Foregone Conclusion?

by Ryan



For months we've heard about the mythical land of Portland, Maine. Over the next few days we may be hearing a lot more about it. It is anything but a sure bet (Looking your way, Big Brown...) but all signs point to the Pirates being the newest home of Clarke MacArthur. The club has announced a press conference for Tuesday concerning their new NHL affiliate.

At least they won't have to change much at the merch table. Check this out:



---

Some other things on my mind on a lazy Sunday:



- According to this Facebook ad, Soup is spreading the gospel of the overpriced puck-carrying defenseman market. I bet that seminar is full of Tragically Hip covers...

- The Strangers is a f#$king awful movie. What a waste of time. You know the movie sucks when 20 minutes in 1) nothing is happening, 2) you verbally state how awful the movie is, and 3) you wish you saw the movie with the animated panda.

How does a movie that pointless get a green light? Is Liv Tyler going to ruin The Incredible Hulk? "You were home"?!?! I've never seen so many people leave a theatre simultaneously angry/confused/sheepish over paying $9 bucks to see that sh%tshow. What a joke.

- Puck Daddy has a nice read about the remaining Whalers in the league, including one of our own soon-to-be UFAs.

- The Stanley Cup was dented. Somewhere, Gary Bettman is bragging it's the biggest dent since 2002.

- I'm not a big fan of the Olympics (something you will hear about later), but we are suddenly in good shape for the 2010 games in Vancouver. Brian Burke will be GM for the US hockey team, and hopefully he will be the one to make it more than a glorified all star team. Go for gold, Goose.

- I'll leave you with the best picture I've seen all week.



I would have that face, too.

Everyone Gets a Turn!

I guess in Detroit they even let the homeless take the Cup out for a spin.

Wait, is that Chelios? Well, he contributed about as much as the street people, so...

On Sweet Sauce and a Satisfied Mind

by Ryan

"How many times have you heard someone say
If I had his money I'd do things my way?
But little they know
It's so hard to find
One rich man in ten with a satisfied mind."


Last year it was easy.

It was the matchup of the arch rival and the better team, and there was no question who deserved to win. This year it was all a bit different.

As Game Five was spiraling to a close in the third, I began to think about what I would put here. My mind was filled with mostly jealous thoughts. A crowd celebrating something they have already had this decade. Singing "Don't Stop Believing" seemed almost blasphemous in the eyes of a Sabres fan. It was just... unfair. It always seems that way, I suppose. However, Maxim Talbot cut that celebration short, and all of a sudden we had a few more days to think all this over.

Tonight I didn't think about it at all. Until it was over at least, and even then I didn't invest much thought until now. Somehow, deep down, I was convinced the Penguins would somehow pull it out. Even that very last shot, Crosby pulling off a backhand stronger than my forehand will ever be. It just seemed like it was going to happen against all odds, and I think that was what made it fun.



The Red Wings deserved to win the Stanley Cup, it is just that simple. They are an outstanding defensive team with a great lineup top to bottom, complete with two solid goaltenders. They have the best management in the league, and I'm convinced their GM is a wizard of some sort. All that adds up to a dominating performance on the game's biggest stage, and you can't help but be impressed with how easy it all looked.

The CBC broadcast said something interesting about the Red Wings, something to the effect of "a franchise that measures success only on winning the Stanley Cup." It's a pretty silly statement, what team doesn't start with winning the Cup as the ultimate goal? However, after mulling it over it brought me to another interesting question: what brings a hockey player satisfaction?

It is the moral of that first quote, and something that always comes up when the season ends. We all know that fans have various expectations for a season, but most of them feel like this couple after tonight:



Today 29 fan bases are unsatisfied, as they should be. We all know what it feels like to sit in those seats, or maybe what it's like to run away from them like a felon leaving the scene of a crime. The losing always hurts, but with it comes the hope that one day we get to be like Red Wings fans, celebrating the long summer away.

However, what does it really mean to the players? In a game where so much is discussed; reputations, salaries, legacies, and no trade clauses. Hockey has become a game of UFAs and median payrolls right before our very eyes, and with it comes a new way to look at the game.

