NHL Playoffs

First before I get into any ranting, I would like to direct you all to a letter written by former Redskin long snapper Ethan Albright to John Madden in response to Albright being rated the worst player in the NFL for Madden 2007. Just Google Ethan Albright.

So the NHL playoffs are getting tense. Nobody can finish anyone off. The Sabres really shit the bed yesterday. They had a lead with 9 minutes left but then Scumbag Hartnell glide a puck underneath Ryan Miller.

It was a shame, Buffalo had this series, but now the liklihood that they can win a game 7 in Philly is the same as Kate Smith coming back from the dead to replace Jared as the Subway spokeswoman.

The shortlived idea of Philly being ousted in the first round got me through the Pens beating on Saturday. Now I will be forced to watch Pronger continue to look like a road cone, Danielle Briere doing his best impersonation of a European tough guy, Laviollette's goalie roulette, and Mike Richards ability to get away with being a dirt bag.




What is it about the top seed in the West in recent years. Can't seem to finish. It's like a drunk guy with a semi-overweight chick.

Chicago is playing great right now. Duncan Keith is the premier defender in the game. When Quenville lines up Kane, Toews, and Sharpe, is there a scarier line in hockey.

Dave Bolland does not lose faceoffs. How important are faceoffs in the playoffs? Just ask Jordan Staal who has won less draws than Les Averman in the first Mighty Ducks.

A 3-0 lead turning into a Game 7, Vancouver has to be worried. The Sedins are in hibernation, and Kesler is nowhere near where he left off in the regular season. All problems for Western Canada.

I don't want to bash the Pens, they still have 2 chances to close out the series, but does any team provide more of a cushion for their losses. Think about it, they don't lose 3-2 or 2-1, instead they lose 5-1 or 8-2. They get their moneys worth. There is no suspense when they lose, they allow the fans to soak it in during the 3rd period and get on with their lives before the final horn.

When a team's leading point scorer is Arron Asham and followed by Maxime Talbot, there are major issues.

Kris Letang hasn't hit the back of the net in 30 games, that is approaching Brooks Orpik territory.

Can we win a faceoff? I'm sick of harping on it, but we need to hold a roster spot for a specialist. Someone like the aforementioned Dave Bolland, who can win important draws, and quickly make a change once possession is had. Mike Zigamanis did it a few years back for us, why not find someone like that. These draws are becoming too important to lose.

Speaking of the powerplay, it was marvelous to watch the Flyers and Sabres with the extra-man. Don't get me wrong I hate both teams, but to see offensive zone possession, multiple shots on net, defensemen pinching, and actual goals, it was a thing these Pittsburgh eyes haven't seen in a long minute. How can you possibly justify a 4% powerplay conversion rate.

Is there a softer D-pairing in the league than Ben Lovejoy an Matt Niskanen? Deryk Engelland needs to be in the game tonight. He needs to clear the crease, there can't be any chip ins, or scramble plays in front of Fleury. That is what I loved most about Hal Gill, he might have been pulling a train on his back, he might not have been able to skate, shoot or pass, but one thing was for sure, noone was going to make themselves at home in front of the net. He cleared house and made sure if an opponent was going to screen Fleury, their lower back was going to pay the consequences. That's what Engelland needs to do.

We need some intensity. There needs to be a sense of hatred and/or anger from the beating they took on Saturday. Someone needs to step up and be a leader, someone needs to end this tonight and allow all the Tampa residents to renew their normal May schedules of watching Matlock and Murder She Wrote marathons.