Since 2002, the last time the LA Kings were in the playoffs...

It's been 8 years since the Kings were in the playoffs.  8 freaking long years.  Everybody has been talking about the long playoff drought for this franchise, but I don't think you can really digest the length until you put it in terms of personal milestones.  Earlier this evening I was thinking about how many years have passed and started going through all the things that have happened over the years and realized....shiiiiiiit....it's been a long 8 years.  Since 2002, the last time the LA Kings were in the playoffs, the following things have happened:

• met my future husband
• spent a summer working in Hawaii
• turned 21
• discovered that taking a pepcid AC one hour before I drink prevents me from getting the Asian Glow
• graduated from college
• got a car
• the NHL lockout happened
• George Bush was reelected
• graduated from grad school
• got a full-time job
• Versus started showing NHL games
• turned my boyfriend into a hockey fan
• Kings retired Luc Robitaille's jersey
• got my professional license
• got engaged
• quit my job
• got a new job
• moved
• Barack Obama was elected president
• got mugged
• got married
• the Saints won the Super Bowl and now my husband no longer knows what it's like to root for a losing team

That's a lot of personal milestones and I'm pretty sure I've forgotten some stuff.  I mean...shit, the only things I haven't done are popped out a baby and bought a house.  Think about it: what have you done since 2002??

In the past several months you were hard pressed to read an article about the Kings and not be reminded of how many consecutive years they've missed the playoffs.  8 years, sure, that's a lot.  But once you put it into perspective and think about all the things that have happened since the Kings made it past the regular season it really hits you that GD the Kings have f'ing sucked for so damn long.  It's kind of amazing that even after all these losing seasons that I, and plenty of other fans, have stuck by the Kings and still obsessed over every little move, thinking and hoping that maybe next season it'll be better.  A lot has happened since 2002 and finally, finally, the Kings are in the playoffs.  Sure, I'll be pissed and disappointed if they get swept, but honestly, I'm just glad and so relieved to finally see the Kings compete in the post season. 

'08-'09 Sharks....Hahahaha

I'm sure it was my emotions that convinced me the Sharks would never make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, but I objectively decided once the match-ups were determined that the Anaheim Ducks would eliminate and embarrass the Sharks. I figured that the only two teams capable of beating the Sharks were the Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim Ducks. How fitting that St. Louis would have a miraculously run to end the season and land in the 6th spot, leaving the Ducks to face off against the Sharks.

(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
San Jose, it's called "The JR Curse"

So what feels worse? Being a fan of a team that never makes the playoffs or rooting for a team that has a 53-18-11 record that includes only 9 total losses at home, wins the President's Trophy, boasts an incredible lineup of Thornton, Cheechoo, Marleau, Boyle, Blake, Nabokov, Pavelski, and, don't forget, Mr. Claude Lemieux and Jeremy Roenick, that seems on paper to be a lock for the Cup, but the only award they go home with is the "Biggest Chokers Ever" award? At least I know what to expect from my team. Thank you LA Kings for not leading me on.

And in case you haven't noticed, I don't think there is anything wrong with rooting for a team to fail. Anaheim is next on my list and I think Detroit will kick them out of the playoffs in 6.

At Least Malkin Finally Scored

Congrats to Detroit! It's crazy how good Detroit was throughout this series. I thought Zetterberg definitely deserved the Conn Smythe. It seemed like he was always on the ice making the smart play, being in the right position. I first really noticed Hank during the '05-'06 playoffs when Detroit surprisingly lost to the Edmonton Oilers. I was so impressed with his play and couldn't believe he was a 7th Round acquisition. He's such an unbelievable player and with his fellow linemates and teammates I'm not surprised Detroit finally won the Cup with this squad; I'm just surprised they didn't win it last season or the season prior to that one. Little tweaks over the past couple seasons provided just the right combination to win the Cup.

As sad as I was to see the Kings trade Brad Stuart at the trade deadline, I was happy to see him shipped off to a solid team. Despite a couple flubbed plays during the playoffs I think he was a great fit in Detroit, especially alongside Kronwall. He was able to showcase his defensive capabilities, toughness, playmaking smarts, and scoring. I almost got teary-eyed when I saw him lift the Cup.

