St. Patrick's Day

Another two series started last night, but once again I didn't see a minute of them (although I did catch brief sections of the Sens game on XM radio). From what I gather the Sharks looked pretty dominant in their win over the Wings. Maybe the Flames softened up Detroit enough to make it easy for the Sharks to advance.

I spent my day at the Telus Cup. Turns out this year's tournament is attracting a lot of hockey royalty. Red Deer Rebels head coach has been a regular in his corner
standing spot. NBC personality Ray Ferraro has been here all week watching his son Landon on the Vancouver North West Giants. Ray's wife and Landon's step-mother CammiGranato has also been a regular presence.

Thursday it was Patrick Roy who rolled into town. His son Frederick plays on the St.-Francois Blizzard from Quebec City, where the elder Roy coaches the Quebec Ramparts. While Ferraro's Giants were in the process of upsetting Roy's Blizzard, Patrick was busy signing autographs and answering questions from reporters (including yours truly).

Apparently there is no truth to the rumours that Aaron Klatt (Vancouver) and Gillaume Goulet (St. Francois) are related to their NHL namesakes.

For the record, Prince Albert clinched first place in the round-robin with a 2-0 win over Red Deer Thursday. Red Deer has clinched a playoff spot heading into their game against Quebec today. St.-Francois, St. John's and Vancouver are battling for the last two semifinals berths.

Sundress

The second round got underway last night, but the Telus Cup kept me pre-occupied, so once again I missed the games. As an aside, the Red Deer team is doing quite well for themselves at the national midget AAA championships. They are 3-0 so far, with goaltender Marc Boulganger recording three straight shutouts. Red Deer has outscored their opposition 17-0.

I think that it's worth noting that for the four periods I've been present in the building Red Deer has scored 14 times. In the five periods where I've been slaving over a hot computer back atAdvocate HQ they've only scored three. This can't be a coincidence.

I found out today the 2008 Telus Cup is in Ottawa. Hockey Canada might want to consider getting a restraining order against me, I appear to be following this tournament across the country.

But back to the NHL. Although I don't have anything to say, this photo provided by poolie Colleen Racine is worth 1,000 words.

On to Ottawa

Something is amiss, there was no NHL playoff game for me not to watch while I was working Tuesday night. After two hockey-saturated weeks, many fans were left with a little too much time on their hands.

I blame Gary Bettman for this scheduling SNAFU (actually I guess I should blame Miikka Kiprusoff, if he hadn't let in a pair of soft goals against Detroit Sunday night, the Flames and Wings would have been battling tooth and nail in Game 7).

So I need something else to write about. I could tell you all about Red Deer's 10-0 win at the Telus Cup, but I think that would have limited appeal to this blog's audience (but in a nutshell, they were kick ass good).

But I do have some news that may have a direct impact on your pool experience in the second round. I recently accepted a job in Ottawa, which means for the second year in a row I will be moving halfway across the country right in the middle of the playoffs. Second round updates may be a bit sporadic on my end as I traverse Northern Ontario. For instance, I'm not sure how many Internet cafes there are betweenGeraldton and Kapuskasing.

Fortunately for all of you, everyone's brackets are published here (also available on the sidebar). In my temporary absence feel free to calculate your own score and those of your friends and enemies.

I'm very excited about this move and look forward to seeing all the Ottawa poolies in person.

After the First Round

Here are the results after a thrilling first round. Players Eliminated are in parentheses.

1)Debb Coghlin - 92(0) Gomez the darling of the first round
2)Jordan Stein - 91(2) And you have him, too
3)Mike Macaraeg - 83(1) Strong team top to bottom
4)Arthur Casement - 79(1) This just in, basement jokes are getting old
5)Neil MacKinnon - 78(0) Will Bryzgalov tend the nets against Vancouver?
5)Ryan Plesko - 78(2) Now you have some bragging rights
5)Jack James - 78(6) Up near the top, as usual
8)Marlow Weldon - 77(1) Kicking yourself for picking Iggy
9)James Peters - 76(0) And I am doing the Balki Bartokomous "Dance of Joy"
9)Julianna Nowaczek - 76(1) Your squad should keep you in contention
11)Mike James - 74(7) Can't help but chuckle at your devotion to Dallas
11)Jennifer Hosfield - 74(6) Flames loss hurt you
13)James Gordon - 73(4) We're not tied! Praise be.
13)Peter James - 73(1) Rafalski your leading scorer
15)Colleen Racine - 72(1) Alone in the middle of the pack
16)Rob Shaw - 71(6) When the Thrashers loss, the Zhitnik hit the fan
17)Sean Hutchinson - 70(0) That's my bad joke of the day
18)Christopher Chapman - 69(0) Truthfully, there will be plenty more
19)Brenden Hope - 68(0) Team still intact, giving you plenty of... optimism
20)Janet Chapman - 67(2) Helped out by the dreaded Meszaros-Numminen combination
20)Mary Kay Hosfield - 67(5) Once again, a little too much Flames devotion
22)Lloyd Mack - 66(5) And that goes double for you
22)Colleen Turnbull - 66(1) Hoping for greater things from Fisher, Eaves
24)Jason Anthony - 64(7) Team a shell of its former self
24)Terry James - 64(2) Your team needs more Canucks
26)Kim Landon - 62(4) Taylor Pyatt once again a terrific pick
27)Jeff Sandelli - 57(8) On the plus side... Happy Birthday!
27)Peter Field - 57(5) Out of the basement!
29)Jason Trout - 47(3) Into the basement!

End of first round update

Apparently the Canucks finally found some offence tonight and they're safely into the second round. I'm not sure how I feel about this. In one sense it's good to see another Canadian team still alive in the tournament, but I've never really liked theCanucks. My dislike of the franchise dates back to the days of Geoff Courtnall and his propensity to exaggerate injuries to draw penalties. I'll never get over their playoff wins over the Winnipeg Jets in the mid 90s.

I didn't watch tonight's game (that seems to be a running theme when it comes to this year's playoffs) because the Telus Cup kicked off today and I was a rink rat. If any Alberta poolies want to catch some good hockey this week, come to Red Deer. If the first day of the tournament is any indication, we're in for some great hockey.

But I digress. All but two people took the Canucks to win the series, so once again points are flying all over the board. As for today's losers, Arthur Casement lost his chance at a perfect pool with the Stars loss. Mike James lost even more. The unofficial president of the Winnipeg chapter of the EricLindros fan club selected the Stars to go all the way. It was an high risk/high reward move which, unfortunately for him, backfired.

Otherwise the standings include only some minor re-shuffling due to people picking the right number of games.

1) Chris Chapman 29 A perfect pool would solidify your Hall of Fame credentials
1) Neil McKinnon 29 Engraving has begun on rookie of the year trophy
1) Ryan Plesko 29 I'm amazed how many people are perfect so far
4) Colleen Racine 27 Leaders have built a two point lead
4) Kim Landon 27 Living up to your Sports Insider moniker
4) Natalie James 27 Getting all packed, I presume
7) Mike McGuire 26 And you said you know little about hockey this year...
8) Colleen Turnbull 25 Colleens a combined 15/16 in first round
8) Debb Coghlin 25 Huge win for your Canucks
8) James Peters 25 Number of games tripping you up
11) Terry James 24 Keeping your nose near the leaders
11) Marlow Weldon 24 Not a bad sophomore result so far
13) Janet Chapman 23 Start rooting for those Red Wings
13) Julianna Nowaczek 23 Go Sens Go
13) Mary James 23 Leaped over your son
13) Mike Macaraeg 23 Mikes go a combined 21/24 in opening round
13) Sean Hutchinson 23 Stuck in 13th
18) Brenden Hope 22 Also leap frogged Mike
18) Arthur Casement 22 You're dropping faster then the Oilers after the Smyth trade
20) Ali Hewitt 21 Hanging in the top 2/3 of the pool
20) James Gordon 21 Still climbing, albeit in baby steps
20) Jenn Hosfield 21 Your last hoo-rah
20) Mike James 21 Who will drop quicker, you or your cousin Jenn?
20) Rob Shaw 21 Are they planning parades on the left coast yet?
25) Lloyd Mack 20 Kenora Thistles made the list in Road to Telus Cup in program
25) Jordan Stein 20 Reached the 20 point milestone
27) Jack James 19 Falling short of expectations, like the Flames
27) Mary Kay Hosfield 19 It's a family reunion in the pool basement
29) Jason Anthony 17 Just out of last place
30) Jason Trout 16 Jasons a combined 10/16 in opening round
30) Jeff Sandelli 16 What's worse, the Flames losing or being in last place?
30) Peter Field 16 Peters match Jasons at pathetic 10/16 pace
30) Peter James 16 The shame of it all

Update with a heavy heart

Well that was fun while it lasted.

