Hockey Mental Edge Quote Anze Kopitar on Winning the Cup

"This is unreal. Every single emotion in me is coming out. The biggest thing has been the belief inside the locker room. We had 25 guys believing in one thing. I can't be more proud of the guys."

Kings' forward Anze Kopitar on winning the Stanley Cup (from NHL.com)

Devils Not Finished Yet Force Game 6

New Jersey is the first team in 67 years to lose the first three games in the Finals and force a Game 6. How have they staved off elimination? Perseverance, timely goal scoring, and big time goaltending from Martin Brodeur.

I think the turning point in this series came in Game 4. Despite a tough boarding call on David Clarkson in the third period and then giving up the game-tying goal, the Devils responded with impressive effort and intensity. The Devils had the better of the play after the Kings tied it and they eventually won that game on a rocket to the top shelf by Adam Henrique.

A Response to LeBrun's Save it for June: How to Reduce the Grind

Is the quality of play in the Stanley Cup Finals poor compared to previous rounds? I think that is debatable but it is the core argument made by ESPN hockey blogger Pierre LeBrun.

Save it for June: How to Reduce the Grind

LeBrun argues to reduce the physical and mental wear and tear on players the following five things should occur (albeit some are not realistic as he admits):

Mental Toughness Quote of the Week Adam Henrique

If you are going to win four straight games to win the Cup and do the improbable then you better have an attitude like Adam Henrique:

"There's no quit in the group in here. We know we can do it. We know we can put 4 together and come back."

Kings One Win Away from History

Are you convinced now? The Los Angeles Kings are putting on a dominant display of tight checking, brilliant goaltending, and timely goal scoring. The team of destiny has 15 wins in these 2012 playoffs, one short of making history. I personally have not seen a run like this in recent years. You have to harken back to the 1988 Edmonton Oilers who lost only two games en route to the Cup. You kind of expected it from that team. But the Kings? They have streaked to a 3-0 lead with the first two games on the road in every series. Amazing. Time to get over the surprise, they will make history soon.

You  know what number I would like to see? Of the number of minutes the Kings have played in the playoffs how many minutes have they been behind. I bet is a very small percentage of time.

Mindset of Kings and Devils after Game 2

Two overtime victories for the Los Angeles Kings has them two games away from hoisting the Stanley Cup. The team of destiny continues to find a way to win close games. The inevitably of the Kings winning the Cup as the #8 seed from the West seems clearer than ever. It was no more evident than when Kovalchuk hit the crossbar late in the third period of Game 2. The Kings cannot lose even when their captain hand delivers the puck to the Devils best sniper ten feet from the net.

With a 2-0 lead in the series LA must not change their game. There are two pitfalls in the Kings' leading position.

Mentally Tough Performer of Week #7: Drew Doughty

This week's mentally tough performer came down to overtime and between Martin Brodeur and Drew Doughty. With the Kings winning 2-1 again in overtime in Game 2 I decided to choose Doughty as the Mentally Tough Player of the Week for week 7 of the 2012 NHL Playoffs.

Doughty has opened the scoring in Game 2 with an end-to-end rush. He has been a steadying force on the backline for the Kings and a constant threat to create offense. In this low scoring series offense from the defense will be huge as the forwards are struggling to create many scoring opportunities in close.

What sets Doughty apart is his fearlessness to join the rush and his confidence with the puck in tight spaces and under pressure. While he makes a mistake with the puck here and there, far more good things happen when Doughty is lugging the puck. He makes plays consistently throughout a game and is a constant force for the Kings.

Kings Win Game 1; No Mental Edge Yet

In Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals Anze Kopitar scored in overtime to give the Kings a 9-0 record on the road this post-season. I have never seen a run like this in any sport. What the Kings are doing is remarkable.

According to most pundits, including yours truly, getting off to a good start and winning the first period would be crucial in this series. The Kings did just that. While New Jersey was able to hang in there with good goaltending by Brodeur, LA could have easily been up by two or three goals. In Game 1 the first period was not the difference; the Devils tied the game in the second and it would stay 1-1 until Kopitar's breakaway goal in the first overtime.

Mentally Tough Performer of the Week #6 2012 NHL Playoffs: Martin Brodeur

Week six of the NHL Playoffs saw the Kings make their first Stanley Cup appearance since 1993 and the Devils defeat their rivals the Rangers in overtime. Players in these playoffs have exhibited mental toughness throughout. But few players have shown greater mental toughness over the last two decades than 40-year-old goalie Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils.

I feel Brodeur deserves to be the Mentally Tough Performer of Week 6 of the 2012 NHL Playoffs for three main reasons. First, Brodeur is 40 and most people at that age are talking about their reducing skills and old age. Not Brodeur. He has exhibited the ability to compete at the highest level into his forties.

Second, Brodeur was outstanding against the Rangers. Being out shot in the last two games after the first period pretty convincingly, Brodeur kept the Rangers at bay and gave the Devils a chance to win each game. For the series Brodeur had a 2.00 goals against average and nearly 93% save percentage. Outstanding effort under intense pressure.

