T-Ruff

IMO things like this should be suspension worthy, he obviously intended to do it.... absolutely ridiculous. However, I think we all know its not going to happen.

I think we'll see the Wings of the 2nd half of game 2 and skate to a smooth victory.... Datsyuk and Hossa will arrive on the scoreboard as well

I was under the impression that with Leino's season performance he would be in the playoffs for sure.... Oh well I'm sure the coaching staff knows what they're doing. I'd like to see him in at somepoint though, and I definitely would like to see him stick around....

Quinn seems like the obvious choice here.... which is good because then Pierre will stay on television

Sportsnet is a 2nd rate network and I can't remember the last time they carried NHL playoff hockey.... in Canada the rights are exclusively between CBC and TSN. Actually it's a great deal for TSN, they traded a game they couldn't air anyway (they have to air Nascar on TSN2) for an elimination game of the Pittsburgh/Washington series, if it goes that far (game 6)... They still have the rest of the Anaheim/Detroit series....

Yes, I'm pretty sure they stream all their HNIC online, every time I've checked it was avialable....

double

TSN isn't in control of giving you TSN2, the providers choose if they want to pay TSN to carry the channel, and every provider has done that so far except for Rogers

Meh, not a big deal, IMO... I can understand why they put the first round series on TSN2 for the most part, it isn't and wasn't as exciting as some of the other series they had... In this case, only game 1 is on TSN2.... the rest are all on TSN... (game 7 is scheduled to be TSN2 also, but only if Boston/Carolina goes to game 7.... and there's still a chance of TSN switching them, like they did in round 1 with one of the games) It also appears that Rogers is the only television provider in Canada that doesn't carry the channel... Considering the amount of outrage over this from their customers, I'm sure they will add it soon...

Just a note: the puck drops on Round 2 Thursday, 9:00 ET (Chicago @ Vancouver) DET/ANA 4-1 VAN/CHI 4-3 BOS/CAR 4-1 WSH/PIT 4-3

I want the Caps to win... But I fear the Pens are a better team

I see what you mean, However, I just cheer for the team I like more.... and I've always hated the Canes since their incredibly fortuitous 2006 win *shakes fist*

Man...What a stunner f*** you Carolina.... Go Bruins

I am cheering for the Capitals and the Devils, and I think they will come out on top... The Capitals I am more confident in of the two, the Rangers are a one-man team and I don't think he can carry them out of this game with the offense struggling and he himself having been pulled in 2 straight.... And the fact that the Rangers do not belong in the 2nd round and would be pounded by the Bruins (i.e. a boring series).... I think Brodeur will get it done tonight in a goaltending battle, the Devils offense is also due for a breakout... and I think the Canes have been playing over their heads since the last 8 games of the season or so, it can't last... And the Canes are in my top 3 most hated teams in the league One bonus from a Hurricanes win would be a Penguins vs Washington 2nd round matchup (assuming the latter beats the Rangers of course)

It'll be Thomas, Columbus wouldn't be as lost without Mason as some people think, IMO... i.e. I think they still would've been around the playoff picture if say, when Leclaire went down, they had to grab Gerber or something.... (To reiterate a post I made previously): Part of the credit for his work this year belongs to Hitchcock and his defensively sound system. Even last year the Blue Jackets were 9th in the league in goals against, despite finishing 24th overall (dead last in goals for). Leclaire is a great goalie as well, but I don't think its a coincidence that he also had 9 shutouts last year (to Mason's 10) The fact that the Jackets were 7th in the West is not directly a function of Steve Mason, but of the fact that the rest of the team is much better around him than it was around Leclaire last season, while the exceptional goaltending remained constant... (eg This season the Jackets were still 9th in GA, but jumped up 9 spots in GF) Concerning the shutouts, they are often just as much a team stat as they are a goalie stat. This is the case in 4 of Mason's shutouts in which he faced 20 shots or less (15, 17, 19, 20).... (the rest are 24, 26, 27, 33, 35, 45 for the record) When we look at SV% (in which Mason is tied for 11th with a solid .916) we find Miller (.918), Chris Mason (.916), and Rinne (.917), Smith (.916), Vokoun(.926)/Anderson(.924), with similar or better SV% on teams that are arguably worse defensively.... Not trying to discredit Steve Mason, his accomplishments, or his great potential... But he shouldn't win the Vezina this year....

Nothing against Pang (he's one of the best/a favourite of mine also), but I'll take the guy who was mentored by the greatest hockey mind of all time (Scotty ) and maintains his friendship to this day every time.... There's a reason Pierre McGuire has been called a hockey encyclopedia... eg. he will be able to tell you what virtually any former player is doing now, and where virtually any former and current player played before they entered the NHL (Jr., College, Europe, etc). That might not command everyone's respect, but it sure does mine... his insightful and entertaining analysis is just a compliment to his expertise.

Torts is awesome.... But I agree with the suspension of course

Hating Pierre sure is the cool thing to do, but the fact remains that he is the most knowledgeable hockey personality in the game today Pang is great too

Sucks for the Flyers, they were the better team

He's played a total of 20 NHL games... I don't think he can be considered either a dud or success yet

I'd be shocked if Lidstrom won it this year, considering the appeal of the other two candidates and that Lidstrom's won it so many times... I think it'll go to Chara

I was anticipating the return of this game SJS/ANA 4-3 DET/CLB 4-1 VAN/STL 4-3 CHI/CAL 4-3 BOS/MTL 4-1 WSH/NYR 4-1 NJD/CAR 4-2 PHI/PIT 4-3 Western Champ: Detroit Eastern Champ: New Jersey Stanley Cup Champ: Detroit Chicago/Calgary was by far the hardest one for me to call... p.s. you have an extra DET/CLS series listed in your template

I think the Wings are a much better team with Leino and Helm in the line up in place of say, Maltby and Kopecky.... I hope they play

I found an .svg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7...up_Playoffs.svg

Yeah I wouldn't dismiss Phoenix so quickly