SB Nation Atlanta: All Posts by Ryan Rosenblatt

Wade Redden injury: Bruins defenseman practices, may play in Game 2

2013-05-18T19:09:39Z

Wade Redden may return to the ice for Game 2 of the Boston Bruins' Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New York Rangers. The defenseman practiced with the Bruins on Saturday and head coach Claude Julien said he would be a game-time decision on Sunday.

More: Stanley Cup of Chowder

"I'm coming," Redden said via ESPN.com. "Good to be out there. I wasn't doing everything out there but still day-to-day and getting better. I'm just keeping patient and hopefully things keep progressing."

Redden has not played since Game 5 of the Bruins' first round series because of an undisclosed injury.

While Redden may return for Game 2, the same is not true for Andrew Ference and Dennis Seidenberg. Ference is definitely out for Sunday's game with a foot injury, while Julien does not expect Seidenberg to play as he continues to recover from a knee injury.

"With Seidenberg obviously doing better, I don't anticipate him being ready for tomorrow but with the injury he's got you never know," Julien said. "As far as Ference is concerned he wasn't skating so he won't be able to go."

With Redden, Ference and Seidenberg out for Game 1, the Bruins played three rookie defensemen, all of whom acquitted themselves rather well. Boston won Game 1 and leads the series 1-0.

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Riquelme scores brilliant goal because he's still the best

2013-05-16T06:40:42Z

Juan Roman Riquelme was the best, is the best and will always be the best.

On Wednesday, it took all of two minutes for him to remind Corinthians that he is Juan Roman motherf*cking Riquelme. And that he is the best.

He's Riquelme. Of course he meant it.

Philadelphia Union vs. LA Galaxy: Final score 1-4, Landon Donovan stars in Galaxy romp

2013-05-16T04:13:58Z

It appears as if more Landon Donovan and more Robbie Keane is the cure to the LA Galaxy's ills. After consecutive losses and just two wins in their last eight matches, the Galaxy rode Donovan best match of the season and Keane's return from injury to a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Union. Now they are back on track and have their two superstars inching back into form as they get ready to take on the Red Bulls on Sunday.

The Galaxy went in front after just three minutes thanks to some laughable goalkeeping by Zac MacMath. The Union keeper came out to challenge Omar Gonzalez for the ball on the corner kick, but instead of catching or punching the ball, it hit him in the face and ended up in the back of his own net.

Philadelphia answered 20 minutes later when LA decided not to mark on a long Sheanon Williams throw, allowing Amobi Okugo to waltz into the box and head home from five yards out. It may not have been as embarrassing as MacMath's gaffe, but it was just as bad. Instead of being tied 1-1, it probably should have been tied -1 - -1.

The sloppy first half gave way to a Galaxy-dominant second half as the defending MLS Cup champs -- Donovan and Keane in particular -- showed the flair and fluidity in the attack that was the hallmark of their playoff run a year ago.

Keane dropped deeper to receive the ball and combined brilliantly with Donovan, causing problems for the Union defense. With Marcelo Sarvas also pushing higher and Juninho helping spring the counterattack, LA was on the front foot and in the 71st minute, it paid off.

Sarvas pushed up along the right and with Keane pushing the defense back, there was plenty of room for Donovan in the center. He collected a pass from Sarvas and as soon as the Union looked to him, Donovan slipped a pass into Keane, who was in all alone to give LA a 2-1 lead.

Donovan picked up the assist on the next goal, too, and he did it from the same spot. This time Mike Magee fed him and all he had to do was take one dribble to draw the defense before passing for Hector Jimenez on the right this time. Jimenez was all alone in the same place as Keane and he finished just as clinically to put LA in front 3-1.

With two assists under his belt, Donovan added a goal with Keane feeding him this time. The two were out on the counterattack and Donovan got to play the role of scorer when he took a pass in the same spot as Keane and Jimenez before him, but instead of hiring to the far post he rounded MacMath before knocking it into the empty goal and LA was cruising to a vintage Galaxy victory.

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Bruins Ference, Redden and Seidenberg all in doubt for Game 1

2013-05-15T19:48:36Z

The Boston Bruins may be without defensemen Andrew Ference, Wade Redden and Dennis Seidenberg for Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the New York Rangers. If the trio are not able to play, the Bruins would be forced to turn to three inexperienced defensemen.