The Calgary Flames checked out of the Stanley Cup tournament Sunday night, dropping a double OT decision to Detroit. I only caught bits and pieces of the game, whilst laying out a 7-page sports section and writing my final preview piece for this week's Telus Cup. But from what I saw the better team won. The Flames seemed to be hanging on for dear life just to stay in the game. Sure they had their chances (David Moss' miss on the open net was the most obvious I saw), but Detroit seemed to control the majority of the play.

I'm certainly sad to see Calgary exit in the first round for a second year in a row, but I'm probably not as shook up as poolies Jeff Sandelli and Jenn Hosfield. Jeff, a die hard Flames fan, took his team to go all the way to the Cup. Sunday's loss by Calgary just adds to the devastation in his Western bracket. Currently Jeff is 0/3 in Western Conference series, but Vancouver can buck that trend for him tonight.

You may remember Miss. Hosfield from the night the Penguins were eliminated. Now she can add the distinction of being the first poolie to have both her Stanley Cup finalists eliminated. Sorry Jenn.

Next up on the list of shame, none other than this blog's most prolific commentator Lloyd Mack. Another Flames fan, Lloyd had his team going all the way to the Western Conference final. Sunday's loss scraps another otherwisepromising bracket.

One housekeeping note: I found another calculation error tonight. Seems I shortchanged my brother three points way back on the Rangers/Thrashers series. That has been fixed. Not since theSteph White fiasco of 2000 has this pool experience such a preponderance of errors. I know this is unacceptable, but the only thing I can think of is I've been doing these updates at 2 a.m. and fatigue may be a factor. I will endeavour to eliminate these errors in subsequent rounds.

Alright, here's what you've all been waiting for:

1) Chris Chapman 25 You should start with a handicap next year, you're too good
1) Neil McKinnon 25 One man standing being Mr. Chapman and infamy
1) Ryan Plesko 25 Southern Alberta's best hope for a pool win
4) Colleen Racine 24 Falling off the pace, slightly
5) Kim Landon 23 You also dropped a point against the leaders
5) Natalie James 23 Welcome to the Top 5
7) Mike McGuire 22 Tough to make up ground when leaders are perfect
7) James Peters 22 Plan on cranking out any updates, big guy?
7) Arthur Casement 22 That Oilers letter is hilarious
10) Colleen Turnbull 21 Climbing into the Top 10
10) Debb Coghlin 21 Four points can be made up easily in second round
10) Mike James 21 Suddenly you're a contender
13) Sean Hutchinson 20 Hope people aren't jumping out of windows tonight
13) Terry James 20 Last among Shier Drive residents
13) Mike Macaraeg 20 So who gets your first JUG?
13) Mary James 20 Also last among Shier Drive residents
13) Marlow Weldon 20 You climb four spots with Wings win
13) Julianna Nowaczek 20 You dropped even though you had the Wings
13) Janet Chapman 20 Big logjam in the 13 hole
20) Brenden Hope 19 You've gone 6/7 yet are in 20th place. Amazing.
21) Rob Shaw 18 Defending champ making a run today
21) Ali Hewitt 18 Good at picking teams, not good at picking games
23) James Gordon 17 Up seven spots after going 2/2 today
23) Jenn Hosfield 17 Get ready to drop even more
23) Jordan Stein 17 I think you can still win this pool
23) Lloyd Mack 17 I do not think that you can
27) Mary Kay Hosfield 16 Good choice, not to pick with your heart
28) Jack James 15 You did pick with your heart and it cost you
29) Jason Anthony 13 I don't know if you went head or heart, but it didn't work
29) Jeff Sandelli 13 Will you finish in last? All signs point to maybe
29) Peter Field 13 Climbing out of the basement
29) Peter James 13 Whereas I sink towards the basement
33) Jason Trout 12 This year's version of Gary McKinnon*

*-McKinnon was a rookie in last year's pool recruited by RM who finished in last

Lightning struck down update

With only two series remaining in the first round, nine poolies still have clean sheets. I believe that is unprecedented and it's certainly a better performance compared to last year when the Western Conference seemed to do just about everybody in. The only thing that will prevent at least one poolie emerging from the first round with an 8/8 record is a Flames win, as all nine top contenders have the Red
Wings. However if the Flames do regain their composure and comeback it will create an interesting dynamic as many of the one- and two-losspoolies took Calgary. We will have to wait and see.

The Devils win was widely anticipated amongst poolies, with only two people electing to take a flier on the 2004 Stanley Cup champions. That means not a lot has changed in the standings, but there has been some minor re-shuffling once bonus points (and accounting errors)have been factored in.

Here are the standings:
1) Chris Chapman 21 Looking to become the first three-time champion
1) Colleen Racine 21 Your best pool performance to date!
1) Neil McKinnon 21 You've got company now
1) Ryan Plesko 21 It's about time one of RM's relatives wins this pool
5) Kim Landon 20 One bonus point short so far
6) Arthur Casement 19 A Dallas win will help your cause
6) James Peters 19 Will the Canucks score a goal Monday?
6) Mike McGuire 19 Recapturing the magic of the 2000 pool
6) Natalie James 19 Still eligible for two bonus points this round
10) Debb Coghlin 18 Tops among the one-loss poolies
11) Colleen Turnbull 17 Getting ready for the big move?
11) Jenn Hosfield 17 You somehow got left out of the last update, sorry
11) Julianna Nowaczek 17 Bonus point lifts you three spots
11) Lloyd Mack 17 You also benefited from Jersey in 6
11) Sean Hutchinson 17 What's the mood in Calgary before the big game?
11) Terry James 17 When are you opening up RRL?
17) Mike Maracaeg 16 One of the Tampa casualties
17) Mary James 16 Right in the middle of the pack
17) Marlow Weldon 16 Lack of bonus points hurting the 17th place crowd
17) Janet Chapman 16 Always in Chris' shadow it seems
17) Brenden Hope 16 Still trailing in the top high schooler race
22) Ali Hewitt 15 Zero bonus points killing your ranking
22) Jack James 15 You've gone 5/6, yet you're stuck down here
24) Rob Shaw 14 Leading the two wrong group
24) Mike James 14 You've passed me
24) Jordan Stein 14 Holding your ranking
27) James Gordon 13 Jersey win stops your bleeding
27) Jason Anthony 13 Picked up your first bonus point
27) Jeff Sandelli 13 At least you're doing better here than in the baseball pool
27) Mary Kay Hosfield 13 Look WAY up and you'll see your daughter
27) Peter James 13 I've got to find a way to cheat
32) Jason Trout 12 The other Lightning victim
33) Peter Field 9 This is what a 3/6 record gets you

If you can't beat 'em on the ice, then beat 'em in the alley

I just got back from work and got a chance to see the replay of Jamie McLennan going berserk. I must say such a stupid play couldn't have come from a more unlikely source. I've always thought off 'Noodles' as one of the more laid back players in the game, but I guess he's got quite a mean streak as well. I watched the first two periods of the game, before leaving in disgust to go into work. The first I heard of the McLennan slash was in the box score that moved on the wire. At first I though it must have been a mistake. How does a player get a minor slashing penalty, a major slashing penalty, a game misconduct and a match penalty on the same play, without anyone else gettingpenalized? Usually when something that crazy happens fights break out all over the place.

