line uh it's not good goaltending the post hit inside the post it's not good goaltending He's not a good goaltending. The post hit inside the post is not good goaltending. Yeah, it's not good goaltending.

You don't need to be a good goalie to... They're definitely going to score eight on him at one point in this series. It feels like. It does feel like. It's one of these games, like I think it's going to be a close series and it's go far, but... He's picking pucks off the goal line.

Yeah. Feels like a bunch of... It just seems like nothing. I'm just saying I can see a world now where Vancouver is hanging. They've got some breaks. They've got maybe some officiating. It's gone their way. How about Zdorov?

Just putting a big, strong man into the bench. Just the presence that he has and just the aura that he carries. It's impressive. It's impressive. He seems very comfortable in the playoffs in this type of setting. And I'm not, everyone calm down here. There is something Zidane Achara like about having a guy who can slap it in the net, slap you in the face, not afraid of anyone.

He's a little bit more mistake prone. Having the biggest, meanest, strongest guy on your team is great. It's got to be great. I actually wonder about his number this summer. He's a UFA, is he not? UFA. Oh, yeah. I wonder what his number is.

Can't wait for a treat over Pam. Because I've got to tell you. 29? Can't wait for a treat over Pam. The door of age is 29. Just mentioning Zdorov, the counter to the Susie argument, because like I have so many Canucks people on my Twitter just, I don't know how this has happened, but like

Riccio and Satyar Shah, all these guys they're talking about Hyman coming in late on Zdorov and cross-checking Zdorov right in the mouth, which is equally as egregious as what Susie did. And that's hot with the Canucks right now. They're saying it's even worse and watching the replay, it's really bad to me.

So if you're going to suspend the guy a game for cross-checking McDavid, you're literally doing the cause and effect of like, Susie's not the star so he's not getting a game for it. Like you're watching it happen in real time. I'd be sour if I was a Canucks fan watching it. Yeah, sure. No, you're making

a fine point. Suck it up and take it because nothing's changing. So they're not going to review the... No. Oh, you're making a fine point. Suck it up and take it because nothing's changing. So they're not going to review the... No. Oh, no. He cross-checked him in the face. The other guy got suspended a game just because McDavid, old, you know, untouchable McDavid.

I haven't noticed that. I'll have to watch that again for me. Untouchable McDavid swings his stick around like a Paul Bunyan. Oh, Canuck Twitter noticed it. Dan Murphy put it on Twitter. Boys are hot out in Vancouver. I'm telling you. But it's going to brain. Oh, Canucks Twitter noticed it. Dan Murphy put it on Twitter. Boys are hot out in Vancouver. I'm telling you. But it's going to pass.

Okay. It's going to pass. When Hyman scores a hat trick next game and they lose, they're going to be really happy. They'll forget about it. This is the Sam Bennett moment. You don't suspend Sam Bennett, and all of a sudden he scores a huge goal,

which was also controversial. Was that even of a call after he threw Kane in the bench? Like, was that a bench minor? The Oilers got a bench minor for... For what? Holding on to him. I don't know. Is that what he did?

They did hold on to him. But, anyways. All right. I feel like I'm a Canucks homer here, but I actually am kind of more on the Canucks side of it. Listen, they hate you. You're just a leaf guy to them. I don't know if they do.

Text him from Vancouver, do you hate me or not? Sam doesn't normally do official talk, but let me tell you, he guy to them. I don't know if they do. Text him from Vancouver if you hate me or not. Sam doesn't normally do officials talk, but let me tell you, he's got thoughts. I do. I think Zach Hyman should be suspended a game if Carson Soucy's suspended a game. Oh my God, I have to watch this again. Go to Dan Murphy's Twitter. You'll see a great video.

I'm on it. I'm on Dan Murphy's Twitter. Let's go. We do not agree. Let's take a break. Take a break, and then you got game time after the break. Sounds good. We gotta talk Boston and Florida. Their team is gonna join us, right? Yep. Let's take a break. Take a break. And then you got game time after the break. Sounds good. And, uh, Boston is going to join us, right?