While some fans see the game for what it is aesthetically, others see cap figures and looming free agency. Starting today come the questions of where Brooks Orpik will end up. Where does Jagr go? Does Ryan Miller get signed this summer? So many questions will be answered during the long sunny days, but those inquiries are not for today.

Come July 1st, Marian Hossa will be a very rich man. He will sign a contract for a massive amount of money, much of that amount based on what he accomplished this postseason.



Does he have a satisfied mind tonight?

No, and that's what makes the Stanley Cup special. In a game increasingly filled with numbers and revenue streams, at the end of the year there is a set of 30 or so names that go on a little strip of silver. That's it. That's all that matters. Money will come and go, reputations will fade in the minds of even those that care, but there is always going to be your name on that Cup. Forever.

It doesn't "Change Everything", it is everything, and that's why it matters.

Witty Title!

by Ryan

When important things happen, it's always fun to see what pun the big networks decide on using for their headlines. The usual suspects...



The obligatory Swedish response. I expected better from the Canadian WWL.



Uh-oh. Looks like we have a winner.



Pretty sad when the Four Letter ends up being the unique one.

More on this tomorrow.

Escape From Motown

by Ryan

About 24 hours ago, the Stanley Cup Finals finally got its defining moment.



In what was already a fantastic game, Maxim Talbot forced overtime with less than 30 seconds to play.



A building getting ready to explode was sent right back to the doldrums with two quick hacks at the left pad of Chris Osgood. It was as if they just announced GM was adding 30,000 new jobs in Michigan, then after the factories were built they moved everything to China.

It's something we've had the misfortune of witnessing in Buffalo, the chance at a Stanley Cup taken right off your doorstep. However, no matter what opinion you have of 1999, we've never been that close to winning it all.

More importantly, the overtime that followed was downright fantastic. Malone takes a shot in the face, Gonchar slamming into the end boards, Malkin wincing with every hit; it was a game that made the message on the shirts ring true: sacrifice. Then, just when you didn't think it would ever end, it happened. With Fleury standing on his head all night long, he finally got his chance to celebrate.



Petr Sykora called his shot, and the Stanley Cup is back in Pittsburgh.



If you are a partisan hockey fan at this juncture, you can't be upset about the results. Complain about officiating, complain about missed opportunities, do whatever you want.

(Note to Terry Frei: If you are going to complain, make sure your copy editors didn't just stop at Sunoco.)


Reasons to complain aside, this Cup Finals has lived up to the hype, at least as much as you possibly can when the league's brightest star and best team go head to head. No matter what happens Wednesday night, the league has already been given its signature moment, a story that hockey fans can tell for years.

Yes, ratings are up (We're back to 2002!) and who knows just how many people flicked over once they knew it was in sudden death overtime; but the important thing is that there is a buzz about hockey that just hasn't been there in some time.

Petr Sykora, one of the best free agent pickups of last summer, has given this year's playoffs something that they haven't had for some time: a story suddenly worth watching.

The NBA Finals don't start until Thursday. Tomorrow, hockey has its night to shine. Mellon Arena will be rocking, and NBC will be the place to be come 8pm. No matter what happens, there is an excitement suddenly injected into the Finals that hasn't been there since... who knows when?



It's a good time to be a hockey fan.

Tiger Woods Doesn't Care About Black Rubber

by Ryan

It's an interesting little story, and one that deserves exactly the word count it got.

"I don't really care. Let's talk about the Dodgers," the California native (Woods) said. "I don't think anybody really watches hockey anymore."

Ouch.

But the improved television ratings for this year's finals doesn't seem to match Woods' assessment.

Now that's all well and good, but caring what Tiger Woods thinks about hockey is like wondering what Joseph Stalin thinks about dancing. Sure, there may be a common interest there, but is he really going to add anything coherent to the discussion?

To conclude, I'd like to give Tiger Woods a heartfelt "whatever", as well as ask him what he thought of Thing 2's stunning comeback on Flavor of Love 3. It just seems like the kinda thing he'd be into.