My next thought, without seeing the play or what led up to it, was the Flames were pissed off about something and sent McLennan out there to get revenge, figuring if he got suspended it wouldn't be the end of the world.

My next bit of info came courtesy of the Associated Press story which implied McLennan's attack was on the same scale of the Chris Simon slash to the head late in the season. Uponfurther review, I believe that McLennan's attack wasn't as malicious as Simon's. But I still think he should get a hefty suspension.

What does this mean for the Flames? In terms of a pure hockey impact not much. We all knew they'd be done if Kiprusoff ever got hurt. That doesn't change if it's McLennan on the bench or if it's Curtis McElhinney, Brent Krahn or even Leland Irving.

On the other hand it's pretty embarassing to be a Flames fan today. The only bright spot is the season didn't end on that note. Calgary has a chance to redeem themselves today. After Saturday's performance a win is not the most important thing any more,
playing with class is.

Trouble in Oil Country

I decided to flip through my sports section during the first intermission of the Flames/Wings game today. I just wanted to see how the colour turned out and how the paper looked. Then I noticed what was on Page B7. I knew last night it was a full page ad, but I didn't really know what it was. I don't usually have full page ads in the middle of my section.

Turns out the Edmonton Oilers took out the ad. I'll let the content of the letter the team wrote to its fans speak for itself, but I will admit I had a good laugh while reading it over.

It reads:

First we want to acknowledge your disappointment and that of the entire Oilers organization. Yes, our ultimate responsibility it to always compete at the upper echelons of the NHL and, regrettably, from January to March, we just didn't live up to our expectations, or yours.

From unplanned roster changes to start the season, to a bulging sick-bay, to a spring schedule with extended road trips, somehow the cards we were being dealt were not aces this year even after holding first place in the North West (sic) Division in late December. TheOilers roster for many games was manned by talented but inexperienced prospects from the farm system - fresh out of college or junior hockey. This will certainly turn into a great development opportunity for futureOilers teams but as for this season, we were unable to win with these challenges.

Knowledgeable hockey fans and observers know the rest. Core players never got on track until late in the season and some just didn't get it going at all. We know they gave it their best effort but there are still many long faces in our locker room. Our coaches and hockey management have publicly accepted responsibility for a season that didn't produce the desired result as planned under their leadership. EveryOilers employee and player wants you to know they share your frustration about our results this past year.

Still we have a business to run - so we move on - as professionals. At this moment we are scouting the amateur and professional hockey world for those player assets that will strengthen our team. At the same time our walking wounded are getting healthy again; ready and willing to restore your expectations of us as a competitive, world-class hockey organization.

We also want to share our feelings about the criticism our hometown has taken lately. Edmonton Oilers fans and citizens of Oil Country should make no apologies that Edmonton can be a tough place to play hockey. It is. When you play here the
passion runs full strength.

The fact is - there are over one million people living in Edmonton now, and hundreds of thousands more in Oil Country. Let's face it, we like it here and by-and-large therobust economic energy where we live is treating us very well. People are thriving here. They are proud to call it home. Corporations are also proud of sustaining and being sustained by the energy here and Canadians are moving here from places like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and other regions.

Sure you need a warm coat and snow tires - but to listen to some - you'd think we were the only city where winter happens every year. You and I both know that's not the case and all of us should be offended by that kind of 'drive by' criticism. This is a great cit. A terrific hockey market where the game is scared. That is
exactly what makes Edmonton a great place to play and a fine place to live.

This time last year we were all gearing up for one of the most thrilling Stanley Cup runs in the history of our franchise. That time crystallized the passion of our fans and defined Oil Country for all to see.

Oil Country is about hard work, grit, and passion. We signed on to play in the NHL - a league where you will get nowhere without those same qualities. The competition is fierce on and off the ice. Edmonton's NHL team is prepared to meet that competition on both fronts.

Sincerely,

Patrick LaForge
President and CEO, Edmonton Oilers

Another day, another update

Another couple series wrapped up tonight. Only James Gordon was surprised to see the Buffalo Sabres roll over the New York Islanders. In fact so many of you were so confident this series would wrap up quickly that the bonus points were flying all over the place.

The Sharks/Predators series, which showed so much promise early on has ended sooner than most hockey fans would have hoped. The most interesting aspect, from a pool perspective, is how so many of you took the Sharks. In theory the Predators were the favoured team here. Nashville was atop the Western Conference most of the regular season and had more points than the Sharks. Yet most poolies, myself included, took a look at their poor playoff history and decided to go with Thornton and company.

No one was seriously hurt by the departure of either the Islanders or Predators, but in my zeal to point of the failings of Miss Hosfield's bracket last night, I neglected to finger Mr. Gordon as another making an early departure from the ranks of poolies with hope. The Islanders pick is just another nail in James' coffin, but the real death blow was the Wild's loss Thursday. They were his Western Conference champion.

With five teams eliminated from the playoff tournament, every single poolie still has their champion intact. That will come to an end as soon as the Detroit/Calgary and Vancouver/Dallas series wrap up.

Here are the latest standings, and remember to check out the link on the sidebar to get a peak at everyone's picks.

UPDATE: 12:30 p.m., Saturday. I neglected to give Ryan Plesko any of his seven Friday night points. That has now been reflected in the revised standings below.

1) Neil McKinnon 18 One of the best starts in pool history
2) Colleen Racine 17 Be sure to tell Jefford what he's missing
2) Kim Landon 17 Keep up the smack talking, it's working
2) Ryan Plesko 17 Please accept my apologies
5) Natalie James 16 Any luck finding subletters?
5) Mike Macaraeg 16 Brodeur could ruin your clean sheet
5) James Peters 16 Canucks win tonight and you get a bonus point
5) Chris Chapman 16 Damn, you're good at this pool thing
9) Arthur Casement 15 Sick of the Oiler jokes yet? I hope not?
9) Debb Coghlin 15 Bonus points make up for your Thrashers pick
9) Mike McGuire 15 On the other hand, you're still waiting for a bonus point
12) Sean Hutchinson 14 Still in striking distance
12) Colleen Turnbull 14 Nashville drops you back to the pack
14) Brenden Hope 13 How about that, 13th place and 13 points*
14) Janet Chapman 13 Hope you're not superstitious*
14) Julianna Nowaczek 13 Another Predator casualty
14) Lloyd Mack 13 Friday's column was very well put
14) Marlow Weldon 13 Brodeur was brilliant tonight, good news for you
14) Terry James 13 Thanks for the hot news tip
20) Mary James 12 Looking forward to your phone call
20) Jason Trout 12 Four out of five right, yet 19th place
20) Jack James 12 Big game this morning, are you ready?
20) Ali Hewitt 12 Another Canuck fan hoping for the series to end in six
24) Rob Shaw 10 And now we get to the also ran club
24) Peter James 10 I'm a charter member
24) Mike James 10 Nice to have some family to commiserate with
24) Mary Kay Hosfield 10 This club needs a special handshake
24) Jordan Stein 10 And I nominate you as the guy to come up with one
24) Jeff Sandelli 10 So far you are 0 for the West
30) James Gordon 9 Still stuck in single digits
30) Jason Anthony 9 You actually tripled your point output Friday night
32) Peter Field 6 Amazingly all your second round winners still intact

*these comments were based on the faulty assumption that Ryan Plesko was in 23rd place, not second place. His correct point total means 13 points gets you 14th place, which less interesting.

