Awesome Name Award: Anton Volchenkov

While the face doesn't necessarily look menacing, doesn't the name sound like it is?

A(nother) Note to Hockey Commentators

A few other hilarious pronunciations from Monsieur Don Cherry:

1. Kevin Biekeksa
2. Roberto Lulongo

I would love to hear what Bieksa thinks about Cherry constantly mangling his name :)

2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 2 Summary

Ok – going into the second round if you asked me which team was the weakest I would’ve said Nashville.  I didn’t think any team was going to be swept but if I had to guess, I would’ve grudgingly guessed Nashville, particularly if Vancouver’s offense turned on.  Who would’ve known that of Nashville, Philadephia, Detroit and Washington, Nashville was the only one that didn’t lose its first three games?!

Honestly, what was up with the Eastern Conference this year?!  Two series were sweeps?  What the hell?  This round ended so quickly I felt like I got cheated out of a lot hockey (not to mention my fantasy pool).  But I guess unpredictability is part of what makes the playoffs exciting …

Eastern Conference

(1-5) Washington-Tampa Bay: I don’t have much else to add about this series as it was already over by the time I wrote the previous post.  I still can’t believe that Washington got swept, though … what a shame.

(2-3) Philadelphia-Boston: Lol!  Ok so not only was I betting on Philly beating Boston, I was hoping it would be in a dramatic fashion given what happened last year.  I can laugh at it now but going in, I really thought Philly was one of the strongest teams in the Eastern Conference and that they probably had a good shot at Vancouver for the final.  Whoops.  I most certainly did not predict that they would get swept.  Philly getting swept hurt a hell of a lot more than Washington getting swept.  Why?  Because I don’t mind Tampa – they’re alright.  But Boston?  I really can’t stand that team.

Western Conference

(1-5) Vancouver-Nashville: This series started off a bit on the boring side and got slightly better with each game.  It wasn’t extremely exciting playoff hockey for the Canucks of whom I expected more.  The Predators play a very defensive style and the Canucks were just a bit more offensive than them.  Shea Weber and Ryan Suter played quite well and Pekka Rinne is a great goalie.  BUT, the most awesome player of the entire series was, of course, Ryan Kesler.  Wow, it’s like he single-handedly willed Vancouver to win the series.  Vancouver took it in six games but kudos to Nashville in any case.

Last year, I (as an outsider, of course) didn’t get how Kesler was even considered for the Canucks captaincy.  This was after he notoriously trash talked Team Canada after the Vancouver Olympics and he had a lot of local fans turning on him.  I wondered after all that shit he said about Canada why he was so eager to captain a Canadian team.  Now, I think he is worthy of captaincy after he quit his trash talking full stop this year.  Whether he is worthier than Henrik Sedin is another question (imho, based on the regular season, no – based on the post-season, most definitely) that Vancouverites can argue amongst themselves.

P.S.: Looks like the pattern I noticed here did not hold L

(2-3) San Jose-Detroit: Wow this series was awesome!  Hands down, it was my favourite series of the second round.  Both teams played hard and quite well every game.  Earlier, when San Jose was up 3-0, I wrote here that I would like the Wings to win a few more to take the series to seven games but that I doubted it.  I can’t believe that it happened and that the Wings were able to tie the series after that hole!  Not only did I get to watch more hockey but it was great hockey to boot.  Honestly, I was rooting for the Red Wings to win slightly more given the dramatic fashion in which they came back but it’s not like I dislike San Jose.

A few useless observations:

• Detroit has some of the best stadium music.  Unsurprisingly, it’s a bit Eminem heavy but it’s still better than what’s played at a lot of other stadiums
• I don't know who he is but the Bruins have the worst anthem singer
• Logan Couture had a seriously awesome blowout for game seven.  I saw him without his helmet on during the national anthem and he looked like a damn Pantene ad …
• Joe Thornton’s pre-game suit for game seven was a beauty.  What a flattering suit … too bad I can’t find a photo to post L

Randomness

Every time I watch a San Jose game and I either see Danny Boyle or hear his name I think of this picture.  Seriously.