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Congrats B-Stu

As silly as it sounds, I thought it was too soon for Crosby to win the Cup. He'll win it eventually, but this year wasn't his time. Who knows whether or not Malkin was injured but that boy will need to step it up in the Finals next time if he wants to see his team succeed. It was refreshing to see him finally score a goal, but his team needed to see him notch his first goal of the Finals in Game 1 not on the brink of elimination. The Pens have a great team and with minor adjustments they'll continue to be fierce competitors for seasons to come. Both teams put on a great show and I can't help but wonder who will play for the Cup next season.

Triple OT...It's Going to End Here.

After the Pens tied it up and the horn sounded the end of regulation, I boldly predicted that Detroit was going to end it easily in the first OT. Oops...not quite.

Is it just me or does it seem like Zetterberg is ALWAYS on the ice? Through 5 periods he's played 34:42. And Lidstrom? A whopping 42:04. But the most minutes thus far? Whitney with an astonishing 44:51.

Will Doc please stop saying, "Next goal wins it!" Yes, we know. It's called sudden death.

And I don't normally get squeamish when a pucks hits the bullseye that is a player's face, but for some reason I didn't react well when Malone got hit. I think it grossed me out because he never covered his face as he got up and skated to the bench. He just bent over and let the blood drip off him...into Devorski's hand. *blech*

(Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

He ain't pretty no more.

Anticlimactic

I don't think Games 1 and 2 of the SCF have been boring, I think they've been anticlimactic. There's still hard hits, intensity, fierceness, great scoring, decent goaltending, etc...it's just that it's all coming from Detroit. I had high expectations for this series and I think the majority of hockey fans did too. Pittsburgh rolled into the Finals looking like the top dog but in the first two games of the Finals, Detroit has completely exposed all of Pittsburgh's weaknesses and for all non-hardcore Detroit fans, this has led to an anticlimactic start for the Finals. For the sake of hockey fans everywhere, I hope Pittsburgh regroups and figures out, at least the very, how to stay competitive.

(more after the jump)


Now, I know Osgood was bumped into, but good Lord is he a fantastic actor!! I really, really hope that a ref will call him for diving the next time he unleashes his inner Hasek. Be a man Osgood, if your team is way up, is it really necessary for you to embellish the minor contact?

(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn)

Leave the diving to Hasek.

When the fiance first saw Crosby's "beard" he said, "He looks like a 15-year old Mexican going through puberty."

(Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
Just use a sharpie to fill it in

2008 SCF...About Time

My Conference Final predictions were pretty shotty. Whatevs, I was rooting for the underdogs, but in the end they just got spanked. As I try to figure out why the heck it's raining in SoCal right now I suppose I'll also make my prediction for the Cup Winner: Pittsburgh. But I kinda want to change it to Detroit...alright, I'm sticking with Pittsburgh.

I don't care who wins the Cup, but not because I've stopped caring about the playoffs. I'll be happy to see either team win because both teams have proven they deserve to be in the Finals. Detroit had a couple rough games against Nashville but I think those were good for the team. Except for those losses I don't think Detroit played a bad game through the next two rounds. Likewise, Pittsburgh also seems unstoppable.

I just hope that everyone's predictions for an intense, close series pan out. I'll be very disappointed if one team falls flat and lets the other ease to Cup Glory. It's hard to believe we're already at the Finals and soon it'll be the off-season for everyone. I know it's a lame statement and that all of us make it every year, but every season it's the same routine, an especially long one for Kings fans.

Cheers to a great finale.

2008 Playoffs: Third Round Predictions

The Dallas/SJ game on Sunday was unbelievable and I've been in hockey withdrawal every since. I don't know what I'm going to do once the playoffs are over...

Just in case you forgot, I was 4 for 8 in my first round predictions but I was 4 for 4 in my second round predictions. Woohoo!! That means...I got lucky. Let's see if my luck can continue:

Eastern Conference
(2) Pittsburgh v. (6) Philly
Philly in 7

I honestly have no idea who's going to win this series. Every time I think Pitt will win I begin to have doubts. Yet I also have doubts about Philly's capabilities to knock out Pittsburgh. Because I don't want my prediction to be "I don't know", I'm going to say that Philly has a slight edge over Pittsburgh. I think Biron is a better goaltender than M-A Fleury and I also don't think MAF and the rest of the Pens have really been tested yet in the playoffs. Pittsburgh may have two really solid forward lines, but I think Philly has more depth across all four lines. Both teams have a very aggressive, in-your-face power play so it'll be interesting to see how each team's PK unit will be able to hold up in this series. I think Philly has more toughness and grit, which could potentially wear down the Pens and possibly be a deciding factor in what should be a great series.