Yep. We'll do a bit of, do a bit of Colorado. All right. Plenty more still on real Kipper and born. Don't go away. Teeing up the biggest games of the night. It's the fan pregame with Ailish for far and Justin Cuthbert weekdays at 6

PM on sports, that sports at five 90, the fan and wherever you get your podcast. with Ailish Forfar and Justin Cuthbert. Weekdays at 6 p.m. on Sportsnet, Sportsnet 590 The Fan, and wherever you get your podcasts. Two games on tap tonight. Tune right in to Sportsnet. You get them both. Carolina at New York and Dallas at Colorado.

To help us tee up that game, let's go to Arif Dean, avalanche beat writer for Mile High Sports, host of Hockey Mountain High Avalanche podcast. Arif, how are you, pal? I'm doing well, guys. How are you? We're good. We're good. So Colorado at home, down 2-1. We were talking about the Oilers feeling it at their next game.

Must win kind of feel for you at this point? Yeah, I would say so. I think this kind of gives me a lot of memories of past Avalanche series where they've lost, where it kind of culminates to it. You know, if you go back to 2021 against Vegas, you can even look at last year versus Seattle where the Avalanche have a strong game one and they look like they're going well. And then you see the other team start to do the things they want to do. And then they perfect it, you know, almost nearly perfect in game three, what we saw

from the Dallas Stars. And if the Avalanche don't break out of that habit tonight, I think it's game over for them. They're going to have to find a way to get through this defense, to get to Jake Ottinger, to get that traffic in front that we didn't see a lot of in game three, and to really have to make Pete DeBoer and the Dallas Stars make the next adjustment.

So what are your biggest concerns for the Avalanche at this point? Number one is Jake Odinger. He's been exceptional. This isn't quite going as well as it did against another guy in Connor Hellebuck from the last round. But ultimately, it's the traffic in the crease and getting to those big bodies. I remember having a debate with somebody about a month ago

when it kind of became clear that the same deal the Avalanche made to bring in Sean Walker, the first rounder, and Ryan Johansson, there was like murmurs that they tried to do the same thing to bring in Chris Tanev. And that seems like the difference because that guy in front of Jake Odinger right now is not allowing the Aalanche to battle in front. It was the main reason why we saw Val Nachushkin held off the score sheet for the first time in the playoffs. It was the main reason why Miko or not Miko, Nate McKinnon didn't score on what looked like an open net on a one-timer because he got in the place in front of the puck.

He's either blocking these shots or he's clearing the crease for Ottinger and making his night a lot easier. And he's not the only one doing it. It's all the Stars defenders right now. And I think that's the biggest concern. The Avalanche were able to crash the net and to get in front of Connor Hellebuck. If you remember him saying,

I didn't see half the goals that went in. They're not doing that with Jake Ottinger, at least not in this game. You mentioned Nikushkin. I think mid-January he entered the NHL PA substance program or health program. Did you see this at all? Maybe not so much coming back, but coming back and dominating the way he has,

putting the puck in the net? It's hard not to see it at this point. I mean, we all remember what happened last year in Seattle and kind of spent the entire summer wondering if this guy was even going to be an option. And then he comes in at the start of the regular season. At the time of him entering the player assistance program, I believe he had 21 goals in his last 30 games. He was leading the NHL, I think, up there with Sam Reinhart,

tied for first in power play goals. And all of the whispers of what had happened in Seattle, nothing really got to him. And again, when he went into the assistance program, he was playing great. And it just kind of felt like this guy is just a good hockey player. No matter when he plays, he gets it done. We saw what he looked like in the 2022 series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. You ask a lot of the guys in that room, McKinnon, Cagliano, even Kel McCarr. A lot of the leaders in that

