Anaheim Ducks
Deja Vu With A Twist….
Well Bob Gainey….you reap what you sow. You wanted Carey Price, a rookie, to be your goalie that would lead you to postseason glory…well now you are in a Game 7. Should you be there? NO! Is all the blame on Price? Most certainly not. But very suddenly, the Montreal Canadiens look more like an 8th seeded team than the tops of the Eastern Conference…all in just two games.
The reality of it all is this….Montreal let Boston hang around and hang around. Other than Game 1, Montreal has shown bits and pieces of dominating but has not put it together for whatever reason. Now Boston has one shot to redeem a season full of losses against Montreal, thereby dealing the Habs the biggest loss of all…the very same comeback from a 3-1 deficit. Wow would that sting Montreal right in the gonads!
What does Boston have to do? Simple…stay close till the third period in Game 7. If Boston can hang in there…they should be able to capitalize on the nerves of Carey Price which was something I didn’t expect to see against Boston of all teams. Look Tim Thomas may not be the most consistent goalie but he is doing enough and playing hard to keep his team in the game and that kind of effort is needed for the seventh game.
There is a bit of a parallel here..and not just with the Game 5 scores from 2004 and this year…but rookie goalie with stellar season going against a grizzled vet. Yes Theodore was a hell of a goalie and has made quite the comeback with Colorado this year but there’s no question Raycroft’s nerves got the best of him and that is what Boston is now counting on with Price. Can Montreal as a team help Price get over his third period nerves? No one is really sure until the third period of Game 7 hits. One thing is for sure don’t turn this game off after two periods or you will miss out. For more on it…head on over to The NHL Arena….because everyone is talking about it.
Now…a playoff predictor update…thanks to Montreal’s unexpected loss yesterday or expected if you were a Boston fan…we went 2-1 for a second day in a row raising our record to a so-so 24-17. Let’s get to today’s three predictions before the Wings-Preds game starts for crying out loud!!
Detroit over Nashville 3-2 (OT)
Dallas over Anaheim 3-1
Calgary over San Jose 3-2
Enjoy the hockey everyone and by the end of the week…the second round will be upon us.
Playoff Predictor Update…Day 4
Well let’s see…how did we do yesterday??
Not too bad honestly….a robust 3-1 with only the hometown Devils losing 2-1 to the Rangers. So that gives us a pretty decent 8-4 record heading into today’s action. Here is what I got for today.
Detroit over Nashville 3-2
Montreal over Boston 4-1
Dallas over Anaheim 2-1 (OT)
The Detroit game is on in just a couple hours. Nashville didn’t play a bad Game 1…they just didn’t execute well enough when it counted. The goaltending was there but the offense was a little lacking. I think they may have a little more teeth in this game but Detroit is more determined to go up 2-0 in this series.
Then there is Montreal who had one of the most ho-hum 4-1 wins you will ever see. I am expecting another one tonight as really Montreal has Tim Thomas’ number. The Habs are too fast and have ample defensemen who can shoot the puck from everywhere. Thomas will have to be lights out to keep the game close as really the Bruins had immense trouble keeping up. Boston has to slow the game down and clog everything then hope for a couple lucky breaks. I just don’t see it happening tonight.
Finally there are the Stars and the Ducks. Did the Stars expose something in Anaheim’s penalty killing strategy or was this just a one game fluke? Yes all four goals Dallas scored on Thursday night were on the Power Play. At least three of them were scored just about the same way….maybe someone should put a hat on Brad Richards because man…can he find an open player on the man advantage just about better than anyone I know. I expect a much tighter game tonight but the same result. I think the Ducks may turn this around in Dallas.
It will be interesting to see what happens…that’s for sure.  One thing I do know is expect the unexpected. Enjoy the hockey everyone!!
Eastern Conference Previews….Hot Off The Presses…
Tomorrow it begins at last. After six months of jockeying for position….we are at the doorstep of hockey’s second season….where it all counts now. There are sixteen teams but only one can be Stanley Cup Champion. It is time to do some previews and predictions.
