After all, nothing says hockey like a thoroughly greased mullet.
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Analysis, rambling and rants from around the NHL (from guys and gals who are NOT Barry Melrose).
Yesterday was the 133rd running of the Preakness and the horse racing world was on edge, hoping to not have a repeat of the Kentucky Derby two weeks earlier. Eight Belles, the second place finisher in the Derby, broke both front legs after the race and had to be put down on the track. It was a sad sight, and one the sports world surely did not want to see again.
On Saturday night the second leg of horse racing's triple crown, the Preakness, concluded without any major problems. All the horses left the starting gate, and all of them finished. But tragedy would strike in a fashion eerily similar to Eight Belles, but it would not be on a race track. It would be at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
"We did all we could do for them," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said after his team's Game Five loss to the Dallas Stars. "For all intensive purposes, they were lifeless out there. They didn't show any heart out there. They didn't show any desire. To come out and play like that in front of the home fans is unacceptable."
Following their loss to the Stars, the Red Wings apparently broke down and were euthanized on the ice in front of their home fans. Young fans watched in horror, but it is just the nature of a vicious and violent sport. A sport that trains people to skate around on ice for entertainment, many times starting before they can walk. Saturday, the stark reality of ice hockey reared it's ugly head. The Red Wings looked sluggish and lifeless in Game Five, prompting a serious decision to me made. They have now let the Stars back in the series, but are still leading 3-2.
"We did all we could for them. At the end of the day, they were beyond saving," said Babcock. "It's especially hard to do it to the young ones. The older ones -- Hasek, Chelios -- this should have happened to them years ago."
When asked about what the game plan was for Game Six now that he was without a team, Babock responded with the typical dead pan coaching response.
"We're just going to take this one game at a time. We're still leading the series. Sure, this is going to make it that much harder, but we're going to come out and play some hockey on Monday."
Last year, I did a piece called Playoff Beard Comparisons. You loved it, I loved it, Best Week Ever loved it. It was a good ol' fashion internet firestorm, kind of like what happens whenever Erin Andrews sneezes, and I think it's safe to say that a good time was had by all.
Well, it's that time once again. Playoff beards are blooming on NHL players like spring flowers and the Sharks are making their annual early exit. It's a great time to be a hockey fan! (Offer not valid in San Jose.) The beards, the high tempo hockey and, oh yeah, the quest for Lord Stanley's Cup. It's good to be a hockey fan in May. Today, we're here to discuss the most important things in hockey right now. Not Sidney Crosby's boyish good looks. Not Elisha Cutherbert's new boyfriend (although that could be fun). Playoff beards. Let's go to it!
Our first contestant today is none other than Jaromir Jagr of the New York Rangers. Mr. Jagr has since departed for the golf course, along with his Ranger teammates, but his playoff beard still lives on as one of the best ever -- if only for it's English creeper-rapist style.
Jaromir Jagr
English Creeper-Rapist
This beard, my friends, is why I am proud to present to Mr. Jagr our award for Creepiest Playoff Beard of the Year. You Mr. Jagr, above all others, achieved great success in the field of 'looking like a creeper-rapist'. For your brave efforts and ingenuity, please enjoy this commemorative plaque and a guest appearance on America's Most Wanted.
Next, we present the award to the player who looks most like a muppet. This doesn't really have anything to do with beards, but that doesn't really matter. It just so happens that Marian Hossa of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks a little bit like Beeker. Hey, this isn't a bad thing either. We love muppets!
Marian Hossa
Beeker
Congratulations, Marian. I look forward to seeing you in the next Muppets movie!
Of course, some stars declined to go with the bearded look. This is, in fact, a recent photo of Colorado's Joe Sakic. Joe? What happened? Where's your beard? Sakic is one of the greatest ever to play, but did not partake in the tradition of bearding himself up. I'm disappointed Joe. I'm disappointed. Maybe if you had one, your team would still be playing right now.
Our next contestant is Derian Hatcher of the Philadelphia Flyers. Derian went for a wilder look this year, with curly hair and a big ol' beard. Well done, Derian. Well done. Hatcher's look alike? None other than our friends from GEICO Insurance. And we mean that with the utmost respect. I mean come on, how can it be bad to look like someone with his own TV show?