Syko

On the Brink

by Ryan



Tonight seems to be only a formality. The Red Wings are just too good, and coming home to a great home crowd the team will put on its best performance and finish this series off. As great a season the Penguins have had, the West has been the better conference all along and they have proved such in the Finals.

However, accepting that you are an inferior team can have some positive effects in a head to head match up. When you know you are not better overall, you know what areas to focus on in order to squeak out wins. If you understand where you cannot match up you may actually have a better chance of winning because you know what parts of your game to push. It is a long shot at best, but when you are against the proverbial wall, you go all out.

Pittsburgh was successfully in Game Three when their forecheck caused turnovers, forcing the Wings to make mistakes. As great as Detroit is they are not perfect, and if you put enough effort in that up ice pressure there will be opportunities to capitalize on.

That capitalizing seems to be a problem, though. There are not enough goals from their big time players, and Malkin has looked askew all series. The Penguins were in Game Four the entire 60 minutes, but they missed chances to take back a lead. With nothing left to play for, it's possible those nerves disappear and hockey becomes easier for them.

Then again, the Penguins haven't seen this kind of adversity during the playoffs. Maybe tonight will be last gasp, a final sputter in a great effort from a group of kids. It may not be enough in the end, but all they have to do is get the series back to Pittsburgh. It may not happen, but that's all they have to think about tonight. Dallas got the job done in their Game Five, and they looked far worse than Pittsburgh did at this juncture.

However, if it doesn't happen for the kids, we get to see the coolest trophy in the world.

A Step Above

There are many that say the Red Wings have "that extra gear" that marks a truly great team. Tonight, Detroit showed us that they have that extra gear, as well as the ability to downshift with a lead. It was perfect hockey from an almost perfect team, and no matter what side you are rooting for you have to be impressed by the performance.

Is Monday out of reach for the Pens? Well... I'll get to that later. For now, here's Mark Cuban.



Do with it what you will...

Deep Breath Everybody

by Ryan

Wow. What a hockey game. I've been searching through pictures that can accurately describe how good a hockey game took place tonight, but these only come close.




The atmosphere inside that arena tonight is everything I love about postseason hockey, and it flat out put the Joe to shame. Detroit may be "Hockeytown", but what's painted on the ice is pointless compared to the roar that crowd gave when Adam Hall played Plinko for the third goal.



That entire shift was just epic, and the overall theme of the game had that tone. Finally, the Penguins made a series out of it, and Detroit was anything but flat in the losing effort. This was two great teams playing at their respective apex, and it is a shame it took three games to get going.

I know everyone is going to rave about this game, but there is something so satisfying about watching a game that lives up to the hype. Back and forth action, battles all over the ice, broken sticks and helmets askew. It was the kind of hockey game you would never see in November, and with a frantic pace you only see in overtime at the very most.

Game Three may not be the most watched broadcast in NBC's history, and the numbers are going to be big because of reasons already discussed. However, Game Three is the kind of hockey that builds a reputation, a word of mouth effect that movies want to spread so badly. The buzz from this game will reverberate until Saturday, and maybe, just maybe, people will tune in to see what all the fuss is about.

This Finals may not be the best ever, but finally, finally, it's the series we hoped it would be.

Hey Scott, why do you have a job?

by Ryan

In my brief time as an actual journalist I've learned two things. The first is that if a homeless man approaches you claiming he's from Canada and needs money to get back across the border, don't ask him a question about gas prices. The second thing is that many times you don't get to pick the headline attached to your story. I'm guessing that this isn't one of those times.



Hey Mario, why haven't we heard from you?
by Scott Burnside

PITTSBURGH -- On Sunday night, the NHL gathered members of the Detroit Red Wings dynasty of the 1950s. Alex Delvecchio, Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Marty Pavelich and Marcel Pronovost regaled a crowd, including the top prospects in this summer's NHL draft, with terrific stories from their glory days.

The event provided a lovely bridge between the young stars populating the current Pittsburgh Penguins-Detroit Red Wings series and the game's rich past.

