Oh my Gary, the playoffs are coming!

(From the Canadian Press, TSN.ca)

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Sidney Crosby would have never admitted this a year ago but on the eve of his second NHL playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar centre revealed just how awestruck he and his young teammates were when the puck first dropped last spring in Ottawa.

''The first 10 minutes,'' an introspective Crosby said Tuesday. ''I mean, it felt like they had eight guys out there. We were just watching, trying to feel it out. They weren't. They were taking the play to us.''

Even the great ones have to learn for themselves. No matter how much veterans such as Gary Roberts had warned his young bucks, the intensity and emotion of the NHL playoffs is something players must experience first-hand before knowing how to prepare for it.

''You can watch as much as you want but being in that atmosphere, being in that environment, knowing how to react and things like that - just having that sense of `I've been through this before,''' said Crosby. ''It's very emotional when you're in the playoffs so the more you're prepared for what can happen, the better you are.''

[...]

''Nobody likes to lose,'' said Crosby. ''We have a lot of guys who have a lot of pride and character and don't accept losing. We want to be better for that experience and hopefully this is our chance to prove it.''

Roberts has noticed the difference in his young teammates a year later.

''Mentally I think we're a stronger team this time around just because of what we went through in the playoffs last year and the adversity that we went through this season to finish second in the conference,'' said Roberts.

Crosby also points to the adversity his team faced this season as another growth factor. Both he and Fleury were among the long list of key injuries but the Penguins never lost a beat.

''It would have been easy to have a lot of excuses for not winning this year,'' said Crosby. ''We lost our goalie for three months. Myself, Roberts, (Mark) Eaton. The list goes on. We came out of that, which I think says a lot about the character of our team. I think we're a stronger group than we were a year ago.''

Crosby was flying on the ice during his team's practice ahead of Wednesday night's opener against the Senators in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final (CBC, 7 p.m. ET). Anyone who saw him skate Tuesday would not believe all the rumours suggesting the 20-year-old native of Cole Harbour, N.S., is still hampered by the high ankle sprain that knocked him out of 28 games from January to March.

''I'm fine,'' he said. ''I think there's a lot of speculation with my ankle because they sat me out on Sunday (in Pittsburgh's regular-season finale). But that's really not the case. It was more of just getting a rest and just making sure that I'm ready for the playoffs.

''But the ankle is giving me no problems whatsoever.''

That's a scary thought for Senators fans who saw him collect five points (3-2) in his first five career playoff games last spring despite, it was later revealed, playing on a broken foot.

Now he says he's healthy this time around, until that is, a Senators player gives him a two-hand chop a la Bobby Clarke on his ankle. That was the suggestion of a columnist in Tuesday's edition of the Ottawa Sun, a story that quickly made the rounds of the Penguins dressing room.

[...]

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Get ready, Ottawa Senators, because it's payback time.

Twenty-four hours until puck drop.

[Hossa - Crosby - Fleury - Malkin]

Playoff Predictions: Round 1

MONTREAL VS. BOSTON
Ashley - CANADIENS
Susie - BRUINS
Maggie the Monkey - CANADIENS
James Duthie - CANADIENS
Darren Pang - CANADIENS
Mike Milbury - CANADIENS
Bob McKenzie - CANADIENS

PITTSBURGH VS. OTTAWA
Ashley - PENGUINS
Susie - PENGUINS
Maggie the Monkey - PENGUINS
James Duthie - PENGUINS
Darren Pang - PENGUINS
Mike Milbury - PENGUINS
Bob McKenzie - PENGUINS

WASHINGTON VS. PHILADELPHIA
Ashley - FLYERS
Susie - CAPITALS
Maggie the Monkey - FLYERS
James Duthie - CAPITALS
Darren Pang - CAPITALS
Mike Milbury - CAPITALS
Bob McKenzie - CAPITALS

NEW JERSEY VS. NEW YORK
Ashley - RANGERS
Susie - DEVILS
Maggie the Monkey - DEVILS
James Duthie - RANGERS
Darren Pang - DEVILS
Mike Milbury - RANGERS
Bob McKenzie - RANGERS

DETROIT VS. NASHVILLE
Ashley - RED WINGS
Susie - PREDATORS
Maggie the Monkey - RED WINGS
James Duthie - RED WINGS
Darren Pang - RED WINGS
Mike Milbury - RED WINGS
Bob McKenzie - RED WINGS

SAN JOSE VS. CALGARY
Ashley - SHARKS
Susie - FLAMES
Maggie the Monkey - SHARKS
James Duthie - SHARKS
Darren Pang - SHARKS
Mike Milbury - SHARKS
Bob McKenzie - SHARKS

MINNESOTA VS. COLORADO
Ashley - AVALANCHE
Susie - WILD
Maggie the Monkey - WILD
James Duthie - WILD
Darren Pang - AVALANCHE
Mike Milbury - WILD
Bob McKenzie - AVALANCHE

ANAHEIM VS. DALLAS
Ashley - DUCKS
Susie - DUCKS
Maggie the Monkey - DUCKS
James Duthie - DUCKS
Darren Pang - DUCKS
Mike Milbury - DUCKS
Bob McKenzie - DUCKS

NHL ON TSN PREDICTIONS FOR THE CUP:
Pittsburgh Penguins beating the New York Rangers in the East
San Jose Sharks beating the Detroit Red Wings in the West
San Jose Sharks winning the Stanley Cup against the Pittsburgh Penguins

interesting...

How my pre-seasons predictions panned out...

Back in August, I decided to make a few predictions concerning the 2007-08 season. Those predictions centered around how the final standings would look. Well, since the season is now over, maybe we should take a look at those predictions and laugh about how dumb I was last summer.

Eastern Conference
1. Ottawa (President's Trophy)---Montreal
2. New York Rangers---Pittsburgh
3. Atlanta---Washington
4. Pittsburgh---New Jersey
5. Buffalo---New York Rangers
6. Toronto---Philadelphia
7. New Jersey---Ottawa
8. Philadelphia---Boston

9. Tampa Bay---Carolina
10. Montreal---Buffalo
11. Washington---Florida
12. Carolina---Toronto
13. New York Islanders---New York Islanders
14. Florida---Atlanta
15. Boston---Tampa Bay

Western Conference
1. Detroit---Detroit (President's Trophy)
2. Anaheim---San Jose
3. Colorado---Minnesota
4. San Jose---Anaheim
5. Vancouver---Dallas
6. Calgary---Colorado
7. Dallas---Calgary
8. Minnesota---Nashville

9. St. Louis---Edmonton
10. Chicago---Chicago
11. Edmonton---Vancouver
12. Nashville---Phoenix
13. Los Angeles---Columbus
14. Columbus---St. Louis
15. Phoenix---Los Angeles

Where I was wayyyy off base:
Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Washington, Atlanta, Boston...basically most of the Eastern Conference
Vancouver, St. Louis, Minnesota...I did much better in the West.

Where I was spot on:
Islanders, Chicago, Detroit

Better luck next year, I suppose....

Tomorrow night I'll post my predictions for round 1 of the playoffs, along with my dog's predictions and the predictions of the TSN crew and Maggie. I'll keep tabs on how everyone does and we'll see who is the best playoff predictor in June.

Women's Hockey: Canada and the US on top

When it comes to women's international hockey, it's hard to argue the notion that the sport is dominated by Canada and the United States. Since the first world championships in 1990, the only team Canada has lost to in international tournaments has been the US, and (other than a semi-finals loss to Sweden in the Torino Olympics) the US has only lost to Canada.

Many critics have argued that this is unfair and that women's hockey should not be an Olympic sport because it is one-sided (or two-sided). After all, for most teams, the main battle has been for the bronze medal.

Critics call Team Canada names because they always play a hard game from the opening faceoff until the last buzzer, and typically win by a large margin. I can only imagine what they'll say after today's 11-0 victory over Team China (with a 5-save shutout by Charline Labonte - though she said that she faced 8 or 9 shots) at the 2008 World Championships in China. Afterall, everyone gave them crap for winning 16-0 against Team Italy at the 2006 Olympics.

Here's my opinion: Canada, the United States, and every other team should play to the best of their abilities at all times. For Canada or the US to dumb down their games when they play other teams is completely disrespectful in itself. It sends the message that the other teams are not worthy of their best game. It also lets a few bad habits creep into your game, which will bite you in the ass in the later rounds.

The win over China is not exactly surprising. Just take a look at the number of registered female hockey players in each country: Canada has 70,000....China has less than 150. Something similar can be said about many countries (say, Italy).

Sure, many teams will get clobbered by Canada and the US, as has been the case in years past, but those teams are getting better. Sweden is starting to catch up, thanks in large part to super-goalie Kim Martin. Finland is getting better too. The playing field will soon be level, and it won't be a sport dominated by the US and Canada. Remember when the Soviet Union dominated international hockey in the 60s and 70s and nobody could beat them? Well, things have changed, starting with the "Miracle on Ice" team at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.

Canada and the US may be on top of the pile right now, but other teams will take their experiences against us to learn.

As Team China head coach Steve Carlyle said following today's game, "We'd been looking forward to that game all year. It was an emotional letdown for us. This was an opportunity to play the best team in the world and learn. We still have a long way to go. Team Canada respected us by battling hard through the entire game.''

One last standing ovation

He hasn't made any announcements, but everyone seems to know.

He flew his parents to Vancouver to see the final game of the Canucks' season, a game in which the fans all held banners declaring their appreciation for Linden.

Fans of the Vancouver Canucks love Trevor Linden. Heck, even fans of other teams acknowledge how special a player he is and was for that franchise. He was more of a Canuck than anyone else in Vancouver history.

And it seems that the 'Trevor Linden Era' is now over. Tonight appeared to be the last NHL game in Linden's career.

He may not have scored a goal tonight. In fact, his team lost 7-1 to Calgary, but he was named the number one star of the night because that is what the fans wanted. He came out and skated around the rink, saluting the fans as they stood and cheered for the man who was once their captain.

The Canucks took to the ice after the game and gave their jerseys to fans. The cameras seemed to be stuck on Linden as he signed his jersey and handed it over to a young woman before sitting down on the bench. CBC then trained their cameras on UFA Markus Naslund, who is not expected to return next season.

The Vancouver Canucks are losing a quiet, humble, honest and thoughtful player - a true leader - but he will soon return to GM Place to watch the team raise his number 16 to the rafters.




He did return to play Game 7, but lost the Cup to Messier's Rangers.

You'll be missed, Linden.

2008-09: The Year of the Habs

Next season will be all about the Montreal Canadiens. It will be the 100th anniversary of the team, so the National Hockey League will help the Habs celebrate accordingly.

First off, the Habs will host "Le Match Des Etoiles" (aka The All-Star Game) in January 2009. That summer, Montreal will host the NHL Awards Show - something normally held in Toronto - and the 2009 NHL Draft (aka The Tavares Sweepstakes).

Now, we are told that the Canadiens have put in a bid to host an outdoor game that winter at the Molson Stadium, which normally hosts the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL.

Deputy commish Bill Daly didn't say much about the report: "It's not something we want to overdo," he said. "We want to keep it special."

All of these events will make things exciting in Montreal (is anything in Montreal ever boring??), but what fans want most in 2009 is their 25th Stanley Cup - that is, if they don't win the whole thing in 2008.

Kick his ass, C. Bass!

I have been hard on Ottawa since, well, late last fall when the big downward spiral begun. I just didn't get how the team that kicked Pittsburgh....New Jersey...Buffalo....out of the playoffs in 07 just kinda fell apart.

Well, tonight's game against the Leafs shows that they aren't completely done. Maybe it was because the Leafs are done and have a few newbies in the lineup, and maybe it's because Mats Sundin is gone...who knows. But I just checked the box score of the game and the Sens are up 8-2 over the Leafs with about 7:30 left in the third.

Even strength goals? Check. Three of them.

Power play goals? Check. Check.

SH goals? Check...times 3. Two of them by some guy named "C. Bass"....oops, I guess Vermette got his stick on that second C. Bass SH goal.

Oh well. Still made me think of Dumb and Dumber...

I'm sure Sens fans are loving this, especially after being shut out in their last 2 games. The offense is clicking!!! Yay!!!

But will it show up for the playoff?