#1 Montreal Canadiens VS. #8 Boston Bruins
Forgive us for no fancy logos and gimmicks here….but this is just nuts and bolts preview and prediction here on Fanboom. The Habs beat the Bruins all eight times this season and some of the games were downright ugly. If that was not a daunting enough task for the Bruins….the first three games are played over a span of four nights. That will take a lot out of a team that is trying to stop a very speedy Habs team. This will be a goaltending battle as Tim Thomas goes up against the rookie Carey Price. I still give the nod to Price as he has been more consistent this season. Thomas can be spectacular but he can be also downright lethargic and cold at times. I see a resolve in Price that will serve him well in the second season. Montreal has more scorers in the lineup with Higgins, Kovalev, and Plekanec. They also led the league in defensive scoring with guys like Mark Streit and Andrei Markov. Boston counters with a solid defensive system and guys like Glen Murray and Chuck Kobasew. They also have some d-men that can score like Dennis Wideman and Zdeno Chara. But will Chara’s lack of foot speed hurt him in this series? That is one key.
The other key is injuries.
Key Injuries: Bos — Patrice Bergeron (concussion) Marc Savard (Back) Saku Koivu (foot)
Predictions: Sure not having Koivu will hurt some for the Habs but this team is on a roll. I can’t see Montreal slowing down…if anything they will play better in honor of him. Thomas will have to steal this series like Cujo did against Dallas in 98. Honestly I do not see that happening.
Habs in 5.
#2: Pittsburgh Penguins VS. #7 Ottawa Senators
This is probably the matchup the Pens wanted. Since last year they were ousted by Ottawa in 5 games as Ottawa went on to the Stanley Cup Finals before losing to Anaheim. People forget Ottawa only lost once in regulation over the first 15 games then everything went South in the new year…and they almost ended up falling out of the postseason entirely before holding on for 7th in the East. They know what is coming from Sidney Crosby and company. Pittsburgh finished with 102 points but took it easy on Sunday when they lost to Philly 2-0. They could have nabbed the #1 seed and some question the motivation but what can you do. Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, and company provide a unique skill set that will give Ottawa fits all series long. Ottawa had a very tough time with Montreal and Pittsburgh can play very similar to that style.
Key Injuries: PIT: No Major Injuries. OTT: Daniel Alfredsson (knee) Mike Fisher (knee) Chris Kelly (leg)
Predictions: This is a hard series to call depending on which Ottawa teams shows up. Ottawa has to play fast and hard…and not worry about Pittsburgh scoring because Pittsburgh is going to get their goals…Ottawa is just going to have to get more. There will be a few crooked numbers in this series but the key for Ottawa will be to get their confidence back. If they don’t, Pittsburgh is going to make very very short work of the Sens and that is kind of what I see happening…though the games will be tight.
Pens in 5.
#3: Washington Capitals VS. #6: Philadelphia Flyers
This is like an old time Patrick Division slobberknocker. They haven’t been in the same division for awhile but management from both teams I am sure remembers those days well. The Capitals come in on fire going 10-1-1 in their last 12 while Philly kind of just held on and won their last two by shutout to get in as the 6 seed. Washington is young and youthful and is riding a hot Cristobal Huet in net while the Flyers have Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, and a more than able Martin Biron (thankfully there is no shootouts in the playoffs). This has the makings of being a surprisingly good matchup. The physical nature of this series will be in ample display. These two teams do not like each other and with Donald Brashear on the ice…expect it to continue.
Key Injuries: PHI — Daniel Briere (lower body), Simon Gagne (Concussion), Derian Hatcher (leg), and Sami Kapanen (flu, neck). Was — No key injuries
Predictions: This series doesn’t start till Friday so a key could be who comes out faster. The Caps will get helped by the home crowd but Philly will need to play like it did Sunday against Pittsburgh. They have to stay disciplined or they will be eaten alive by Ovechkin and Backstrom. Cristobal Huet will be difference in this series and though it will be close and Philly may even steal a couple games along the way. The Caps should move on to the second round despite a potential big series from Vaclav Prospal.
Caps in 6.
#4: New Jersey Devils VS. #5 New York Rangers
Throw the records out the window and let the bodies hit the floor!! Yes the Devils only won once in the season series but the last one may mean more to the Devils than anyone else could know. The Devils know they can beat the Rangers but they are also now aware that they need to improve on their second period play. For some reason that has buried them and their inability to hold leads of late. Brodeur Vs. Lundqvist figures to be a stonewall marquis matchup that will live up to all the accolades and hype. The Rangers have stopped Elias and Parise for the most part all season and the Devils have stopped Jagr for most of the season series…he did get one goal in Sunday’s game. This is going to come down to who really wants it more…they are evenly matched with the Devils having a bit of a 5 on 5 advantage and special teams is the Rangers forte.