Western Conference
(1) Detroit v. (5) Dallas
Dallas in 6

I was way off in my number of games prediction for the Detroit/Colorado series. But then again, did anyone honestly think Detroit was going to spank Colorado? I think that series will end up hurting Detroit in this round because while the Red Wings coasted to four easy victories, Dallas is on a huge upswing from their battles with San Jose. I've backed Dallas since the start of the playoffs and I'm not letting go of them. I become more and more a fan of the team every time I watch them play. I didn't know much about Morrow last year and was confused why Modano was stripped of the captaincy so that Morrow could take it. Now, I have no question in my mind why Morrow is the captain of the Dallas squad. If you haven't watched him play in the playoffs yet you're depriving yourself of some really good skills, heart, determination, and leadership. I think Dallas can kick out Detroit and advance to the Cup Finals.

Second Round Predictions!

I was 4 for 8 in my first round predictions. Not too shabby, although I bet my dead kitty could have done better.

Here are my Second Round Predictions!
I think 4 of the 5 remaining series will be very close and a complete crap shoot as to which team will win. The only series I think will be handily won is the Pittsburgh/NY series. I don't expect Pitt to sweep again but I think they'll look like the better team throughout the entire series even if they don't win every game.

Eastern Conference
(1) Montreal v. (6) Philadelphia
Philly in 7

(2) Pittsburgh v. (5) New York
Pittsburgh in 6

Western Conference
(1) Detroit v. (6) Colorado
Detroit in 7

(3) San Jose v. (5) Dallas
Dallas in 6

I originally picked Montreal to win the Cup, but I've changed my mind after watching Philly play. I think we could be looking at a Dallas/Philly Cup Finals. That would be quite awesome.

Playoff Games (Saturday-Tuesday)

Warning: This is a long ass post. I originally was going to post this on Sunday and only review the Sat & Sun games but I got lazy and now it's Wednesday and two additional days worth of games have been televised and I can't just ignore them. So bear with me and my rambling thoughts...

Playoff hockey is always so much fun and this weekend of games was no exception. I have to give a big shoutout and thanks to P for letting me watch all the hockey games I could possibly watch this weekend. Two seasons ago, he experienced his first playoff hockey season and was not a happy camper when I took control of the remote and refused to not watch hockey even though the Kings weren't in the race for the Cup. He couldn't understand why I wanted to watch every televised game and my only comeback was "I'm sorry, are you complaining about your girlfriend watching sports?" Fast forward two years and he has fully embraced my hockey obsession and playoff hockey routine. In fact, every now and then I catch him watching the game and getting into the play. I think it helps that some former Kings from the team two years ago are currently playing for various playoff teams, such as, Eric Belanger and Pavol Demitra (his personal favorite). Here are my thoughts on the games I watched Saturday-Tuesday with little distraction from the best roomie ever.

*Saturday*

Detroit v. Nashville (Game 2)
I DVRd this game because I was out for most of the day. Late in the afternoon I stopped by to see my parents and my dad immediately started talking about how amazing Detroit looked. I quickly (and probably rudely) interrupted him and told him not to tell me the score. Although by the way he was describing Detroit's passing game I had a sneaking suspicion Detroit came out on top. However, when I finally watched the game later that night I was pleasantly surprised to see that Detroit did not blow out the Predators as I had anticipated based on my Dad's comments about the game. I celebrated when McCarty scored and tried to explain to P about his comeback, although I think my gibberish fell on deaf ears.

Nashville got lucky with the weird bounce that led to an easy goal, but Detroit also received some good iron juju. Except for the flurry in Detroit's end that included two goals and multiple chances, Detroit owned Nashville. You have to give Babcock some credit for calling a timeout to settle his troops and get them back in the game. (Hmmm, I wonder why Crow didn't call a timeout during a Kings/Preds game back in January when the Predators scored two or three quick goals in the first period.) Ellis and Hasek were both strong in net but the Predators won't be able to steal games if both teams continue to play as they have in the first two games; Detroit is too smart and skilled and Nashville just doesn't have enough depth at top to score more than Detroit.

Montreal v. Boston (Game 2)
I am so enamored with Montreal fans; they get so involved with the game and bring the Bell Centre to life. Seeing Alexei Kovalev get stone-walled by Tim-may! Thomas reminded me of Alexander Frolov getting denied by Jonas Hiller on the breakaway in regulation and then in the shootout in the seventh game between the Kings and Ducks during the regular season. I couldn't believe my eyes when the Habs almost won the game with just a sec (or maybe even less) left on the clock, but were denied by the post. What a finish that would have been.