room will tell you when it comes to that final series, specifically against the Lightning, Nichushkin was their best player. Then in Seattle, he scores in game two, helps them win that game, and then disappears the avalanche fall. And then he comes back against the Winnipeg Jets and continues to do his thing. So it's a pattern here. Every playoff series you see out of Val Nechushkin, he seems to be getting better. It's hard to say that it's surprising at this point. The toughest thing for him in the avalanche is keeping him in the lineup keeping him mentally and physically healthy to stay in

the lineup uh because if he does 6.125 million in the prime of his career you have a steal like one of the best deals in the nhl probably there yeah it's it's almost like being gigantic and very fast uh is a helpful tool in the playoffs he He's very effective. So good at taking the goalies eyes away. It's incredible. He's a horse, man. He plays in that area of the rink. What about at the other end?

Gorgiev, has he lived up to expectations in the post season so far? Yeah, he's, he's really calmed everything down. I, there's an alternate universe where Eustace Annen doesn't get sick on that road trip trip heading to

Winnipeg and wondering what could have happened. Because I remember I didn't travel to Winnipeg like this series. And I remember the day before game one, the avalanche practice and Ananen took a lot of extra reps because Gorgie was the first guy off the ice. And it was a short practice because they were taking a flight to Winnipeg right away. And he seemed fine. And then suddenly he's not there for game one the Avs didn't even take their third stringer in Prosvatov they took the fourth stringer not expecting him to even dress and now he's on the bench and Winnipeg enters the third period leading four to three they quickly make it five to three they quickly make it six to three and I genuinely

feel that six to three goal would have been the time to pull Georgiev and put in Ananin had he been there. And then there's an alternate universe where the Avs end up losing 7-6. Georgiev ends up letting in the seventh goal. Well, what if Ananin doesn't end up letting in that seventh goal? What if the game goes to overtime 6-6? What if he plays well? What happens for game two? But by not having him available, by not having that competition,

Georgiev has really calmed things down. We've seen him do this over the last couple of years. Every time he has a tough stretch, he follows it up instantly with one of his best stretches in the NHL, or at least with the avalanche. The biggest question is how long can he hold that stretch? It's was four games against Winnipeg. It's been three against Dallas. Seven games he's either played above average or pretty good average. How long can he hold that? Because against this team,

you're playing at least two more, maybe three or four against the Dallas Stars. And the guy on the other side is playing really well. So he's going to need to keep doing what he did in game three because he was really good in game three. Maybe not as good as Odinger. He didn't face as much, but he kept the abs in it

until they were able to pull their goalie down 2-1. We're talking to Arif Dean, avalanche beat writer for Mile High Sports as we get ready for Dallas, Colorado. So, Arif, not too many series over my years I've covered where two powerhouses get together here. And you know one of them is going to go home disappointed here. In terms of Colorado, if that does happen, and it's considered, I guess, a failure to lose in the second round here,

what kind of fallout would there be if, if any at all, based on the fact that you're also playing a team that favored to win the Stanley cup. So like, how do you see this thing playing out? If Colorado does find a way to lose this thing, it's honestly, it's going to matter how it happens.

That's, that's going to be the biggest takeaway. Like if you're the Winnipeg jets, I mean, you've probably said it on your show but since maybe november every single person had to have at some point said something along the lines of dallas winnipeg and colorado are atop the central division and you want to do everything in your power to not be in that two three matchup you want to be the team that gets a wild card not knowing the wild card is going to end up being

the cup you know champion vegas golden knights but you want to do everything to stay out of that. Well, Winnipeg comes into the two, three matchup. It's not that they lost to the avalanche. It's how it happened. It's the fact that Hellebuck led in 24 goals. It's the fact that the avalanche scored six and seven and five goals in every single game or whatever it was. That's going to be the case here. The avalananche won game one. They trailed three to nothing. They luckily were able to win that game. They were down four to nothing in game two, and they came back and made it a game.