Key Injuries: None to really speak of.
Predictions: I have been going back and forth on this since Sunday. The series is going to be very close and I expect some OT and double OT games thrown in for good measure. This will be physical, there will be blood no question. Can the Devils break out on the Power Play? They did in 2006 and I still think Lundqvist remembers that well. Jagr’s line has to score some and Gomez and Drury have to be especially big (maybe on a line with Dawes) to win this. The Devils line of Rupp-Clarkson-Zubrus needs to be a huge presence early. The games and the series will go back and forth like a yo-yo but in the end I do think Martin Brodeur has just enough in the tank to steal the show in a game 7 that will feel like it was on ESPN Classic.
Devils in 7.
Later on we will do some quick western conference predictions….thanks to the wife for her expertise on the western conference teams. But for now, enjoy the day off. Tomorrow will come fast enough!
What A Hell Of A Playoffs This Could Be…
First off one simple question….
Preview and predictions are coming tomorrow but I wonder which series seems most likely to go the full seven. One thing is for sure…this is going to be one of the most interesting and watchable Stanley Cup Playoffs in years. Everything is so wide open that I wouldn’t be surprised to see some more first round upsets than in previous seasons.
Quite a few people are giving the Rangers-Devils series considerable buzz as the series most likely going the distance but I wanted to give this to the readers. I am curious to see what everyone thinks…so have it…and for those who’s teams made it to the playoffs…hopefully it is a happy postseason.
Coming Into Focus….
Serenity now! That was a familiar phrase uttered on Seinfeld many times. Well that serenity will not come for a few more days but last night’s action brought things into focus just a bit more. Some more teams got eliminated last night and the picture has become more clear. So very quickly….here are the in’s and out’s.
IN:
New York Rangers, Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators
OUT:
Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks
BUBBLE:
Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins
The Reality:
The nice thing now is there are five teams and only four spots left. So this is really musical chairs…one team is going to get left out in the cold. The other four teams will have a place to go to in the first round which starts April 9th. If Ottawa gets a point tonight at all VS. Boston…they are in. Boston needs an outright win then help if they are to clinch tonight (Philly would have to lose). Philly has to win out to make the playoffs unless Washington and/or Carolina stumble. Then they would still need 3 out of a possible 4 points. So for all intents and purposes…it is possible that Ottawa, Carolina, and Boston could clinch tonight if all breaks right.
As for the West….the 1, 2, and 3 seeds are all locked up. Detroit (1), San Jose (2), Minnesota (3)…have spots locked in. The rest are up for grabs. If Dallas loses in regulation tonight…Anaheim sews up the four seed. A point for Dallas gives them no worse than the 5 seed but they would have to win their last game and hope the Ducks lose out if they want to gain the four seed. Nashville can do no better than 7th and they have to win tonight to have a shot at it. Calgary has to win and hope Colorado loses outright to gain the 6th seed. If not, they are the 7th or 8th depending on Nashville. The chaos of so many interrelated events….you have to love it as a hockey fan. No worries, it will play out tonight and tomorrow night.
Back to the East real fast…the Devils just need 3 out of a possible 4 points in their last two games (AT PHI, Vs. NYR) to seal the 4 seed. The Rangers need to likely win out and hope Jersey loses tonight. The Rangers have the Isles and Devils to end the season…just the way to settle it honestly. As for seeds 6-8, that should start to come into more focus tonight and tomorrow night when the dust settles.
The NHL Arena has been debating the playoff push for awhile now. For now I leave you with a moment of zen…..
Top 10 hockey saves of the year……
A Win Win Situation…Sort Of
What a great day of hockey yesterday…from college to the AHL to the NHL…there was a little something to see for everyone. The best part was it started with the stuff from college ice….as the tournament began yesterday. Everyone’s consensus seems to be #1 overall Michigan but I think there may just be a few surprises. Time to get into yesterday’s action a bit.