Third, Brodeur gave the puck away in Game 5 to allow the Rangers to tie the game in the third period. The give away did not faze Brodeur. He bounced back to shut down the Rangers the rest of the way and then play an excellent close-out game in Game 6. Mental toughness is not about being perfect, but it is about bouncing back when you have made a crucial mistake. Brodeur came up big time after a big time mistake.

New York Rangers need to win two straight just like in 1994

Any one in the Rangers locker room want to guarantee victory in Games 6 and 7? Have I gone back in a time machine to 1994? How interesting it is that the 1994 rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals between New Jersey and New York Rangers is exactly where it was 18 years ago - 3-2 Devils going back to New Jersey.

Back in 1994 Mark Messier, captain of the Rangers and the NHL's model alpha captain, proclaimed that the Rangers would win Game 6 in New Jersey to force a Game 7. Messier scored a hat trick in that Game 6 victory believe it or not (for the younger readers) over Martin Brodeur.

Can the Rangers repeat history? Can they buck history by winning three straight seven game series? These are hard to answer questions. The Rangers are really good at limiting their opponents offensive chances and Lundqvist is normally solid to brilliant. However, the Devils have that look of a team of destiny. They believe. Their role players are producing. They are not backing down. Their back was against the wall versus Florida and they won two straight game to win the series. After losing Game 1 to the Flyers they took control and won the next four games. The Devils are going to be difficult to handle in Game 6.

Mental Toughness Quote: DeBoer on Closing Out the Rangers and Pressure

Peter DeBoer, coach of the New Jersey Devils, talks about trying to close out the Rangers and how winning the fourth game is the hardest.

"I don’t think there’s any extra difficulty, other than the difficulty you put on yourself, that pressure that you put on yourself," DeBoer said. "I don’t really buy into that, that it’s the hardest to win. It’s the hardest to win because of the pressure you put on yourself to do that. For us, it’s business as usual. We just have to play a game and win a game." We'll see if that strategy pays off for the Devils on Friday as they attempt to eliminate the Rangers and advance to the Stanley Cup finals. May. 25 - 1:38 pm et
Source: The Bergen Record

Rangers, Kings, Devils, Caps Amazing Commitment to Blocking Shots

The commitment to sacrificing your body for the good of the team. Would you do it? The Kings willingness to block shots and discipline to constantly have stick on puck defense has put them within a game of the Stanley Cup Finals. But, it is not as easy as just saying "Yeah, I'll block shots". It takes commitment. The Kings, Devils, Rangers, and Capitals have made it routine to drop down to the ice and take a shot for the team. Their commitment to blocking shots has been amazing.

When a player does not sacrifice by diving in front of a puck it becomes news. Supposedly Coach John Tortorella benched Marian Gaborik, star Rangers forward, in the third period of Game 2 when he did not go down to one knee to block a shot. That shot would be redirected in to the net and give the Devils a lead they would never relinquish. It was an interesting decision to sit Gaborik for all but three minutes of the third period as the Rangers needed a goal to tie the game. The Rangers did not and the series is tied 1-1. 

Mentally Tough Performer of the Week #5 2012 NHL Playoffs: Jonathan Quick

For Week 5 of the NHL Playoffs it was a toss up as to who would be the mentally tough performer of the week. They both come from the same team, the LA Kings, who are dominating the Western Conference. Seven straight playoff road wins is an unbelievable feat. They have lost only one game this post season and are a scintillating 10-1. Two games from the Finals and six from hoisting the Cup, the Kings have had outstanding performances from a number of players up and down their lineup.

So, I was stuck between Dustin Brown and Jonathan Quick. I am going to give Jonathan Quick his due here as the mentally tough performer of Week 5. Quick has stopped 49 of 51 Coyotes' shots and has become an intimidating force. He is in the heads of opposing shooters and is providing the kind of consistent, focused effort that we saw from Tim Thomas last year. I think there is a good chance Quick's season may end like Thomas' but that is down the road. For now, Quick has again given his opponent nothing to rejoice about; no hope and nothing to make them think he is going to have a bad game or even period. He is stopping everything and is staying unbelievably focused. Quick has gone to a stratospheric level of performance and showing the confidence and focus of a player worthy of the Conn Smythe.

Mental Toughness Quote: Rangers Win Second Game 7 in 2012 Playoffs

"It's a great feeling to see we stayed focused whatever happens," said Lundqvist, who made 22 saves, 11 in the second period, to reach the conference finals for the first time in his career. "Yeah, we give up a goal and they get on the power play but we know what we have to do. We've been in this situation so many times this year and I think it helped us a lot today and moving forward as well." From Rangers defeat Caps 2-1 nhl.com

Lundqvist's Mental Preparation for Game 7

Going into a big game finding the right mindset is as important as being physically ready. Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers is preparing for Game 7 versus Washington by taking a mental break first before he ramps up his focus and intensity.

This article comes from Dave Lozo at NHL.com

Lundqvist ready mentally for another do-or-die game

Any young goalie should read this article. It gives great insights into the mindset of an all-world goaltender as he prepares for one of the biggest games of his life. Great quotes about not trying to focus too much on the game and taking a mental break because the playoffs are physically, psychologically, and emotionally draining. Furthermore, loved the quote about managing the emotions of the game. You have to get to an appropriate intensity. In Game 7 it is easy to get high; players should attempt to stay relaxed in what will be a rocking Madison Square Garden.