MulesWillFly93

One thing's for sure - I am ready for more Wings hockey!! I'm glad they've been resting up, but it's been too long of a break for me!

Aren't we all looking lovely with all our red beads and bracelets? Here's a little more positive energy as we start the next round.

Nothing too crazy here...just my necklace (ok, some non-hockey fans would probably think that's a little weird) and my Howard t-shirt. I thought I'd give Howie a little extra good energy for the first game against the Coyotes, which of course we won with an acceptable amount of GA, so I wore it for the rest of the games, too. We know how that worked out, so you bet your butt I'm going to be wearing it tomorrow. I did almost get a Wingnut hat at Hockeytown Authentics last month, which is a tad on the crazy side (yet awesome), but they were kind of expensive. Finger tentacles...hahaha. I guess if you wanted to stand out at a game, that would do it!

Can't believe it's been a year since the last time we did this...I like this year better. Go Wings!

Yeah, I think we got the only gift in the whole playoffs there was to get, which was to play Phoenix in the 1st round. They were the only pushover team out of the eight ones that made it into the playoffs. Even the two lowest seeds, Chicago and LA, gave their opponents plenty of trouble, and I don't think playing either of them sounds like all THAT much more fun than playing San Jose. The Ducks would've been a semi-gift, I guess, but there was a slim chance of that happening. We pretty much knew we'd be playing a competitive team and that we'd have to be ready for it. Phoenix is more of a gift than we think it is. We can't do anything about playing the Sharks now, but we've given ourselves the biggest gift we could by sweeping the series so we could refocus and get rested, and I don't think that's so bad. Everybody else is going to be playing a hard team, too, the way I see it, so nobody else has gotten a gift, either.

I don't hate the Canucks...I definitely wanted them to beat Chicago. I mean, I guess I was kind of fried at them for a couple days after they beat us at the game I went to in March, but I got over it, and while I'm not really a fan of the "Luuuu" thing, that's not half annoying as, say, the Hawks' goal song, so yeah, not too much angst there. I'm sure they have some annoying fans, but all teams do, so I'm not going to hold that against them. Overall, they're okay in my book.

I saw him interviewing Ovechkin after they beat the Rangers, so I guess he's still around. I've noticed that he's been on less lately, too, and yeah, it's been great! Pleeeease keep Panger, NBC.

I actually feel better about our chances now than I did going into the thing, and not because I'm overconfident after we squashed an obviously inferior team. The Sharks seemed pretty daunting before they started playing LA, but having seen the run-around LA's given them, they don't seem as scary anymore. If they let the Kings score like that, I can't help but feel that we can slip a few in on them. I still fear Nashville, but despite Vancouver's best attempts to lose, I think those two will end up playing each other in the next round, so we probably won't have to deal with them, at least not soonish. Anaheim's not even a concern. If we do play them, well, awesome. As for a possible DET-VAN WCF, you know, I think we might actually just be able to do it. I'm actually more worried about Round 2 than the final at the moment...if we can win this one, I think we can make a pretty darn good run after that. If we make it to the SCF, I think we've got a good chance there, too. Nobody in the East looks all that threatening...frankly, right now it looks like they're all having a competition to see who can lose the worst. I think the hardest to beat would be Pittsburgh, actually, just because they're the most familiar with our style. I would've thought the Flyers would match up well against us, but heck, I don't think they're going to make it out of the first round, so what do I know? I'd love for us to play Boston, if they decide they're tired of blowing 3 game leads (no, I will never let that go).

Nice one, Quick! Guess he must've thought, if Miller can do that shizz, so can I! Even if LA doesn't win this series, I definitely appreciate them giving the Sharks the run-around before we get to them. Make 'em hustle, Kings! Stretch it out! What, 'cause there wasn't enough hockey on today? What am I saying - you can never have too much hockey!