I was nervous that even recording Hockey Central after the game was still not going to provide enough time for me to see the Overtime Game Winning Goal. Luckily, with about 2 minutes to spare, just as I declared to myself that Thomas had Kovalev's number, Kovalev snuck a shot past Thomas to finally win the game. Since I had only seen one Boston game (against the Kings in October) this season, I had no idea what to expect from this team. I was surprised to find them fiercely fighting for a victory. Considering this is the 1st seed versus the 8th seed, I was shocked to see Montreal have so much difficulty trying to pull away for a lead to end the game well before regulation ended.

Anaheim v. Dallas (Game 2)
Once again I did not watch the game. Once again I religiously checked the boxscore to keep track of how well Dallas was punishing Anaheim. I was deathly worried about Dallas' fate when Anaheim tied the game, but the Dallas hotties paved the way for another sweet victory. Dallas has scored 6 power play goals in two games, which amounts to a PP% of 46.2. Hot damn, that's ridiculous.

If you want to relive this wonderful game, check out the Untypical Girls liveblog of Game 2, a post game report by Patty (in Dallas) at Penalty Killing, and Finny ripping her boys a new one.

The remaining game notes after the jump...


*Sunday*

Washington v. Philly (Game 2)
Where the hell did Washington's fire go? This game was a disappointment from Washington's standpoint because they did not look good. I said it after the first game and I still agree with myself that Washington's power play needs major improvement. There was more movement on the man advantages but I couldn't understand why no Capital was in front of the net causing havoc for Biron and at least one Philly d-man. How was Washington ranked 10th on the PP during the regular season? My only guess is that every other team in their division was ranked in the bottom half of the league in PK%. Regardless, Washington is making Philly look like PK experts since the only power play goal they've managed to get by Biron came when an unfortunate Philly d-man was inflicted with a puck to the testicles.

Check out the post game report by Shmee at 'Capital Addiction'

New Jersey v. New York (Game 3)
So much has already been said about Avery so I won't go into that whole mess. My favorite part of the game was when there was a scrum and the audio picked up Michael Rupp screaming at Paul Mara: "You're a fuckin' pussy! You're a fuckin' pussy! You're a fuckin' bitch! You're a fuckin' bitch!" I missed it the first time around but after ckim texted me asking who was screaming "You're a fuckin' bitch", I went back and found it and about died at how funny it was. Hilarious!

Is it just me or has Brodeur not looked so....Brodeur?

If you want to relive the game check out the game diary by the -ookies at Interchangeable Parts.

San Jose v. Calgary (Game 2)
You gotta give Calgary credit for never giving up despite what looked like a death sentence for them early in the first period. I've come a long way over the years from intensely hating Calgary in the late '80s to early '90s to rooting for them in the playoffs. The miraculous turnaround can be credited to Craig Conroy, who played for the Kings for 1.5 seasons and who I think is so wonderful.
Go Calgary! Suck it San Jose!

*Monday*

Detroit v. Nashville (Game 3)
Apparently 9 seconds is enough to change a hockey game. Seeing Arnott score the game winner and then talking about it after the game put a little smile on my face. I don't think I've ever heard him speak before but he was very endearing in the post game interview...and so smokin' hot! There's a reason he's on my Squee Team (more on that to come later).

I don't know much about Liljas, but I have not been impressed with his play during the playoffs. I don't think he should be allowed to dress for the playoffs because the only thing he seems good at is turning over the puck.

Steph at No Pun Intended has some good notes about this game.

Minnesota v. Colorado (Game 3)
I'm bored with this series. I'm bored just thinking about it. I'm sure you're bored just reading these sentences. The only other thing I have to say about this series is that Forsberg is good at being a little bitch.

*Tuesday*
Yesterday was not a good hockey day for me as a fan. A couple good things happened but a lot of bad things happened that made me a saaaad panda.

Washington v. Philadelphia (Game 3)
Guess how Washington scored their power play goal? When there were TWO guys in front of Biron as the play developed and ONE guy clearly screening Biron as the shot came through. And what did Wash do on the next 345 power plays? Not screen Biron. How many other power play goals did they score? Nil. Also, hey Wash, how many f'ing times are you going to turn the puck over?

