The matchup game

Playoffs are all about who's defending whom

If clothes make the man, it was fascinating to see Colorado forward Peter Forsberg wearing a couple of 48 regulars on his back when the Avalanche-Kings series shifted to Los Angeles.

Forsberg frolicked in the first two games in Denver, recording five points. But with the last change at home, Kings coach Andy Murray locked defensemen Mattias Norstrom and Philippe Boucher on the Avalanche star at every opportunity. The pair, supplemented by forwards who ran at him every time he touched the puck, made Forsberg's life miserable. The Game 3 result: No points, one shot.

Indeed, the playoffs are all about matchups -- not usually the type of shadow job Toronto's Shayne Corson pulled on the Islanders' Alexei Yashin in their first two games but in matching the right defensemen against the opposition's top forwards.

One whining moment

The customary playoff whining about officiating normally occurs after Game 1, but Toronto coach Pat Quinn jumped the gun when he denounced New York's crease-crashing tendencies prior to the series. The move was hardly surprising given that Quinn always works the refs, but he was trumped Sunday by the machination of Islanders general manager Mike Milbury.

With his team down 2-0, Mad Mike genuinely seemed mad. He invited Islanders writers to an Oscar-worthy screening of alleged penalties referees Dave Jackson and Don Koharski didn't call against the Maple Leafs in Game 2. The tape featured Toronto defenseman Bryan McCabe, a master of the old trick of keeping a stick between an opposing forward's legs.

Milbury called it McCabe's "signature move." He should know. McCabe was an Islander for almost three seasons before Milbury traded him in 1998.

Possible NHL work stoppage could impact Olympics

The NHL received a spike in television ratings in the weeks after the Olympics, a trend the league will duly note as it ponders the role of pros for Turin in 2006.

But remember this: There is a real possibility the NHL could lose the 2004-05 season to a labor dispute after the collective bargaining agreement expires Sept 15, 2004.

If the NHL goes dark and returns the following season, it is doubtful the league would agree to interrupt its schedule the first year back for the minimum 16 days it would take for the Games.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Farber covers the NHL beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.

 

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