They let in the first goal. They trailed, and they chased the whole time. If they lose tonight again, where Dallas takes a two to nothing lead and kind of locks it down and wins two to one, and then they go back to Dallas on Wednesday, and Dallas takes a one nothing lead and shuts them out 1-0. Like you play a whole series where you never once played with the lead

because they haven't yet to this point. The Dallas Stars win four straight on you. Like if it's kind of something like that, where you're like the Winnipeg Jets, kind of have your hands up like what just happened, I think it'll be a lot worse and it'll have a lot more ramifications than if, you know, it's a tough series between two teams where one of them's got to win

and one of them's got to lose, you know, something similar to what we just saw with the Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars. So I think there, you know, it is a tough team in the Dallas Stars. It's the number one seed in the Western Conference and you just played the Winnipeg Jets and, you know, beat them in five games. It's not about if you lose, it's about how you lose. But alternatively, if you come out of this series as the team that was the lower seed in the 2-3 matchup

and you managed to beat the 2-1 in the Central Division, you're looking really good going into the Western Conference Final. Well, it sure feels like a must-win game for Colorado. Enjoy it. Arif, thank you for joining us, man. Really appreciate your time. Absolutely. Thanks, guys, for having me on.

Thanks, Arif. Good series, that one. Yeah, I can't see. I can't see Colorado coming back, winning three in a row. No? They lose tonight. No, if they lose tonight, yeah. Right?

I was going to say, yeah, I can see them winning the series still. Yeah. Very much so. Yeah. Yeah. But they got to win tonight. Yep. Game time?

Yes, sir. Game time. It's game time presented by Bet365. Visit the app, play this to odds, and find out why it's never ordinary at Bet365. Must be 19 plus. Ontario only. Please play responsibly.

So two games tonight. As we know, we've been talking about the stars in Colorado. Carolina and New York tonight at Madison Square Garden. The New York Rangers have the chance to move on to the semifinals. They are minus 105. The Carolina Hurricanes are minus 115. I think it ends tonight.

I think that the, you know, I do like the Rangers in that and you could even convince me into, you know, a under in that game. It feels like it's going to be tight. It's just Durkin's been red hot. Maybe the other way. Maybe I don't know who they're going with in that,

but it's a close one. That's the scary part for Carolina, right? Are you going to get the goaltending? Yeah, and even that. My reputation is so tied to bad. The failing of Freddie Anderson. I was out on saturday night and i didn't watch any hockey and i looked at my phone and i had like seven or eight texts including

steve aliquette was texting me like i had dms from people like did you see that freddie goal oh my god was it that bad anyways so yeah you worry about that and the dallas stars are pretty big oh not pretty big but they're underdogs tonight. Plus 115. The Colorado Avalanche are minus 135. Bet 365. Expecting the Colorado Avalanche to get back in this series tonight. And that was game time. Presented by Bet365. Visit the app, play this to odds,

and find out why it's never ordinary at Bet365. Must be 19 plus Ontario only. Please play responsibly. Okay. Don Sweeney, general manager of the boston bruins made some noise today just stop it stop it over there this is your only chance to like save any toronto maple leaf face right now by making fun of don sweeney that was the press conference. Before we get into his specifics here, like, it's no different from any other playoff year where we pick apart what we like and don't like about officiating.

This isn't any different from any other year, is it? It's not, no. It's such a fantasy. But it's happening to the Boston Bruins, so they have to come out and cry about it. Do I need to call you an ambulance? Wah, wah, wah, wah. I think it's somewhat justified, but anyway.

All right. So most controversial play was the Sam Bennett goal with the shove. Oh, is it the Sam Bennett goal or is it the Sam Bennett punt? Let's just play. Where do you want to start? Let's play the first clip from Sweeney. Sam Bennett, yeah. Let's play from the first clip from his general thoughts.