Notre Dame came into a tournament reeling a little bit but New Hampshire despite being a #1 seed in the West had to feel a little uneasy and they certainly had reason to. The Wildcats were in it…only down 4-3 in the third period against the Fighting Irish when the Irish unloaded for three goals putting the game out of reach and winning 7-3. Jordan Pearce, who I thought was outstanding stopped 32 shots in what was a high paced up and down type game. Despite the score I thought this was the game of the day just as far as offense is concerned. Joey Pollastrone was incredible for New Hampshire scoring twice had 5 scoring chances and finished with 6 shots overall. He was all over the place and really had a chance to nab another goal or two if it hadn’t been for the great goaltending of Pearce. The Irish next face Michigan State at 7pm PT, who downed Colorado College 3-1 behind 41 saves from Jeff Lerg who anyone knows can almost win a national title by himself. He did it last year for the Spartans so look out this regional final will be a damn good one.
Not surprisingly, Michigan rolled yesterday to a 5-1 win over Niagara. Clarkson also defeated St. Clould 2-1 in what could be considered a mild upset. What is on tap for today? Well North Dakota begins its run in less than an hour against an upstart Princeton team. Expect the Fighting Sioux to come out firing on all cylinders…they saw what happened to New Hampshire and anything can happen in this tournament. Miami (Ohio) tries to silence the critics as they face Air Force in a first round tussle. In 2nd round action, Michigan faces Clarkson, Notre Dame faces Michigan State, and Minnesota faces Boston College. It is going to be a fun day for college hockey and if you do not get ESPNU for whatever reason you can follow the action on CSTV (CBS College Sports).
Then it was onward to some good old AHL hockey. Portland did battle with Lowell last night in a battle of my wife and I’s favorite minor hockey league teams. Both teams have taken their share of lumps this year with both likely not making the playoffs. However, it doesn’t make the two points any less sweet. Lowell would ultimately prevail over Portland 4-1 in a game that saw Lowell really capitalize on opportunities while Portland did not. Petr Vrana had another great effort for the baby Devils with 2 goals and an assist. It makes you wonder if he will get a spot on the big club next year. I think he may just be ready. Ryan Murphy chipped in with 2 assists and David Caruso made 26 saves in a solid effort. Sure teams like Providence and Chicago are the class of the league but it is fun to see the kids play no matter what their records are and the effort from this game showed that it still matters…even when a playoff spot is far out of reach.
Next up the big boys….in a Battle Of California showdown…the San Jose Sharks defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 last night in front of a sold out, raucous crowd at the Honda Center in Anaheim. It was nice to get to listen to the game at work…thank you bluetooth technology…thank you so much. JS Giguere missed his 4th straight game with back spasms as Brian Boucher only gave up 1 goal as he made 23 saves. The game turned on a weird Doug Weight penalty midway into the second period as he fell to the ice he hooked down a Sharks player. It was a cruel way for a game to turn but it did…as Jeremy Roenick swatted home a rebound that bounced off Jonas Hiller’s chest for the game winner. Just like that the team that was in third place all year…clinched the division. Congrats to the Sharks on clinching the 2 seed in the West. As for the Ducks it looks like the 4 seed is their fate now…question is who will they play next.
This game was very physical….hits were fierce and from all over the ice…and yet it was a clean game for the most part. That is the way old time hockey is meant to be played. This picture captures the essence of this playoff-like battle perfectly. Thank you Getty Images once again and the AP.
Battle of California tough!!!
Last but not least a happy moment in my sanity for the night. The New Jersey Devils beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in a wild game via shootout. Yes the Devils blew leads of 3-1 and 4-3 pushing my sanity nearly to the breaking point. Thankfully this time they did not break it like previous efforts this week. See the Rangers as Exhibit A and B for the judge. Gionta, Elias, and Langenbrunner all scored in the shootout on Marty Biron (who may be the league worst at shootouts). One of these days we are going to come up with a stat for that one. That being said, the game did kind of mask another amazing effort from Johnny “Orr” Oduya who seems to do this lately when the Devils and Flyers play. He had 2 goals in the first period and was all over the ice on the night. If only he could do this more often, damn that would sure reduce this fan’s stress level considerably.
All that is left now for the Devils is a 4 games in 6 day stretch against the Islanders, Bruins, Flyers, and Rangers and then the playoffs will begin and the energy level will be all cylinders on high. It is funny what a difference a day makes…so I leave you with a drink of cider.
Enjoy the night of hockey everyone!!
Does Colin Campbell Need The Axe? What Can Be Done?