Philly is absolutely owning Washington right now. Even though I picked Wash to win this series and make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, I would be completely fine with Philly advancing to the second round. I get all giddy every time Le Petit Briere scores and he celebrates with the biggest (and cutest) smile. All you Buffalo haters may hate me right now for admitting to liking Briere, but I can't help it, I like the guy!

Check out the post game review by CapsChick at 'A View from the Cheap Seats'.

Minnesota v. Colorado (Game 3)
What the hell got into Minny? Aren't they a disciplined team? I can't believe Minnesota, the trap professionals, allowed 5 goals.

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Minny, quit fighting and start scoring more goals.

Anaheim v. Dallas (Game 3)
And Dallas lost. Boo.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Look at the size of him! Turco is pondering an appearance on the Biggest Loser.

C'mon Minny!!

I posted this pic a while ago, but I have to do it again. Minnesota can't lose to a team that allows one of its players to walk around public with a dead animal on his face.

Extended Friday Five Focus: Playoff Edition

I haven't done a Friday Five Focus in over a month. To make up for all those missed five questions (or thoughts) I'm going to do a longer FFF for the playoff games I've watched thus far; I'll list five observations that stuck out the most to me.

Pittsburgh v. Ottawa (Game 1)

1. Pittsburgh looked so much better than Ottawa. I predicted Pittsburgh to win this series but I expected Ottawa to at least look like they wanted to win. In the third period I was actually rooting for Ottawa to score so the game would appear to be somewhat competitive.


2. Gerber looked shaky in the first period (how in the world did he not save Roberts's goal?) but looked great in the remaining two periods. I still can't get that glove save robbery out of my head!


3. I always laugh when I see a game that's played in Pittsburgh and I see the visiting backup goalie sit by himself. Poor Emery...that's gotta suck!


4. Marc-Andre Fleury should never play the puck behind the net. And if he does, he should never hold onto it for more than 2 seconds. I think he may be worse than Hasek at playing the puck.


5. Forget all the hype about Crosby, this was the Malkin Show! I am completely awestruck of his skills. I knew he was good but he looked damn good in Game 1.

San Jose v. Calgary (Game 1)

1. This game was televised on Versus through a CBC broadcast and watching this feed made me yearn for a pure Versus broadcast like never before. The play-by-play guy sucked; he was so incredibly boring to listen to. The red, white, and blue bar at the top of the screen that showed the team names, score, and time remaining bothered me so much. For one, the colors and format made it look archaic. Secondly, why not use team colors as the background color of each cell where the team names were placed rather than red and blue? Thirdly, if the color format is a tradition, then why not at least place the red and blue so they correspond somewhat closely to the team colors. Seeing a red block automatically made me think of Calgary, but no, it was placed with San Jose and the blue was for Calgary. Does that make sense to anyone? FSN's color and format are much more pleasing to the eye and even Versus does a much better job.


2. The highlights of the Minny/Avs game was terrible! It was like watching a highlight reel from the '60s. Is this what Canadians are subjected to whenever they watch a CBC broadcast?


3. Another rant about the broadcast: the sound was distorted so you could barely hear the fans. I love being able to listen to the sounds of the game and one component of this is the crowd. When you can't hear the crowd it makes it seem like the fans aren't into the game. I barely heard any other sounds outside of the play-by-play guy, which I already mentioned was not fun to listen to.


4. Kipper played frantically in the first period and looked out of position on several occassions. I was worried that this was just a sneak peak of what was to come. Fortunately, Kipper got back on his game and his teammates helped limit San Jose's opportunities.


5. The refs let so much shit go. There was definitely one play where it looked like Clowe (I think) and Phaneuf were taking shots at each other and both were going to go off for something, but only Clowe got the penalty. And other times players made blatantly obvious infractions and no penalty was called. I can't quite decide if I want the guys to be able to just play or if the games should be called to the same standards as the regular season games, but the 'law-abiding citzen' in me is saying that the penalties should be called if it's ruled an offense in the rulebook.

Continued after the jump.


Detroit v. Nashville (Game 1)

1. Zetterberg and Datsyuk are so awesome together. I still hate Tootoo.


2. Ellis was a machine throughout the entire game and really gave the Preds a chance to win. He always looked pretty good against the Kings but...yeah, it's the Kings.


3. I couldn't understand how the game was still tied after the second period. Nashville isn't going to go down easily and hopefully this game is a wake-up call for Detroit. Not that Detroit played poorly, but just that they'll have to bring their A-game every night against the Preds.