Now you can check my math

I've completed the task of inputting the entries online. You can check
them out at this site. There is also a link on the sidebar for future reference.

I apologize in advance for the wonky formatting, but things got a little screwy when I uploaded it from my computer. If you notice any errors in your picks let me know.

I believe you need a Google account to access this document. But for those of you who don't have one try this:

Username: hockeypool2007
password: manitoba

Things are Starting to Take Shape

Once again, view the spreadsheet here.

1)Mike Macaraeg - 69 - 1 player eliminated
2)Neil MacKinnon - 67 - 0 players eliminated
3)Debb Coghlin - 66 - 0 players eliminated
4)Mike James - 62 - 3 players eliminated
5)James Peters - 61 - 0 players eliminated
5)James Gordon - 61 - 4 players eliminated
7)Jennifer Hosfield - 60 - 0 player eliminated
8)Christopher Chapman - 59 - 0 players eliminated
8)Peter James - 59 - 0 players eliminated
10)Jordan Stein - 57 - 2 players eliminated
10)Arthur Casement - 57 - 0 players eliminated
10)Ryan Plesko - 57 - 1 player eliminated
10)Lloyd Mack - 57 - 0 players eliminated
10)Sean Hutchinson - 57 - 0 players eliminated
15)Julianna Nowaczek - 56 - 0 players eliminated
16)Marlow Weldon - 55 - 0 players eliminated
17)Kim Landon - 54 - 2 players eliminated
17)Brenden Hope - 54 - 0 players eliminated
17)Jack James - 54 - 0 players eliminated
20)Colleen Turnbull - 53 - 1 player eliminated
21)Janet Chapman - 52 - 2 players eliminated
21)Jason Anthony - 52 - 4 players eliminated
21)Rob Shaw - 52 - 4 players eliminated
24)Colleen Racine - 51 - 0 players eliminated
25)Jeff Sandelli - 50 - 0 players eliminated
26)Mary Kay Hosfield - 49 - 2 players eliminated
27)Terry James - 47 - 2 players eliminated
28)Jason Trout - 41 - 2 players eliminated
29)Peter Field - 37 - 3 players eliminated

Ducks tame Wild update

Good morning poolies:

After much soul searching I've come to an important realization. To avoid future embarrassment I will no longer enter the Sons of Manitoba pool. Sure I'll still run this thing along with James Peters every year, but I won't make any picks. Because honestly, it's very deflating to do poorly year after year. Two updates in this time around I'm still in last place.

But at least I'm not Jenn Hosfield. My Calgary cousin would likely kick all our butts in a field hockey pool, but she'll be hard pressed to win the team side of this year's Sons of Manitoba pool this time around. She threw her support behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, a bold decision to get ahead of the pack on a team that will be very popular in future pools. While the Buffalo Sabres were the top pick this year, I'm sure the Penguins will be the team to beat in 2009. Unfortunately for Jenn and the assorted Senator-haters who enter this pool every year, the Penguins lost out last night.

Minnesota Wild also kissed off Thursday night, losing to Anaheim. No poolies were as bullish on the Wild as this blogger but I few us still drank the JacquesLemaire kool-aid and predicted a first round upset.

Here are the standings:
1) Neil McKinnon 11 First to pull away from the pack
2) Ryan Plesko 10 Ducks safely through, that helps you
2) Natalie James 10 I never pictured you as a Canucks fan
2) Mike Macaraeg 10 Crusader pride
2) Julianna Nowaczek 10 Ravens pride
2) James Peters 10 Not back, for a 'Nucks fan
2) Colleen Racine 10 Here come the Colleens
2) Colleen Turnbull 10 It's neck-and-neck this year
2) Chris Chapman 10 Welcome to the leaderboard
10) Arthur Casement 9 Nine points, isn't that what the Oilers got after Christmas?
10) Kim Landon 9 Trash talking has got you into the top 10
10) Mary James 9 When did the women in my family start picking the Canucks?!?
10) Mike McGuire 9 Your Red Wings need to turn things around
14) Sean Hutchinson 7 Good call taking the Ducks in 5
14) Jeff Sandelli 7 Kipper's playing well, eh
14) Debb Coghilin 7 Another Ducks in 5 pick
17) Ali Hewitt 6 And here we go with the 2/3 parade
17) Brenden Hope 6 You're second place amongst high schoolers
17) Jack James 6 Should Regehr draw in if he's healthy?
17) Janet Chapman 6 Chris' picks appear and he's beating you
17) James Gordon 6 A Buffalo win tonight will drop you down a fair bit
17) Jason Trout 6 The Lightning are your ace in the hole
17) Lloyd Mack 6 Was the Flames game available on the dish?
17) Marlow Weldon 6 Not bad, for a radio guy
17) Mike James 6 Also second place in the key high school battle ground
17) Terry James 6 Yesterday's big generated good press
27) Rob Shaw 3 You top the list of the last-place group
27) Peter James 3 Still on place for my Top-30 finish
27) Peter Field 3 Battle of the Peters is a race to the bottom
27) Mary Kay Hosfield 3 Welcome to the basement club
27) Jordan Stein 3 One out of three is a good batting average
27) Jason Anthony 3 It's not a good pool strategy

Rangers win update

The first series has ended, so it's time for our first look at the standings on the team side of things. Quite frankly it's not too exciting as not a single poolie predicted a Rangers sweep, so there's a massive tie at the top.

The Rangers quick win (or more accurately the Thrashers quick loss) will have a lasting impact on one poolie in particular. Yes, our defending champion likely won't be defending for much longer. Rob Shaw was the long poolie to have the Thrashers in the Stanley Cup final. Taking a surprise Southeast Division team has been a useful strategy in recent years, but it appears to have backfired this year.

I don't have many thoughts on this series, I didn't actually see much of it. I took the Thrashers expecting them to be pumped for their first playoff trip in franchise history, but that clearly wasn't the case. It should also be noted that Keith Tkachuk lost in the first round once again. I think there's been enough of a precedent set now that it's safe to pick against any team Tkachuk plays for in the first round.

This is usually the time of year where I give a breakdown on pool stats. That will have to wait a day or two, but check back soon. Also new this year, I will be posting all the entries online in the coming days. This will everyone to check my math and quiet the "Pete the Cheat" chants from the peanutgallery (by the way, if I was cheating, I think I would have a much better track record).

Without further ado, here are the standings:

Ali Hewitt 3 Not taking the Canucks to win the Cup? Blasphemous.
Arthur Casement 3 Boy, those Oilers sure suck, eh.
Colleen Turnbull 3 Is this the year the Sens finally figure out the playoffs?
Colleen Racine 3 Nice to still have a Carleton employee in the pool.
Jack James 3 Playfair must have listened to you, no McCarty
Janet Chapman 3 I can't find an entry from Chris this year, did he send one in?
James Gordon 3 That Islanders pick, while gutsy, is likely wrong
James Peters 3 You've got the early Peters, but this a marathon not a sprint
Jeff Sandelli 3 You've been silent in the trade Iginla debate
Jenn Hosfield 3 You need the Penguins to turn things around
Julianna Nowaczek 3 The Buffalo/Ottawa conference final is a popular pick
Kim Landon 3 How'd the painting turn out?
Lloyd Mack 3 If I gave bonus points for blog comments, you'd be winning
Mary James 3 You took a lot of sweeps, but not in this series
Mike McGuire 3 Don't underestimate your hockey knowledge
Mike James 3 You may have overestimated yours
Mike Macaraeg 3 And it's unanimous, the Mikes like the Rangers
Natalie James 3 Soon to be our only Saskatchewan poolie (I think)
Neil McKinnon 3 Tops on the player side and tied for the lead here
Ryan Plesko 3 Your sister should enter this thing, she is married to a poolmaster
Terry James 3 Apparently the Innisfail biodiesel plant still has some hurdles
Sean Hutchinson 0 Thrashers loss hurts, Sharks win was good news for you
Rob Shaw 0 It's all downhill from here for you
Peter James 0 I'm still gunning for a Top 30 finish
Peter Field 0 Battle of the Peters will be intense
Mary Kay Hosfield 0 Welcome to the basement
Marlow Weldon 0 Thanks for coming back for a second year
Jordan Stein 0 Brodeur will have to settle down for you to have a chance
Jason Trout 0 Taking the Thrashers a rookie mistake
Jason Anthony 0 Mikes are smarter than Jasons so far
Debb Coghlin 0 So the Avs FINALLY missed the playoffs.
Brenden Hope 0 Only one way to go from here...