The picture of Colin Campbell was too badly painted to even post. But right now the image I see of him is basically a sitting duck for the hordes of media…whether it be bloggers or mainstream media. This goes beyond the normal “grow a set” comments and all that sort of thing. Simply here is a message to Gary Bettman that is loud and clear. HEY GARY…FIRE THIS MAN ALREADY!
Why say such a drastic thing? Is it the fact that I hated him as a Rangers coach? Absolutely not. Is it because I feel he got the job above more qualified people? It is a possibility. Do I feel he is competent enough to handle this? There is no way that I honestly do. So to be obligatory and fair… take a look at the 2 stomps. Here are the links.
Now while debate can be raised one is not as bad as the other maybe…the intent becomes more clear every time someone watches the videos. I think I have watched these about 50,000 times it seems and one conclusion comes up every time. Maybe Chris Pronger did get the star treatment a bit…hell I don’t doubt what Chris Simon is saying at all. I may despise Simon but he is honest and dead on with his assessment here. With the increasing pattern of curious suspensions and non-suspensions….it is wonder that Campbell still has a job. Screw the fact that he isn’t doing his job…he doesn’t deserve the post…period!
The only reason Pronger even got suspended was because of a new angle that emerged from ESPN of all places. If that never came out, what kind of conversation would we be having about this today? Probably none! However, I do not believe the NHL has a vast, deliberate conspiracy to target certain teams and players. I do feel that their actions, especially Campbell’s…should be accountable. If the same treatment is given to refs…it would be fair to critique the boss the same way….right?? Well the NHL doesn’t think so apparently. So I will do the thinking for them.
What can be done to fix the problem? Well thanks to my friends at The NHL Arena, we came up with something that may just work over the old system. Clearly this system just doesn’t work at all and creates more head scratching than actual solutions. Here are three points of view. First up…our friend Skate2Stick.
First off, Campbell has to be taken out of the process. The process is flawed by the basics of life. Campbell has ties to the NHL, he works for Bettman who we all know strives to be the golden boy and his children in Anaheim are to me held above everyone else. The legal system in any civilized country has a prosecution and defense team. I would say have a player (retired); a video expert; an analyst; a retired judge and a fan sit on a review panel. Once the violation is felt to have been subject to every doubt and proven to be a violation, then move into the penalty faze. The penalty should be based on several things, has the player done anything like this before, has the player been counseled on behavior or anger issues before. Does the player have a history of being suspended? Do prior suspensions include intent to injure? The penalty should be a set standard for the same crime and the same person. Being a star should not hinder the decision of whether of not he deserves 8 or 25 games; it should mean that everyone gets fair and equal justice. Why is the victim excluded in the penalty process? I am sure that the video evidence we all see demonstrates a clear and decisive account of the activities of the accused and should allow for a rather simple sentence. The idea of one person handing out this type of penalty is absurd and should be looked at with prejudice. Can Brian Burke call Colin up and say hey bro, go easy on my guy. We need him to be out only long enough to get healthy and we need him to play a game or two before the playoff’s start so he can get his game back. Bribery is the oldest form of corruption and coercion is right behind it. I say removing the issue from one person and handing it off to a group is the way to go… Now that’s my .02
Next up was our commish who went a step further.
Very interesting. However, I would go one step further on this. Why is the NHL in charge of disciplinary actions in the first place? Fans and media seem obsessed by the handouts of justice (or lack there of), but the NHL and Colin Campbell himself never claimed to be seeking justice for these players that have pushed the boundaries, or broke them wide open. It is the NHL’s directive to simply treat these altercations as problems and then manage these problems in a matter that is best for the NHL. Not the fan. Not even the player. If we want our judge and jury to be completely impartial, we need to look outside the League and it’s NHLPA. We already go to arbitrators during contract negotiations, so why not disciplinary hearings? Allow the NHL and the NHLPA each their opening and closing arguments, but let the decision be made from without.
Finally we had this from another member….jolibean.
And I’d go father than that. I think that acts with the intent to harm (Pronger, Simon, Bertuzzi), should be handed off to local law enforcement. Why is it ok for an athlete to do this? If they did this just outside of a game, even in the parking lot right after, even without wearing skates, they’d be behind bars. While fights are part of the NHL this street fighting BS needs to go. Players should be thrown out of the league or handed to the cops if they choose to play that way. If you can’t get away with it on the streets, it doesn’t belong in an arena, period. Now I know this will never, ever, ever happen. And that most people won’t agree with me. But someone IS going to die, and soon, if this kind of crap stays in the NHL.
