Gizmo

For the NHL, I think the biggest short term impact might be the end of the RBK monopoly on jerseys. I think you may be reading too much into the case. The case is about the the NFL's attempt to enforce licensing contracts with 3rd parties across all of the teams in obvious violation of antitrust laws.

How about the old UHL team the Port Huron Flags... As one person put it "Why would anyone pick a name where you can remove one letter and it becomes a slur?!?!?!"

Works for me... I couldn't help giggling through most of the 3rd period last night.

"Well, you can't make the Stanley Cup Finals every year!!!"

Even though Draper is my older son's favorite player, I think it's time for him to ride off into the sunset. Maltby too. Both have had fantastic careers, but I think it's time.

If it hadn't been for Game 3, I might agree. Our 3rd periods were also pretty lackluster across the whole affair.

Thanks guys! All things considered it was a great run! And lastly, thanks for Game 4... that was the most fun I've ever had at The Joe!!!

I cannot go along with that... I think Mickey's summation at the end of the broadcast summed it up. SJ deserved full credit for winning this thing, but the refs didn't help matters. That no-call on the hit on Franzen was the bad officiating coup de grace of the whole series.

Canucks in full melt down mode now. Chicago up 4-2 and they now have a 5-3 due to stupid penalties. Another game, another Blackhawks hat trick (Toews)... and another 5 on 3.

Man, 24 hours later and still no "5"... it's gotta be serious! Get well soon Matt!!!

Looks like the 'Nucks are continuing to get out played at home.

(Of course, if that had been Holmstrom you could bet the farm that it would have been waved off as goaltender interference!!!)

It's not just the Wings that suffer this phenomenon... it's very common. After putting so much blood, sweet, and tears into an effort, it's naturally hard to turn right around and ramp things up again. The only thing that'll be working for us is that "3" on the Sharks side of the equation and the fact that the Wings know what happens if it goes to "4". Cornered teams often play with more desperation. Even worse, we now have to play a team on their home ice that we've embarrassed and ticked off. Not a good combination.

Man what a night last night. We rolled back into Kalamazoo around 1 AM. Last night was probably the most fun I've had at JLA (and that includes watching the Wings shut out the Pens in 2008). To say the joint was rocking was an understatement. I've never felt the upper bowl floor shake that much before. It was LOUD, LOUD, LOUD in there. Given the 0-3 nature of the series I thought the crowd would be "light"... man was I wrong! It was shoulder to shoulder most of the time out in the concourse during intermissions.

For what it's worth... my ears are still ringing from last night at The Joe!

Yeah, thanks for posting that. Up in Georgetown Ice Arena near Hudsonville there's a display case with a memorial about a local Pee-Wee player that was killed in a car accident in Chicago while the family was in their way to a tournament in Minnesota about 6-7 years ago. Whenever things aren't going well up there in that rink with one of my kids' games, I think about that memorial.

Well at least we've played a lot better than the Flyers!!!

One of the reasons I'm going to tomorrow night is that I suspect it will be my last chance to see a game at JLA... I think the only question is will it be "the last game, period"... or "the last game in its current configuration"?

All I know is that I have tickets for tomorrow's game and I feel like I'm going to a wake! I'm not sure what I think about this playoff run... We struggled against the Coyotes during the regular season and that didn't change too much in the first round, but at least we came out on top. We did well against the Sharks in the regular season, but the 2nd round has obviously been different. All three games so far easily could have come out differently. The officiating in 1 & 2 clearly hobbled the team, but we own the last loss.

I'm calling Pavelski "backdoor" 55 seconds into the OT.

Nope, they weren't all bad, but the bad ones often have come at the worst possible time for the Wings... such as the "high stick" (with diving added for effect) called on Flipper in Game 1 that set up the 5-3 that netted the GWG. When the Versus guys mention the "selling" of the call, you know it's bad. It sucks, but I'm not freaking out by it. It's asking a lot of the Wings to try and fight BOTH the Sharks and Refs. The Sharks still look very "beatable", it's just that the Wings haven't been able to buy a break in the first 2 games. If they hunker down now, and we get some Refs from the usual "let them play" school of Playoff officiating, then we're still alive.

All in all, I don't feel too bad about this one... we spotted them 3 goals, and the ref have been brutal to us, and we're only down one goal.

You nailed it... and as for the Wings fans, there's a perception that many aren't really "true" hockey fans but instead like the Wings mainly because it's "fashionable" to do so. They think that if the Wings were to hit the skids, most fans would disappear overnight.

I agree, it's great that there's chemistry between the two. Ozzie's playing his hand well. I'm glad he's not pulled a "Legace" with a "I'm #1, or I'm gone!" 'tude!

I happily confess that I was 100% wrong about Howard before the start of the season. Based on Jimmy's prior starts I prayed that Ozzie would stay healthy this year. The kid honestly scared me. It's amazing instead how far Howard has come in this short time!