Gameday: Rangers Look to Bounce Back Against Caps

Tonights game consists of two teams who have built a credible rivary over the past few years. This game means more than just sticking it to the enemy.

For the Rangers, a team with such high expectations entering the season, tonight is their first game on the east coast. Coming off a disastrous west coast trip that saw them practically blown out in 4 out of 5 games while losing their best goal scorer at the same time, the Rangers look to build on whatever momentum they had gained in their St Louis game (a game that can be blamed on Marty Biron - who is no longer with the team.

As for the Capital's, they haven't exactly played lights out either. With only two wins and four losses, they're lucky Ovechkin and Backstrom are in top form. Coming off a win in Edmonton that saw them score four goals in a matter of seconds, the Caps are hoping to win at home against an opponent they are very familiar with.

Join me after the jump to see my players to watch as well as a prediction.

Hockey Is Upon Us

I cannot believe I am saying finally able to say this, but Happy October 1st! Today marks the beginning of the 2013-2014 NHL Season. Because the best sports season is upon us, my blogging senses are tingling and I have no choice but to write about the coolest sport in the world.

Without getting into specifics just yet and without completely understanding the new playoff format, follow me after the jump for a quick prediction using the 'ole "Top-8" format.

Confederations Cup Predictions

The 2013 Fifa Confederations Cup is set to begin today in a match between Brazil and Japan. The host Brazil will be looking to use this tournament as a warm-up before next years World Cup.

After the jump, I will share my predictions and thoughts.

Editors Note: Back in Action!

To my readers,

My last post came on the last day of April, which was one day before the start of the NHL Playoffs. For anyone who lives and breathes sports (better yet hockey) this was the perfect time to write posts and share opinions on the most intense period of the season. However, school interfered with my leasurily blogging time and so I have been M.I.A. for more than a month.

Fortunately, I am now finally done with school and have recovered that desire to start up writing about my favorite hobby (sports) once again. So to the couple hundred of you random readers (I love how Blogger keeps these statistics), I am officially back and will be covering the rest of the NHL Playoffs, the NBA Finals, the Fifa Confederations Cup, and much more.

Stick around and leave comments if you'd like because interaction with other sports fans is what makes me share my opinion the most.

Best,

Buncol

Reviewing My Playoff Predictions

On January 18th, 2013, in anticipation of the NHL lockout ending and the regular season starting, I did what any other fan would do...I predicted the final standings by the end of the season. Like any blogger would have it, I wrote it up and have proof of what I thought then and what is actually happening now.

Having done this for the first time - you know, where I actually write it down instead of just discussing it with people at the end of the year and then forgetting what I initially thought of a certain teams potential - I was surprised by some of the outcomes.

Have a look at how correct/wrong I was and at some of my analysis after the jump.

Captain Callahan Sends Rangers Into Playoffs

Ryan Callahan celebrates with Anton Stralman after scoring in Overtime

Maybe it was a snipe that Dan Ellis should not have let past him. Maybe he did commit to the short post too much. Maybe it was bad positioning by the back-up goaltender for Carolina who has been the teams starting goalie ever since Cam Ward went down with a season ending injury.

Still, even if your going to blame Ellis for his poor positioning, you still have to give Ryan Callahan credit for the ridiculously insane and well-placed snipe into the top right corner of the goal. And what a snipe it was! Coming down the left boards in overtime, knowing one more goal would send the Rangers into the final 16, Captain Cally seized the day and with a Messier-like-leg-pump, he placed a perfect shot over Ellis' shoulder that bounced off the far post and into the net - the shot that was 'heard round the tri-state area'.

As soon as the puck was across the goal line, an ecstatic Callahan turned around the net, sprinted along the boards to center ice, and celebrated as if he won the Stanley Cup (a sign of things to come?). Like I said on Twitter, definetely one of my favorite celebrations and Rangers moments of all time.

And just like that, finally, the New York Rangers clinched a playoff berth and enter the playoffs as an unexpected underdog. Nevertheless, whoever they play in the first round, whether it be the Penguins, Bruins, Caps, or Habs, the opponent realizes that the Rangers are not your typical low seed. They were a team that was expected to cruise through the season and make the playoffs without a problem. However, by letting key players such as Brandon Prust, Artem Anisimov, Brandon Dubinsky, and Ruslan Fedotenko leave NY, the Rangers had an identity crisis all season.

When they shocked the hockey world and traded Marian Gaborik to the Columbus Blue Jackets for three players at the trade deadline, some people were left confused and wondering whether it was the right move. Based on their record and overall play since the deadline, the move seems like it was the right one for both teams. And with one more game left on the season against the golf-course-bound New Jersey Devils, the Rangers are only playing for seeding, something that I'm sure their opponents are more worried about then the Rangers themselves.

For those who missed it, check the video after the jump.

Champions League: Bayern Munich Destroy Barcelona

Bayern Munich players celebrating in front of their fans

In what was heating up to be a classic quickly turned into a game of men against boys. Bayern Munich were expected to put on a quality show for their fans and head to Camp Nou with a chance at an upset. However, nobody in the world expected them to absolutely rip Barcelona apart.

Bayern Munich, who easily secured the Bundesliga Title with a magical season, scored four goals to dethrone the current futbol dynasty. Regardless of how well Messi and Co. play in the 2nd leg, it is hard to imagine them pulling off a comeback and making it to the final.

"Oh, but they did it against AC Milan"is what you may say. But let me tell you this: AC Milan is no Bayern Munich. And there were no handballs in Bayern's favor that resulted in goals (maybe an offside and a basketball pick though). And Milan wasn't even the best team in their own country. Instead, Juventus had been the class of Serie A all season long and even they had no chance against Bayern. 

When you look at Bayern, you see a team that has steamrolled through all their competition in both league and European play. They have the right mix of players who are looking at a bright future and the scary part is that Pep Guardiola, the former genius behind Barcelona's glory, is not even behind the bench yet. 

Which, like I shared on Twitter during the game, means only one thing...