Derian Hatcher
GEICO Caveman
Our next contestant, who missed out on the competition last year, has really outdone himself. He has pulled off a double whammy. He has married Willa Ford while looking exactly like David Arquette! Now that's an impressive combination.
Mike Modano
David Arquette
This next beard is an absolute work of creative genius. Colorado's Ben Guite might not be the best player on the ice, but when it comes to creativity with his beard, he is well ahead of the pack. He's taken on a tough subject, Lemmy Kilmister from the heavy metal band Motorhead, but I think he's passed with flying colors. The only issue is that we can't really see if there's long hair under that helmet! For his work, I am proud to announce that Ben is the recipient of the award for Innovations in the Field of Playoff Beardery. Sorry Ben, we weren't creative enough ourselves to come up with a plaque for you.
Ben Guite
Lemmy
And finally, we get to what you've all been waiting for -- the MVB. The Most Valuable Beard. This one clearly took a lot of planning and a little eccentricity. Now this guy is a great hockey player on the ice. That's no secret. He's so good that he was recently drafted by the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. This guy may not have come through on the ice as his team didn't even make it through the first round of the NHL playoffs, but when it comes to beards, he came through for his fans with flying colors. His impression of the unabomber is second to none.
Without any further ado, I am proud to present the MVB of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs to Alex Ovechkin for his unabomber-styled beard! And we do know for sure that Alex isn't a crazed, murdering psychopath. Congratulations Alex!
Alex Ovechkin
Ted Kaczynski
Thanks for coming to the 2008 BMR Playoff Beard Awards, folks. I know it must have been hard for you to get through since I know how much you complain whenever you have to read more than 250 words. So if you've made it all the way through, congratulations and please drive home safely. We'll see you next year!
This picture is completely irrelevant, but still funny. CBC.ca
Last night, the Penguins took Game Two in Pittsburgh from the Flyers by a 4-2 score. They're up 2-0 in their best of seven series, as are the Red Wings out west (if Detroit is really all that far west).
On Monday and Tuesday both series will shift back to Dallas and Philly, respectively. Both are also critical dates for the home teams. Going down 3-0 -- especially against teams this good -- is basically a death sentence. It's a must win. It's whatever you want to call it. No matter what you choose to call it (po-tay-to and/or po-ta-to are both acceptable), they're big games.
Conventional wisdom tells us that the Wings and Pens are more than likely to take one road game, and then close out the series in either Game Five or Six. But the Stars and Flyers have been anything but conventional this year. The Flyers got to this point without winning a single game one. The Stars, for what it's worth, took the Sharks to overtime in four-of-six during the semifinal round. And, despite sounding like a broken record, you can always go back and look at the way they fell flat on their face in March, winning only two games all month. Logic and reason has no place here, as Chris Osgood and Mike Ribeiro showed us on Saturday night.
So here we go, folks. The next two nights can show us one of two things. They're either going to show us who will likely be in the finals, or they're going to signal that we may be in this for the long haul. Hopefully, for the sake of good hockey, it's the latter. And that's not a knock on the first four Conference Final games that we've seen. Except for Game One in the West, they've all been pretty close. But close isn't good enough and the Flyers and Stars are going to have to shape up or ship out.
There's a match made in playoff heaven. Don Cherry and American TV. It's a nice surprise we weren't expecting come playoff time, sort of like when you wake up Saturday morning and think that it's Thursday. When you finally realize that it's Saturday, you're on top of the freaking world. That's about how this news makes me feel. Call it creepy but that's the truth. Just think of the possibilities! All of them end with Cherry turning into hockey's version of Stephen A. Smith. Maybe not that extreme. No, certainly not that extreme. But I digress...
According to the Globe and Mail (FH plug + BMR plug = someone up there better be tipping me for this) Cherry is going to be joining ESPN's Sportscenter for the rest of the playoff run. Cherry and fellow CBCer Ron MacLean will be doing live cuts from the Eastern Conference Finals and then later for the Stanley Cup.
What's really important here is getting to the bottom of ESPN's motivation for the move.
Here's a few possible answers.
The WWL really, really likes his suits.
They're gearing up for a return to the NHL on ESPN in the near future.
