Saturday, May 30th, 2009
Here is a very smart piece on officiating in the NHL playoffs and how important it is to stay out of the penalty box. And how important it is to capitalize on your opportunities with a man advantage or be efficient in the penalty kill. This
article also offers a good analysis on the officials and who calls what.
I was not surprised to see that we had the worst efficiency rating in power plays to penalty kills in the league during the playoffs and that the two finalists, the Penguins and Red Wings, are ranked number 1 and number 2. When you see we are last in terms of differential - we had 13 less power plays than penalties against - it is a wonder that we went to game 7 in Round 2 in the playoffs, isn’t it? Twenty-six minutes of being purely short-handed is a lot of time in the playoffs.
Tags: Detroit Red Wings, Hockey, NHL Playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Stanley Cup, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take
Posted in Hockey | 13 Comments »
Friday, May 29th, 2009
Several folks have asked me to tell them who I think will win the Stanley Cup Finals this year.
Here is my answer: I believe the Pittsburgh Penguins will win the Cup this year. I think it is “their time”. I think they are younger and faster and bigger and have gained playoff and Finals experience.
I think they are very healthy and will be well rested. The schedule sets up well for them as well since back to back games are a good thing for the Penguins.
As usual, it will mostly come down to who has the best goaltending. But from firsthand experience I can tell you that the Penguins - right now - I believe are the best team in hockey and I believe they will win the Stanley Cup.
Tags: Hockey, NHL Playoffs, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take
Posted in Hockey | 14 Comments »
Friday, May 15th, 2009
I wanted to thank you all again for your support and for the genuine respect and love you have all shown for our team even in defeat in Game 7 of Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The two minute standing ovation to our team at game’s end is the talk of the league and several executives from other teams and the league itself have called me to mention it. Thank you again. That was very classy and elegant and nice. Our team’s salute to you on the ice was heartfelt. Our fans are special and one of a kind.
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Tags: Hockey, NHL Playoffs, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 31 Comments »
Tuesday, May 12th, 2009
It has been a thrill and an honor to be involved in this playoff series. As I have noted, both teams are evenly matched and both teams have great and passionate fan bases that are deserving of a long and entertaining series. The TV networks; the media; the blogosphere; the sponsors; the city fathers; and the ownership of both teams are blessed to witness this series. As my teenage daughter said to me this morning, “That was epic!” And it was.
Both teams have won 2 games at home and 1 on the road.
Both teams have now won an OT game.
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Tags: Hockey, NHL Playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 40 Comments »
Sunday, May 10th, 2009
That is what we have to do now. It is win or go home time again. We played a fine game last night as did Pittsburgh. The difference in both our team’s play is very small. We can’t whine about the outcome. We must remain positive and focus on the task at hand on Monday night.
I thought both teams played brilliantly last night. It was great playoff hockey and it showcased the best the NHL has to offer.
We have the odds stacked against us now so what else is new? Eighty-five percent of the time, the team that wins Game 5 and then plays Game 6 at home wins the series. We have faced long odds before. We must remain upbeat; play one shift at a time; win out period by period; and we must stay focused for a full 60 minutes. If we do that, we can come home for a Game 7. Pittsburgh is a great team and played very well last night although I thought we deserved better. Our play was of high quality and we played to our capabilities.
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Tags: Hockey, NHL Playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 57 Comments »
Saturday, May 9th, 2009
Home cooking works to date.
We won our two games at home. They won their two games at home. Winning at home is what good teams do. And the Penguins are a very good team.
We move to Game 5 tonight at home. We need our hometown fans to provide us with a spark of energy. Both teams will be tight and tired having to play back to back games.
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Tags: Hockey, NHL Playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 24 Comments »
Friday, May 8th, 2009
It is ironic that a team in Washington DC is playing a team from Pittsburgh PA and that the team in DC is considered the insurgent - the under dog, the newcomer - and has the odds stacked against them. Some people think of Washington DC as the “most powerful city in the world” but that doesn’t translate to the NHL.
A really smart fan of our team emailed me this story from the New Yorker magazine. It is a long one but well worth your time in reading. Click here to read it and reap. I show this article to our fans to say that David can beat Goliath and that we do have hope. Pittsburgh is a great franchise. They went to the Stanley Cup Finals last season. They have won Stanley Cups before. They have a bevy of great players and a great history. But insurgents can and do win so keep the positive vibes a-coming. We will need them tonight.
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Tags: Hockey, NHL Playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 11 Comments »
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
Got to stand up and take it. We got outplayed and out worked last night and we lost to a hungrier and more desperate team.
We were out shot, out hit and out hustled.
We lost in OT 3 to 2. Our goaltender was our best player and we need to offer him more support on Friday.
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Tags: Hockey, NHL Playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 59 Comments »
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
Professional sports are much maligned. They have such scrutiny and such passion wrapped around them and so many negative slants that sometimes, we forget the true beauty at the heart of the matter.
I am honored to lead a partnership that owns professional sports teams. When I read articles such as this one - click here please - it makes me swell with pride. Love, passion, friendship, honor and civic duty and family connectedness…that is what it is all about. And we also have players that we can be proud of in our community. Thank you Alex and Matt.
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Tags: Hockey, NHL Playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Sports, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 14 Comments »
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009
Easy. Take it easy.
While this has been fun, there is a lot of work left to do.
We are up 2 to 0. Let us NOT forget the New York Rangers were up 2 to 0 on us. We all saw how that turned out, right?
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Tags: Hockey, NHL Playoffs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ted Leonsis, Ted's Take, Washington Capitals
Posted in Hockey | 49 Comments »