THAT'S his beef with the octopus? SLIME?!?! I think I need an Advil. You know, I could kinda sorta maybe see their point if their problem was with players/refs getting hit by octopus, but this is just...comical. Please tell me I'm in some kind of alternate universe. On the other hand, if this is how governing bodies are generally run, international politics suddenly makes sense to me. Bettman should run for secretary-general of the UN; he'd fit right in. Back on track, though...UGGGGHHHH. Instead of a tinfoil hat, I'm going to get a clown hat. Come one, come all to see Red Wings fans star in Bettman's Flying NHL Circus - laughs aplenty.

I'm at 10 whole dollars so far. Hmm, maybe I should've added a few more incentives. Oh well, if my total looks low at the end, I'll throw in a few extra bucks...call it the "if I'm accidentally a cheapskate" proviso.

No kidding?! Cool! Congrats, Nick! Jolly good to see one of our other dignified gentlemen filling in for Mr. Datsyuk whilst he settled his dispute with Mr. Perry. Sometimes biting one's thumb at one's rival just isn't enough to express one's indignation at a certain offense.

Ditto. Pavs, as always, was excellence personified, and Helm is like the shrimp and grits of hockey...you just don't get any more soul than that. Howard I was really worried about, but boy did he come through. He put Bryzgalov, Luongo, Quick, Thomas, you name 'em to shame when it counted...nothing fancy, just total steadiness. I'm so proud of all my boys, though! Great series!

Yeah, I definitely liked how hard he worked last night. I wish he'd gotten to play a whole season with the Wings...just when he was finally starting to get used to playing with the Wings, he gets injured, and because of that, he just doesn't have the chemistry built up with the other guys. Anyway, for not getting to play much this year, you can tell he's really doing the best he can right now and being pro about it, and I appreciate that.

Schweet. I didn't want to see Boston go down that easily. This is much more like it! Hehe, I like the Bruins even more after seeing that pic...

HUGS FOR EVERYBODY, AHHHH!!!! I don't even know what to say. This is so...RAD!! I didn't know they could do it in 4, but I thought they might...5 sounded more reasonable, but a sweep didn't seem out of the question. Thanks so much Wings for exceeding expectations! I love that Howard quote...might have to put that in my sig.

Only saw the last 2 minutes and OT, but...holy wtf! First of all, that's pretty amazing that, once again, the team with no offense was up 4-0. What's REALLY mind-boggling, though, is that the thing they ARE known for - defense - went flying right out the window and into their own net. Good grief, Charlie effing Brown. Who knows what's going to happen next? I mean, I still have a feeling the Sharks are going to win, but what a wonky series.

I know, right? Which other rookie has his own song? And with Autotune, no less! I'm gonna go with Skinner. Nice point about Grabner, though; he's done a lot with no help at all. Skinner just sticks out in my mind, though, from a non-scientific perspective.

I completely agree. I don't especially want to play the Sharks, but I want to play the Preds even less...I'd like for the Wings to see the front of the net every once in a while. Anaheim would be my preference, too (especially because I could go to a game!). If San Jose and Nashville could just have a meltdown, I would much appreciate it.

Same crappy phone camera (couldn't find the thing you plug the card into for the real one), but it seemed like a shame to not post a pic of two big, beautiful red beads while they're still unblemished by any white (and hopefully they will continue to be so).

Let's play ALL 60 minutes...not the last 40, not the first 40 and then 10 at the end...no. Every. Single. Minute. It's just one game - let's do it.

Oui, au début de la série, j'ai pensé que l'un ou l'autre pourrait gagner, mais ça m'étonne que Boston ait joué tellement mal. Comment dit-on "choke" en français? Ah, voilà, c'est "s'étouffer."

Ahh, okay. Makes sense! Yeah, 5 games seems realistic to me, and I agree about 6 and 7. This could go to 6, I suppose, but I don't know, maybe it's just because I'm on a sugar high right now, but I really think 5 is doable. 7...please God no.

You don't want them to win in 4? Or just don't think they will? ...Or do you want them to win at home? Haha, sorry, I'm obviously being thick here.

Well, yeah, I'd rather have him in as many Round 2 games as possible, but I just had to let a little swagger out right there.