Cherry is getting a tryout for a soon to be resurrected NHL2Night (are pigs flying?).
If NBC did it, it has to be good.
I'm not really sure what the real motivation for this is. Maybe ESPN just wants to add a little spark to their playoff coverage. Not a clue. Let's just hope that no matter what happens, he and Melrose don't trade fashion tips (one possible scenario, pictured).
Well, here we are. It's conference finals time yet again and we're only a hop, skip and an overtime winner away from a trip to the Finals. It feels so good and yet so wrong since this means we're so close to the end of hockey season. Of course, for a few of us, hockey season hasalready ended. But no matter, watching teams you dislike and/or couldn't care less about is still better than no hockey. And we all know how horrible no hockey is.
Anyway, the following is your obligatory preview of the conference finals and, to be honest, take it with a laugh and a grain of salt. 'A laugh' for when I say things like "Mike Modano's abs will kill you if you stare directly into them" and 'a grain of salt' because I went 1-for-4 in predicting the semifinal round. Hey, it's just truth in advertising baby.
So here we go. It's the final four. Two will go home while two move on and eat each other's young. Or not.
(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (6) Philadelphia Flyers
What you need to know:
If you live outside of Pennsylvania, skip to the next section.
There are really only two websites you need to know about for this matchup: the700level.com (Philly) and thepensblog (duh).
Can Danny Briere get some love? He's got 14 points in 12 games so far.
In a nutshell: Look. You got me. I didn't think the Flyers were any good. I didn't think they would make it out of the first round much less get to this point. Kudos to them cause they did and are going to be a challenge for the Pens. Philly won the season series 5-3 and the teams didn't go to overtime once (they like to get home on time, you see). I have no idea what to expect out of this one except that it should be a bloodbath. No, no and no I am NOT trashing on the Flyers here. These two teams are rivals both have their goons and I expect this to get out of hand at some point. It's a heated rivalry that should only get more heated given that they are both only a step from the Finals.
The call: Seriously, the Penguins are a scary bunch. Their series against the Rangers was closer than it appeared, but they are still 8-1 in the postseason. I'm also sick and tired of picking up against Philly. They've beat me twice in a row. The Pens are hot right now and I think they have the sheer talent. They also still have Marc Andre Fleury in goal. Yikes. This is a real tough pick. I'm going to take the Pens in seven, but now that I picked against them the Flyers will probably win.
Oh and did I mention that both these teams play in the Atlanta division? Best division in the East, hands down (represent!).
(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (5) Dallas Stars
What you need to know:
Since 1997 the Wings have advanced to the Conference Finals four times. They won the series three times.
Johan Franzen is absolutely out of his mind right now -- 27 goals in 72 regular season games and he has 11 in the playoffs so far in only 10 games. Wow.
Pretty sure no one picked Dallas to get this far and yet they stunned the world in the last two rounds.
Brad Richards has only two playoff goals so far, but to be fair, he's got 11 points.
The over/under on how many times blogs and the booth announcers make it a point to point out Chelios' age is set at 750 (not including this sentence).
In a nutshell: We're looking at a very similar series here to the one we've got in the East. We've got a solid team, although I think the Wings are on a whole other level above the Pens, against one that mostly people wrote off a while ago. I don't know about you, but after their horrific March, I wrote off the Stars. I know that's pretty much all I've been writing about them for some time now and you're probably sick and tired of it. But yes, it's a similar matchup. The Stars shutdown the Sharks for most of their series and a lot of it is thanks to Marty "I'm finally going to play as well as everyone knows I can" Turco. Turco's got a .929 save percentage and 1.73 GAA in the playoffs so far. Sick.
The call: I almost have to pick against the Stars here. They eliminated JR. That's a cardinal sin around these parts. But alas, I have to try to be impartial. I'm taking the Wings here because they have really impressed me, especially in their destruction of Colorado (although I do understand that Colorado was hurt and playing a with a crappy 'tender). But, well, it's also the same old song and dance as the East. I've picked against the Stars and have been riding them yet they continue to go against everything I say. I'm taking Detroit in seven, but this should be a heck of a series.