The NHL did the same thing last year with a wildly successful night involving former Montreal Canadiens greats.

They did that during the Cup Finals? Because, uh... the Habs didn't make the playoffs that year. Carry on...

And why not?

Maybe because they didn't-

This is the Stanley Cup finals, the great showcase for the sport on the game's grandest stage. The NHL has worked hard to fill the finals with all kinds of opportunities to tell the game's stories and increase the league's profile. There are opportunities to talk to the top draft picks and some of the NHL's award winners from the regular season. The GMs will meet in Detroit next week if the finals go beyond four games. Commissioner Gary Bettman always provides his state of the league address before Game 1 of the finals.

Yet there is one hockey great who will remain strangely, inexplicably mute through these Stanley Cup finals --

Hasek?

Mario Lemieux.

Totally my second guess.

The Hall of Fame captain of the Pittsburgh teams that won Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992, and who later revived a franchise that seemed destined to wither on the vine in Pittsburgh, maintains his self-imposed media blackout even though his team is in the finals for the first time in 16 years.


When requests are made to talk to Lemieux, either in a one-on-one setting or in a group format with reporters covering the finals, word politely comes back through the team that the man who is the Penguins' part-owner doesn't want to take the spotlight away from his young team.

That sounds just a tad bitter, doesn't it?

What a load of hooey.

Okay, now it sounds bitter.

This has nothing to do with taking any spotlight away from his players. They have been playing in the spotlight for weeks now. And since Sidney Crosby became a Penguin three seasons ago, the spotlight has never been far from this Penguins team.

Absolutely, there must be evil afoot.

No, this is more about Lemieux's detachment from the game or, at least, detachment from having to share his thoughts and feelings about the game.

EEEEEEVIIIILLLLL!!!

Wouldn't it be interesting, as these finals goes on, to hear what Lemieux has to say about the rise of a team that looked to be on the way out of town less than two years ago? What does he recall from his first trip to the Stanley Cup finals? What has he said to tenant Crosby about playing in the event?

We're not talking earth-shattering stuff here, but it is a natural sidebar to the main proceedings here. And what are we talking about, 20 minutes out of Lemieux's wildly busy schedule? Surely he could make room in one afternoon to talk about the game he made such a handsome living from, and still does to this day.

He's right, Lemieux owes us the favor. Don't forget he made money playing hockey, so that means he's obligated to talk to the media at all times. Hell, let's go dig up Gump Worsley's corpse and ask him about the octopus toss. He had a whole list of things he saw Ranger fans toss on the ice back in the day. Soup cans, chairs, a persimmon...

Lemieux's sole contribution to the finals has been appearing with former Detroit captain Steve Yzerman to drop the ceremonial first puck before Game 1. Lemieux presumably was able to squeeze that into his schedule, and it didn't deter him from hustling back to his private box to watch Detroit's 4-0 win.

Should he really be sprinting around to the media inside the Joe during the game? He is an owner that actually, you know, likes hockey. Man I wish we had one of those...

It is both convenient and predictable for Lemieux to hide in the background at a time when the game most needs its relevant stars in place, because it's always been about convenience for Lemieux.

It's curious how suddenly available and accessible Lemieux was when he took an ownership stake in the team because he was owed millions of dollars in the late 1990s. The more attention focused on the Penguins meant more ticket sales and a better chance at either a new arena deal or a deal to sell the team.

So he is supposed to be as available as that at all times? At least Mario is in the city the majority of the time. Some owners don't even sign Paychex in the same area code. Aside from that, doesn't a good owner fight for the spotlight at that time in order to get an arena deal? Isn't that when he should be most visible?

Then, when Lemieux decided he was going to play for Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and was named captain of the squad, he couldn't have been more gracious; but, after that was over, when he didn't need the attention, not so much.


So was he less gracious or less captain-ey? Less of an olympian?

Later, when talks to build a new arena in Pittsburgh broke down and Lemieux was at war with local politicians and officials over funding for the project, he was once again available to discuss the issue. He was prepared to sell the team to whoever walked in the door. A couple of suitors, including Jim Balsillie and William "Boots" Del Biaggio, would undoubtedly have tried to move the team as quickly as possible to Southern Ontario or Kansas City, but that fact seems lost in the renaissance of the team.