Unofficiating. So let's start there. We're not in a position to be criticizing, you know, officials and league-wide such. That's, you know, standard protocol. We'll get fined as a result of that. So there's no intention of my point to be critical. The overall premise that I have is, to be perfectly honest with you,

we should not be asking the coach after a game what they feel about officiating and what happens. You guys should really be focused on what we didn't do well enough in the course of the game and win a hockey game. Those questions should be directed at either the director of supervisors, supervisor officials, supervisor series, and or the officials. You want full access and transparency? Then put the officials in front of the microphone to answer the question

because they're the only ones that have the experience to be able to handle whatever interpretation they applied to Rule 69 in that case to answer your question. That's it. So the rest of us, we have, you know, clearly we challenged it because of our interpretation, right? So the only ones that can answer that don't put out a statement, just, just stand in front and answer the question. That's as simple as that. Combative. I mean, he went with like the fan take. That's every fan's take.

They should put the refs out there to talk to the media after. Why? I hate this. Why? So they can be like, it was a good call.

And then everyone's even more mad. Like it's the stupidest thing ever. The statement that they put out is equivalent to them standing up there and saying the same thing.

That's what they're going to say. Yes. Yeah. So I was doing the game last night and we called the situation room when it happened so get them on the phone what'd you see why why did that call go that way and you know it's a it's a subjective call it's a close call but in the end you're allowed to have a little bit of a fight in front of the net whatever

it's not like you can't touch someone but the biggest thing is that swayman is fully extended he's not he has no momentum going that way he's not going to make that save it's called a goal on the ice yeah they you know they call it a goal i see a lot of people going coil had a better chance to come back and make the save for sure yeah coil you know could turned and whatever, but you can't just get touched and go, ah, you know, into the goalie. There's some... I didn't mind the non-call. Yeah, so I actually agree with it.

We all, so we're all in agreement that it was a fine goal? Yeah. That'll make the Bruins fans happy. We're not here to make them happy. But I thought it was fine. I think you should be stronger in your skates, Bennett's stronger. But people act like there's a conspiracy.

Oh, yeah, it's crazy. You know, there's no greater... Did you see that? They made a judgment call. The cross check on Nurse last night. The shove. Yeah. It's a bad, bad, bad call.

Like, they've gone, I don't know where they think they are with the cross check shove. The cross push. The cross push. Yeah. And it's like, let them battle. Let them battle a little bit. Please let them battle. For sure. Sam Bennett is...

The wrecking machine. Nail gun. He is ruining the Bruins franchise. He's got the general manager coming out crying. He ruined yours last year. He's good at what he does. He's doing what Tom Wilson did to the Rangers. He makes people mental.

He's like, they don't know how to act. Yeah. They don't know how to act. And you're the Bruins, and all Florida does is score on the power play, and you're like, we got to get Bennett. We got to get Bennett. And it's like, Bennett gets 20 goals a year. Maybe go do hockey.

Bennett, he just, I mean, you're going to try to hit him? Yeah. He's made of dark matter. He's the densest person on earth. Okay, but let's just talk about it. Cheap shot on Marchand. Do you think he threw the punch? Yeah, it was a little rabid punch.

Yeah, and do you see the comparable to Matthew Nye's play? Did you happen to see the video? Yeah, the right hand gets a little frisky. He knows what he's doing. Yeah, he knows what he's doing. But he disguised it beautifully. How is it like... It's a dirty play. It's a dirty play like

two days later. Here we are in the world of 70 cameras and angles and HD. Now you guys bring me this two days later. Where were you after the game? Where were you the next day? Nobody saw it.

Don't bring it up two days later. The Bru where were you after the game? Where were you the next day? Nobody saw it. Well, then don't bring it up two days later. And you know what? The Bruins didn't say anything. It's too late. The Bruins didn't say anything because they let a player play through what was obvious head injury. Right? You're talking about concussion spotters. Marchand couldn't get to the bench after that hit, and they were like, he's fine. Would you like to...

Derek, could you please play Sweeney clip four for us? We did not get that until later on talking with that angle again if you had had it earlier maybe you would pass it along but but clearly somebody did and they passed it along um we felt that way all along but uh you know that was more definitive to us as to what transpired you can you know if the league had that view but i can't speak for the league you can call like an offside within a hair, but you guys can't find different angles of this until two days later? It's funny.