I'm sure you're heard about it by now, but if you didn't, the Stars and Sharks finally finished up Game Six of their series at 2:15 AM EST last night this morning. The game went four overtimes before Brendan Morrow finally put a puck past Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov to give Dallas a 2-1 win and a 4-2 win in the series overall.
This playoff season, we've been pretty short on overtime thrillers. This was only the second game to go past one overtime and it's kinda weird -- usually we have a couple 3OT thrillers (no, not that thriller) by this point. But that's OK, if you were like me and didn't have to go to work on Monday morning (or are a self respecting hockey fan) you got quite the treat last night.
But there's one play that almost kept this game from going past one OT. I know there were a ton of great saves by both Dallas netminder Marty Turco and San Jose's Nabokov -- 114 in all combined -- but this one really stood out. Your season is on the line. A great one timer comes across the ice and Brad Richards shoots a laser from point blank. The red light goes on. It's all over, right? Wrong. You just made the save of your life.
Granted, it was all for naught, but Nabokov made what I think might be the save of the year. Absolutely stunning. Please bask in it's glory, multiple times if you so desire.
All too often in sports we talk about the hexes, vexes and jinxes. We love to believe that Babe Ruth cursed the Boston Red Sox for nearly 100 years, that the billy goat is still working its magic on the Chicago Cubs and other such ridiculousness. There might be some truth to the stories, there might not. That's really for each of us to decide on our own.
But maybe -- just maybe -- there's some truth to it all. Maybe this stuff does happen. Last night while watching the Canadiens get knocked out of the playoffs by the Flyers in Game Five, it hit me that we might have a curse living right under our noses. With the Canadiens elimination last night, they became the last team from Canada to get knocked out and the 14-year drought of bringing a Stanley Cup back to Canada will certainly carry on into a 15th year in 2008.
Who was the last team from our neighbors to the north to win a Cup? The Montreal Canadiens. It looked for a while that they might be the team to bring this all full circle and finally bring the Cup back home. They skyrocketed to first in the conference during the second half and finished with the third most points in the NHL. But it was not to be and Canada will have to wait another year, although I can't say most Canadians were really hoping for the Habs to win their 25th Cup.
But this all got me thinking. The Habs won the last Cup that came home to Canada in 1993. They defeated Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings in five games that year. Now do you remember who was behind the bench for the Kings that year and gets reminded for the loss on Sportscenter quite a bit? Yup. It's our friend Barry Melrose (I have never met him but would assume he's quite engaging, you see).
Could this drought of Canadian won Stanley Cups all be because of a Mulleted Man currently working in Bristol, Connecticut? Probably Not. Is it fun to speculate like this? Absolutely. But what if Melrose comes back and coaches? He was rumored to be a candidate for the job in Tampa Bay. Maybe it would take a Melrose return to the NHL to bring the Cup back to his homeland in Canada. Stranger things have happened.
Hey Toronto, if you're listening, this guy might be able to help you out. He might just be the lucky rabbit's foot you need!
The Red Wings absolutely destroyed the Avs tonight. Even though the game may have been a bit boring for anyone who isn't from Detroit, at least the Red Wings provided us with some highlight reel footage. Henrik Zetterberg submitted his bid for goal of the year with this behind the back, falling down, cooking hamburgers with a blowtorch, balancing chainsaws over a pet store filled with cuddly animals, goal. OK, minus the blowtorch, hamburgers, chainsaws and pets. But you get the idea. It was pretty nasty.
Yeah, I dug up this picture AGAIN. John M. Heller/Getty/Yahoo Sports
The second round of the NHL playoffs start tonight, also known at the semis, and we might as well talk about it. No use in having an elephant in the room, right? Actually, that analogy doesn't really apply here, but what it does do is fill space in the intro.
I've already made my picks for the entire playoffs, but since those got destroyed in the first round, I'll readjust them a little bit as we go along.
So enjoy the games tonight, folks. I know it was hard to go an entire day without hockey, but after that long and arduous night (I slept two hours and that was because I huddled in the corner), we can all settle down and watch some hockey!
(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Colorado Avalanche
What you need to know:
No playoffs are complete if they don't feature an Avs/Wings matchup at some point.
Can someone find Patrick Roy and bring him back for this series?
These teams haven't met in the playoffs since 2002.