Not that anyone could blame Lemieux for trying to get the most out this team financially. He's done his time and served the team and the city well.

Wait, where did all that obligation go? Suddenly he's "done his time"? CONUNDRUM!

But let's not paint this with any other brush than what it deserves.

The brush of contradiction?

The only reason Lemieux isn't making himself available during these finals is because there's nothing in it for him.

And that's more than a little sad.

What's really more than a little sad is the fact that Scott is bitter about not getting his story and so he writes a smear article about the owner in question instead of looking elsewhere for a better story. I guess there are only so many angles to a Finals that currently sits at 2-0, but trashing a hockey legend that doesn't beg for attention seems like a step in the wrong direction.

For someone claiming that Lemieux doesn't properly promote the game, implying that a hockey icon is selfish and irresponsible to his duties as ambassador doesn't bode well for Burnside's duty to promote the game with his "stature" in the medium. When dealing with the mainstream media, under-reported sports need strong writers to give a voice to something they feel is worth spending time on. Good writers, no matter what the situation, find a way to write a story worth reading.

Scott Burnside just proved that he isn't a good writer, and that's more than a little true.

MAN DOWN! (Vol. II)

by Ryan



I'll be honest and say I didn't even see Osgood bite it the first time through. Unlike the majority of the fans in Detroit, I was following the puck around the corner and not waving to the cameras or watching Osgood take the sniper fire. That being said, I think a clear distinction should be made as to how this whole thing affects the series.

Osgood's last shenanigans came at the same time in each series; just at the end of Game Two and about to take a commanding lead in the series. To say the very least, it was completely unnecessary. While I don't think it really affected the outcome of the series in any way, it does set the stage for a Game Three where the Pens have something to prove other than if they can put the puck in the net.

Sure, let's go ahead an say that Petr Sykora (41 PIM on the year) went after Osgood. Okay, he went for an extra bump to send a message after two straight shutouts. However, this isn't Ruutu going after the goalie, and Laroque was in the press box tonight. This is a 190 lbs goal scoring winger with two inches on the goaltender giving him a nudge, and here is what happens after:



When we saw the replay here, we all made the same flailing swim move simultaneously.

The reality of the situation is that the scoreboard is all that matters and we should leave it at that. However, that seems to be exactly the point. This shouldn't matter, and there is no reason to sell calls like this so late in the game. What point is there in causing a gong show at the end of a game in which you've completely dominated? A shutout streak of over two games and you are going to blow a tire behind the net and get one of your star players in a fight with Gary Roberts?

It's unnecessary and stupid to act like that, and I guess you can chalk it up to "veteran savvy" or whatever you'd like, but it's not exactly the kind of leadership I'd like to follow. It's not gamesmanship when there is no game left to be decided.

Memorial Day Minute

by Ryan



With Game Two coming on Memorial Day, there is probably no one reading this.

With that in mind, I think there are a few things the Penguins will have to do to make a series of this. First of all, their forecheck has to, well, exist. One of their strengths is how fast and hard they attack the puck in the other team's zone, and they looked downright sluggish on Saturday. Forcing the Wings' defense to make mistakes will be hard enough, but not getting to them in the first place will make it impossible.

The Penguins 4th line also has to step up. Getting a good shift out of the 4th line is an absolute must in the playoffs, and sets up the rest of your scoring lines with a good energy shift, especially if the opponents top D pair is out. According to Mirtle, that didn't happen in Game One. Gary Roberts being inserted into the lineup may give the Penguins a burst, but the entire team has to work with getting solid shifts out of their weaker lines and try to get Lidstrom and Rafalski away from Sidney Crosby.



Sid himself has to get it together, too. Overall the Penguins looked very, very nervous, and it is understandable given the circumstances. However, I think they will rebound nicely, and at the very least look like a competent hockey team.

After all, the last thing we want is Neil Smith right. Right?

