Heroes of Hockeytown

In a just universe he'd get it; as it stands the fact that he was nominated is definitely huge. Major props to Pavel on his huge year.

Thank god we got you out of that hellhole, eh? You're lucky we came back for you! That leap from the jeep to the helicopter was pretty clutch though, the Tyrannosaurs was bearing down on you fast.

Yeah, I agree. Just throwing all the big names out there.

Sammy looks like such a dork in his portrait in the second one.

We are in agreement. Make it so!

Let the brutal 10:30PM start time grind begin.

Well, I went 5-3 on my first round picks. You win 5 out of every 8 games in the NHL and you win the President's Trophy. What a massive chokejob by the Devils in the final minute... And what a big goal for a guy that was used to scoring big goals, Fedorov. EDIT: Incidentally, that goal by Fedorov was very similar to his heroic game winner vs. the Caps in the Finals all those years ago. Streaking up his off-wing, cut to the net, (okay, he didn't really do that this time) rip a wrister high and hard. The old man's still got it.

By being Fedorov, primarily: an elite scoring threat that also happens to be one of the best defensive forwards in the game. In the same way Steve, Nick, or Shanny were essential in those Cup runs, so was Fedorov.

I'm sure there will still be commercials about the Penguins first round triumph in the offseason even when the Wings hoist another Cup.

Oh, come off it. Yeah, yeah, he went down when Vandermeer gave him the business; he's also stood in front a thousand times to screen and tip, and crash the net to bang home the garbage. And ARice, good write up. That was more or less what I was trying to say.

Certainly fair to say, the Ducks top line is better than ever. Can't argue with the Rafalski slam, I expect him to get beat one on one on the outside at least once this series. Nick, though, is playing as well as he ever has. I think it's also fair to note than in '07 the Wings top guns were Hank, Pavel, Robert Lang (much love, but he was a ******* bum), and Homer. This was before Hudler, Franzen or Filppulla broke out, and guys like Bertuzzi and Calder were in making zero impact in the post season. Plus, you know, Hossa. The '09 Wings are, on paper at least, much better than their '07 predecessors up front.

Uh, would you really? If you anticipate something bad to happen, and then something bad happens, I'd say you're still unhappy at the end of the day. Not that I take issue with your picks one way or the other, but this reasoning is suspect.

The Sharks get a bad rap for choking (rightfully so) but it's about time the hockey world recognizes that the Flames haven't done s*** since their run to the Finals five years ago. As it stands, the Sharks have won more playoff series since then than the Flames have, which isn't impressive since any team that has won any at all has more.

I agree. My main point was that it's not realistic to anticipate the Ducks' big line being shut down, and that even though they did a great job against the Pens they still got their fair share of goals.

Agreed. If this series was any indication of their discipline level, the Wings' power play is going to eat the Ducks alive. Even if they are more disciplined, they'll have a tough time holding down three scoring lines without taking more penalties.

He and his mates will get their goals, but basically the Duck's strat is to pray the big line gets three goals and to keep the opposition under that number. They have virtually zero scoring from any of their other lines, which wasn't a problem against the Sharks because they did in fact get 2-4 goals a game and kept the Sharks to one or no goals. I don't think the Wings will have an easy time holding that line down, even though Hank and Nick and crew are much better than anything the Sharks had to offer, but I don't think that one line will be able to outscore the Wings' three, even with their world-class defense and good goaltending holding the fort.

Crosby and Hossa scored a lot on the Wings last year.

Quack quack... revenge is a dish best served by the Wings. Prepare yourselves, Ducks! >

God, the Sharks suck. I don't think I could possibly emphasize that enough.

None of Getzlaf, Perry, or Ryan are even 25 yet.

A loudmouth wise man once said, "Youth and enthusiam will only take you so far. I'd rather be old and smart than young and dumb anyday."

R.I.P. San Jose Sharks October 2008-April 2009

^^I submit that it is quite possible Teemu heard me before that last rush.

Prepare to enter the Twilight Zone: George Parros has been more dangerous in this game than Teemu Selanne.

Ten guesses as to which pair outscored the other in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals.