Every Facet of the Game

It Promises Lots of Words and No Pictures

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:53:00 +0000

When not making cheap cracks about Peter Pocklington on Twitter, or watching George Laraque's Octane alcoholic-energy drink commercial, I sometimes actually write about hockey. Usually no one reads those. Understandably, they're longer than 140 characters and they don't have videos of scandalously hot women stretching.

However, if your in the mood and were wondering just what those Providence Bruins of the AHL were up to these days, why not buckle up and take a ride down the information super highway to Hockey's Future. Why, it's as easy as clicking this link. Or this one.

Or even this one: Providence Bruins 2009-10 Preview

Oh George Laraque, now you have gone too far.

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:41:00 +0000

Since you are reading this on a computer, I can safely assume you are sitting down. And that's a good thing, because you'll need to be for what I'm about to tell you. So that means if your one of those weird people with standing or treadmill desks, stop being so damn smug and just take a seat.

Georges Laraque has appeared in an advertisement for an alcoholic beverage that ... (gulp)... exploits women to sell its product.

Yes, it is true, and the powers of Youtube even have the video so we can all watch this senseless exploitation, perhaps multiple times. You know, just to fully understand how distasteful it is.

[go ahead, just stop reading the article and scroll down to end to watch it]

Okay, so it's not exactly the first time a commercial for an alcoholic beverage has flaunted beautiful women as means to make its product appealing. But I myself can tell you through firsthand research that, while cracking open a cool one might be refreshing as you sit down to take in a game at the end of a long day, it does not, as the commercials may hint, make my television room overrun with smoking hot biddies.

I think we can also safely assume that Flo-max is used by guys that aren't always out on white-water rafting or at a ball game with fellow aging brosephs. And I seriously doubt anyone ever has used one of those outside tubs I always see on commercials between innings of a baseball game, for guys whose peeps are on the fritz.

It's commercials people. They lie, but only mostly because they're expected to.

But, okay, yes, I have to agree that this commercial is definitely at the far end of the extreme. It goes further than most that just coyly employ a girl way too hot to be a bartender explaining why this particular brew is superior. But it's the one-minute cut, by the time it actually airs it'll be cut down to 30 seconds.

And lets be honest, your just going to fast-forward through it anyways.

The Canadian Press - Laraque assailed for sexist-deemed ad

Bourque To Open Season in NHL, Just Not For the Caps

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:39:00 +0000

Yesterday morning Chris Bourque thought he was going to be a member of an NHL roster for opening day tomorrow. And today, well, he is going to be on an NHL roster, just not the one he had thought.

Bourque, son of hall-of-famer Ray Bourque, was drafted 33rd overall in the 2004 draft by the Washington Capitals and has spent 4 seasons with their AHL affliate, the Hershey Bears. Monday morning Capitals head coach Bruce Boudrea informed Chris he had made the NHL squad by coyly asking him if he wanted to have dinner at his fathers house in Boston, the location of the Capitals season opener on Thursday night. Instead, Bourque will be on the home bench in Pittsburgh as the Penguins raise their 2009 Stanley Cup banner before their opener with the New York Rangers.

With the intent to open up some salary cap space and perhaps pick up some players off the waiver wire themselves, the Capitals placed Bourque on waivers Monday night. The team wasn't planning on demoting him to the AHL roster, they only needed to take his cap hit off the books for a day. Most teams passed on Bourque, but the Penguins, one of the later teams in the waiver order, and Washington's top rival, claimed him for their NHL roster. The transaction is bound to tweak the already cold relationship between the two franchises who meet last May in the second round of the playoffs, going 7 games before the Penguins advanced.

The Penguins and Capitals won't meet until January 21st, the first of 4 eventual regular season match-ups this season.

Bourque's Wait Is Over, as Left Wing Makes Caps Roster - The Washington Post
Penguins Claim Bourque, Lose Bissonnette - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Penguins Fans Refuse to Tone It Down

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:05:00 +0000

The Penguins new "Defy Ordinary" ad campaign, apparently brought to you by the same people that make those ridiculous Miracle Whip spots.

Defy Ordinary.

We Are Miracle Whip, And We Will Not Tone It Down

Arizona Hates Gretzky; North Dakota Indifferent

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:16:00 +0000

Much like drinking milk, clicking this image will make it grow big and strong

Setting a Standard

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Just like any other sports know-it-all, I play fantasy sports. Fantasy sports of every fashion and sort. Football has just become a given for every male in the 18 to 35 demographic. And despite the Pirates best efforts to ruin professional baseball for me, I've stumbled through a few fantasy baseball seasons. I've participated in a fantasy golf pool, though I honestly can't say I recommend it. I even made a fantasy Electoral College map last November.

So, of course, with my love of all things puck, I'm an avid fantasy hockey fan. However, as I think anyone with some fantasy hockey experience under their belt will admit, it's got its share of problems. So as I prep for my leagues upcoming draft, I can't help but think that these issues can be addressed. Look, I'm not saying I can fix it, but hell, it's worth a shot. Right?

Part of what makes fantasy football so much fun is the community. Sure, maybe there is even a little too much discussion to the point that there becomes too much of a consensus (try not taking Adrian Peterson with the first overall pick), but it's fun. Try having that kind of discussion about fantasy hockey. Obviously your not going to find it on ESPN, but try just having it with other hockey enthusiasts. You can't. Why? Because unlike fantasy football, there is no standard system for fantasy hockey.

A hundred some odd years ago the states faced this same issue with currency. Delaware wants to make it's own dollar bill? Well, isn't that cute. Louisiana wants to make one of it's own? Way to go Louisiana. But at some point we figured if this whole dollar bill thing was ever going to really strike it big, we had to switch to a nationally accepted standard bill. It sounded like a good idea, so they printed some up, stamped George Washington's face on it, and there you go.

So I humbly offer you this, my custom scoring settings, painstakingly researched and developed. Be kind.

It's a ten team league, with weekly head-to-head match-ups. Each roster has 3 starting centers, right wingers, and left wings; 6 starting defensemen; and one starting goaltender. There's one spot on the IR for any injured player, and 6 bench spots, although I've recently become enamored with the idea of knocking it down to 2 spots.

Skaters get points for the standard stats: goals, assists, powerplay and shorthanded goals and assists, and game winning goals. As well, in an effort to bring more value to defensively minded players, they get points for hits and blocked shots. Face-off victories and losses are worth a fraction of a point, and defenders recieve an additional fraction of a point for each goal or assist they tally.

Goaltender scoring is simply. Throw out victories. Not important. Anyone who has played fantasy baseball has learned this the hard way with pitchers. Wins don't accurately give you the value of a tender. Instead they are awarded points for saves, and deducted for goals allowed. And on the rare instance that they steal the game with a shutout, they are rewarded handsomely. That's it. Simple.

Again, I'm not saying everyone in the world should adopt this particular system, but I believe we have to pick one. And I do believe this is better than most. What do you think, did I get something wrong. Should points really be awarded for a GWG? Are shutouts over valued?

RECAP:

10 Teams - Weekly Head to Head Match-ups

3 C - 3 RW - 3 LW - 6 D - 1 G - 6 B - 1 IR

Skaters
Goal - 5
Assist -3
Plus/Minus - +/-1
Powerplay Goal - 2
Powerplay Assis - 1
Shorthanded Goal - 4
Shorthanded Assist - 3
Game Winning Goal - 2
Faceoff - +/-.2
Hit - .5
Blocked Shot - .5
Defensive Pts - .2

Goaltender
Goal Against - -3.5
Save - .5
Shutout - 10

Five Reasons I Love Hockey

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:47:00 +0000

In the hockey world, there is no month more unholy than that of August. September brings us camp and exhibition games. The season runs from October to April. The playoffs carry us through May. The Cup is handed out in June. And the first of July is free agency frenzy. But August? August brings us nothing.

But the good people over at Puck Daddy did something to alleviate that feeling of hockeylessness this August. For the entire month they had a daily list of "5 Reasons I Love Hockey" by everyone from the incomparable James Mirtle to ESPN's Dave Dameshek to The Hockey Show's Carrie Milbank and her hot pants. And while I'm not really "a list guy" (in fact in the hundred odd EFotG posts there has never been "a list") I just couldn't let it get by me. So I thought, honestly, what are the five reasons I love hockey? Amazingly none of The Cutting Edge trilogy made the cut.

Pittsburgh in the Spring of '91

I've been watching professional sports from birth. It's really all I know. It's like breathing. But my earliest sports memories, those are of the Stanley Cup bound Pittsburgh Penguins in the spring of 1991. I remember getting off my school bus and walking into kindergarten, walking past the flag pole flying three flags: an American, a Pennsylvania State flag, and a Penguins flag. Pittsburgh in the spring of 1991 was unreal. It was a holiday-like atmosphere. Everyone was Penguins crazy, and the Penguins were everywhere. Jaromir Jagr and his euro-mullet had the female population swooning. Mario Lemieux had everyone in awe. I didn't quite understand everything that was happening, but I knew it was something that I wanted to be a part of.

Street Hockey

Like most, my love of watching hockey had a solid foundation in my love of playing hockey. And while unlike so many NHLer's in their youth, my parents weren't flying me 80 miles for a 6AM practice, my brothers and I did have an Mylec plastic hockey net and the street outside my house. It was there that we spent long summer days, knocking around a hockey ball with our plastic blade sticks, avoiding at all costs the dreaded street gutter. From that asphalt I could dream of wearing a Penguins sweater on the wing of Lemieux. To love the game you have to know the game, and you cannot truly know the game without lacing them up every once in a while.

NHL '94 for Sega Genesis
After leaving the suburbs of Pittsburgh for the Flyers territory of Wilmington, Delaware, lost was my ability to watch Penguins games on any sort of a regular basis. And even the Flyers games were only available to those who had a dish, a luxury not available in the Megahan household. So in between the playoff series and those select few nationally televised games, most of what I knew of not just the Penguins, but the rest of the league, came from SportsCenter highlights and the EA Sports NHL Series. And while NHL 94 wasn't my first hockey game, it was the one that cashed in on the promise of Ice Hockey, Blades of Steel, and NHLPA '93. Similar to the way kids growing up in the 1970s learned of the MLB through collecting baseball cards, those of us growing up through the 1990s knew what we did of the league through NHL video games. The game also fortified my already long standing belief that Lemieux was a deity skating among regular men. Cut to the slot, Shoot. Score. The man was always unreal.

NHL Center Ice

Wondrous as it maybe, NHL '94 can only go so far. Towards the latter half of the '90s the game seemed to garner more national television attention, first with Fox and then with ABC and ESPN. But it was not until the 2005-06 hockey season, after I had graduated from high school, got a job, and moved into a beat down apartment in the part of town you could not get a pizza delivered, that I finally landed NHL Center Ice. At long last I had all 82 games to bask in. It was the first year returning from the lockout. It was the first time we saw Crosby on the ice in a Penguins sweater, and it was the last time we saw Lemieux in action. Though rarely was it pretty. While Crosby clearly had the talent that we were promised, the season was a mess. In Ziggy Palffy's first year in Pittsburgh, he was never able to get anything going, and by the All-Star break he announced his retirement from the game. In his first and only coaching job, Eddie Olczyk, who had taken over the bench for the Penguins the seasons before the lockout, didn't last til the New Year. I loved the Penguins before that year, but watching them for 2 1/2 hours, 3 nights a week, for 6 1/2 months on NHL Center Ice to my love of hockey to a whole new level.

June 12th, 2009

With three sofas squashed into my parents living room, I sat (though more often I paced) with my brothers, dad, sisters and mother around the television. It was the 12th of June 2009, and it was the payoff. I watch hockey because I love hockey. But all that time, everything I went through, that was my investment in the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise. Seeing Barrasso hiding underneath his net as the Florida fans rained plastic rats down on the ice while the Panthers were knocking the Penguins out of the '96 Easter Conference Finals. Losing to the Flyers, who were not only hated, but also the team of choice of all my classmates, in the longest OT game in modern NHL history. Falling in the Conference Finals to the New Jersey Devils in the first and the most successful season of Lemieux's comeback. Suffering through the Milan Krafts and the Konstantin Koltsovs. Impatiently waiting through he lockout. Heating up down the stretch of 2007, only to have the Ottawa Senators end our season in 5 games in the first round. Feeling like we just couldn't lose after going 12-2 through the Eastern Conference, falling down 3-1 to the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals, finding life in the absolutely unbelievable game five overtime called shot from Petr Sykora, only to come up short and have the Wings win the 2008 Cup in Pittsburgh on Game Six. And on top of it all, having Hossa spurn the Penguins offers to sign with the Red Wings and get his "best chance at a Cup". All of this, everything, was an investment. And that night, when the clocks hit zeros on the Game Seven of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals, the gloves flew in the air, and the Cup was raise, that was the payoff.

Fourth Party Wishes to Tender Bid For Coyotes

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:01:00 +0000

As the September 10th bankruptcy auction of the Phoenix Coyotes quickly approaches, it appears that another party is preparing a bid for the floundering NHL franchise. A franchise that has lost somewhere in the range of a $100 million in it's last 3 season and has failed to make the postseason in 6 seasons. Currently three bids have been formally proposed to the courts.

Research In Motion, makers of the Blackberry, co-CEO Jim Balsillie has the highest bid for the team, offering $212.5. However, after failed attempts to purchase and move the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006 and the Nashville Predators in 2008, filled with missteps and errors, the league's Board of Governors unanimously rejected Balsillie's ownership. However it remains uncertain whether the bankruptcy judge can supercede the leagues decision as it looks to procure the best deal for the franchises debtors.

Ice Edge Holdings, a group of Canadian and American investors, came late to the table, fielding a more modest $148 million offer. Though despite adamant claims by the group to keep the team in Arizona, they have explored the option of playing select regular season and playoff games in Saskatoon.

Already deeply engrained in the process, the National Hockey League went a step further Tuesday night, entering their own $140 bid for the franchise. The League, who at $37 million, is also one of the franchises largest debtors, has put together a proposal to keep the team in Phoenix for the upcoming season. However, they also allow for the team to be sold and relocated if the team fails to become a finnacially viable option in Arizona.

The late comer to the process, a 22 year old American student has just recently expressed his interest in the franchise. As part of the bid, documentation has been submitted to the public record outlining his capability to transform the struggling Coyotes into a competitive franchise. Included was a 23 page overview of his superior performance in fantasy hockey over the past four seasons, including a league championship in 2007. Specifically, along with his championship he highlights the selection of Mark Streit in the 22nd round of his fantasy draft in 2008. Streit went on to finish the season as a top ten fantasy defensive talent.

However, unlike Balsillie who placed 430th on Forbes list of the wealthiest people on the planet, he admittedly does stand in the most stable financial territory. While he contends his credit "isn't really that bad" and has been "really making some progress on paying down his credit card", it is uncertain whether the league's Board of Governors will find his financial records suitable to enter the exclusive ranks of ownership. Some unsubstantiated rumors making their way through the elite levels of league suggest he may even be carrying some outstanding medical bills. These reports have not been independantly verified at this time.

He has even gone as far as to include numerous personal references in an effort to distinguish himself from Balsillie, who found himself entangled in a stock backdating scandal, and the league deemed "untrustworthy" in their rejection of his ownership. Notably, his own mother contends "he's really a sweet, smart kid". However, when we reached out to his mother, while reiterating how much of a good boy he was, she did admit that she "really wished he'd date more" and "find himself a better job".

Content from the Canadian Press was used in this article

Again

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Sun, 31 May 2009 15:02:00 +0000

After Saturday nights disappointing 3-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings in the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Penguins faithful may be quick to recall the many instances in which the team has rebounded from dire straits. It was only a few months ago that the Penguins disappointing regular season performance had them outside the playoff race looking in. They proceeded to go 21-5-4 to finish off the season and hosted their first round match-up against inner-state rivals the Philadelphia Flyers. They can do it again. Only a couple weeks ago they rallied from a two games to none deficit to eliminating Alexander Ovechkin and his Washington Capitals. They can comeback again. The Penguins are nothing if they are not resilient. But one thing the Penguins faithful cannot help but remember that is this time last year when they did not show up for the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals against the same Red Wings, and how big of a role it played in the Wings eventually dispatching Pittsburgh in six games and claiming the Cup.

Many might put the game on Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, whose gaffes dealing with the active bounces off the Detroit boards directly lend to two of the Wings goals. And surely Fleury's otherwise dominant young career has its share of blemishes from big game blunders, including last nights performance. But by the time the scoreboard had reached 00:00 the Penguins allowed only three goals to a talented roster, albeit absent from the lineup was their top scorer Pavel Datsyuk. But it was all Detroit needed. In a post season where both Fleury and the Red Wing's Chris Osgood have played such an large role in taking their teams to the cusp of claiming, or reclaiming, supremacy, it was the other guys on the ice who decided the first game of the championship series. Across the ice surface Osgood had his own share of errors, allowing rebounds all night long. Including the rebound on a first period Evgeni Malkin shot that Ruslan Fedetenko deposited in the net, tying the game. But the Wings skaters where there to pick up Osgood, shutting down the Penguins dynamic offense, closing down the blue line and forcing the play to the boards. Despite resorting to teaming the top two playoff scorers, Malkin and Sidney Crosby, on a single line, the Penguins were unable to work their cycle in the offensive zone. The Wings stifling defensive effort eliminated dissecting passes and play inside the circles, rendering even the dangerous Penguins power-play ineffective.

Count the Penguins game one loss as an opportunity wasted, particularly with Datsyuk and his 97 regular season points not in the Detroit lineup. But do not count the Penguins out of series, from the moment they landed the first overall pick in the 2005 lottery and drafted then seventeen year old Crosby the Penguins have made beating the odds their calling card. However with the puck dropping on game two tonight, less than 24 hours after the completion of the series opener, the Penguins have to rebound sooner rather than later as to not repeat their costly errors of last seasons Cup finals.

Keeping 'Em Honest

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:48:00 +0000

People love to make predictions. And for good reason, there is practically no downside to it. If I tell you the Kansas City Royals are gonna win the pennant this year and they don't, not a soul is going to remember. On the other hand, if the Royals defy the odds I look like a genius. And I will almost certainly bring it up at every possible opportunity for the next three to five years. Every single opportunity. If I ever get that Nobel Peace Prize, during my acceptance speech, I assure you somehow I will work the fact that I drafted Mark Streit in the 22nd round of my 2007-08 fantasy draft and lauded him as the top defenseman he turned out to be.

See, you just can't lose with predictions. So people make them, constantly. From the Academy Awards to your horoscopes. I'm pretty sure its how weather forecasts started. Lord knows I make them. I'm as guilty as anyone. Your talking to the guy that filled out a Fantasy Electorial College Map this past November.

That being said, just perhaps things have gone a little too far with these NHL playoff predictions. Just maybe. Last year, before my detour at the Pensblog and several months of sitting around doing nothing, I kept a little chart going around these parts to keep track of some of the picks being made out there. You can actually see it as the post directly below (I told you I haven't been doing anything). And there is just no way I don't bring it back this post-season. Not only just to improve on my mediocre 9-6 record, but also to keep everyone a little more honest.

And also, maybe for just a little bit of bragging rights when the Bruins collapse in the first round.

CLICK GRAPH TO VIEW FULL SIZE

And not to house their selections without due credit, your prognosticators are:

Barry Melrose, Pierre LeBrun, EJ Hradek, Scott Burnside, John Buccigross, and Matthew Barnaby (ESPN)

Maggie the Monkey, Bob McKenzie, James Duthie, Darren Pang, and Peter Laviolette (TSN)

Greg Wyshynski and Sean Leahy (Puck Daddy)

James Mirtle (From the Rink)

and Kevin Shultz (Barry Melrose Rocks and Fanhouse)

The Final NHL Playoff Predictions Chart

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:00:00 +0000

Exactly two months ago tonight we kicked off the NHL 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 16 teams were still alive. Dominik Hasek was the starting goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings, the Montreal Canadiens looked to be a threat in the East, and murmurs of Marian Hossa being a career playoff "no-show" were haunting the thoughts of Penguins fans.

Since then ... well, you know the story. The fan bases of NHL franchises not named the Detroit Red Wings may be disappointed, but we were treated to one of the most exciting postseason in sometime.

Through each round of the playoffs at EFotG we had a handy little chart just to keep some prognosticators, myself included, in check. After round one we were all shocked by the domination of the sole robot in the race, the EA Sports NHL 08 Simulation. But making all it's picks prior to the postseason, instead of making them round by round like the rest of us, eventually caught up to the machine.

In the end SportsCenter anchor John Buccigross took our little pool by a pick, going and impressive 11-4. I myself fell one behind the pack, due mostly to a 1-2 performance in the Conference and Cup Finals. Overall it was a good time and a good showing by all, everyone staying over .500. Thanks to everyone who made predictions.

James Mirtle, Sean Leahy at Going Five Hole, Kevin at Barry Melrose Rocks, Jes Golbez at Hockey Rants, John Buccigross and Barry Melrose of ESPN, the Globe and Mail, and of course, the circuit boards of a Xbox 360 running EA Sports NHL 08.

Oh, This Is So Going In My Blog

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 04:11:00 +0000

With the Penguins season over, unfortunately without the Stanley Cup, Pens fans have spent the last few days celebrated the storied run by the promising franchise. To commemorate the amazing "called shot" by Petr Sykora one fan created a photoshop that through it's use on The Pens Blog, has made it's way all around Al Gore's internet. It's a nice little story, as reported by Pittsburgh's WPXI. Well, that is, except the fact WPXI ran the picture, extending a tip of the hat to neither The Pens Blog, nor the creator, John M.

If you'll recall, EFotG also ran this picture in the post following game 5, only with permission from it's creator. Which was actually quite easy to get, you know, beings as he owes me, I think I paid for Chick'fil-A last. Yes, this amazing photoshop was created in the post game five celebration across my television room by my very own older brother, the photoshop savvy John.

This whole internet is a crazy thing. You can pretty much do anything you want. Pretty much. But for as much as "established media" criticizes the practices of blogs and next generation mediums, you'd expect there to be a higher standard. Apparently not. And while John is quite pleased with the attention his piece of work is garnering, can't we just give the man some credit?

But no fear, TPB is prepared to hand down justice. You can't job jobbers. They gave WPXI a more than generous deadline of 6:00 PM. Which, at time of this posting, has past with no credit being extended. And TPB does not make empty threats. They have been through this before with WPXI. Ask John Fedko.

Penguins End Season 2 Games Short, Wings Lift 4th Cup in 11 Years

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:06:00 +0000

I can't say I was in much of hurry to get this recap posted, but I know I've got to get it done. So here it is.

First and foremost you have to give the Detroit Red Wings their incredibly deserved due. They were the best team in the regular season. They recovered from an early hiccup in the first round against the Nashville Predators and played solid in front of Osgood, who came in to replace Dominik Hasek. The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the Stanley Cup Finals the most dynamic offense in the league, and the talented Red Wings defense were able to shut them down. It's painfully tough to swallow, but they have earned it, the Detroit Red Wings are the 2008 Stanley Cup Champions.

As for the Penguins, they could have given up after the Wings shut them out in both games 1 and 2. But they battled back. Games 3 and 4 were hard fought, and entertaining games. Down 3-1 in the series and facing elimination the Penguins came back to win one of the most exciting games in the history of the Stanley Cup, tying it in under a minute, and winning it in the 3rd OT. The Penguins even took Game 6 down to the wire, pulling within one late in the 3rd and having multiple scoring opportunities in the final moments of the game.

In the end it was their performance in games 1 and 2 that did the Penguins in, but they showed what kind of team they were battling back. They have a talented young roster and should remain a Cup contender years down the line. The consensus says they will not be able to resign trade deadline acquisition Marian Hossa, but General Manager Ray Shero will remain busy through the off season trying to resign the other Penguins free agents [including: Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, Pascal Dupuis, Brooks Orpik, and Ty Conklin].

All in all, it's been an incredible season, both for my Pittsburgh Penguins, and for the NHL on the whole. Both have showed growth over the past 8 months and hold incredible potential for the 2008-09 season.

But just because the season is now officially over, it doesn't mean Every Facet of the Game will fall silent. In a couple weeks we'll once again be back to the place where it all really starts, the NHL Entry Draft. Then one of my favorite holidays of the year, the 1st of July, free agency begins. And before you know it, in [if my count is correct] only 3 months, 4 weeks, and one day, the NHL will drop the puck on the 08-09 season with the Penguins and Senators in Sweden.

Until then I've got the Pirates [sigh].

Stanley Cup Finals Game Six Live Blog

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:36:00 +0000

As I've been for the previous two games of the Stanley Cup Series, I'll be over at Greg Wyshynski's Puck Daddy Live Game Blog. Though I'll probably keep any commentary to the intermissions and commercial breaks, I don't need to tell anyone how important this game is and all of my attention will be on the television screen tonight.

Unbelievable

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:55:00 +0000

With the seconds ticking off in the last minute of Game 5 of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, I stood only a few feet away from my television, quietly staring as the Detroit Red Wings were mere moments away from being inscribed as the 2008 Stanley Cup Champions.

The Pittsburgh Penguins 1st period 2-0 lead, along with their hopes of extending the series, had slowly deteriorated. Darren Helm first put the Wings on the board just shy of 3 minutes into the 2nd period when he took a feed from Maltby and threw a shot on net that deflected and beat Fleury short-side.

At the 13:17 mark of the 3rd the Red Wings took advantage of a Tyler Kennedy Hooking minor, tying the game with Datsyuk's five-hole deflection. Less than 3 minutes later Detroit took the lead when Brian Rafalski took a pass in the high slot and threw one passed Fleury.

And now with time dwindling away on their season, the Penguins pull goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who had been stellar throughout the game, for an extra attacker. I stood motionless. I'm not even sure if I'm breathing at this point. Chant's of "We Want the Cup" are echoing through the Joe Louis Arena.

The puck kicks to Crosby in the corner. Malkin is being tied up in the slot. Extra attacker Maxime Talbot gets himself to the side of the net. With under 40 seconds left in the game Crosby finds Talbot by the post. Wings tender Chris Osgood makes a pad save, but Talbot gets right back on the rebound. He makes another attempt at shuffling it by Osgood. I'm peering closely at the net. The revolution of the planet slows. Time is crawling. I've never wanted to see a red light so badly. Evgeni Malkin raises his arms towards the sky. Behind the net Talbot is celebrating. 3-3. Tie game. ESPN News would later report this as the latest game tying goal in a Stanley Cup elimination game, and I'm prone to believe them.

Throughout the game I had been posting to a Live Game Blog with a panel of other bloggers over at Greg Wysynski's Puck Daddy [which if you haven't noticed is becoming the best hockey blog on Al Gore's internet]. With the breath of life back in the lungs of the Penguins, the decidedly pro-Pittsburgh panel was reinvigorated. I didn't think Sean Leahy of Going Five Hole was going to make it through the night. At the beginning of the game I was hoping to offer impartial insightful commentary, by overtime I was posting a link to Kasparaitis's Game 7 OT goal against the Sabres in 2001.

Heading into overtime I knew the first few minutes would be dangerous. But after you get past a certain settling in period, both teams start playing for the long haul. In retrospect some of the people I've talked with have told me the Red Wings controlled play in the 1st OT. Others said the Penguins controlled the 2nd. I don't know, to me momentum seemed to be shifting ever possession, but everything has begun to blur together. This is probably because I was a ball of anxiety and not enough oxygen was getting to my brain [I held my breath every time the Red Wings possessed the puck in the Penguins zone].

One thing that is for sure, is that as one overtime became two, became three, it was clear that Marc-Andre Fleury was keeping the Penguins in the game. The young goaltender turned in a performance that will go down as one of the all-time greats in the Stanley Cup Finals, and made some saves that will live on forever or poor quality YouTube videos.

Towards the last few minutes of the 2nd OT period, Pittsburgh Penguins winger Petr Sykora caught the attention of Pierre McGuire, the NBC Commentator seated between the team benches. "I'm going to score." he said.

The Penguins caught a break in the 3rd OT when Jiri Hudler's stick caught Pittsburgh defenseman Rob Scuderi in the face. Scuderi never wanted to bleed so badly. They called the double minor and the Penguins had 4 minutes of power-play on the board.

Only a handful of seconds into the power-play Malkin settled down a errant shot behind the net. As he swung around the back of the net to Osgood's left the Red Wing's penalty killers collapsed ] in front of the net. Sneaking into the play, Petr Sykora set up in the left circle. Malkin's pass hit Sykora in stride, with plenty of room, and Sykora let a wrist shot go in the face of a Wing's player, sliding out to block the shot.

Once again time slowed. I'm searching for the puck with my eyes. I don't think it hit Osgood. I didn't hear it ring off the post. It wasn't wide. An eternity passes. Staring at the net, I see the puck falling to the ice. Game over. Jubilation ensues. Penguins win and stay alive to host Game 6 in Pittsburgh.

The game will go down as the 5th longest game in the history of the Stanley Cup Finals. Regardless of the outcome of the series, it will go down as one of the greatest games ever. Fleury's fifty-five saves. Talbot tying the game when the Wings could almost feel the Cup in their hands. Petr Sykora's called shot. Unbelievable.

You may have seen this picture on The Pens Blog. I'm also running it, with the permission of the creator, my clever and aptly skilled photoshop jobber brother John.

Penguins and Red Wings Look to Live Up to Spotlight in Game Four

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Sat, 31 May 2008 20:24:00 +0000

After a three day layoff the puck will drop tonight on Game Four of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals. Should the Penguins triumph at home again, they will lock the series up at two apiece after being down 2-0. If the Wings can pick up the road victory they'll set themselves up to play for the Cup Monday night at home in Detriot's Joe Louis Arena.

After the one-sided loss of Game One by the Penguins, more than a few were running around calling game two a "must win" game for Pittsburgh. And while I laughed off calling any game two a must win game, after they once again were trounced pretty handily, Game three in Pittsburgh was looking pretty important. But when it came time, the Penguins did what they had to do. They won at home. If any Red Wings fans thought this series was over when the Wings took the first two, and started planning parades or something, they were vastly mistaken.

Game three was more the Penguins style of game, and home ice proved to be huge. And while the sellout crowd was absolutely riotous, spurring on the sensational play of Gary Roberts and in particular an incredible shift by Brooks Orpik, it was the last change that proved to be the Penguins greatest advantage. It's no secret that line match-ups have been a huge plot line in this series, and when Michel Therrien is able to respond to any teams line changes, the Penguins are nearly unbeatable. Likewise when the Wing's Mike Babcock is able to respond the other teams line changes, he can throw out a defensive match-up that can shut down just about anyone.

Though while the last change has been an important storyline in the series, perhaps the loudest story around those close to the game is the greatly increased amount of exposure this year's Cup is receiving. Across the boards ratings are up, and in some spots, up big. In a prime time duel that saw the Wings road game going head to head with the Detroit Pistons NBA Conference Finals road game, the Red Wings walked away winning in a big way. Detriot Neilson ratings saw the hockey game beating the basketball game 18.2 to 15.9.

The Cup series between Sidney Crosby and his Pittsburgh Penguins and the dominant Detroit Red Wings has the NHL looking to parlay the increased attention into reasserting themselves as one of the top sports in the US. And overall, mainstream media seems to be playing along. ESPN, long criticized by hockey fans for their decreasing coverage of the game following it's move to Versus, brought in none other than Hockey Night in Canada's Don Cherry to sit in on segments with Barry Melrose. As well, media credentials are up from 550 last season's finals to 700 this year. Which very well may be a shift in policy for many U.S-based newspapers that had refused to incur the cost of sending a writer to cover the Stanley Cup.

And while on the topic of the increased attention this finals has received, perhaps the greatest aspect of the third game of the series was the excitement it brought. The first two games in Detroit saw the Wings thoroughly dominant the Penguins scorers, and while the Red Wings defensive play may be an astonishing strategic feat, it is also about as exciting as tax season. Which is why those around the game are crossing their fingers hoping that regardless of the final on tonights game, and ultimately the series, the play lives up to the national spotlight the NHL has finally received.

Stanley Cup Game One: Detroit 4 - Penguins 0

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Sun, 25 May 2008 03:59:00 +0000

Heading into Detroit for the first game in what's thought to be perhaps the most competitive Stanley Cup Finals since the New Jersey Devils took on the Red Wings in 1995, there was a slew of mutual appreciation from both parties. The two teams weren't very familiar with each other, having only played once in the past two years, but they had to respect what the other had done. In the aftermath of the Red Wings 4-0 victory, it's to be sure the Penguins have a much better idea of just why the Wings are to be respected.

After the long lay off, the Joe Louis Arena was buzzing for the puck to drop. A surprising number of Penguins fan secured tickets to the series opener, spotting the red crowd with black jerseys here and there. Enough Penguins fans to hear a slight "Ruu" cheer after Jarkko Ruutu laid now a huge shot block early in the game. But not one's to be outdone the Wings faithful rang down thunderous praises of "Ozzie" after early Penguins scoring chances were thwarted.

An early Red Wings goal was called off due to goaltender interference on Tomas Holmstrom. If you want to read the NHL rulebook word for word, Holmstrom interfered with Marc Andre Fleury by putting his stick in Fleury's equiptment prior to the shot. But if this guy's name is anything but Holmstrom it probably isn't called. That being said, I'm not sympathetic, he has been warned again and again. He's going to continue to do what he does best, but he can't be surprised when it lands him in the box for two.

If you want to point to one moment the Penguins could have stepped ahead, you have to look to the six-plus minutes on the power-play in the first period they came up empty on. The Wings shorthanded approach could not have been any better. They shut down the dynamic Penguins power-play by forcing the play to the perimeter, closing off in front of Osgood, and cutting down any cross ice passes.

Still scoreless in the 2nd period, I, along with about 15 thousand watching from the Mellon arena, and countless Penguins fans else where, let out an audible gasp when Brooks Orpik's stick was lifted in front of Fleury on an icing touch-up. Valtteri Filppula let a snap shot go off the hustle play, but Fleury came up with a big save to keep the Penguins in the scoreless game.

The zero-zero deadlock was broken with 7 minutes left in the 2nd period on Mikael Samuelsson's wrap around goal. It unfolded like it was in slow motion. The Penguins dumped the puck for a line change, but it was intercepted in the neutral zone. I screamed at my television as 48, Tyler Kennedy, and 11, Jordan Staal, continued to glide toward the bench for a change. The play broke the other way and before long the puck was behind the sprawling Fleury.

When the Samuelsson picked up his second of the game early in the 3rd, depositing a bad clear by Fleury in the net from close range, the Wings fell back into their suffocating defensive play. Detroit allowed only 3 shots in the period, despite the Penguins desperate play that opened the game up for 2 insurance markings. One shorthanded on the rush by Dan Cleary, and the other with only seconds left in the game by Henrik Zetterberg on the powerplay.

For the Penguins they are faced with a list of things they must address in time for game two on Monday night. First and foremost is scoring first. They can not allow the Red Wings to settle into that dominant defensive role that they do so well with the lead. The one thing I won't call game two, though, is a "must win" game for the Penguins. It's an over used phrase and a cliche. The Red Wings have grabbed the early lead, but even with the dominant play I don't think anyone's backing away from their predictions of a long series.

You only have to look to the other playoffs going on in the sporting world right now in the NBA to see how the Boston Celtics have survived despite poor play on the road. When it comes to the first four games of a series, winning on the road is a luxury that ends things quicker. The only must win game is a home game.

Game One Recaps

The Pens Blog is ready to set up and rally the troops, something they haven't had to do all playoffs long. Remember when Rudy was so pumped he slammed his head off that brick wall, that's how I feel after this Pensblog.

One the Wings breaks down the victory and the solid Detroit play. It's insightful, and he's no fool. He knows it takes four wins, not just one.

Going Five Hole's Sean Leahy knows the Penguins haven't faced adversity like this all playoffs long, but it just might be the wake up call to light a fire under them.

Game Two is in Detroit, Monday night at 8 pm EST on Versus.

Stanley Cup Final Prediction

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Sat, 24 May 2008 21:53:00 +0000

I could very well just tell you I'm getting this preview of the Stanley Cup Finals in at the very last minute because it's such a tough series to call. And really, it is. Neither team has felt much resistance as they blew threw the first three rounds. The Penguins dropped one to the Rangers and one to the Flyers, and are sitting at 12-2. The Red Wings dropped two consecutive games in the first round against the Nashville Predators, but then turned to backup goaltender Chris Osgood, who strung together 9 straight victories. Fighting off elimination, the Dallas Stars took a couple from the Detroit, but the Wings went down to Dallas to seal up the Campbell Conference Trophy in a decisive 4-1 victory.

However, this preview is being mailed in last minute because I spent yesterday afternoon, probably not unlike many players from the 28 teams that won't be suiting up tonight, on the golf course hitting triple bogeys. Anything to distract me from counting down the hours until the puck drops.

Every way you turn in this match-up you run into numbers that tell you this is a heavy weight match. The Penguins haven't lost at home since February 24th. Remember February? The last time the Penguins lost at home the New York Giants were still glowing from their Super Bowl victory and Mitt Romney still thought he had a chance at becoming the 44rd President of the United States. I'm just saying, that's a long time.

But, you know, the Red Wings haven't done too poorly for themselves either. I vaguely remember something about them winning the Presidents Trophy as the top team in the NHL regular season. The closest team was 7 points back. And all of that was before Osgood came onto the scene full time and started stopping everything thrown his way.

I'm not going to repeat the "storylines" to you, because if you're reading some obscure hockey blog, then I don't need to tell you about Sidney Crosby. You know Evgeni Malkin and Marc Andre Fleury. The Penguins are young, and they are good. Likewise you know about Nicklas Lindstrom, Tomas Holmstrom, and Johan Franzen. Detroit is old, er... I mean experienced, but they are practically "Team World". This is clearly the match-up everyone wanted to see, the meeting of the titans.

So I suppose I need to wrap this up with some sort of prediction, albeit, completely skewed and biased. You could say this series is going either way and I wouldn't argue with you, but I'm picking my Penguins. It'll be a test heading into Detroit for games 1 and 2, but if they can split them they'll be poised to jump ahead with 3 and 4 heading back to the 'burgh. And just as a recap: I am biased. This could go either way. But, Pittsburgh Penguins become the 2008 Stanley Cup Champions in front of the home crowd in Game 6.

The Fix Is In

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Fri, 23 May 2008 05:10:00 +0000

Lately it’s been the belief of more than a handful of opinionated hockey fans that the National Hockey League has conspired to land Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins as the Eastern representatives in this year’s Stanley Cup finals. Although, it’s a bit of a paradox, as most are also of the opinion that Gary Bettman could not successful run a lemonade stand, let alone one of the largest sports leagues in the world.

Facing these two conflicting outlooks, I’ve carefully weighed all the evidence at hand and have come to the most logically and reasonable conclusion. Secretly Gary Bettman must be an evil genius who has concocted an elaborate scheme with a single goal in mind, getting the names of Sidney Crosby and the rest of the 2007-08 Pittsburgh Penguins etched on the Stanley Cup. His facade as an ignorant basketball fan that couldn’t set up a game of Mouse Trap, is just that, a cover. And behind it he’s put this wicked plan into action.

I can see him now, in his office high above the city of New York, sitting in a large leather chair. If my early research into the realm of evil geniuses is to be trusted, we can safely assume he has a large cat sitting on his lap, and he’s probably petting it as he manically laughs. From here he instructs the on-ice officials to give all the calls to the Penguins.

The only question is just how long this has been going on. Of course he fixed the 2005 Draft Lottery in the Penguins favor. That’s a given. And of course the 2004-05 NHL lockout was just all part of this scheme to send Crosby to Pittsburgh. But how far back does it really go? Are you a Hartford fan who lost their precious Whalers to North Carolina? Guess what? All to get the Penguins into the 2008 Stanley Cup. The attendance problems, leaving ESPN, Mighty Ducks 3, the canceling of Arrested Development. Yeah … to get the Penguins to the Cup. For the love of Buster Bluth, just how deep does this go?

Sure, with everyone so hot on the trail the past couple weeks Bettman has had to cool it off a bit. Throw a couple curveballs. He called for the War Room to disallow Crosby’s goal against the Flyers in the Semi-Finals, but I can see straight through that. What to the untrained eye may appear as stellar play of Evgeni Malkin and shutdown goaltending of Marc Andre Fleury is clear to me. I’ve got Bettman pegged behind the scenes playing puppet master. You can’t pull the wool over my eyes.

Penguins Advance to Cup Final With Only 2 Losses

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Tue, 20 May 2008 00:51:00 +0000

With the Penguins wrapping up the Eastern Conference Finals with a dominant 6-0 shutout of the Flyers, the Penguins become the 5th team to reach the NHL Stanley Cup Finals with only two playoff losses.

The Ducks accomplished it in 2003, the Wings pulled it off in 1995, as did the Hawks in 1992. The Oilers did it in back to back years 1987-1988. The Penguins are the first team to accomplish it from the Eastern Conference.

Assuming the Red Wings bring home the Campbell Conference Trophy tonight, the two teams will meet with the lowest combined losses sine the 1995 between the Devils and Red Wings.

NHL Playoffs Round 3 Chart

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:00:00 +0000

The Conference finals are in full swing, and everything appears to be in order. The Penguins are heading into Philadelphia up two games to none, and the Detroit Red Wings are a game away from running the table on the Dallas Stars. It is at this time that my pick of Dallas in seven games seems a little ill advised, but I guess that's the risk you run going out on a limb like that. With everyone else picking the Wings I would look like a genius if the Stars took this one, but that's looking a little unlikely.

Actually, with everything unfolding pretty much exactly as was expected the big stories in hockey have been from matters outside of the playoffs. Well, except maybe Mike Ribeiro and Chris Osgood's attics following game two. Just recently the head coach of the San Jose Sharks Ron Wilson became the former head coach of the San Jose Sharks. This sets the score for an off-season that could be as much about signing free agents as it is about locking down a head coach. Along with the Sharks, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Florida Panthers are looking for someone to fill that spot behind the players on the bench. Also the Thrashers have to be looking for a coach to take over for GM Don Waddell who has assumed the duties since Bob Hartley has fired early in the season.

In my preview for the Eastern Conference Finals I mentioned how I didn't think everyone realized how big of a deal Kimmo Timonen's absence would be. Fire that, sniffing out a juicy storyline the hockey media are now painting the 33 year old defenseman as if he is a first ballot hall-of-famer. The guy is solid, but Versus answer to every Penguins goal is to question what would have been differently had Timonen been in the lineup. I'd say it's about time for everyone to calm down, but with the puck dropping in Philadelphia later this evening, I think we all know there is little hope of that.

Eastern Conference Final Prediction: Pittsburgh Penguins (2) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (6)

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:50:00 +0000

It always takes me being backed up against a wall to get this series predictions done, and the puck drops in fifteen minutes, so it's probably time to get something here. Once again I'll preface this series by admitting the incredible self interest I have in it. However at the same time, these are probably the two teams I know more than any other in the league. As a Penguins fan I've been there all season long. As a relocated resident of the greater Philadelphia area, all my friends, my neighbors, my co-workers, if they carry any interest in hockey, are Flyers fans. When I'm talking hockey, it's usually about either the Penguins or the Flyers. Needless to say, there are a handful of people who I'll be temporarily falling out of communication with for the duration of the series.

As a Penguins fan, they are playing as well now as I've seen them play in years. Since landing Crosby they've gone through periods of putting up big numbers, but their defense hasn't been as solid as it is now in a very long time. Marc Andre Fleury post high ankle sprain injury has been impeccable. And the Penguins at home have been unbeatable , 13 straight home victories dating back to February 24th. Coming out of, perhaps, the most competitive division in hockey, the Atlantic, the Penguins may be the most dynamic team in the NHL.

For the Flyers, it's been more of an up and down season. They have struggled, but they've proven they are up to the task, always bouncing back. At one point late in the season it looked like the had fallen out of the playoff race. They lost 10 straight games in February, and they lost out on the Forsberg lottery (ultimately for the best) in which they were originally favored. However they finished out the season 12-4-4, beating the Penguins on the final day of the season to leap a few teams to the sixth spot. They went 7 games with the Capitals, winning the deciding game with all the momentum against them and on the road. In the second round they were matched up with the top team in the Eastern Conference, the Montreal Canadiens. After dropping game one in overtime, the Flyers bounced back, rattling young Canadien goaltender Carey Price, and winning the next four. Throughout the season they have been down, but they haven't been out.

It's been said again and again, but it can't be underrated, this is going to be an emotional series. Special teams will play a factor, no one can afford letting their emotions get the best of them. Losing Kimmo Timonen hurts Philadelphia more than people may think. Ultimately it comes down to who can win on the road. It shouldn't come as a surprise, but I've got the Penguins in 6.

Western Conference Final Prediction: Detroit Red Wings (1) vs. Dallas Stars (5)

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:21:00 +0000

It's no secret, my doubt in the Detroit Red Wings. If you'll recall my 2nd round predictions, while I did have the Wings getting through the Avalanche, I mentioned the possibility of them falling apart in the Western Finals. But then they came out and played so strong they had me choosing my words carefully as I recapped the 2nd round.

The Stars shocked us upsetting the Sharks in the 2nd round, especially myself. San Jose had been my Western Conference pick all season long. It was closely fought, with four games heading to overtime, including the deciding game which took 4 overtimes for the Stars to eliminate the Sharks.

This match-up is going to be all about who can enforce their style of play on the series. If the play is more open and higher scoring, the Red Wings are going to have the advantage. However if the Stars can muck it up a bit, slowing it down and making the game close, they've shown they can win those games. Thus far these playoffs the officials have shown that they are willing to let teams slow the games down, so I've got to believe when it matters in this series they'll keep their whistles in the their pockets. Marty Turco is a top five goaltender in the league. Osgood has been playing well, but I'm not sure he holds out. All in all, I imagine this one will be close, but I've got the Stars in 7.

Playoff Predictions Chart: Round 2 Recap

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Tue, 06 May 2008 05:23:00 +0000

- update: turns out Barry Melrose did make second round predictions, though they hid in a corner of the internet. Fret no longer, they have been found. Pierre and Milbury are still MIA.

If the second round the NHL playoffs have proven anything, it is this: the Philadelphia Flyers will not yield to the robot invasion. And for that matter, neither will the Dallas Stars. Perhaps you remember that following the first round of the playoffs we all looked on in awe as the NHL 08 simulation went a perfect 8 for 8. In the second round? Penguins over New York Rangers. Called it. Detroit Red Wings over Colorado Avalanche. Called it. But as for the other two series, the mighty machine has faltered. I have a hard time celebrating the Dallas one though, as no one else from our chart called for the Stars to move on. However, notching one in our column, Jes Golbez of Hockey Rants did correctly surmise the outcome of the Canadiens v. Flyers series. It still holds a lead on the rest of us, but one thing has be proven: The machine can be beaten. In the words of my comrades from The Pens Blog: do it.

Looking at the second round, I finished 2 for 4. After rambling on how I was too biased to make an accurate prediction for my Penguins series against the New York Rangers, I not only called it, but made the correct games prediction, and correctly predicted which games both teams would win. I have no problem taking credit where credit is due, and I was on my game with that one. I also got the Red Wings vs. Avalanche series right, although I don't think anyone was too thrown off by what went down in that one. The Wings are rolling. Does that mean I'm taking back my doubt about them struggling in the Conference Finals? Well I haven't put my predictions in pen yet, but they've made a strong case.

Minus Golbez's call as stated above, we all dropped the ball when it came to the Canadiens vs. Flyers and Sharks vs. Starks match-ups. Not taking anything away from Philadelphia, but I think if Carey Price plays like he can in that series, Montreal isn't breaking out their golf clubs yet. As for the Sharks elimination, I'm genuinely surprised we all missed that one. I'm sticking to the excuse that I was merely staying true to my preseason Cup picks. What's your guys excuse?

Before I end this post, and we say goodnight to the second round of the playoffs, let me just repeat one thing. Neither ~~Barry Melrose~~, nor Pierre Milbury made second round predictions. These are supposed to be the ambassadors of our sport. Anyone who has caught some playoff games knows one thing when it comes to the league and their voes. It's not the product. But maybe it's the packaging.

Impromptu Live Game Blog: Stars at Sharks Game 5

JustinRMegahan@gmail.com (Justin) — Sat, 03 May 2008 02:10:00 +0000

Well the week has finally ended and somehow I made it through alive. After focusing all my time and effort for the past week on completing the semester, it's time to celebrate the arrival of a lot of free time by an impromptu live game blog. There's only one game on tonight, so if you're watching hockey, it's the Sharks looking to stay alive with a game five win at home against the Dallas Stars. So with that, live game blog time:

1st OT [18:55]
SAN JOSE GAME WINNING GOAL
PAVELSKI
Dallas 2 - Sharks 3 FINAL

It didn't take very long. A minute into overtime Pavelski circled the Stars zone and fired a high wrister sending the series to a game 6. Thats two straight for the Sharks, are we finally going to see an NHL team come back from a 3-0 series deficit? They'll meet again on Sunday night, Brendan Morrow will bide his time.

3rd Period [00:21]

With only seconds left in regulation Brendan Morrow looks to end it all for the Sharks, but is driven into the net. No call. Morrow is all business. He is channeling just a bit of Gary Robert tonight.

The scoreboard all zeros and it's still all tied up. For the first time in the series the Sharks decide to play some 3rd period hockey. Once again a game from this series is heading to overtime to find a winner. The Stars won games 1 and 3 in extra time. The Sharks are looking to stay alive and force a game 6 Sunday night in Dallas.

3rd Period [8;53]
SAN JOSE GOAL!
CAMPBELL (ROENICK)
Dallas 2 - Sharks 2

Speaking of San Jose getting to it, and of the resurgence of JR, Roenick just sent a beauty of a neutral ice pass to the tape of Brian Campbell. Campbell sent a laser of a shot a quarter inch below the crossbar, beating Turco. It hit the back crossbar and came right back out, but the goal light judge is on his game. Tie game.

3rd Period [12:21]

Dallas heading back to the powerplay after Ribiero was pulled down from behind. After selecting the text color for the last goal I am reminded that the San Jose Sharks wear teal. This is completely unacceptable.

San Jose kills the penalty and nearly has a breakaway for a chance to tie the game, but it's called off-sides. The clocks ticking for the Sharks, time to get to it.

3rd Period [13:40]
SAN JOSE GOAL!
MICHALEK (THORNTON,CHEECHOO)
Dallas 2 - Sharks 1

Michalek takes a pass from Thornton and finally solves Turco. Somehow, only a goal down, the Sharks are still in this game. No much debate on the issue, Thornton is the best passer in the NHL.

3rd Period [16:03]

Christian Ernhoff takes another penalty. This time tripping, Dallas heading to the power-play. A goal here could almost put it away. GOAL! Wait . . . . . NO GOAL! They are saying Morrow threw this one off his glove. They are going upstairs once again to the War Room, but the early review looks to agree with the man in stripes. Morrow was trying to knock down the puck to shoot it in, but he never got wood on it.

The War Room knows was good for them and they agree with me. Morrow's put three pucks in the net tonight, but only one's counted.

2nd Intermission

Keith Jones as a colorman is great, Keith Jones as an analysis is laughable. I love his stories, but when he tries to act like he knows what he's talking about everything falls apart. During the break he made the argument that the goal shouldn't of counted, without really giving any reason why. He just said "distinct kicking motion" about five times during an incoherent ramble. I like Jonesy, so I'm just gonna chalk this up to the guys behind the scenes telling the guys at the table to debate whether it was a goal or not, and Jones got the bad end. That's what we call the commercial bias.

Much like my hatred for the "delay of game" penalty, I'm not that fond of the whole no kicking business. I just don't see the purpose of it. Are they afraid that if they allowed it everyone drop those pesky sticks and try to use their CCMs to beat the tenders?

2nd Period [0:55]
Dallas Goal
MORROW (RICHARDS,MIETTINEN)
Dallas 2 - Sharks 0

I'm pretty sure this one counts, guys. But I'm 0 for 1 on the evening, so what do I know? Morrow made sure to let the refs know once again how he felt about them calling his last goal off after putting the Stars up by 2 (again). Bad angle shot, that one's all on Nabokov.

End of 2. Dallas has scored three, two have counted. San Jose only 20 minutes away from tee times. Time to grab another slice of pizza, get ready to bunker in for the final period. Sharks have to throw everything at the Stars here in the 3rd.

2nd Period [4:29]
NO GOAL?

Dallas Goal
MORROW (RIBIERO, LEHTINEN)
Dallas 2 - Sharks 0

Well it's looking more and more bleak for the Sharks. Brendan Morrow just put one behind Nabokov, although it looks like they are taking it to the War Room in Toronto to make sure everything is on the level. Looks like it went off the skate, but doesn't look like any sort of kicking motion. Every Fact of the Game says it's good, fall in line War Room.

Dallas is jobbed like nobody's business. If that is a distinct kicking motion than I am Mickey Mouse. How dare he.

2nd Period [9:56]

After the Stars nearly made it a two goal lead, save for the post, the Sharks lead a rush up the ice that resulted in Dallas taking a penalty. Let's just pause and reflect on something for a second, Jeremy Roenick is at the moment, it's 2008 let me add, playing for a chance to be in the Western Conference finals. Jeremy Roenick. Sure, he isn't the oldest guy in the league. And I really don't like him thanks to being berraged by an onslaught of commercials when he was in Philly. But has anyone resurrected their career more like JR has? When he was in Phoenix it looked like his career was over.

Sharks powerplay over, nothing doing.

2nd Period [13:46]
Power-Play Goal
LEHTINEN (ZUBOV, MODANO)
Dallas 1 - Sharks 0

Stars make good on the powerplay chance and break the deadlock. It's a dumb penalty, but if you are the Sharks in the situation to be eliminated, you just can't take something like that. Dallas wasted little time, Zubov found Lehtinen in front of the net and he took Nabokov five-hole. Time for the Sharks to respond.

2nd Period [15:21]

Still score-less in San Jose. Both these teams are smart defensively and have amazing goalies backing them up. The Stars failed to cash in on their first opportunity on the power-play, but they've got another one thanks to a Sharks "Delay of Game" penalty. Man I hate that call. Tell me how a guy throwing the puck over the glass in the defensive zone is any different then an icing? Put the faceoff back in the zone and don't let them change.

1st Intermission

Taking advantage of the break to get some food. A little Digiorno pizza, nothing but the best, after all my body is my temple. Dallas is starting of the 2nd with about a minute of carry-over man advantage.

One of the funniest things about watching games from teams all over the country and Canada is eyeing the on-ice and board advertisements. In San Jose, is all tech related. Playstaion, San Disk, SeaGate, HP, Best Buy. At the same time in Pittsburgh it's blue collar. Car dealerships, trade schools, and the like.

1st Period [00:56]

The Stars get an opportunity on the power play themselves to finish out the first period.

Scoreless through one. If you're the Sharks, you're probably looking to get on the board in a big way sometime in the 2nd period. The 3rd hasn't been friendly to the Sharks. Their season hangs in the balance.

1st Period [4:00]

Dallas takes another penalty, holding, Sharks looking to get something done on the power-play. They set up some possession time in the offensive zone, but few chances. The best chance probably went to Dallas with a nice little shorthanded play.

1st Period [6:39]

We're more than ten minute deep into the opening period, and thus far, nothing. Perhaps had I put some time thinking into this I would have put some time into picking a game that would prove to be a little more exciting, but I guess that's the fun of the impromptu blog.

1st Period [20:00]

Alright, since this was impromptu (very impromptu I just got up from a nap a couple minutes ago) I started throwing this blog together just as the game was starting, but fear not, it's been rather uneventful so far.

The Sharks just dinked one of the crossbar in the dying seconds of a power-play. If the Sharks want to keep their season going they are going to have to cash in on the chances when Turco is out of position.