(Much, much more on that Burnside article later...)

No Goal? No Problem.

Well that was a bit uneven. 4-0 the final, and Osgood is still waiting to get past the pregame warm up shots. He had 19 total, and it certianly seemed like less.


Until Monday, that is one sad looking penguin.

The Measuring Stick

Let's see what the kid can do.

'97, '98, and '02, or 87, 71 and 18?

by Ryan


If you haven't noticed, I've had a tough time getting a prediction down. Many of you have already made your picks in the comments a few days ago, and if you didn't, leave them on this one. Since Jon put his down already, it's up to the rest of the Roost to do the same.

Everyone picks the Finals, it's like picking a horse in the Derby; even if you don't know much about it you pick a favorite. For those who really care, there are numbers (which I will use frequently in this post, so thank you Good Doctor...) and rosters and good old fashioned hockey IQ.

Still, with all that at my disposal I'm having a hard time picking between the team that I want to win and the team I think will win. I don't have a "second team" per se, but the Penguins are a likeable bunch that I've followed with a little help from the best photoshop expo on the planet. If there is anyone who I want to win the Cup it is them.

However, there is the analytical part of my mind has said that whoever comes out of the West will win the Cup simply on the strength of that Conference. Take into account how well Detroit has played throughout the year and Osgood has looked thus far and, well, it's hard not to see Lidstrom getting first crack at the Shiny Dish.

That part of my head sees things like WhatIfSports.com's prediction of Wings in 5 and nods in approval. Afterall, when you run a simulation 10,000 times it has to be a better call than your gut, right?

According to the Good Doctor, the Red Wings are older, significantly better on faceoffs, and their star players take more shots. Zettersyuk is on ice more often than the Penguins' trifecta of Crosby/Malkin/Hossa, and Nick Lidstrom is the the best defenseman on the planet. When you look at it like that, how can you see anything but Wings in 5, maybe 6 if you want to be vindictive and make them win on the road?

Still, this blog was started on a whim, and I've been picking with a bias all along. Regardless of how good Detroit looks, there are always those intangibles that can get to you. Remember how scared Detroit looked when Nashville rallied to tie in Game Five? They were one overtime bounce away from being down 3-2 heading back to Nashville, and a crazy bounce (center ice goal) away from Game Six being up for grabs as well. The bounces have gone both teams' ways, and something has to give when the puck drops.

Then you begin to think about how similar Pittsburgh's little team is to our little team from way back when 11 months ago. How can you not want to see them finish the job, just to prove that it can be done?

You think about how important this series is to the game, how big a chance it is for the league to shine. This is about more than numbers here, this is about image and market share and all kinds of buzzwords that the Public Relations team lives for.

After mulling it over, you start to think about fans, that amazing feeling of victory, and personal rivalries with individual friends and family. You think about what this means to the people you care about, and before you know it, you are starting to drift to the other side.

By the time you get to thinking about that time Pensblog Charlie poked you at 3am, you are only wondering how many games it will take.

Before you can change your mind, you type it out and hit "publish"...

Pens in 5.

Equine, Meet Blunt Instrument

by Ryan

Hockey is underrated in the national media. This is true. However, this has an interesting effect on what happens when hockey does get the spotlight: they pound the s$%t out of The Storylines. You know exactly what I'm talking about if you watched the Winter Classic on TV, or even if you saw Danny Briere-gasm on Versus last round.

Another fun development is what happens to the level of discourse in the broadcast booth. Hockey is a fairly complicated game, and so the national broadcast turns into a tutorial on how the game works. Sometimes it is slipped in with ease, and sometimes it sucks as hard as a "Teach Yourself Euchre" book.

Aside from the lengthy explanations of icing and the importance of scoring goals, those Storylines are going to get a lot of play. In order to get you used to them and so you can't complain about them later, here's a sneak peak. Get yourself acclimated now, because it's going to be a long series.