The Avs are 3-2 in playoff series against the Wings since they moved to Denver in 1996.
In a nutshell: Wow. I don't think playoff hockey gets any bigger than this. If you're wondering why I say this, then you should probably check out this link. They haven't met in the playoffs in quite sometime, but these teams still don't like each other. There are also a lot of players left over from when these two teams used to beat the hell out of each other every spring. Sure, they're different teams now despite some similarities, but I still think this series is going to kick some series tail. Hell, it's at least better than a Nashville/Minnesota matchup... Unless, of course, you're a fan of those teams. But for the rest of us, this is going to be fun to watch for the next two weeks.
The call: Wings in five. While they are talented, I don't think that this Avs team is going to be able to compete. It won't be a washout -- far from it -- but I'll take the Wings in six. Their defense and goaltending are just too good.
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (5) Dallas Stars
What you need to know:
OK, now we have actually bullet points for this series. They will be just as subpar as all the others.
Give the puck to JR. All the time. I don't think I need to say any more.
The over/under on bloggers using Debbie Does Dallas references during this series is set at 600.
This series makes my head hurt (read on for that explanation).
In a nutshell: This series... I have no clue how it's going to end up. The Sharks were my Stanley Cup pick, and they had to fight tooth and nail through seven games with Calgary, getting by thanks to a little help from a friend (JR). This series bewilders me. The Sharks were the hottest team in the league coming into the playoffs, while the Stars were the coldest. How the Sharks almost didn't get to this point and the Stars took out the defending champs fairly handily, I have no idea. I'm just really, really confused so I think I'm going to sit down, be quiet and let this series unfold as it will.
The call: I'm taking the Sharks, and that's only because I'm sticking with my Stanley Cup pick. No flip flopping here. In how many games, you ask? I'll say seven. I have no idea.
(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (6) Philadelphia Flyers
In a nutshell: I wrote up a series preview for this one over at Fanhouse this morning. If you're looking for a more indepth response, that would be something you should check out. Here's how I look at this series. Both these teams have great offenses. There's not much separation there. There are, however, three main keys to the series. 1) How will the Habs stand up to Philly's physical style of play? 2) As said, the winner will likely also be the winner of the goaltender battle. 3) Special teams will be a HUGE factor.
During the regular season, these were the #1 and #2 teams in the league when they had the man advantage. Montreal's power play was a little rusty in round one, while the Flyers were running on all cylinders. The PP/PK units are going to go a long way in deciding this one.
The call: Sticking with what I said at Fanhouse, I'll take the Habs in seven.
(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) New York Rangers
What you need to know:
These are two Atlantic division rivals who both housed their first round opponents.
It's hard for me to root for either of these teams, so I'll root against both of them.
Sean Avery gets to hang around for at least a few more games. That's going to be worth at least 7 posts next week.
Pensblog should be epic during this series. Do us proud boys.
In a nutshell: It's hard for me to say much on this one. I don't like either of these teams. I do, however, like their bloggers. Obviously the Pens goaltending is going to be something to keep an eye on in this series as it has been all year long. Whether or not Jagr shows up will also be a major factor in determining a winner.
The call: Sigh... I guess I sort of have to pick a winner here. If you put a gun to my head (please don't, by the way) I would take the Rangers in six. I don't know. Don't ask.
JR is RAD! DUDE! Special thanks to BMR San Jose Bureau Chief Liz E.
I haven't talked to you pasty faced little bloggers in a long time. Five months or something, right? You've probably been sitting around going "boooooo hoooo when is JR going to talk to us again?? boooooo hoooo!" Just crying yourself to sleep every night. Sitting in the corner, rocking yourselves back and forth wondering when I'll grace you with my presence again. Sad bunch you are.
Despite what you may think, ol' JR still has some compassion left in him. You all look up to him, so he feels bad that you're sitting at home in front of the computer wondering how he scored four points and the first star in Game Seven against Calgary in between your visits to porn sites and TMZ. So I'm back bitches. I'm here to put you on notice. Hell, I'm putting the whole damn NHL on notice.