He can check a guy, get a goal or even deflect one into his own net (no, I haven't forgotten how funny that was) - no matter what he does, my mind involuntarily conjures this picture.  It's unforgettable and not in a good way.

Just thought I'd share.

Looking forward to tonight's game.

Shea Weber 2011 Playoff Beard Watch ...

Shea Weber 2011 Playoff Beard Watch is officially over

It was good while it lasted but it's done now, my little chickens

Favourite Quotes (4)

There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way.

2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 2

So here are my thoughts going into the second round and what’s happened so far.

Eastern Conference

(1-5) Washington-Tampa Bay: Who could’ve predicted a sweep?  I choose Neuvirth as a goalie in my playoff pool so I certainly didn’t predict that shit.  I thought going in that these two teams were evenly matched and that it would probably go to seven.  So if I selected either Roloson or Neuvirth, then I could probably get at least three wins out of my goalie.

Such was my flawed reasoning.  I understand now where I screwed up.  All year I have avoided Tampa Bay like the plague.  The reason is that I am fairly new to hockey fantasy pools and I haven’t yet learned enough of the intricacies of the sport.  While I have been not too shabby at guessing other teams in the regular season, the one team that has always stumped me is Tampa Bay.  They usually surprise me for better or worse – huge question mark.  Obviously come playoffs, I’ve tried to avoid them because I just don’t frickin understand them.  Honestly, I’ve essentially given up on my pool now that the Caps got swept and Neuvirth earned me a great big goose egg.

Pools aside, I felt sorry for the Caps.  I tend to feel sorry for most teams that get swept but I was rooting for the Caps slightly more on this one for the simple reason that they have yet to get a Stanley Cup and Tampa got one not too long ago in 2004.  Simple reasoning but whatever.

Nevertheless, I do like this Tampa team.  I like Stamkos on the regular and St. Louis is just precious.  But what has really stood out for me the first two rounds is the Bergenheim-Moore-Downie line.  Seriously, these guys are just lighting it up right now.  Tampa Bay plays some really exciting games unlike another snoozefest I could mention (I’m looking at you, Vancouver) and (now) I’m hoping they go to the finals.

(2-3) Philadelphia-Boston: Ok, so Boston got better against Montreal as the series advanced but I didn’t expect them to be this dominant against Philly.  That first game was ridiculous and Philly should just be ashamed.  As I mentioned earlier, given the way they played for most of the year, I expected more from Philly.  Yeah, their season didn’t end so well but I thought that come playoffs they would take it up the necessary notch (silly me).  In my opinion, Philly on their best day is better than Boston on theirs.

And the Philly goaltending – all you can do is laugh at that hot mess.  I’m not going to bother counting how many times they changed goaltenders (midway or between games) because that numbers just likely to change – either once more in tonight’s game or even more if they manage to win a couple.  Going in, I wanted Philly to sweep the Bruins for so many reasons not the least of which was that it could possibly turn them into headcases like the Canucks.  Now, I would settle for Philly taking the series in the same manner they did last year (which, to my delight, could also turn them into headcases).  But given the way the Flyers have been playing and given the revolving door of goaltenders they’ve been working with – I can safely say the Flyers have a snowball’s chance in hell.

Western Conference

(1-5) Vancouver-Nashville: This series sucks.  You’d think I’d care as Vancouver is the team I’d like to see win it all but I just can muster any more excitement.  Some of the most boring shit I’ve ever seen although it got better with last night’s game (barely).  Shea Weber 2011 Playoff Beard Watch is the only thing this series is good for.  Just end it and be done with it.

Anyways, I’m noticing a pattern with the scorelines.  So far, the team that won had 1, 2, 3 and 4 goals in games 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively.  Will it take 5 goals to win the next game?

(2-3) San Jose-Detroit: This series has been interesting and very nice to watch.  It’s a bit of a tossup who I root for.  On one hand, I think the Wings have enough cups already, thank you very much.  On the other hand, I really like Nick Lidstrom and I would like to see him go a bit further in what could be his final year.  As it stands now, I clearly prefer the Wings to win a few more games and have the series to go to seven (more hockey, duh).

