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