The Sharks are making a run and I'm right putting them on my back. Scratch me for Game Six Ron Wilson? You're an idiot. We wouldn't have had to play Game Seven if I had been in the lineup. If I had played in Six, the Flames wouldn't have even shown up. That's what they did tonight. Miikka Kiprusoff? More like ran home crying to his mommy. Or maybe that was Mike Keenan. They sure looked the same.
BAHAHAHAA.
JR owns you Miikka. Don't you forget it. In fact, JR owns Jarome Insignificant and all of Calgary. Ha but why stop there? JR could take down all of Canada if he wanted. Riots in Montreal? That's nothing compared to the firestorm that swept through HP Pavilion tonight.
Two goals. Two assists. Four points. First star of the game.
Was there even another game tonight? Did the Flyers win a hockey game tonight?
They did?
Yea well nobody cares. Not when this show is playing in San Jose.
Hey Modano, if you're reading this, you're next buddy. Prepare for the best there ever was, the best there is and the best there ever will be.
Last year I wrote the Daily Sniper each day, which covered all the games from the night before. It took up all too much time and wasn't really that fun. But because it's playoff time and there are uber games to keep up with, I'm going to give it another shot. Hopefully this goes better than Van Wilder 2... It might be semi-daily, but it'll be around for a bit.
Mediabistro.com/galleycat
NY Rangers vs. New Jersey, Game Five (NYR 5, NJD 3), Rangers win series, 4-1
Somewhere, Jon Bon Jovi weeps.
The New Jersey Devils did not close out the Prudential Center how they would have liked last night. Instead of a conference of Stanley Cup championship, they became the second team eliminated from the playoffs. The Rangers stormed out to a 3-1 lead after one period in this game and never looked back.
Five different Rangers scored and arguably the most important Ranger had a heck of a night. Jaromir Jagr had a goal and an assist, giving him seven points in his last three games and eight in the series. Sean Avery and Marty Brodeur's never ending saga continued, but I'll have more on that later today.
Now the Rangers will have a few days to sit back and watch the rest of the action in the Eastern Conference. If the other series finish up as they are right now, with Montreal and Philadelphia leading, the Rangers will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round.
Detroit vs. Nashville, Game Five (DET 2, NSH 1 OT), Detroit leads series, 3-2
I apologize to you in a public forum and this is what you do with it?
Last night the Red Wings and Predators decided to play over-time, but they almost didn't need it. The game headed into the extra session tied at one, and fans hunkered down to prepare for what could be a long night. Nashville netminder Dan Ellis stood on his head, having recorded 52 saves up to that point. But one more goal by Detroit and the herculean effort would be for nothing.
One minutes and 48 seconds later, that would be the case. Johan Franzen scored to give the Red Wings the win and a lead in the series. But the real story is Ellis' effort. Ellis will become a UFA this summer, picking the best possible time to shine. He has a .937 save percentage in the series and averages 37 saves per game. Those are some sick nasty numbers, folks.
Anaheim Ducks vs. Dallas Stars, Game Five (ANA 5, DAL 2), Dallas leads series, 3-2
DOOONT STOPPPP BELIEVINNNNNN
The Ducks sure didn't stop believing, extending their season for at least one more night. They earned a victory in a must-win game on home ice. There's no better way to please the fans. Well, there are, but this is probably acceptable for now. In this Western Conference matchup, much like the last, a goalie carried his team to victory. JS Giguere stopped 40 pucks for the Ducks, allowing only two to get by him while four different Ducks put a puck past Marty Turco (Todd Marchant scored on an empty net, you see).
Anaheim faces another do or die in Game Six, which will be in Dallas on Sunday night. The Stars need to wrap this series up Sunday, otherwise the series would move back to Anaheim for Game Seven. That's the last thing you could want if you're the Stars.
On April 9th, I said the following about the Bruins/Habs series in my Playoff Preview:
can we give Montreal a bye here? The Bruins offense is horrible, the Habs offense is outstanding and if they play any defense this series will be over by Friday.
I also said the following, less offensive, sentence about the Wings and Predators first round matchup:
Detroit in four. Moving on...
On April 14th, I got the following email from reader Jon H.
Kevin,
First of all. You do a hell of a job. My friends are I love your blog, keep up the great work.