The GOAT- Also known as the Greatest Of All Time if you don't know your Ali. For the first time in the "New NHL" the Stanley Cup Finals feature two large American media markets with bonna fide superstars on both teams. Of course, the hype for this matchup is out of this world. One question given to Sidney Crosby from media day went like this:

"Sidney Crosby...Evgeni Malikin... Pavel Datsyuk... Henrik Zetterberg"

That's it. That was the question. The guy was so excited about the foursome he forgot to pose a question. I think he just wanted to remind everyone who was playing. Yes, it's that big of a deal.

Even the NHL.com staff is getting caught up in the "Instant History" machine. The fact of the matter is that no matter what expectations this series has, it may never reach them. Remember just a few weeks ago everyone was getting ready for the greatest Conference Finals of all time? The first three games of each were almost never in question.

Yes, there will be hockey. Yes, it will be fun. However, you won't know what to expect from these two teams until the game starts, and saying this series will be better than decades of hockey is a hefty wager. However, get ready for the next gear if Game One is anything close to exciting, the expectations for Monday night will range somewhere between "excelsior" and "divine".

Sidney Crosby- I know everyone is sick of hearing about how good Sid is, but the fact of the matter is that he is the real deal. Leading a team to a Finals so young is a big deal as well, and he is the token media darling. Crosby is downright robotic with a microphone in his face, but put a hockey stick in his hands and he can completely change the game. This could be the series that changes his life, taking him to that level beyond outlandish expectations. This could be his Peyton Manning Moment; and as annoying as it is to some, the course of the league rests on his stick.

March of the Penguins- A few years ago the Penguins were moving to Kansas City. Now they are in the Finals and a new barn is being built next door. This is a bit of a swing, and will be talked about until you want to swing a pitching wedge into your TV.

Hockeytown/The Fall of Hockeytown- Does the name really matter anymore? I know there is a big fuss about what city is "Hockeytown", but do you really want to be that presumptuous in the first place and have the title? Let Detroit paint whatever they want on their ice and blame ticket brokers or the economy or African swallows for their empty seats. Whatever.

Party in the Plaza-



So yeah... get back to us on that.

Nick Lidstrom- Did you know he's from Europe? Did you know he's a captain? Did you know he can win a Stanley Cup? Hey! That's never happened before!

There will be more and they will develop over the course of the series. Jesus, look out if Franzen gets involved. He may be the next Fernando Pisani...

On Pink Hats and the Bandwagon

by Ryan


So I've been staring at this quote for the past hour.

Sid the Kid, the return of Don Cherry, the old Flyers uniforms, Montreal self-combusting, the four-OT game, Bucci and Barry, Chris Osgood clipping the dude with the butt of his stick, HD telecasts, a Wings-Pens Finals ... I have to admit, I'm enjoying the NHL playoffs. No, really. I even figured out how to find the games on my cable system and everything.

Bill Simmons, 5/22/08

So... what does that even mean? I get it, the postseason has been interesting thus far, it always is; but to see that from a guy who disowned hockey a decade ago and only to brings it out to make fun of... what gives? When did hockey become watchable from the Sports Guy Mansion with J-Bug and Hench on the wings?

I've been working on a few theories over here. The first one is that he's being genuine. Perhaps he is giving hockey a solid look for the first time because of that whole "Hey! The Bruins matter again!" thing and likes what he sees. Sure, the hockey hasn't been fantastic, but when you train yourself to cast it aside as garbage how could he possibly expect better? Perhaps he is finally understanding that the NHL can't live off the NBA model of strong personalities and that good, consistent teams with a likeable core are more important and fun to watch.

So yeah... there's that.

Another possibility is that he's full of crap and ESPN is forcing his hand. He has had some conflicts with The Four Letter recently, enough so that he has his own blogspot operational. Maybe mentioning the Don Cherry on Sportscenter gimmick is a way to mend fences. Heck, throw Bucci and Melrose in there, too!

We all know that this sudden hockey push is a test balloon for ESPN and the possibility of hockey returning, perhaps Simmons decided to help them out by throwing a major voice behind the game at juuuust the right time.