First Update!!

Here's where you can see the details.

1)Neil MacKinnon - 54 - A Crosby-like rookie performance
2)Mike Macaraeg - 53 - Craig Rivet an inspired pick
3)Debb Coghlin - 51 - Langenbrunner always manages to come through
4)James Peters - 48 - Tied with you again Gordon! When will I escape your evil clutches?
4)James Gordon - 48 - We were tied in more than just name last year
6)Jordan Stein - 45 - Strong showing from a SOM veteran
6)Arthur Casement - 45 - A promising placement
6)Ryan Plesko - 45 - If your objective is beating me, you're failing
9)Christopher Chapman - 44 - Jagr looking good... why didn't I pick him?
9)Mary Kay Hosfield - 44 - Winning the Hosfield Challenge
9)Colleen Turnbull - 44 - Winning the Colleen Challenge
12)Mike James - 43 - Winning the Jamps Family Challenge
12)Jennifer Hosfield - 43 - The Hosfield Challenge is a close one
12)Julianna Nowaczek - 43 - Still waiting for Zetterberg to appear
15)Peter James - 41 - I enjoyed your realtime blog
15)Janet Chapman - 41 - I have to respect the ex-Jet Teppo pick
15)Rob Shaw - 41 - Leaving Sandelli in your dust this year
15)Colleen Racine - 41 - Just 5 points out of 6th
15)Kim Landon - 41 - You're "boo yeah" isn't helping... yet
20)Lloyd Mack - 40 - Heh heh... look at all them Flames
20)Brenden Hope - 40 - Mike Fisher your "unique" pick of the year
22)Sean Hutchinson - 39 - An incomplete game by Bryzgalov gives you hope for Giguere
22)Marlow Weldon - 39 - You can't blame your Oilers for this
24)Terry James - 38 - All alone in spot #24
25)Jason Anthony - 37 - All alone in spot #25
26)Jack James - 36 - You're suffering from the Flameout too
27)Jeff Sandelli - 31 - Decided to dog it after your regular season win?
28)Jason Trout - 30 - I'm afraid you're floundering

It's hockey night

Alright, here we go with this live blogging attempt. Not sure what I'll write about for the next six hours, but it can't be that hard right.

5:04 p.m. - My big plan today was to try and get two TV's going so I could watch both the CBC and TSN games. But for whatever reason, I can't seem to pick up CBC over the air. CH, Global, City and CTV all come in clear as a whistle, but Canada's national broadcaster is nowhere to be found. So I'll have to settle for flipping with the remote control.

5:07 p.m. - The moment of silence for the Virginia Tech victims was classy. Yesterday I couldn't help but think about what it would be like to be a student and res fellow at that school.

5:09 p.m. - Anthem dude (I didn't catch his name) sure rushed through the Canadian version.

5:13 p.m. - Good, quick pace to start the game. If it continues like this it will be must-see-TV

8:41 p.m. - That camera in the corner angle can be quite annoying at times. You miss what's happening on the rest of the ice.

5:15 p.m. - Fluky goal, but they all count. This just proves the age old adage that it's never wrong to shoot the puck. The goal is under review, but I agree with the announcers, Neil never touched it.

5:20 p.m. - Uggh. 1-0 Rangers. My Atlanta pick isn't looking so hot. In fact going into tonight three of my first round winners (Minnesota, Calgary and Atlanta) are a combined 0-7. Looks like continued futility in this pool is assured.

5:30 p.m. - The Sens just got away with having too many men on the ice. That's a penalty that's not called enough. In last night's games there were at least two certain too many men on the ice calls that were missed.

5:32 p.m. - 2-0 Rangers. The Thrashers got into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history this year, but it's looking like they won't win a game. And now it's 3-0.

5:35 p.m. - Can you imagine how good the Peguins power play will be when Crosby, Malkin and company actually grow up?

5:45 p.m. - Brenden Shanahan just took a holding penalty on Greg De Vries. The MSG Network announcer said it was a good penalty because De Vries had a step on him. But it was Greg FREAKING DeVries. He scored a grand total of three goals this year. The Thrashers probably have a better chance of scoring on one power play than De Vries connecting on one of 10 clear-cut breakaways.

5:55 p.m. - What was the point of Cherry showing that long clip from Sunday's Coach's Corner tonight? I assumed it would be to prove he was right about something, but he just showed the clip and signed off.

6:08 p.m. - Crosby finally draws a penalty. He's gone down three times in front of the net, but the referees (wisely) didn't call anything the first two times.

6:13 p.m. - One reason to like Bob Cole, calls like "The fans sense something is about to happen. I wonder..." One reason to dislike Bob Cole, his inability to identify Christoph Shubert until a good five seconds after the play was over.

6:16 p.m. - And we're all even. Hard work pays off.
Oh and for the record, it's 4-0 Rangers. The rout is on.

6:24 p.m. - I admit I was wrong aboutt the Sens picking up Mike Comrie and Oleg Saprykin. I figured they'd both be busts, but it seems that Comrie in particular has been a real asset.

6:29 p.m. - The Pens are dominating the second period. I wouldn't be surprised if they scored very soon.
Over on TSN, Shannahan just literaly jumped into the Atlanta goaltender and the MSG announcers are decrying it as a bad call. Seems like Shanny can do no wrong.

6:38 p.m. - One third of the way through this exercise and I'm having fun. Not sure if anyone is reading this mind you, but at least I'm being entertained. But for all you phantom readers I'm going to take a quick break to rustle up some dinner.

7:00 p.m. - Great start by Ottawa in the third, they've turned the momentum around in a hurry.

7:08 p.m. - Huge goal for Ottawa. That could very well win them the series, and it was Comrie with the pretty set-up. I guess Muckler saw something in the guy no one else did.

7:16 p.m. - Saprykin just missed the net on a good chance. Now THAT'S the Oleg Saprykin I remember wearing the flaming 'C.'

7:25 p.m. - My three stars, voted on with two minutes to go in the game: first Ray Emery, second Gary Roberts and third Mike Comrie.

7:31 p.m. - That's all she wrote. Ottawa weathered the storm in the second and came on strong in the third. Now they have the chance to wrap things up on home ice, and I think they will.

7:34 p.m. - I went 1/3 on the three stars. The actual list: Emery, Staal, Spezza.

7:37 p.m. - We're between games on CBC, but TSN has Minnesota/Anaheim. If the Ducks wins it's over, but I believe the Wild will pull this one out tonight. 3-2 Minny.

As for the Flames/Wings tilt, let's hope that vaunted home ice advantage the Flames had during the first 3/4 of the regular season comes back for the playoffs. If Calgary can get off to a good start and stay out of the box, I believe they can get right back in the series. 4-2 Calgary, with goals from Hamerlik, Lombardi and Huselius (2).

8:04 p.m. - Alright, got the Flames jersey on. We're ready to go.

8:08 p.m. - Good to see Heather back for the playoffs. The Flames had a few terrible anthem singers down the stretch.

8:11 p.m. - I didn't realize American viewers have to put up with Wittman too.

