We have a new leader!

Sorry about the lack of a Thursday update folks, but Google documents was acting up and after the Flames loss I wasn't in the mood to go about manually updating the pool. Below you will find the latest update from the players' side. I will update the team side after the games on Saturday. Unless I get really ambitious I will likely provide only one update a day, but you can always check your score on the Google documents (links on the right-hand side of the blog). The team side Google document will be posted on Saturday.

Here are a few NHL tidbits since the last update:

• It looks like Ray Emery's Hummer will no longer be a fixture on Ottawa's highways and byways.

• Quebec hockey fans seem to be abandoning CBC in favour of RDS for the Montreal/Boston series. CBC sports Grand Poobah Scott Moore has responded, defended the Mother Corp's treatment of Le bleu, blanc et rouge.

• Sean Avery is still as classy as ever.

On the ice, my pick as Eastern Conference champions, the New Jersey Devils were eliminated in the first round (which means I will continue to languish at the bottom of both sections of the pool this year). The Rangers had the Devils' number all year and looked like a Stanley Cup contender in knocking of Martin Brodeur and Co. in five games.

The Anaheim Ducks staved off elimination, and put smiles on many poolies' faces I'm sure, with a 5-2 win over the Dallas Stars. This has been a strange series, with one team or the other not showing up for long stretches of games.

In Detroit, Chris Osgood took over the top job between the pipes. It worked for the Red Wings, but not for all the poolies (including Yours Truly) with Dominik Hasek on their rosters.

On Thursday, the Flames played better in Game 5 than they did in Game 4, but the result was the same, a one-goal loss. Calgary faces elimination at home on Sunday. (And as an aside: Who was the genius who booked a lacrosse game for the Pengrowth Saddledome for Saturday night?).

Also Carey Price looked human in Montreal, Colorado looks poised to knock off Minnesota and Philadelphia is close to putting an end to Washington's fairytale run.

In the pool, we have a new leader as Dave 'Washie' Washburn moved past fellow Canwester Brad Bouzane for top spot. Here's how the standings shake down.

1) Dave Washburn 82 The Flyers are winning, you're leading. . . does life get any better?
2) Justin Lee 81 Great night from Teemu, but it would have been better if he hadn't missed that semi-open net
T3) Rob Shaw 80 A bet you cracked a bit of a smile after that Bruins win Thursday night, eh
T3) Brad Bouzane 80 Hask pulled + Penguins not beating up on Sens = no longer in first
5) Mark Brennae 78 Four Canwest employees in the top five, not bad
T6) Sean Hutchinson 77 When are you coming to Ottawa?
T6) Jenn Hosfield 77 The Hosfields continue to jockey for position amongst themselves
T8) Mary Kay Hosfield 76 Enjoy Halifax and say hi to Leanne for me
T8) Dale Oviatt 76 If I call in sick on Sunday, it's not just because I want to watch the Flames game. I swear.
T10) Richard Warnica 75 Looking forward to the pigskin rematch
T10) Jack James 75 Your future in the top 10 will depend on what happens in Calgary on Sunday.
12) Liam Lynch 74 Tops among RLS staff alumni
T13) Cliff Hosfield 73 The first of many tied at unlucky No. 13
T13) James Peters 73 Not sure why 73 is such a popular score this time out
T13) David Forbes 73 Then again, I wish I was fortunate enough to have 73 points
T13) Jordan Stein 73 I'd also be satisfied with something in the mid-60s
T13) Julianna Nowaczek 73 I think a trip to Humphrey's is in order when you get back
T13) Mike James 73 I know where you're going to be Saturday afternoon
T19) Arthur Casement 72 We're well into the second week of the playoffs and this is the first Casement/basement comment. Wow.
T19) Adam Fulton 72 Rhyming names make for easier comments. Fulton isn't boltin' up the leaderboard
T19) Ryan Plesko 72 Let's Go, Plesko.
T22) Ron Strate 71 It's fate, Forbes will do better than Strate
T22) James Gordon 71 I enjoyed reading all the transcripts the past two days
24) Terry James 68 Remind me to ask you a bio fuels question next time we talk
T25) Barry Horeczy 67 Curling and hockey on the tube tomorrow, too bad it's going to be such a nice day out
T25) Jason Anthony 67 Extra Habs' game this round could help you
T25) Steve McKinley 67 Much like the Leafs, you have little chance of winning this thing
T28) Lloyd Mack 66 The soccer field expansion is long overdue and I'm sure it will get good use
T28) Colleen Turnbull 66 Only eight points behind Liam
30) Chris Chapman 65 I too was suckered into taking Michalek in another pool
T31) Scott McCleery 62 Huet gamble not paying off
T31) Jeff Sandelli 62 Hoping for better things on Sunday night
33) Neil MacKinnon 61 Ducks stay alive, so do your hopes of getting back in contention
34) Don McGowan 59 What's up with the Jays?
35) Kim Landon 58 Your turn in Scrabulous
36) Colleen Racine 57 Hasek benching only makes matters worse
T37) Peter James 56 With the Devils gone, I've got nothing
T37) Debb Coghlin 56 Hey look, we're tied again!
39) Janet Pringle 39 Things are looking up! Osgood is in net.