4. Zetterberg's game winning slap shot was sick. Zetterberg is amazing...and dreamy. I still hate Tootoo.


5. I couldn't believe Ellis didn't go back in the net when the faceoff was just outside of Nashville's blueline...I think everyone who saw that happened called the empty netter before the linesman dropped the puck. I don't think Nashville would have tied the game if Ellis had stayed in net, so it's kind of a moot point, but just an interesting move by Trotz that I wasn't expecting to see.

Check out the game review by Steph of No Pun Intended.

Anaheim v. Dallas (Game 1)
I actually didn't watch this game. But I kept the boxscore up to keep track of the punishment Dallas inflicted upon the Ducks.

4 Power Play Goals + Shutout + Dallas Win = Awesomeness


Washington v. Philadelphia (Game 1)

1. I've been looking forward to this game since the Caps qualified for the playoffs. Neither team disappointed and I loved watching every single second of it. I was partially hoping for the game to go to overtime because I wanted to continue watching these teams battle like it was win or die.


2. I did the "pumping two fists in the air" celebration when Brashear scored the first goal of the series. Seeing him score was awesome...he displayed patience and soft hands by finishing what looked like an easy scoring opportunity but could have been easily flubbed if he had panicked or rushed it.


3. I was very unimpressed with Washington's power play. As soon as they set up in the zone the players were relatively static. They don't move around too much and in essence, are pretty predictable. They caught a break when the Philly player painfully blocked a shot and crumpled to the ice, allowing the Caps extra time to make the next pass, which led to a power play goal. However, if the Caps want to go deep in the playoffs I think they need to improve their power play.


4. This game was so physical, yet clean. Every player made an attempt to finish his check and not back down. What was so refreshing about seeing this hard hitting game was that it never looked like either team was out their element by playing like this and neither team looked like they were in a frenzy just trying to line up guys for the sake of making hits. Props to both teams for making this game incredibly exciting.


5. Ovechkin's game winning goal was so f'ing awesome!!! What a way for him to start his playoff career.

Minnesota v. Colorado (Game 2)

1. I guess the broken man isn't so...broken...yet.


2. I don't ever recall analysts kissing Sakic's ass in previous playoff years, but I have heard them call him "Captain Clutch" way too many times in the past several days. I'm sorry, but didn't you guys give that nickname to Chris Drury? And also, I question whether it's appropriate to still call Ryan Smyth "Captain Canada" even though he doesn't play for a Canadian team...anyone have any thoughts?


3. These two teams tried to play a physical game but they didn't even come close to the physicality of the Wash/Philly game.


4. I was so excited when Koivu scored Minnesota's second goal to take the lead with little time left in regulation. His shot looked somewhat nonthreatening and I was shocked it went in. Theodore must have felt like shit for letting in that shot. I think I laughed and pointed at him.


5. I could not believe it when Colorado tied it, sending the game to OT. Seeing Colorado tie it made me doubt my prediction that the Wild would win this series, but thankfully the Wild took no time in winning the game in OT to tie the series. I guess Baby Hockey Jesus does listen to prayers!

I love the NHL Playoffs!! and my DVR!

Dallas 4, Daisy Duck 0

Dallas shat all over the Ducks, which makes me a very happy panda.

Dallas not only shut out the Ducks but scored every single goal on the Power Play.

It's about time a team made the Ducks pay for their f'ing goonery.

If you haven't already (and I doubt you have) check out my Ducks/Dallas playoff preview at SportsHubLA. I honestly tried to be as objective as possible....I mean c'mon, who outside of the OC (don't call it that) is actually rooting for the Ducks? And don't forget to read the comments...they're as close to hate comments as I've received. Yay!

And one more Yay! for the Dallas win.

2008 Playoffs - Time for Predictions!

I get really excited about the playoffs every year. When the Kings aren't competing for Stanley I usually pick one team as "my team". It's usally the Red Wings because I always like their lineup. Sure their wagon is HUGE but it doesn't always mean they're going to win the Cup. I love Niklas Lidstrom. He's probably my favorite player in the playoffs. And how can you not like Hank Zetterberg? The Wings even have McCarty back in the lineup! And, of course, let's not forget about Kirk Maltby and Brad Stuart.

Normally I don't care too much about the East, unless there's one team that I adore and want to see succeed. Last year it was the Buffalo Sabres and I was a bit disappointed with their lackluster effort through the playoffs. They had a great team but for some reason, with the exception of a couple games, it seemed like the team won on luck alone. This year I don't have an Eastern team that I'm rooting for. I think Washington is on an unbelievable streak and it would be a sight to see if they advance to the Finals. Hands down that team is the underdog.