I actually heard Biz talking about it on Spitting Chicklets or whatever, and he said their camera angle, the camera passed right in front of a stanchion exactly as it happened so they weren't able to get whatever look they had he hammered him should have been a shakeout game she got game two maybe it should have been a game yeah the reason it was it was against a guy who's done that a hundred times in his career to other guys okay sure something's on karma but you can't if i If I'm Sam Bennett and I see Marchand coming at me, I don't know if he's going to hit me high, low, or lick me.

Okay? So I'm okay with a little rabid punch. But it doesn't make it legal, clean, whatever. To me, it's like if you don't get a lid on Bennett and he's emboldened by this, you're creating a monster right now. The monster has been created by the, he needs to be put on a leash or something.

I don't know. We all want him on our team. Bennett should have to wear a bell, like a cat on the ice. So everyone knows where he is at all times. The things I would do to have Sam Bennett be a Toronto Maple Leaf. Well, Kip says the Leafs didn't want to give up Nick Robertson two years ago. So too bad. is at all times the things i would do to have sam bennett be a toronto maple leaf hard well kip says the leafs didn't want to give up nick robertson two years ago so too bad and who was

the guy that traded him for nothing oh is he running the lease you told me you were all excited about brad tree living now you're telling me you gave away sam we want that one back tree yeah but so it is going to be interesting to see you know uh frederick had made some comments like oh you want to hear pat maroon yeah maroon was crying about how everybody the media is making narratives he's not doing enough oh yeah yeah we have that sorry yeah we have that too i mean it's just it's frustrating that you guys are trying to do a narrative right now for nothing to be honest like we gotta win a got to win a f***ing hockey game. That's what it comes down to.

Unfortunately, what happened, we can't turn, we've got to turn the page. We've got to find a way. You can sit here and say I'm not doing my job. Maybe, maybe I'm not. But like I said before, I'm damned if I do it, I'm damned if I don't. And I don't want to put my team in jeopardy. I don't want to take a suspension. I don't want to put my team in jeopardy. I don't want to take a suspension. I don't want to put my team on a power penalty kill.

I'm doing everything I can. So we can sit here and say I'm not. Maybe I'm not. But I talked to my captain. I talked to the guys in that locker room. They know. And they know I care. And that's the

most important thing. He's trying his best during warm-up, I care, and that's the most important thing. Wow. It's unraveling. He's trying his best during warm-up, I can tell you that. Yeah. I mean, why would Bennett in a million years? No. In a million years. That reminds me of, like, you know,

when someone says something that's not really about you, but you're, like, taking it personally. It's like my wife, we're like, yeah, the garbage smells. I'm like, well, you're not taking it out either. It's like no one said it was your job to do it it's not just a blue job yeah no it's you know no one went to maroon and was like we didn't mention like how come pat maroon hasn't done that yet i didn't even cross my mind that it's his responsibility i think it falls to me it falls on extremely deaf ears from ruin fans and they And they're like, you know, Sam Bannett's got to fight.

Brad Marchand never fights. I got news from Bruin's fans. They're not that good. Yeah, you guys stink. You beat the Stinky Leafs. They beat the Stinky Leafs, and now they're going to get crushed by the good team. Listen, they've had a great goalie for two rounds so far. He's been unbelievable.

And there's not much more he can do. But, hey, no Krejci and no Bergeron. They still beat the Leafs, boys. And now they're crying. Woo-hoo! All right. They inherited the cry. Solved nothing.

Thanks to Jason Bukala in the first hour. Erfdine from Colorado helped us tee up tonight's game. And six times, Stanley Cup champion Kevin Lowe. Good show today, guys. Good work, team. Not bad, eh? Pretty easily.

I don't know. Hey, Tommy, we're going to turn you into an NHL guy. It might take me years to do it. Meow. It's my job. Okay.

Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow on Real Kipper and Bourne. Have a great night, everybody.