For the record I think this will keep happening for a few reasons. The instigator rule keeps people from being accountable for their actions on the ice. The refs are under pressure to perform because their jobs depend on it but yet Campbell’s doesn’t? That still does not make sense to me at all.   So yeah this goes back to dear old Gary and how the system is run. Well the system stinks to high heaven! This type of upheaval may just be what the NHL needs since they clear can’t get it right anymore like they used to. So yes I like plan #2 the best and it would be one I would implement if I was a discipline czar. Is it perfect? No. However, at this point, anything is better than what exists right now.
My Quest For A Press Pass….
This is something I plan on to pursue in the summer. Talking with a few folks from Puck Podcast and The Battle Of California…I am going to try to go for this. Yes, hockey writing is sort of a dual passion for me. Cooking is my other main passion. I was born and raised a hockey fan. My second team, as much as I hate saying it sometimes is the Ducks. If Niedermayer wasn’t on the team, I would be able to root for them with a little more zeal but I can live with that.
So after the playoffs are over….I am going to talk with more people and I know a few of the Ducks bloggers that currently have passes to see if this is something I could do 6-8 times a season. For many that do not know…I live 150 miles away from the Honda Center so it is a considerable drive. Some have even joked that I may sweat out my suit by the time I get there. The enjoyable thing for me will be since the Devils are my team and always will, I can be more objective and more importantly…subdued. Knowing my experience from being in a press box at the then Continental Airlines Arena (or whatever you want to name it now) told me that lesson very quickly.
The first thing I learned is you can hear a pin drop the second play on the ice starts. You have your water…laptop…and maybe something to eat or a candy to suck on. When your team scores, you have to be extremely considerate…a polite fist pump even kind of gets looked at funny. Actually when I went, I just used an old fashioned pen and notepad…..I found it easier and less cumbersome. I could write my articles later but I did bring a small voice recorder just in case I happened to catch an interview…and I did catch a couple….one with Mike Rupp actually which was very funny in 2003.
So I have the experience…my only honest problem is the time. With work and school and home always playing a three ring battle royale in my life, time always seems to be short. People wonder how I do all the things I do now. Thankfully hockey is not a 12 month season…well technically it is…but there are breaks amazingly even if it seems that there aren’t really. Much like cooking..the only issue is the time…and well money. Isn’t money always an issue in life? Sure it is, but this is something I would really like to do and enjoy doing.
Now will I get a press pass? I am not sure. I know it is not an easy process and obviously they can’t just pick any bum off the street to do this. However, I know I would give my best effort and foot forward in being a studious writer and interviewer. That is the nicest feeling to know that I can give my 110% and at the end of the day know that I can be a really good blogging journalist.
The bigger question some have asked me is will this become a career? Really the only truthful way I can answer that is I am really not sure. One thing is certain though, I have a unique love for the sport of hockey and a healthy respect for anyone who writes and covers it. I may not like their opinions or strongly disagree with some of them, but most take the time to do their homework…and that commands nothing but respect.
Wassel Cup Update And More…
Love and hockey games don’t seem to exactly go hand and hand. This is one of those few exceptions.  Anyone that doubts hockey can bring two people from completely different sides of the country…doesn’t know their arse from their elbow. This picture was taken two years ago at Scott Stevens night and is of me and my darling wife, Dawn. We’ve been married for 2 1/2 years now..just about. Whenever the subject of hockey comes up…..it always gets a bit testy.
I will just say this…2003 was a very bad year for the two of us. The Devils and Ducks waged war in the Stanley Cup finals and honestly I think it was tougher on her because the Devils were her second team and I knew she took a lot of heat from her friends for that one. Now to answer some simple questions. Yes I have the Devils DVD’s but more importantly I have a rare copy of Game 7 of the finals from that year from CBC which includes all the pre and post game coverage. It is quite amazing but at the same time it is also something that is only shown when the wife irks me enough. Really, I do love her that much or I would play it more.
