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Bringing Hexy Back • 42 Years Old • Male
Well, considering the Anaheim Ducks are now 2-0 in the 2007 playoffs without stud defenseman and Mensa candidate Chris Pronger, my guess is that we can officially scratch him off the short list of Conn Smythe trophy contenders.

Pronger's hotly debated second suspension was weathered by the Ducks' remaining defensemen and especially goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who was stellar for most of game four.

Andy MacDonald, who took a high elbow from Ottawa agitator Chris Neil in game three, scored twice and assisted on Dustin Penner's game winner. Mac Donald has nine goals, which leads the Ducks in the playoffs. IMO, that pushes MacDonald into the Smythe discussion.

However, he's still behind Giguere, who has been the epitome of a money goalie. After missing games in the first round while his child dealt with health issues, Giguere has been next to unbeatable. He's yet to lose back to back games and his numbers are superb.

It's easy to knock his game watching on TV-his lateral movement looks awkward, he looks as if he's fighting the puck, his stickhandling is awful....yet the guy makes almost every save he needs to make.

At the other end, I have to toss a lot of praise at Ray Emery. He's been almost as spectacular. He's kept a couple of games from being blowouts, and really had little or no shot on all three Anaheim goals this evening. If nothing else, Ray-Ray should have managed to shut up erstwhile NY commentator Stan "The Maven" Fischler, who called Emery a sieve during the Eastern conference finals.

Now, that brings me to Daniel Alfredsson. Alfredsson enjoys a reputation as a classy player. However, he lost a lot of respect when he deliberately shot the puck at Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer at the end of the second period. It was an utterly classless move, and could have caused a serious injury had the shot gone awry and hit Niedermayer in the face.

Alfredsson should be suspended for game five. His actions disgraced his team. It should also remove him from any consideration for awards, which prior to tonight, his name was deservedly mentioned in discussions for.
Filed Under:   Jsaq   Ducks   Senators   Conn Smythe   Alfredsson   Pronger  
June 5, 2007 1:18 AM ET | Delete
Agree, especially about Alfie. He gets this classy label and then does things like tonight, and the earlier hit from behind in an earlier series (Buffalo??) Also remember his "classy" action regarding Sundin a few years ago. Sens fans might think he is classy, but class and Alfie have nothing in common at all.
June 5, 2007 4:42 AM ET | Delete
McDonald has nine goals, yes, but only three assists. I'd pick Getzlaf over him, as well as Pronger, undisciplined though he may be...even so, you can basically just engrave Giguere's name on the Conn Smythe right now, because the Sens aren't coming back. Actually, I'm not sure they've shown up this series at all - even their win was sloppy.
June 5, 2007 12:01 PM ET | Delete
Alfredsson did soemthing dumb, and I think a stiff fine is unquestionably called for. However, I will say that, sometimes even good, generally classy people make mistakes. Alfie certainly made one last night. Not only was it dangerous, but it woke up the sleeping Ducks.
June 5, 2007 2:30 PM ET | Delete
Scott Stevens was called classy all the time, and now many players did he send off the ice wobbly with what many considered "questionable" hits. Yet he's glorified as one of the games best. The Ducks haven't been the angels of the NHL either.The guy did something stupid IF that was his intent, he may have actually been trying to do what he said and just missed fired a bad shot.
June 5, 2007 2:37 PM ET | Delete
Agreed on Alfie, while I'm all for hard hitting and more fighting there's not place in any sport for a play like that. Players jump on one another for shooting on goal after a whistle this move was 10x as bad.
June 5, 2007 4:33 PM ET | Delete
No no no ... don't sit Alph!... He's been a consistent in the middle of why Ottawa tanks each year. His leadership on Monday evening was another testament to why Ottawa has lost year after year....
June 5, 2007 4:33 PM ET | Delete
No no no ... don't sit Alph!... He's been a consistent in the middle of why Ottawa tanks each year. His leadership on Monday evening was another testament to why Ottawa has lost year after year....
June 5, 2007 5:19 PM ET | Delete
Andy MacDonald hasn't showed up for a whole period in a couple weeks. Giguere is the reason the Ducks are winning and he'll get his 2nd Conn Smythe It seems he is always in the right place at the right time. I don't know how many saves he's had in the playoffs where there is no way he could have seen the puck but was in position to make a stop. Ryan Getzlaf has been the Duck's best player just about every game. As for Alfredsson, there's a diffrence between doing something stupid, and intentionally doing something stupid.
June 5, 2007 7:54 PM ET | Delete
Point taken about Getzlaff. He certainly is more deserving than MacDonald based on overall playoff performance.Excellent comments guys, thanks.
June 6, 2007 1:49 AM ET | Delete
Pahlsson, too, I would choose over McDonald, or even Pronger for the Conn Smythe. But if Giguere doesn't win it, either there's no justice, or Ottawa cameback to win the series. And MikeGatt, Alfredsson has led his team farther into the playoffs than your team has been in 40 years. That said, Alfie's play was cowardly, Niedermayer should have decked him, and that kind of frustration is why I expect the Ducks to wrap this up quickly.
June 6, 2007 2:24 AM ET | Delete
Alfie's move was retaliatory. It was not stupid, not cowardly and does not take away from the class of the man. To be an athlete in the finals of a series like the Stanley Cup is as much as any one person can stretch every gift, skill and strategy at his disposal. Nobody above is talking about what players on both sides are doing to each other. This IS a dirty series, whether the fans and players want it or not - the tension is taking it there and once the dirt commences the tension gets tighter! So give Alfie a break, of course he will not get the C.Smythe but he is still a class player in the league. For Mike Gatt above - why aren't you playing with your lego set?
June 6, 2007 1:29 PM ET | Delete
While I do agree that Giggy probably will and should win the Conn Smythe, I am a little bit surprised that Scott Neidermeyer hasn't gotten any mention at all. Sure, his numbers aren't spectacular, but he's not about numbers. His game is as close to flawless as any defensemen I can think of that has ever played. Yes, I know, that's a helluva statement, but anyone who has ever seen him play knows he is an amazing skater, he is pretty much always in position and rarely makes mistakes. In the immortal words of Keith Jones, he is "a gifted passer" and not to mention a great leader. So again I'm sure Giggy will win it, and deservedly so, but I think Scotty should at least get some consideration.
June 6, 2007 1:55 PM ET | Delete
I think people are going a little far with the Alfie thing. This is the Stanley Cup finals and yes, Alfie is indeed very classy. He made a poor decision and will no doubt apologize to Neidermayer. This has been a tremendously badly called Finals (not an excuse) and blood is starting to boil. If the rest of the Sens have any pride left in them, they'll win one for their Captain.Matt Gatt - You're everything that makes other fans despise the Leafs. No brains, no knowledge, huge mouth. Give it a rest and go play Transformers.
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