8:12 p.m. - Apparently Hale's flying elbows in Game 2 didn't impress the coaches. Welcome back Marc Giordano.

8:14 p.m. - Early power play for the Flames. A goal here would really set the tone.

8:18 p.m. - How out that schmoozle, Hamerlik gets the only penalty? The only plus to come out the exchange was analyst Drew Remenda using the word 'crap.'

8:24 p.m. - With Chris Pronger's goal, my three winless teams (Minny, ATL, Calgary) are now losing by a combined total of 8-0 tonight. Beautiful.

And now Primeau takes a four minute penalty. Even better.

8:29 p.m. - I don't know what's more entertaining: the hockey game or the guy in the camper trying to parallel park across the street.

8:31 p.m. - Great PK. And dude is still trying to nudget into that spot.

8:32 p.m. - Minny scores. Dude completes his tough parking job. My night is turning around.

8:37 p.m. - Iffy call, but I'll take the power play.

8:38 p.m. - POST! But at least Iginla is shooting.

8:42 p.m. - Poor Rhett Warriner. He has the worst luck.

8:48 p.m. - So the Knuckleheads win another one-goal game. They were a surprisingly popular pick among poolies this year.

8:49 p.m. - How the Flames expectations have fallen. They now get a standing ovation for not losing after the first period.

8:57 p.m. - Apparently Brian Hayward is doing colour on the Ducks/Wild game. Better than having him do the Rangers series, I guess.

8:59 p.m. - Minnesota scores. There's life in those Wild yet.

9:04 p.m. - Record traffic on this site tonight, particularily from China. It must be a factor of people clicking on the most recently updated blog button. But still we've had visitors from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Turkey and New Zealand. Granted none of these people stay to actually read anything. But the hit count is getting jacked up.

9:11 p.m. - As Remenda pointed out Mike Babcock is indeed a former Red Deer College Kings head coach. Alas, the men's hockey program at the school died a few years ago. But the women's program is going strong. Of course the men's volleyball team is the class of the country, with eight straight national titles.

10:35 p.m. - Terrible penalty by Tanguay. Well behind the play, in the offensive zone. There was no need for that. Hopefully the Flames don't get burned.
9:21 a.m. - Get your rally caps on Minnesota. The comeback of the year is underway!

9:23 p.m. - The Jets traded Draper for $1? This will require some googling, but really couldn't they have at least gotten a bag of pucks?

9:25 p.m. - GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL! There's my Lombardi goal.

9:32 p.m. - Way to go Langkow and Stuart. Just let Draper walk to the front of the net.

9:40 p.m. - That Draper for $1 is in the Sun, so it must be true.

9:47 p.m. Well it's (almost) after two and the Flames are still in it. Got the Red Wings were they want them, methinks.

10:12 p.m. - Damn you Chris Draper. I'm beginning to wish the Jets hadn't got all gready and looked for that dollar.

10:16 p.m. - Nice to see the goal judge getting involved and creating some buzz. Isn't it about time we got rid of those guys?

10:18 p.m. - God bless Marc Giordano. That should keep him in the line-up for the next game. Although he did get benched after a two-goal game against Toronto earlier in the year.

10:22 p.m. - Fire alarm! Just like the Ottawa Civic Centre. I remember having to evacuate once during a 67s game. Turned out to be a false alarm, but it was still annoying. If memory serves the alarm went off again after we got back in the rink.

10:26 p.m. - BOOO-YAH. Protypical Iginla goal, coming down the wing, quick shot. I love it.

10:30 p.m. - Calder gets goalie interference, I was afraid the penalty was going against the Flames defenceman tying him up.

10:38 p.m. - Those are the type of saves the Flames need from Kiprusoff. Third period, with the game on the line. Let's hope he's not forced to make many more tonight.

10:40 p.m. - I don't know what's less surprising, Warriner getting hit in the face with a puck, or Bertuzzi getting hurt.

10:42 p.m. - My three stars: Draper, Iginla, Kiprusoff. I realize it's contraversial to give the first star to a visiting player on a team currently losing, but he deserves it. The Wings got their dollar's worth tonight from him.

10:45 p.m. - I knew Friesen would come in handy at some point this year.

10:49 p.m. - Just what the doctor ordered. A solid effort. A big win. Calgary is right back in the series. Maybe they shouldn't trade that Iginla character after all.

10:50 p.m. - A big thanks to all who checked out the page tonight and to Lloyd for keeping up the conversation all night.

Programming note

Given that tonight could be my last night off in quite some time, I've decided to try my hand at "live blogging" the Flames/Wings game tonight (heck, I may even get the party started early with the Sens and Pens). Check back often for regular infusions of wit, insight and, if Game 3 is anything like Games 1 and 2, plenty of despair.

Maybe I'm an Insider

After the Flames lost Game 1 I mused about the possibility the team should fire coach Jim Playfair mid-series. Now TSN talking head Bob MacKenzie has joined the chorus.

Sending Iggy packing

There's something wrong with the Calgary FLames, and I'm not sure what it is. Clearly the intensity and the fire that's needed for playoff success isn't there. Is that a coaching issues? Maybe, maybe not. Is it leadership? Possibly.

We were talking at the office tonight about the possibilty of the Flames moving Jerome Iginla. Obviously this would be a drastic, franchise-changing move, but it's not as foolish as it might sound.

As the 2007-08 season the Flames will need to make some tough decisions about who to keep and who to let go. Robyn Regher, Dion Phaneuf and Miikka Kiprusoff are all up for new contracts and it might be difficult to keep them all. Up to now conventional wisdom suggested that Regher would probably be the guy looking for a new address. But what if the Flames traded Iginla either in the off-season or at some point next year. If Darryl Sutter plays his cards properly he could get a great return for a player of Iginla's calibre, while at the same time freeing up enough cap space to sign the other three free agents with money to spare.

I know trading Iginla will annoy some fans, but it may be what's best for the franchise.

Booooooo

So Senators fans seem to feel the need to boo Sidney Crosby and it's only gotten worse since the Ottawa Citizen ran this story. The only reason I can think for such loutish behaviour is jealousy.

Smarten up Senators fans, Crosby is the face of everything that's right about the NHL right now. He's the best young player in the world, has a good head on his shoulders and is unfailingly polite (and he just scored the go ahead goal with eight minutes to go in the third period of Game 2).

There are plenty of reasons for fans to boo. Sens fans still heckle Alexi Yashin, and for good reason. Edmonton Oiler fans didn't hold back in giving Chris Pronger the raspberry this year. When the Jets come back to Winnipeg, the MTS Centre crowd will jeer Keith Tkchuck at every available opportunity.

Booing can transcend sport, I know of one poolie in this year's Sons of Manitoba who has been known to boo the Royal Winnipeg Ballet when the mood strikes her.

But there has to be rationale behind the taunting and I don't think that Crosby's talent alone is a good enough reason.

Old Time Hockey

I didn't get the chance to see any hockey tonight, an 11-page sports section and a tight deadline has a way of keeping you occupied. But from what I read, things in Nashville got a little testy.

After the game Nashville coach Barry Trotz accused the Sharks of turning the game into a 'street brawl.' Meanwhile, San Jose bench boss Ron Wilson was to angry to say anything.

Since I didn't see it I can't really comment on it, but I'd like to throw out another question of the day (and this feature is quickly turning into a private discussionbetween Lloyd and myself).

Does fighting belong in today's NHL? And more specifically, does it belong in the playoffs?

Ugly

It looks like the Calgary Flames decided to pick up where they left off last year in the playoffs, with one of there more brutal performances of the year. For those of you who have forgotten, or who have wisely chosen to wipe all memories of the event, the Flames put on a horrendous display of hockey in their Game 7 loss to Anaheim in the first round last year. Captain JeromeIginla was invisible, star goalie Miikka Kiprusoff was merely average and a team famous for it's hard work looked disinterested.