Secondly, you called for the Bruins to basically be giving a bye to the Habs! I agree that Montreal has killed us all season, but man, we outplayed and outclasses them [in Game Two], and beat them [in Game Three]. The arena hasn't been that electric in a LONG time. There is NOTHING like playoff hockey. Take notice man, this B's team isn't flashy, hell they can be downright boring. However, they are tough, and if they work hard can play with anyone. This is exactly the kind of team Boston fans love. If we win tomorrow, things could get very very interesting. Then I'll expect an apology!
Seriously though, keep up the great work, love your work.
Tonight, April 17th, the Bruins won with their backs up against the wall. In Montreal. By a large margin. The game ended 5-1 and sent the series back to Boston, giving the Bruins an opportunity to tie the series up.
I figured I'd mention this, as I'm really impressed with how both of these teams are playing right now. They've proven me wrong and more power to 'em. That's why they play the games. That's also why I don't get paid to predict the future. Now if only I could get my crystal ball tuned up.
Last year I wrote the Daily Sniper each day, which covered all the games from the night before. It took up all too much time and wasn't really that fun. But because it's playoff time and there are uber games to keep up with, I'm going to give it another shot. Hopefully this goes better than Van Wilder 2... It might be semi-daily, but it'll be around for a bit.
Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images/Yahoo Sports
Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa, Game Four (PIT 3, OTT 1)
How sweep it is. See what I did there? Get it?!?
To complete a collapse that can only be described as "shamu-like," the Penguins finally put the Senators out of their misery. In one of the worst falls from grace in recent memory, the Sens went from first place in the Eastern Conference on February 23rd and dropped to seventh, only to be swept in the first round. To make matters worse, or maybe raise the demand for anti-depressants in Southern Ontario, the Sens lost their final game on home ice. And boy, does the irony run deep there.
Prior to the game, the team placed a poster of two teams shaking hands after last year's series (which the Sens won) outside the Pens dressing room. Wow, does that look like a poor decision now. I don't mean to get into politics, but I think that decision makes President Bush look like Albert Einstein right about now. Last night a new photo was taken, and I think it's safe to say that the Pens may post it outside of their locker room. And they'll have about a week to do it, as the sit back, relax and get healthy while the competition beats each others' heads in. Congrats to Pittsburgh and the folks over at Pensblog, may you annihilate the Rangers in the next round (Woo I can say that! I don't have to worry about journalistic standards!).
Detroit vs. Nashville, Game Four (NSH 3, DET 2)
I may owe Tennessee some apologies.
If you can remember as far back as a week ago (I know, it might be tough but give it a shot), you will probably remember my Ultra Super Mega Gigantic Playoff Preview In Store Spectacular. In that, I basically gave the Predators no shot. Hoo. Well. About that.
After last night's game, it sure seems like I gave the Preds some bulletin board material, cause right now they're the ones hanging tough with the big dogs. Despite getting outshot 41-27, the Preds took Game Four at home to tie the series. Dan Ellis stood on his head once more, yet again proving that a stud goaltender is always a requirement if you want to make it out of the first round. Detroit's reeling a bit, the Preds are on a roll. Who would have thunk? Oh right, not me. Crap.
New Jersey vs. NY Rangers, Game Four (NYR 5, NJD 3)
The evil empire wins yet again...
In the highest scoring game of the night (8 goals! My God!), the Rangers took a commanding 3-1 series lead on their cross-river rivals. Amazing, Sean Avery made no news whatsoever. When I took a look at the boxscore, there was one big surprise. Get this -- Patrick Elias, who was a +10 on the season had two goals tonight but finished -3. To do that, now that is skill. It's also why the Devs are in a hole going back to the swamp.
Jacques Lemaire... Lookin' creepy... Doug Pensinger/Getty Images/Yahoo Sports
Mark Kiszla has an interesting article over at the Denver Post trashing on the Wild and their style of play. I'm too far removed from this series to agree or disagree with it, but my buddy Ryan from the Vic Times isn't and he sure isn't fond of the article.