Live blogging live from North Bay!

7: 36 p.m. I'm in North Bay, making my way towards my new life in Ottawa. Since this is my first Saturday night of in forever, I figured I should be productive. So here is my second live blogging attempt. Interspersed within the hockey notes will be some useless travel anecdotes from my last couple of days on the road.

If any of you happen upon this blog during the game, check back often and enjoy. If you are reading this after the fact, I hope it's not too long.

7:41 p.m. I got the idea of doing this somewhere after buying really expensive gas in Upsula Friday night. Being a journalist and super geeky I got my tape recorder out and starting making audio notes of the trip. An audio log book so to speak.

7:46 p.m. For the record, Friday's day included a 9:30 a.m. departure from Winnipeg, a stop of a little over an hour in Kenora to meet up with some of my former colleagues at the Miner and News and Lake of the Woods Sports Association, followed by a drive to Nipigon where I spent the night. Today I made the trek to North Bay.

7:52 p.m. I'd better chime in with a prediction before they drop the puck. I'm going with 5-1 Ottawa. They'll carry their momentum from Thursday's third period to build a 3-0 first period lead and cruise to a win from there. Goals from: Spezza (2), Fisher, Corvo and Alfredsson for Ottawa and Hecht for Buffalo.

7:58 p.m. One of the satellite radio stations I've been flipping to on occasion is XM 171, Open Road. It's designed for truckers and they call in using their nicknames. My favourite so far: Rubber Duck.

8:04 p.m. Did Don Cherry just say that Buffalo hasn't played a good game yet in the playoffs? I haven't watched as much hockey as he has, but I find that hard to believe. I also love the fact that he just predicted the Sabres will lose the series right in front of a half dozen young Sabres fans.

8:05 p.m. I've said it before, I'll say it again. I love the Sabres colour scheme this year. The logo has been a bit of an acquired taste, but it's growing on me. Now they just need to get rid of that stupid tiger mascot.

8:08 p.m. On his radio show Friday Tony Kornheiser (available on XM 144) was talking about what aspects of Canada are better than the United States. The top of the list, the Canadian national anthem versus its American counterpart. Also included: the Canadian Niagara Falls and Canadian bacon.

8:11 p.m. Only one French official, if Shane Doan were playing, he'd be happy.

8:14 p.m. Only 1:51 into the game and my prediction is wrong. This is why I'm in last place folks. As for the goal, Alfredesson should have tied up Roy's stick rather than just stand there.
The goal is under review and despite the puck hitting the glove I think it should count.

8:18 p.m. I agree with the point Harry Neale was trying to make on the goal that was disallowed. Since Vanek never took his glove off his stick, I thought it should count. Even if there was a batting motion, the intent was it hit it with the stick not the glove. But I guess the rules disagree.

8:23 p.m Buffalo got it right back. And since neither team has lost after scoring the first goal, I guess I should just flip to whatever else is on right now, because this game must be over.

8:27 p.m. Bob Cole pulls out his first 'Oh Baby!' of the night and the Sabres go up 2-0. Maybe I should reverse my prediction, although Hecht did score.

8:29 p.m. Most ironic part of my trip so far: I drove through Sunshine, Ont. at dusk on Friday; I drove through Moonbeam, Ont. at midday Saturday.

8:36 p.m. It's worth pointing out, as bad as it looks for Ottawa right now (they're down 2-0 and being badly outplayed and outchanced), their long term hopes are still strong. You see, I have Buffalo in the pool.

8:42 p.m. Great passing play for Ottawa's first goal. Harry Neale has crowned Alfie as the best player in Ottawa Senators history. I think he must be forgetting about Andreas Dackell, Scott Levins and of course Alexei Yashin.

8:49 p.m. Two things I kept track of on the drive were dead dear and RCMP/OPP patrol cars. The dead dear gave the RCMP a run for their money on the prairies and even held a 4-3 lead at one point. But the OPP got the coppers back in the game and as of tonight they have a 16-6 edge. In fact I didn't see a dead dear anywhere today (although I did see a live black bear this morning).