Thursday night the Flames had a chance to redeem themselves against the Red Wings, but they decided to pull a no show. Now I didn't get a chance to see much of the game, I only caught the first period before heading into work, but from what I can tell there was a serious lack of effort.

Determination, or lack thereof, has been a recurrent problem for the Flames this year. Much of the heat has come on rookie head coach Jim Playfair. I've spent most of the season defending the guy, but quite frankly I'm losing faith in the guy.

Now here's my question for discussion, with the Devils firing Julien with a week to go in the season, should the Flames fire Playfair mid-series?

All always your comments are appreciated.

What a start

The first night of the NHL playoffs are in the books, and what a night it was. Your friendly neighbourhood newspaper can fill you in on most of the details, but let me add my two cents on the two periods of action I saw.

Ottawa v Pittsburgh, period one. Caught this one before going into work. The Sens looked every bit the team they were at the regular season. That's got to worry Penguin fans because as good as their young guns are, the Sens are a deeper and better team. Marc-Andre Fleury was shaky in the first period, which is probably expected, but I suspect he will get better as the series goes on.
All in all, I still stand by my Senators pick.

Dallas v Vancouver, period seven. I watched this one at work. I'd finished off the rest of my pages, but still had to wait for the result of the game. By the time the seventh period rolled around both teams were very tired and it showed. Shifts were kept very short. The funniest sight was seeing the players skate back down the ice after an icing call. The 10 skaters went as a pack, as slowly as possible to the other end of the rink. The tempo was very slow and there weren't really many scoring
chances. That being said, MartyTurco looked particularly tired. He was fighting the puck all period and was lucky to keep it out of the net for as long as he did. Luongo, on the other hand, still looked fresh despite seeing 76 shots.
What does this mean in the grand scheme of the series? To be honest I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more extra sessions before this one is over.

At one point during period seven, Harry Neale mused about shootouts. He said by that point pretty much every player and probably most fans would have welcomed a shootout just to bring an end to the game. He's got a point, in the sense that by that point the teams were so tired the hockey was ugly.
Now I don't agree with Neale's proposal, but I'm wondering what you think. Should the NHL consider a shootout, or four-on-four overtime, in the playoffs?

Taking care of business

Before the puck drops tonight, I figured I should get my first round picks up on the site. For those of you who haven't submitted your sheets yet and who want a surefire way to get into the top 30, feel free to crib this list. If you actually want to win the pool, I'd advise you to use your own judgement.

EAST
At least on paper, the East seems to be easier to prognosticate this year.

(1) Buffalo vs (8) New York Islanders
It would take a lot of courage and perhaps a dollop of foolishness for someone to take the Islanders in this series. I have neither. The Sabres boast an explosive offence and have weathered a number of injuries during the regular season along the way to capturing the President's Trophy. The Islanders clawed their way into the post-season riding the prideKerrobert, Sask. Wade Dubielewicz, who spent most of the season playing for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, will have his hands full with the likes of Daniel Briere, Jason Pominville and Derek Roy.

Prediction: Sabres in 5

(4) Ottawa vs (5) Pittsburgh
This series will garner a lot of media attention because of some kid named Crosby. Apparently he's been tearing up the league this year. The upstart Penguins, who came on strong after the all-star break, have a tough draw in the first round. The Senators, while notorious playoffunderachievers, do have plenty of playoff experience. Emery outplays Fleury and Heatley out scores Crosby.

Pediction: Senators in 6

(3) Atlanta vs (6) New York Rangers
The Atlanta Thrashers aren't getting any respect heading into the playoffs. They are being called the weakest of the division champions and conventinal wisdom suggests the Rangers will mop the floor with them. What people seem to forget is the Southeast Division has produced the last two Stanley Cup champions. The last time we saw the Rangers in the playoffs they looked brutal against New Jersey. I think Hossa and company have enough in the tank to win at least one series.

Prediction: Thrashers in 7

(2) New Jersey vs (7) Tampa Bay
If the trio of Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Brad Richards can strike early and often the Lightning have a chance. Unfortunately they have to try to score against MartinBrodeur, the odds on favourite for the Vezina trophy. The late-season coaching change may have caused my faith in the Devils to drop, but not enough for them to lose the the Lightning.

Prediction: Devils in 5

WEST
It's just pure guess work in the first round in the West. Every team is capable of advancing, so my picks are nothing more than hunches.

(1) Detroit vs (8) Calgary
Calgary's performance the last week of the regular season has me worried, but I still think they match-up well against the Wings. Up front the Flames have more offence than any time in recent memory, but their back end has been inconsistent. This series will come down to two things: road wins andgoaltending . Both teams have been almost unbeatable on home ice, so the first squad to steal a win in the other team's barn will have a big advantage.Goaltending is always important in the playoffs and each team has a superstar between the pipes. When push comes to shove I think Kiprusoff will outdeul Hasek.

Prediction: Flames in 6

(4) Nashville vs (5) San Jose
This series is just as intriguing as the 4 vs 5 match-up out east. The Predators have been a dangerous team all year and challenged the Wings for top spot in the conference. The Sharks have been coming on strong. I like the way Joe Thornton and company have been playing and I'll give them the edge up front. In net, both teams have greattandems. Red Deer's own Chris Mason has proven he can compete against the best the NHL can throw at him as the understudy for Thomas Vokoun. Evgeni Nabokov has earned the top spot on the Sharks depth chart but Vesa Toskala is a very capable backup.

Prediction: Sharks in 6

(3) Vancouver vs (6) Dallas
I knew the addition of Roberto Luongo would make the Canucks better, but I didn't think they'd be good enough to win the Northwest division. Even when they went on that incredible run after Christmas, I just assumed they would eventually come back down to earth. They didn't and I'm converted that they are as good as advertised.

Prediction: Canucks in 6

(2) Anaheim vs (7) Minnesota
The Anaheim Ducks were my pre-season pick to win the Stanley Cup and if they get out of the first round they just might do it. The problem is they're facing a Minnesota team I think is designed to beat them. If the Wild stay healthy andNiklas Backstrom continues to put up gaudy numbers between the pipes, Minnesota will pull off the upset.

Prediction: Wild in 7

CBC vs. NBC

Apparently the CBC folks are a little annoyed that the Ottawa/Pittsburgh game will be played Saturday afternoon as opposed to thetraditional Saturday night slot.

The first I heard of this was earlier today when I was driving back from Calgary, listening to XM204. John Shannon, the NHL's TV czar was on trying to explain the league's decision. They figure that by playing the game in the afternoon Canadians will still watch plus they'll have the access to the national American audience. But if the game is at night the game will ONLY be on in Canada. Shannon, who used to produce HNIC, admitted that if he was in the CBC's shoes he'd be squawking too.

After the interview there were some American callers who thanked the NHL for letting them watch Crosby in the first round. I tend to agree with them. Let's expose hockey to the biggest possible audience and if that means the odd matinee, then so be it. Of course I'mbiased on this issue. I work on Saturday nights, but often have the afternoon free to watch sports so I should be able to catch a glimpse of the game.

Shannon also intimated that if the Isles hadn't pulled off the win over the Devils that the Leafs/Sabres series was slated for a Saturday night game.

In the booth

CBC has announced it's broadcast pairings for the playoffs.

Bob Cole and Greg Millen will call the Ottawa/Pittsburgh series. I can already hear a certain Sens fan muttering about having to put up with a clueless Cole making statements like "The Ottawa defenceman clears the puck."

Jim Hughson and Harry Neale get the Canucks and Stars. This is probably CBC's strongest team. It's too bad all their games will on late out east.

Don Wittman and Drew Remenda have been given the Flames and Red Wings. This pair can go either way. Wittman's folksy call can get old fast, but Remenda's strong HNIC rookie year just might salvage the team.