One other option, the one I've been weighing the longest, is that Simmons is simply an elitist. Bill started as just a sports fan, but moving out to LA and watching his hometown become the "City of Champions" has taken a toll on his everyman status. Suddenly he can pick and choose what he watches, he has a power over his audience to tell them what is watchable or like able.

He recommends books and people read them, tells them to follow a "Vengeance Scale" and people ask where their team's performance ranks. Simmons has a strong voice and a strong following, and let's face it, he's a damn good writer. I know I'm not the only one that started in the Internet sports scene reading every word he wrote, even if it was about things I didn't care about. Simmons can write a 30,000 word diatribe about the NBA and people that don't know who CP3 is will read it. That's the kind of power he has.

Because of this reach, he gets to pick and choose what he likes, even if it means throwing a team he loved as a child under the bus. For years all you would hear out of Simmons about hockey was how crappy the Bruins owner was, or that Joe Thornton is amazing and they got hosed in that trade. True as it was, it got old and he clearly didn't know what was going on by his own doing. Once ESPN dropped hockey, it was open season to mock the game.

So my question remains, why the change? Maybe he's for real, or maybe he just sees hockey moving towards relevance again and wants to be ahead of the curve. Regardless of the reason, it is good for the game that he is paying attention. Disgusting, filthy bandwagoner that he may be, for far too long hockey has gone without fringe fans. If it takes Simmons leading the charge of people who don't know what a Blackhawk is, so be it.

Hey, at least he watches the draft.

Sabresfan88 Owns Us All

by Ryan

After three rounds, here are the standings for our little game of pick 'em.

Third Round:

Ryan- 5 points, Nailed Dallas.
Jon- 0 points for the second round in a row. Brian Murray is flat out jealous.
Rich- 2 points, Pens right.
Chris- 2 points, same is Rich.

Coolman856- 2, got Detroit right.
Katie- 4, both picks right.
Becky- 4, both picks right.
Sabresfan88- 6 points, nailed both.
Anon- 4 points, both picks right.

Totals:

Sabresfan88- 22
Chris- 19
Rich- 18
Ryan- 18
Coolman856- 17
Anon (Erika)- 14
Jon- 12
Katie- 10 (Two rounds)
Anne- 4 (One round)
Becky- 4 (One round)

If you'd like to get a head start on picks, the fancy new pop up comments are where to put it. We'll have a big preview for the finals up before the week is over.

When We Last Saw Them...

by Ryan



The Stars were celebrating a victory right underneath Al the Octopus. Dallas is the first away team to win at the Joe this postseason, and so the rage on Al's face is completely justified. Tonight the series shifts back to Dallas and its "college football" atmosphere, whatever that means.

Tonight's game is my favorite kind of playoff game, as I really have no clue what will happen. Dallas has won two straight while Detroit looks tentative and, quite frankly, scared. Turco is still playing lights out, and as good as Detroit's offensive output has been, if Turco keeps his game up the Stars will always have a chance in this series.

People seem to think this series is over, simply because the Wings went up 3-0. Now I'm not a proponent of the "every 33 years" theory, but when a team has clawed back to a Game Six, I think things aren't as clear cut anymore. Dallas is a streaky team that seems to be in the middle of a streak, and a home team in this situation always has an edge.

Detroit's overall strength lies with their rediculous depth, and Johan Franzen exploding is a perfect example of that. His absense is noticable while he deals with concussion-like symptoms, and is only lightly working out. Superstars like Zetterberg and Lidstrom will step up, but guys like Dan Cleary and Thomas Holmstrom are the ones that will make the difference. The defensive effort on both sides has been outstanding so far, and so the third and fourth line players become all the more important in big games.

This post is very Morgan-esque in analysis, but that's because I really have no idea what will happen tonight. That very fact is what makes it so exciting, though. Watching the Penguins crush Philly yesterday was fun, but I expected it to happen. Watching the unknown unfold in front of your eyes is really what playoff hockey is all about; and if it gets to a Game Seven with a trip to the finals on the line...

[shiver]

One thing I do know is that the pressure is on Detroit, and the weight of expectations may once again prove too much for a team on the brink. Hey, it's not like we know anything about that, right?