Buuuuut I doubt it.  The Sharks have been playing really well, I’m unbelievably impressed with Setoguchi and Couture is quickly climbing the ranks of players I like.  If Vancouver and San Jose meet in the third round then the Sedins better step it up.  If they don’t, the series will likely go to San Jose (perish the thought)!

Final thought.  Please don’t let Philly be swept by Boston and for pity’s sake can Vancouver score a bit more?

A Note to Hockey Commentators

It's Kevin BIEK-sa not BIES-ka.  I hear Don Cherry say it the wrong way all the time but I heard Ryan Whitney say it the same way on TSN the other day as well.  Cmon it's not that hard - say it with me ... Bieksa.  There you go.

Yeesh, these talking heads...

2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 1 Summary

Ok, I know we’re midway through the second round but I thought I’d still give my thoughts on the first round.

So it turns out that I was a wee bit wrong about the first round.  My initial thoughts were that it was a bit meh.  I take it back.  Though it wasn’t as great as last year (impossible standard, really) it turned out to be really freakin awesome.  I should’ve just given it time to heat up.  That Vancouver series – it blew my mind, it was that good.

Eastern Conference

(1-8) Washington-New York: This series was boring.  Honest to goodness, I just couldn’t bring myself to give a shit.  It turned out like I wanted and the Caps went through.

(2-7) Philadelphia-Buffalo: This series ended up being very interesting.  Philly played hard and got through, deservedly so.  I kinda felt bad for Ryan Miller – the only Buffalo player I like.

(3-6) Boston-Montreal: So this is the one series I’m bitter about.  I know that it’s almost sacrilege to say this as a Leafs fan but I don’t mind the Habs.  In fact, unless we’re facing them, I kinda like them.  I like seeing them go far but I also don’t want them to win another Stanley Cup (I mean, don’t they have enough already?).  I like seeing them lose in the regular season but I like to see them win the post-season.  All in all, I have very mixed feelings towards the Habs.  Anyways, given all that has happened this season (hello, stanchion-gate), I’ve become quite sympathetic to the Habs and I thought that at the bare minimum it would be poetic justice for them to take out the Bruins in the first round.  Up 2-0, it looked like it was going good – might even be a sweep.  And even though it was taken to game seven, Subban’s goal to tie it up was almost as satisfying as the celebration that followed.  Given the result, let’s just say that I’m totally miffed with the Bruins and I want them to go down.  Hard.

(4-5) Pittsburgh-Tampa Bay:  Wow.  And I thought Pittsburgh was going to take this one.  Good on Tampa, I was rooting for them to take it (even though I had my doubts).  Boy did they ever come back.  Overall, it proved to be a good series and it got even better as Tampa clicked.

Western Conference

(1-8) Vancouver-Chicago:  Goodness, did the Canucks give their fan base give a collective heart attack or what?  I mean, given their history of *ahem* choking was going to overtime in game seven really necessary when they were, at one point, up 3-0 in the series?  True, they should’ve finished it off earlier but the Blackhawks wouldn’t go down easily.  *Ahem* Bolland.  Despite the fact that those games weren’t exactly pleasurable to watch if you were rooting for Vancouver, one must admit that when the Blackhawks bring their A-game it’s damn beautiful to watch.  Game seven was just incredible.

(2-7) San Jose-LA:  This series was quite a bit of fun to watch.  Pissed me off a bit when Niemi got pulled since I had him in my playoff pool (little did I know I would have more goalie problems later).  Despite their rough start this season, San Jose plays exciting hockey and this series was Exhibit A.

(3-6) Detroit-Phoenix: I hated this series.  As I said earlier, I was kinda sad the Phoenix had to go out in a sweep.  I mean I know it’s the playoffs and all but couldn’t Detroit have spotted them one?  I really felt for Shane Doan as he gave the final on-ice interview.

(4-5) Anaheim-Nashville:  This series was unbelievable from start to finish.  Frickin awesome.  Not much else to say really.

Lookalikes

Kevin Klein     vs.     Kevin Kline

Well, you get the point ;)