Mark Lee and John Garrett were handed the only all-American series on CBC, the Devils and the Lightning. Garrett is my least favourite analyst, so I'm happy that's he's been put on the series I have the least interest in. I'm pretty ambivalent towards Lee. It's fair to say that these two will only be around for the first round.

Oiler fans will be happy to know that despite their team's miserable performance, Craig Simpson has been added to CBC's studio team, at least for the early rounds. Given for all the calls for his ouster this year, this might be an audition for a long term TV gig.

TSN has the other four series and as of right now I'm unsure where their top team of Miller and McGuire will end up. It's likely that at least two of their series will feature American announcers.

NBC will also have some weekend games. They're broadcasts are often worth viewing, especially if they're able to get Brett Hull all worked up.

Shootout

After the lockout the NHL decided to implement the shootout in the regular season to break ties. From what I can determine this was done for two reasons:

A) For some reason, which I still have yet to comprehend, tie games had become vilified in some hockey circles. The shootout would end them for good.

B) To make the game more exciting.

Personally I have no strong feeling either way about the shootout. Although I've never seen anything wrong with a regular season tie, I do appreciate the edge-of-your-seat thrill associated with the shootout.

Today's game might change my mind. The New York Islanders clinched a playoff spot by winning a shootout over the New Jersey Devils and the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated from post-season contention. Now don't get me wrong, anything that hurts the Maple Leafs is a good thing in my books, but it does seem like a silly way to determine the last playoff spot.

Shootout detractors point to the fact that hockey is a team game, while a shootout is a battle of individual skills. I tend to agree with this, but always felt that since regular season games weren't as important it was OK. Today's game proved that isn't always the case.

I don't think the NHL should abolish the shootout, it still is very exciting. But I think the points system should be changed. Make a regulation worth three points, an overtime or shootout win worth two and an overtime/shootout loss worth one. That would give teams even more incentive to settle things playing real hockey.

In pool related news, the entry invitations have been sent out. If you somehow stumble on this site and haven't yet gotten one let me know in the comments.

My confidence is sapped

The good news: The Flames are in the playoffs. The bad news: They got in the most uninspiring way possible.

I didn't actually watch their loss to the Oilers Saturday night (I was to busy at my desk cursing the Canadian Press for their inability to send WHL playoff results over the wire in a timely fashion), but the result speaks for itself. The Oilers have been the worst team in the NHL over the last quarter of the season. They had nothing to play for Saturday, in fact they would have been better off losing to help their draft position. Yet the Flames blow a two goal lead and drop their third straight game.

It was just one week ago that Calgary had rattled off six straight wins and I was trying to narrow down just how many I was going to take in the pool this year. Their current losing streak has me wondering if I should take any.

Calgary will play a Detroit in the first round, a match-up I thought would favour the Flames. Now I'm not so sure. I'll take a closer look at this pairing and the rest of the first round series a little bit later, but for now let me direct you to a couple of Red Wings bloggers who do fine work.

Christy is a student who runs the Behind the Jersey blog.

Bill does a great job at Abel to Yzerman

If it walks like a Duck...

One of the brightest hockey bloggers around, Matt from the Battle of
Alberta, did some number crunching and found a very compelling reason
to pick the Ducks to come out of the west.

My take: Heading into the season the Ducks were my pick to win the West. The Pronger trade bolstered an already strong blueline corps. Teemu Selanne, Andy McDonald and Chris Kunitz had the potential to be one of the best lines in the league and Jean-Sebastien Giguere
is an elite goalie. At times this year they have met that potential,
but they've also had a few memorable slumps. To be fair they have
battled a fair number of injuries, but with their inconsistent play I'm
not sold on them.

An Anaheim/Minnesota first round match-up is likely, and quite frankly I like the Wild's chances.

Cutting it too close

Hockey Night and Canada couldn't have asked for a better set of games to finish off their regular season schedule. The matinee features the Vancouver Canucks against San Jose, with the 'Nucks still needing a win to wrap up the Northwest Division.

The mother of all rivalries is next with the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs going head-to-head with the final playoff spot in the East on the line (the Islanders are also in the picture).

Finally it's the Battle of Alberta. The Flames have done all the can to make this game meaningful this week. They've blown a couple of chances to wrap up the eighth seed already and with Colorado's continued hot streak the final playoff berth is still in play. The Oilers on the other hand have been tanking for a good six weeks now, but I'm sure they'd love to have a hand in spoiling the Flames playoff bid. As I said a few times at work tonight, if the Flames can't beat the worst team in the league, they don't deserve to make the playoffs.

The Devil is in the details

The biggest story in the hockey world this week has been the New Jersey's Devil's decision to fire Claude Julien with three games to go in the regular season. It's fair to say that pretty much every hockey observer caught off-guard by the news, including Julien himself.

Most of the mainstream media (here, here,here, here) as well as the bloggers (here, here and here ) have already had their kick at speculating as to why the move was made, but the Devil's organization hasn't shed much light on any rationale.

I'm more concerned about the impact the move will have on my pool picks. Before the surprise move, the Devils were one of the teams with all the ingrediants for a long Cup run. They have plenty of playoff experience, one of the best goaltenders in the league and a great penalty killing unit. They have enough snipers up front to score a few goals too.

I probably would have given the Devils an equal shot as conference-favourite Buffalo to advance to the Stanley Cup final. However, this move by Sweet Lou leaves me with more questions than answers. Is there something wrong in the dressing room that merited the firing? Did Devil's upper management believe the team was headed in the wrong direction? Or was it simply a difference of personality?

The bottom line is I have a lot less faith in New Jersey now than I did before and it will likely impact my decision come pool time.

And that's a wrap...

Living in Red Deer, I've had the chance to follow the WHL in much closer detail than I ever had before. Although my work hours, ironically, prevent me from attending a lot of Red Deer Rebels game, I did listen to most of them on the radio and read every inch of copy about them in the Advocate. Over the course of the season I even had the chance to ask every single player what animal best represents there playing style on the ice. Answers ranged from badgers to wolverines toClydesdale horses.

Anyway, their season came to an end tonight in Medicine Hat. It was great to see major junior playoff action live again, and it brought back some fond memories of Ottawa 67s games of years past.

The big differences between the two game night productions:

In Ottawa they shoot subs into the crowd, in Red Deer it's official Red Deer Advocate T-shirts and wiffle balls redeemable for golf merchandise.

In Ottawa they turn the lights off in the rink before the players come on the ice and place carpets to strategically on the ice to trip up the visiting players. In Red Deer the fans yell "(Insert visiting goalie's name) SUCKS" right before the national
anthem.

In Ottawa there are cheerleaders. In Red Deer they have a Wolly Bully

One thing they both have in common: They lost to a hated division rival in the first round of the playoffs this year.

Pete's pool tips

With the NHL season in its final stages, I thought it was time to fire
up the old blog and get into pool mode. So hot off last year's Sons ofManitoba pools where I placed 26th out of 38 people, I decided to let you in on some of the strategies that kept me solidly in the Top 30.

1) Don't get too cute. Sure picking the perfect upset makes you look like
a genius, but there's an even better chance of looking like a chump. I
mean what is thelikelihood of all the underdogs winning in one conference in the same season.

2) Don't go with your heart. This applies mostly to all the Leaf fans who
keep picking the Buds despite the fact they haven't won a cup since the
end of the Original Six era. This rule doesn't apply to Flames fans
because we all know they're going to take home the Cup this year.

3) Don't over think
your picks. This is something I've learned from experience. In the past
I'd been known to brood for hours over various permutations and
combinations. No more, now it's all about the gut feeling.

4) Don't seek advice from sportswriters. They have no idea what they're taking about when it comes to sports pools.

5) Most importantly get your picks in on time.