When the Ducks won the Stanley Cup last year, I was probably more happy for her than she was for herself. Weirdly but true, sometimes we live vicariously in our family’s successes and triumphs. This was no exception. When the final horn sounded and the Ducks had won the Cup in 5 games…she let out a big squeak and was happy for about a couple days. Contrast that to me when the Giants won the Super Bowl this year and I was bouncing around for weeks….go figure. There is one thing that irks me whenever my wife talks about the Ducks and it is this.
Scott Niedermayer is a very sore subject between the two of us. Obviously it was more the way Niedermayer left New Jersey as opposed to who he left to. However, I am constantly reminded of how he won a Cup in Anaheim and I tell my wife, only because of Pronger. An argument usually ensues and there really is no clear cut winner. That being said, our different feelings on the Niedermayer subject gave rise to the Wassel Cup…a friendly bet between two hockey fans. It is a two part bet.
First part: Whoever has the most regular season points (head to head first tiebreaker)
Second part: Which team gets furthest in the playoffs.
If she wins either part or both, I will treat her to a nice romantic dinner and movie. If I win, I really want a couple new Devils shirts. I think mine have become so old and my dog, Licorice, could use them for rags. Now just for the sake of updating…both teams stand at 86 points right now with the Devils having two games in hand.  This will be a very close race as the Ducks probably have the easier of the two schedules and will have the benefit of having their games a little more spaced out (because of that London excursion). So there are races for the playoffs and higher seeding but in this household, there is a little pride left on the line here.
Coming soon we will have a weekly column on who is in and who is out of the playoffs…called On Or Off The Bubble…so expect the last weeks of the regular season to heat up. If last night’s action is any indication, just wait for the playoffs.
Dateline: Hockey Siberia??
Today is an anniversary of sorts for me. Two years ago I completed the cross country move from a relative hotbed of hockey (for me anyway) in Rahway, New Jersey and moved all the way out to Yucca Valley, California. Hey I knew it would be like a whole completely different country out here but I really didn’t know what I was in for. They say the High Desert is kind of a wasteland for life but really it isn’t. Though there isn’t much to do at all out here other than enjoy nature, and go to a drive in, and well…shop…there isn’t that much just yet.
Worse, for me at least, was there was no hockey leagues nearby. The closest one was in Palm Desert…some 50 minutes away. Who wants to go driving with sweaty hockey equipment just to play hockey?? Well in a word….ME! So once a week I go down the hill to play…been doing it for almost two years now. My skills are not what they used to be but it is fun to be able to just get out there and enjoy the time with friends and puck. Okay…okay…and have a beer or two afterwards. That reminds me that I have to sharpen my skates at some point when the season begins again in a couple months.
Now as for professional teams…in New Jersey as everyone knows…you are close to everything. I could go to a Devils, Rangers, Isles, or Flyers game with relative easy…all within 2 hours drive (barring traffic). I had the access to even take the train down to Trention to see how my ECHL team is doing.  By the time I got out here….there was NOTHING close and I had to realize that quickly. Even worse the closest minor league team in Las Vegas is about 4 hours away and the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks are about 3.  With gas prices around $3.50 a gallon or so and the economy in a brain fart….it does make it hard to go. Quite literally I knew I was stuck in the middle of nowhere but I make the best of it.
When I do get to go out for games…it is an experience. I will usually meet up with the guys from Puckpodcast. These guys are amazing and really know hockey. They are the #1 podcast out there on ITunes and the internet. Go to their site sometime and check them out. You will know why they are where they are in the hockey world. My wife is the biggest Ducks fan in the world so I kind of had to adopt them as my second team….even though, yes I still despise Scott Niedermayer (but that is for another time).
That is the best part of the internet for me….with that and Center Ice Online….I do not miss the games I want to see and sure I have to pay what feels like an arm and a leg these days for the cable bill and hockey…it is worth it. I can find out things faster, and more reliable than I could ever before. I do occasionally pop up on podcasts so you never know, you may hear me one day talking about the sport I love more than any…..hockey.
So really is Hockey Siberia so bad?? Sure there are no real hockey magazines out here so everything has to be done online but overall I have to say no it isn’t. I get my three square meals of hockey as well as dessert. I also get to see the Devils on a regular basis…even if it feels like the condensed, short, short version.  All in all, I do miss home but I would probably miss hockey that much more. There are only four weeks of hockey till the end of the season and don’t forget to set your clocks ahead an hour tonight. Enjoy the hockey!!
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