For what it's worth, I'll throw my .02 into the ring. I'm not an expert to begin with, and far be it from me to know the ins and outs of the Western Conference, but I can't figure out what Kiszla is trying to prove here. Sure, the Wild play a tough, physical style but isn't that typical of Western Conference hockey these days? That's not a rhetorical question either. I'm pretty certain it's the case, but as always, correct me if I'm wrong. I also want to know where this complaining was before Game Three. Was Kiszla this pissed about the whole rest of the season? I mean, jeez, imagine how he must have felt about all the clutching, grabbing, trapping and other assorted BS that was rampant in the NHL prior to the lockout. Hopefully he's not another fanboy like Don Brennan. I have no idea. This, my friends and Western Conference experts (I know you're out there!) is for you to decide.
An interesting storyline to the series is the undead's support of the Predators -- not to be confused with the Grateful dead. I don't know a lot about this team, but I can tell you that zombies absolutely love them. They're practically the reason that the team is still in Nashville right now and not playing somewhere more, how do I say, Canadian. Zombies vowed to dismember and eat the team's front office staff if the team moved this season, giving way to the Preds staying put in Nashville. There's no telling what will happen once the season is over, but for now, zombie nation still has hope.
If Detroit holds on and wins this series, well, I think it's safe to say the city would need a New Orleans-esque evacuation. Just imagine 10,000 zombies descending on the Detroit Metro area. Not a pretty thought. But thus is the price of success.
For any readers currently residing in Michigan, remember that it is always best to remove the head or destroy the brain.
I've done quite a disservice to our Midwestern readers lately. There's a heck of a series going on between the Rockies and the Mississippi and I have yet to really touch on yet. Well, consider it touched.
All year long the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche have battled it out for the fate of the known universe. It's been epic, no doubt. Back in November, we thought it was all over, with Paul Stastny and the Avs taking home the title of Universal Overlords. I regret to inform you that on that fateful day in November, I may have spoken too soon. Far be it from me to know that they would have met in the first round of the playoffs, and in such competitive fashion. Just like any good TV show, just when you though it was over, here they are back for another round. After watching the first three games of the series, all of which went to overtime mind you, it's easy to see that both these teams know exactly what is up for grabs.
So, let it be known that a great battle is taking place tonight in the American heartland (does Denver qualify as heartland?). The fate of the known universe is once again at stake and if we awake tomorrow morning in a world of molten lava and fire breathing velociraptors, we'll know why. The media will probably blame global warming, but we will all know the truth.
After watching tonight's Flames/Sharks game, it's safe to say that I wish I was back in Calgary right now. This game had absolutely everything you could want in a playoff game -- a ton of early goals, big hits, JR and of course, a big time comeback.
And all of a sudden the San Jose Sharks, a Stanley Cup pick of many a hockey fan -- including this one -- is down 2-1 with another game left on the road.
The Flames went down 3-0 in the first three minutes of this one, with two goals from clutch performer Ryan Clowe. This led to an itch on Mike Keenan's trigger finger, as he pulled Miikka Kiprusoff after the stud netminder (and former Shark) made two saves on only five shots in about three minutes of play. Meanwhile, the CBC announcers tried to keep viewers interested by throwing out the usual lines and cliches. They talked about how a 3-0 first period lead is one of the most dangerous in hockey. Teams get complacent. Teams stop playing. No way, I thought. These are the Sharks. These are the Sharks on the road. This one is over and then some. The question of the hour was without a doubt, how high will this go? 7 goals? 8?
Whoa. As Lee Corso says, not so fast my friend. A few hours, four goals and 22 CuJo saves later, the Flames had pulled out an impressive 4-3 victory in front of the home fans at Pengrowth Saddledome. The Flames helped put the icing on a day that was by far the most entertaining of the playoffs so far. Three of the four games today were decided by one goal. Three of four were won by the lower seed. Two games went to overtime. It just didn't get any better than this.
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And here's one more highlight reel play that made me jump out of my computer chair and yell incoherent sentence fragments... It's Calgary's Cory Sarich absolutely smoking San Jose's Patrick Marleau. This play took place early in the first after the Sharks put up three quick ones and it certainly helped to turn the momentum in favor of the home Flames. The hit left Marleau's nose and eye bloodied, the eye was injured earlier in the game, and when the telecast put a picture of the bloody Marleau on the screen, you knew the final 57 minutes weren't going to be as easy as the first three were for San Jose.
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