And which defense will play next week: the leaky one that exposes the goaltenders' weaknesses, or the one that got the team to the Cup Finals last year?

As for the Leafs, I feel bad for Toskala - Maurice didn't pull him. I don't care if your team is out of the playoff race or not, you don't let your goalie suffer like that if you have a backup that is able to play. Remember Patrick Roy's final game with Montreal?

Solid TSN Playoff Preview Coverage on April 7th

Less than one week to go, people...

TSN has announced their 3-hr playoff preview extravaganza to be broadcast Monday night starting at 7PM ET.

Sad about the thought of missing the Playoff Preview coverage? Don't worry - the NHL Network is picking up the broadcast, and TSN.ca is showing the goods live and on-demand.

Good times.

Here's how it all breaks down:

7PM ET: McGuire's Monsters (TSN, TSN.ca, NHL Network)
Pierre McGuire will announce his team of 'Monsters' - those who are the consummate team players - in his third annual Monsters special. Last year it was Sidney Crosby...will Ovechkin get the nod this season?

7:30 PM ET: Fantasy Playoff Special (TSN, TSN.ca, NHL Network)
This part of the extravaganza sees James Duthie hosting a fantasy draft among the so-called 'experts' - Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, analysts Dave Hodge, Mike Milbury, and Keith Jones (reigning Fantasy King). Each team will have 6 forwards, 3 D, and 1 goalie. Points are awarded according to goals and assists (1 point each), victory and shutout (for goalies, 1 point each). Expect a lot of smack talk as they criticize each other's choices.

8PM ET: Scotiabank NHL Draft Lottery Special (TSN, TSN.ca, NHL Network, Versus, NHL.com)
This is the second time the Draft Lottery will be televised (the first time being the "Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes" in 2005, and this time being the "Stamkos Sweepstakes"). There will be live coverage of the Lottery, and Stamkos will join the mix via satellite as he learns where he will begin his NHL career. Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie will also give his Top 10 list of players eligible for this year's draft and Mad Mike Milbury will be on hand to give his two cents before and after the big event in NYC.

8:30PM ET: NHL on TSN Playoff Preview Special (TSN, TSN.ca, NHL Network)
This 90-minute show is what we are all waiting for - the in-depth analysis of each playoff series. McKenzie, Milbury and Darren Pang will be around to tell it like it is (they may be right, or probably wrong). Everyone on the broadcast team will declare their predictions, and the ever-popular Maggie the Monkey will return to prove everyone wrong. Remember a few years back when the national media ran all kinds of stories saying that Maggie the Monkey was smarter than the so-called 'experts'? I wonder if it will happen once again - how great would that be? Anyways, Panger will also breakdown the goalie matchups, Dreger will name the 16 people (one from each team) who go into the playoffs in the 'hot seat', Hodge will do his 'Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down' segment, and there will be a feature on the active player with the most Stanley Cups to his name - Scotty Niedermayer.

If you don't have some kind of emergency, then I'd suggest tuning in to the broadcast. I always find these guys entertaining as hell, and their extensive coverage of various NHL events (see Free Agent Frenzy day, TradeCentre, the NHL Draft) is always worth watching.

You ain't gonna get this stuff on ESPN.

[Gary Roberts?]

A sad day in Canada-land.

The Edmonton Oilers have finally been eliminated from the playoff race by...*gasp*...their hated provincial rivals, the Calgary Flames.

What a sad day. I really wanted the Oilers to sneak in and beat Detroit in round 1...again.

Who's next to fall? The Vancouver Canucks? They're currently in 9th...behind the Nashville "We sold all of our stars last summer and yet we don't suck" Predators.

How about the Ottawa Senators? The term 'Free Fall' does not even begin to describe what's going on there. They seem to be synonymous with the word 'shutout' -- and not in a good way.

That's one team that will blow up in the off-season.

Imagine if the only Canadian team to make the playoffs this year was the Habs? How sad would THAT be??

Great news on the Cryers

One of the best things I have read all day.

Philadelphia kicked out of playoff race for dirty play.




Have fun on the golf course. I'll be watching hockey.

(thanks to pensgirl over at pensblog for posting this on c-blog)