Neither Ference nor Redden played in the Bruins' Game 7 overtime on Monday and Seidenberg managed just 37 seconds of ice time. Ference and Redden both have lower body injuries, while Seidenberg's injury has not been disclosed.

"Maybe we have a different look than we're used to, as far as puck transporting," Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said on Thursday.

Rookies Dougie Hamilton and Matt Bartowski replaced Ference and Redden in the first round and the Bruins called up Torey Krug from Providence on Tuesday to give them another defensemen in case Ference, Redden and Seidenberg all miss Game 1.

"I don't have any updates," Chiarelli said. "[Seidenberg], as you know, played 37 seconds last night and, obviously, is injured. He's been a playoff warrior for us, so if he's not in, we'll miss him. But I saw two really good performances in those young players, the two rookie players; that's another testament to coaching, that they were able to integrate these two guys amongst the five D core, in [Bartkowski] and Dougie."

The Bruins' conference semifinal gets underway on Thursday, when they will host the Rangers in Game 1 at TD Garden.

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Blackhawks Viktor Stalberg scratched for Game 1

2013-05-15T18:55:09Z

Viktor Stalberg will be a healthy scratch for the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Detroit Red Wings. Head coach Joel Quenneville had hinted that Stalberg could be scratched earlier in the week.

According to Chris Kuc, there is a rift between Stalberg and Quenneville, which led to the Swede's benching.

Told by source that Viktor Stalberg is sitting Game 1 for #Blackhawks vs. #RedWings not because of poor play or injury.
— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) May 15, 2013

Source said #Blackhawks winger Viktor Stalberg questioned his role--or lack of it--in certain situations.
— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) May 15, 2013

Stalberg did not skate with the top lines at Blackhawks practice for three consecutive practices and was instead relegated to wearing the white jersey worn by those likely to be scratched. He was replaced on the third line by Ben Smith.

Stalberg had nine goals and 14 assists during the regular season, but just one assist in the Blackhawks' first round series. He didn't find his way onto the scoresheet in any of the first four games and didn't have a shot in two of the last three games, making him one of the few Blackhawks players to struggle against the Wild.

After the series, Quenneville said that Stalberg needed to play simpler and faster, but he won't get the chance to do so in Game 1.

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Stanley Cup Playoffs 2013, Red Wings vs. Blackhawks Game 1: Time, TV schedule and more

2013-05-15T18:08:24Z

The Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings don't like each other, and now they get seven games to put that contempt on display in the Western Conference semifinals, beginning tonight in Chicago.

Chicago are coming off of a relatively easy 4-1 series win over Minnesota, in which they outscored the Wild 8-1 in the final two games to put a ribbon on their first round. The Blackhawks' dominance was expected, seeing as they won the Presidents Cup, and with the No. 2, 3 and 4 seeds in the Western Conference all going out in the first round, Chicago are huge favorites to make the Stanley Cup Finals.

Things weren't nearly as easy for Detroit, who needed all seven games to get past the Ducks in the first round. They fell behind 3-2 in the series, but came back with an overtime win in Game 6 (their third overtime win of the series) and a win in Anaheim to oust the second-seeded Ducks.

The Blackhawks dominated the Red Wings in the regular season, winning all four meetings, including a 7-1 shellacking in Detroit on March 31. Chicago's dominance over Detroit goes beyond this season, too, having won seven straight and nine of 10 against the Red Wings.

Can the Blackhawks shake off the rust?

While the Red Wings slogged through seven tough games with the Ducks, the Blackhawks dispatched the Wild in five and got a break before the second round - maybe too long of a break. Chicago hasn't played a game since last Thursday, which will make them fresh, but possibly rusty too.

Will Jimmy Howard continue to sparkle?

Jimmy Howard was absolutely sensational in the first round. The numbers - 2.74 GAA and .911 save percentage - may not show it, but Howard was peppered with 32 shots a game and the Ducks got some excellent chances only for Howard to turn them away time and time again. The Red Wings defense got better as the season went on, but it is still a shay group that needs Howard to come up big behind them.

Can the Red Wings handle the Blackhawks' depth?

As good Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp and the rest of the Blackhawks' top end players are, their real strength lies in their depth. Every Chicago forward who played in all five games had at least one point in the first round and nine had at least two points. Toss in Dave Bolland, who will be back for this series after missing the first round, and the Blackhawks have incredible depth that the Red Wings will have a tough time dealing with.

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