9:09 p.m. Don Cherry touched on the NHLPA fiasco during Coach's Corner tonight. They were also talking about on on XM 204, Home Ice when I was tuning in this afternoon. One of the rumours they were floating on the radio was Donald Fehr coming in to take the reigns. That would be a huge mistake on the players part. Despite the salary cap, life is pretty good for NHL players these days. Revenues are increasing and so are their pay cheques, they have a stake in the league's success and there is labour peace. Fehr and his anti-salary cap mentality will only make more trouble.

9:15 p.m. I laughed out loud at Chris Neil's ridiculous attempt to protest his innocence when he was laying on top of Derek Roy. A holding penalty was very much justified.

9:22 p.m. It's 2-2. We've got a hockey game. And I'm two-for-two in predicting Sens goal scorers, and one-for-two on the Sabres side.

9:27 p.m. Another thing that kept me amused as I drove was all the little slogans the cities and towns use to describe themselves. Since I hail from Winnipeg (One Great City), pretty much anything else sounds original. On the prairies it was heritage this and heritage that. Today in northeastern Ontario, Kapuskasing (The Model Town of the North) is dueling it out with Smooth Rock Falls (The North's Biggest Little Town). Latchford, Ont. decided to go very specific. They are "The Best Little Town by a Dam Site." There was also a town further south that boasted having 2 billion square feet, but I neglected the name in the audio log book.

9:36 p.m. I think Bob Cole's senility is contagious. When teamed with Jim Hughson earlier in the playoffs, Harry Neale was on his game. Tonight he's doing a worse job of identifying players than Bob "The Ottawa defenceman has the puck" Cole.

9:38 p.m. It must be pointed out at this point that this is a very exciting hockey game.

9:45 p.m. Wow, great shot by Redden and great second period by Ottawa. If only Redden could have scored a few more of those during the regular season when he was a part of my under-achieving pool team.

9:49 p.m. I've been a keen observer of billboards the past few days. The most professional promotion award goes to Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay. They had a series of signs every 10 km or so advertising their park. I didn't check it out, so I can't comment on their veracity. Timmins went a different route, they just put up a giant picture of Shania Twain.

9:54 p.m. I was stopped a number of times for construction the past few days, usually for no more than 10 minutes. I was also stopped once as they were pulling the trailer of a truck out of the ditch after an accident. I kind of liked these breaks, they gave me a chance to stretch my legs and take my mind off the road. But the real reason for this segment is to point out the crew just east of Longlac had the best looking flagwomen I've ever seen.

9:57 p.m. Quote of the day during the satellite hotstove, Scotty Morrison on Neil Smith: "Remember those 40 days he was in charge on Long Island, he did a good job." Morrison was not being sarcastic.

10:09 p.m. I passed a lot of cemetary's the past few days. One even had a 'No snowmobiling' sign at the entrance. There is only one reason why some town council felt compelled to put up that signage, at some point a jackass decided the best place to take his new motorized sled for a test drive was around all the headstones.

10:18 p.m. Some people say the federal NDP are out-of-touch with the general population. Charlie Angus' slogan isn't doing anything to help their cause. He has a massive billboard that says: "New ideas for a new century." Might have been a good idea six years ago, but now it seems a little stale.

10:25 p.m. If the Senators hold on for the final five minutes tonight, they will win the series. A loss tonight for Buffalo (blowing a 2-0 lead at home) would be tough to overcome. All Ottawa would need is a split at home to go up 3-1.

10:28 p.m. I love how Bob Cole continues to describe a play long after it's finished. Dany Heatley just had a great scoring chance to score. It was a quick bang-bang play, but by the time Cole had finished describing that two seconds of action, the puck had already been turned over and the Sens were changing lines.

10:35 p.m. Hockey Night in Canada started this evening with a video of captains Alfredsson and Briere. Well, Mr. Briere just came up big for Buffalo. Bring on overtime.

10:40 p.m. As someone who is interested in all things historical, roadside plaques have always piqued my interest. But as a child, driving with my father we never stopped unless we needed gas or if he had to use the washroom (the rest of us had to hold it). I've carried on that mentality to my own road trips so I rarely stop to the read the plaques. But thanks to the Internet and audio log books I've been able to do some research upon my arrival here in North Bay. Turns out I passed the site of a bloody labour dispute, two fires, the birthplace of a war hero and a major expedition.

10:51 p.m. I guess it's time to pick my OT scorers. Buffalo: Campbell. Ottawa: Neil.

11:05 p.m. What happens to make otherwise sane goaltenders go crazy when they try to play the puck? Emery just about cost his team the game because he didn't factor in the angle the puck would rebound off the boards when he cleared it. It's the second goof he's made today and Miller has also coughed up the puck.

11:11 p.m. Power play for Buffalo in overtime. This could be the turning point.

11:21 p.m. And this game will continue into the second OT, but this live blog will not. I've got to continue this road trip tomorrow and that means getting some sleep tonight.

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.