My predictions are after the jump. But don't forget to make your predictions (in the comments or in your blog) so we can compare!


Eastern Conference

(1) Montreal Canadiens v. (8) Boston Bruins
I don't know much about the Canadiens except that they have a rookie in net. The team went 8-1-1 in the last 10 games and it always seems like the hot teams do well in the playoffs. I know even less about the Boston Bruins and I'm still trying to figure out how the team made the playoffs. I'm sticking with the hot team.
Montreal in 5.

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins v. (7) Ottawa Senators
Rematch from last year except now Pittsburgh is the home team. Last year I always enjoyed reading the post game notes by Five for Smiting; he's relentless in his mockery of Gary Roberts and Sidney Crosby. I want Ottawa to win this series but I doubt it will happen. The team has imploded and Malkin has the entire state of Pennsylvania on his shoulders and he's still racking up the points. Maybe the bunny will work...but I'm not holding my breath.
Pittsburgh in 6.

(3) Washington Capitals v. (6) Philadelphia Flyers
Like I said earlier, the Capitals look unstoppable. Now that Ovie broke Luc's record, I am in full support of him scoring as many goals as humanly possible. If the Caps make it to the Finals, he could very easily win the MVP award. And honestly, I want the Caps to make it that far because that means I get to watch Ovie play more in the next couple months than I have in the past three years. In the first half of the season it looked like Philly was going to easily slide into the playoffs. Now, I'm not sure they can hold off the streaking Caps. I am in complete shock that Jaroslav Modry went from a +2 on the Kings to a -13 on the Flyers...how is that even possible? Ovie all the way.
Caps in 6.

(4) New Jersey Devils v. (5) New York Rangers
I'm sorry -ookies, Kerry and Lucky 13, but I don't care about this series. And I'm sure Devils fans are less than thrilled to be playing the Rangers and vice versa. Actually, I do care about Sean Avery. So...I guess I'm rooting for the Rangers. But I think Marty will carry the Devils to the second round.
Devils in a painful 7.

Western Conference
(1) Detroit Red Wings v. (8) Nashville Predators
Unless the entire Red Wings roster gets injured and/or everyone becomes super cocky, Detroit's winning this series. For the record, I do not like Hasek.
Detroit in 5.

(2) San Jose Sharks v. (7) Calgary Flames
It's the JR curse.
Flames in 6.

(3) Minnesota Wild v. (6) Colorado Avalanche
This is going to be a good series if Forsberg plays in every game. I wish I could watch every game in this series. I have no idea who will win this one. I guess I'll just have to go with my girl Kirsten.
Wild in 7.

(4) Anaheim Ducks v. (5) Dallas Stars
I cannot believe Zubov is out. However, I still have faith that Dallas can knock out Anaheim.
Dallas in 7.

Mirtle has a poll where you can vote for the 4 teams you think will advance in each Conf. Check out what a bunch of readers think will happen.

EDIT: 04/07/08

After reading Kirsten's predictions I decided I should try my hand at predicting all of the rounds. I initially wanted to propose a Playoff Prediction Game at HLOG similar to the NCAA Final Four brackets, but reseeding makes it more difficult to create a "bracket" and I just don't care that much to actually make it and send it to everyone. Rather, hopefully my (and Kirsten's) predictions will entice others to make predictions as well.

With the predictions I made above for the We/Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, here are my predictions for the remaining playoff rounds:

Eastern Conference Semifinals
(1) Montreal v. (4) New Jersey Devils
Rookie v. Vet. Kind of like Ward v. Brodeur. If this series occurred in the next round then Price would have the opportunity of outdueling Brodeur on his birthday just like Ward did two seasons ago.
Montreal in 5.

(2) Pittsburgh v. (3) Washington Capitals
Everyone in NHL broadcasting will cream themselves if this series comes to fruition. Crosby v. Ovechkin! Da-du-DAH! Poor Malkin...do you think if he's selfish enough that when it comes time for him to be a UFA he won't re-sign with the Pens just so he can go to a team and not be overshadowed by Cindy? Caps are running on endorphins alone. (I can't believe I just typed 'endorphins'...I'm such a dork)
Caps in 7.

