The difference makers

The third round is underway with Detroit and Pittsburgh winning their respective opening games. With most of the leaders having the same combination of Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Lidstrom-Rafalski-Malkin-Crosby-Gonchar-Fleury there isn't a lot of change in the leaderboard. However some poolies have mixed in an Osgood, or a Richards or even a Holmstrom and Sykora. At this time of year, it's those players can be the difference makers.

For the record, I went out on a limb and took Dan Cleary to be that type of breakthrough player this year. As my standing no doubt shows, it hasn't worked out. My first indication that it was a foolish decision should have been when the one poolie who shares a hometown with Mr. Cleary, our fearless leader Brad Bouzane, did not take his fellow Newfoundlander. Of course, had I rolled the dice on this Johan Franzan character, I'd be a genius.

But enough about me, here are the standings:

1) Brad Bouzane 173 Should I start inscribing your name on the Sons of Manitoba silverware?
2) Sean Hutchinson 170 Keeping pace, but not gaining ground
3) Justin Lee 168 Much like the two poolies in front of you, you got 10 points over two days
4) Jason Anthony 167 Did everyone get 10 points?
5) Cliff Hosfield 166 Bucking the trend, Osgood gives you an 11th point
6) Terry James 165 You're making a run for it
T7) James Peters 162 Back to the 10-point brigade
T7) Mary Kay Hosfield 162 Another Hosfield with an 11-point gain
T9) Mike James 160 Timonen injury hurts your pool team and your real team
T9) Rob Shaw 160 Welcome to the 10-point club
11) Arthur Casement 158 The 10 points moves you up a few spots, but no gain on the leaders
12) Lloyd Mack 157 Two points from Richards allows you to break through the 10-point glass ceiling
13) Jordan Stein 156 Sykora's point also allows you to get one more point than average
T14) Dale Oviatt 155 I humbly accept the hard hat
T14) Richard Warnica 155 Breaking news: You will not catch Bouzane
16) Mark Brennae 153 How low will you go?
17) Steve McKinley 152 Quenneville to coach the Leafs?
18) Kim Landon 149 Hope you had a safe drive
19) Ryan Plesko 148 This is when you begin to feel the lack of a Crosby
T20) Liam Lynch 147 Unable to crack the top 50 per cent
T20) Jennifer Hosfield 147 Another 10-pointer
T22) Dave Washburn 145 You won't be able to Bingo your way up these standings
T22) Colleen Turnbull 145 Your moving up, little by little
T24) David Forbes 144 Sushi, eh
T24) Ron Strate 144 Strate and Forbes, teamed up once again
26) Jack James 143 Jokinen rumours heating up again
27) Julianna Nowaczek 142 Congratulations on the win
28) Adam Fulton 132 You're still at the top of my alphabetical-by-first-name list
T29) Don McGowan 130 Your one remaining player got one point
T29) Neil MacKinnon 130 Will the Habs go after Hossa this summer?
T29) Barry Horeczy 130 Hope you enjoyed the flowers
32) Colleen Racine 126 May still crack the top 30
33) James Gordon 125 Qunneville to coach Sens?
34) Scott McCleery 124 You won't finish any lower than this
35) Chris Chapman 117 FROZEN!
36) Jeff Sandelli 107 FROZEN!
T37) Debb Coghlin 106 Your one player also got you one point
T37) Peter James 106 Finally, I'm out of 38th place
39) Janet Chapman 94 See you tonight