Western Conference Semifinals
(1) Detroit v. (7) Calgary
I picked Calgary to win it all...but now they're up against Detroit. Rematch of last year's first round. I think Calgary could dethrone Detroit but it'll take a lot of discipline. Even though Detroit is my playoff team, I think Calgary could succeed with the upset. After looking at my initial prediction for the Western Finals, I think Detroit will win.
Calgary in 6. Detroit in 6.

(3) Minnesota Wild v. (5) Dallas Stars
(holy hell, I'm out of it today. First I typed "Minnesota North" and then I corrected myself and typed "Minnesota Stars" and then I realized I was on crack and finally wrote down the correct team name.)
I just don't know much about the Wild other than Demitra is on the team.
Dallas in 6. Minny in 6.

Ea/Western Conference Finals
(1) Montreal v. (3) Washington Capitals
I can't believe I have Montreal and Washington in the Eastern Conf Finals...Now I really want Washington to make it. But I think Montreal will prevail.
Montreal in 6.

(5) Dallas Stars v. (7) Calgary Flames
(1) Detroit Red Wings v. (3) Minnesota Wild
I just don't see the #5 and #7 making it to the Finals...what was I thinking 3 minutes ago? Anyhoo, this will be a good series. If Minny can make it this far, I think they can make it to the Finals.
Minnesota in 7.

Stanley Cup Finals
(1) Montreal Canadiens v. (3)Minnesota Wild
Two major hockey markets. One smallish American market. Minnesota will win Game 1. Chris Simon will be called with an illegal stick in Game 2. Montreal will win Games 2-5. History can kind of repeat itself, right?
Montreal in 5.

(x-posted to HLOG)

Analysis of My Season Predictions

I think it's ridiculous when analysts make predictions before a single game is played. I always hate it when they come back at the end of the season and say, "SEE, I WAS RIGHT! IN JULY I PREDICTED [insert team name] WOULD WIN!!"

Two seasons ago P asked me what my predictions were before the season began. I said I don't make predictions because (a) I don't know enough about each team before the season begins and (b) I think it's pointless. But I made predictions anyway and was way off. I even had the Kings going to the playoffs (haha!) but I made that prediction more because I really wanted them to advance and not because I actually thought they had the talent. I wish I still had the post but it was on my other blog and I deleted all those posts.

I made predictions before this season because I think it's fun. I also always enjoy seeing how poorly I did. No, I did not have the Kings qualifying this year. I finally got my head out of my ass and didn't let emotions get the best of me. Here's my 2007-2008 NHL predictions post. And if by chance I do really well, it's all because of luck.

Let's see how far off I was. I made predictions about which teams would qualify for the postseason in no particular order. A "(N)" is placed next teams that did not qualify.

Eastern Conference Predictions
Carolina (N)
Tampa Bay (N)
Ottawa
Toronto (N)
Buffalo (N)
NY Rangers
Pittsburgh
New Jersey

I was 4/8, which I think anyone could achieve. I think it also shows how little I know about the East. I had no idea the Southeast Division was going to be so weak and that only ONE team would advance to the postseason. I didn't think Washington had a shot in hell of making the playoffs but they've turned things around, which gives me hope for the Kings. I don't know what the deal is with Carolina. They have a decent roster, why can't they win? How did they lose 3 of their last 4 games to shit the bed and miss the playoffs? I don't know what I was thinking when I picked TB to advance. Watching them in last year's playoffs should have been a clear indicator that things were only going to get worse. I also don't know why I thought Toronto would make it...probably because I didn't think Boston was going to clinch a spot or that Montreal would bust out of the woodworks.

Western Conference Predictions
Calgary
Vancouver (N)
Colorado
Detroit
St. Louis (N)
San Jose
Anaheim
Dallas

I guess Andy Murray is still having difficulty coaching a team to the playoffs. I thought for sure they would be in but maybe it'll take another season or two. I'm absolutely shocked that despite cleaning house, the Nashville Predators were able to hold onto a playoff spot. However, unless Detroit gets super cocky I don't see the Predators making it past the first round. Vancouver will have to have a busy off-season if they want to stay competitive and qualify next season. I think I picked Vancouver to make the playoffs and not Minnesota because of goaltending. I wasn't (and still am not) familiar with either Backstrom or Harding but they've done a fantastic job this season.

I think next season's playoffs will have some new faces. Hopefully the Kings will finally extend their season and I think the Blackhawks could make it as well. Phoenix is also on the rise and despite an unlucky run of injuries, the Oilers weren't knocked out of the playoff hunt till late in the season.

Check back soon for my playoff predictions!