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Back and to the left. This is like watching the Zapruder film. I’m glad Edmonton has had a chance to catch their breath after that early Hurricanes goal, and if that net crash (admittedly) had resulted in a goal it may have sucked the momentum right out of them. My AC is blaring, and my energy bill is going to be longer than a Pronger shift, but this is a glorious way to spend a Monday evening.

 THIRD PERIOD

You can’t see me right now, but I’m doing the cabbage patch: Rem Murray, it’s your birthday.

Sigh. I prefer when "pulling his goalie" is a euphamism for masturbation. 20 seconds left, and Torres is starting fights. Go down swinging, boys. An exciting end to the season, and good, honest, lighthearted fun. Regardless, a pox on your families, Carolina.

I have Brass Bonanza cranked. The left side of my face is painted blue, the right, green. I just feverishly masturbated to my Mike Liut card. Goonblog HQ is rocking!!! Unfortunately, I think it may be all for nothing. I really like the Oil tonight. I think they have taken the Whale’s game away from them, and have all the Mo. If New England wants to win, the need to stay out of the box, and take advantage of any power plays they get. For Alberta, stay the course. They are a better club 5 on 5, and they know it. Face off in minutes away. I will say this. If the Whale wins it, Cam Ward is the Conn Smythe winner. I will be back after the first. Ref? Dave? If you are out there, let’s hear your thoughts.

FIRST PERIOD

WOW! What a first period! That is exactly the way the Whale needs to play to win the Cup. I am 100% confused by the play at the end of the period. Why is that not a penalty shot? The goaltender can freeze the puck to cause a stoppage on a delayed penalty. However, it is illegal for a position player to cover the puck in the crease. Staios did just that causing a whistle; however, it is illegal for Staios to cover it where he did. Why is that not a penalty shot (for the penalty on Staios) and the original minor called on Moreau? Are the officials saying they blew the whistle because they lost sight of the puck, and not because Alberta covered it illegally? I am verey confused. I think another Heineken Light may help.Hopefully the rest of the tilt is as good. Back after the second.

SECOND PERIOD

This is by far, the best game of the series. After six great tilts. The Kraft Dinner, Whiskey Sour, and three Heineken Lights tonight. It comes down to this. As Paul Crewe would say, "Let’s do it for Brindy. Dougie Weight, Commie, and Rosie." Go Canes.

Remember back in the late 80’s when Billy Crystal was still kind of funny? He made a movie with Gregory Hines called "Running Scared." Basically it was a tale of two veteran Chicago Detectives nearing the end of their careers and all they knew was how to be veteran Chicago Detectives. Well, the Captain decides they are "holding on too tight" (classic cop movie cliche by the way) and demands the boys take a vacation. GASP! After they get a taste of the good life for a week or so in Florida, they return to Chicago with a new outlook on how to be Veteran Chicago Detectives. The motto for the rest of the film is, "Be careful, but not too careful." There is even a scene where they call for backup, and the whole Chicago Police Department shows up because they had never called for backup before. It was assumed it was a very big deal. Hilarity ensues. Finally the movie culminates with the boys getting the drug dealer, the drugs, and Billy Crystal wins back his ex wife, all while not being careful. Fade to black, end credits. I think in a lot of ways the Whalers are having a Running Scared moment right now, and if they aren’t careful, they are going to lose the whole series.

Hartford’s game is fast and chaotic. They need to play with more reckless abandon while 5 on 5 if they want to survive this series. If it wasn’t for the steady power play action the other night, that game doesn’t even get to overtime.  Alberta is a team with nothing to lose right now. The momentum is all on their side. They are down 3-2 in the series, and can play the style they have been playing. Take it to the Whale, and get right in their face. What do the have to lose? They are going back home. If they win, they live to fight another day. If they lose, they put up a great effort  in front of the home crowd, and get saluted for a season no one expected. In theory. If they lay an egg, this is all out the window.

I personally hope it goes 7 games for two reasons. I love 7th games. Who doesn’t? I love the all the marbles mentality, and it’s usually the best game of the series. The second reason is I will be back in Newport this weekend for a bachelor party on Saturday night. I am pretty sure we will have other things to watch. My mother reads this blog, so I need not elaboarte. I think you guys get the idea. If it goes 7, I will be able to take it in at Goonblog HQ, while deflecting the same questions from MOL since the start of the series. "Who do you want to win?" "Isn’t this over yet?" "When is the LAST POSSIBLE GAME?" That’s really the one I get the most. Not a big fan that MOL. So Hartford, in Alberta, be careful, but not too careful. Alberta will be coming out like two Veteran Chicago Detectives that realize all they want to be is Veteran Chicago Detectives on Saturday. Don’t get caught Running Scared.

I got this video from Tweener. Apparently Penguins in the early 90s weren’t as cute and cuddly as they were in that movie from last year.

My internet service here at Goonblog HQ has been down more times than Jenna Jameson in the past couple of weeks. Or so I thought. Turns out. I am a moron. The problem was all on my end. At any rate, what a Game 1 in the WHA Finals. The Whale needs 3 more wins to capture their first Cup, and if Cam Ward plays the way he did tonight the rest of the way, I think he should win the Conn Smythe as the playoff MVP. He robbed Sean Horcroff twice at point blank range. Both saves were game savers, and after both Ward stayed calm like he always does. Wardo is going to be a great goaltender in the NHL for quite some time.

What about the other end of the ice? The Oilers have been riding Roli the Goalie like Seattle Slew since acquiring him from the Wild at the trade deadline. If he is down for a long time, they are in serious trouble. Note to the Oiler dressing room. It might not be a bad idea to take shoe laces, and anything sharp away from Ty Conklin tonight. That is a tough way to lose a game, especially for a guy that has had confidence problems all year. This will not help. My prediction. Whalers in 6.

UPDATE: Craig McTavish just came on TV and said Roloson is hurt bad, and WILL NOT be back in the series. Terrible news for the Oil.

I am back from Indy. Second closest finish EVAH! Great race. I will get into that. Stayed tuned. Our internet was down here for a week, and I have been drying out a bit. I think I have pieced enough of the weekend together to write about it. Alas, I am out the door for a wedding in Newport. I will be back tomorrow with a full report on Indy, the WHA Finals, and maybe some fight stories from the wedding. Drop by tomorrow. Have a good weekend all.

My earlier prediction on a Devils series win? Um, yeah…..I may have been wrong on that. The Devils find themselves down 2-0. After a 6-0 shellacking, and the OT Thriller the other night (one word STALLERRRRR!!!!!) it will be a tough road for them to come back on. Win or lose however, the series thus far has been very entertaining.

-If you like offense, Game one was for you. Tons of it for Carolina.

-I love the "message shift" in game one by Cam Janssen. He ran Mike Commodore like I run stop lights. Good work by Big Mike standing up for himself. They had a very good scrap started with Commodore lowering the boom early, and Janssen getting in a couple of his own. Very entertaining go.

-Game two was a little more of a playoff hockey game. Up and down action, lots of emotion. Great tilt.

-How about Eric Staal?! Are you shitting me with that goal to tie it with 3 seconds left? Kid is legit.

Game 3 is tonight, and it promises to be a Whale of a game. The Devils need some home cooking in the Meadowlands. Should be a dandy in the swamp.

Remember a couple of seasons back when Jessie Boulerice got one punched by Aaron Downey? Well, that would be a great description of the cold I have had for two weeks. I started feeling crappy, and then it lowered the boom on me. I would take a ton of cold medicine, go to work, and come home and crash on the couch. Oh, except the nights that I had work events. Which, as it turns out, I have had about 7 over the last two weeks. On those nights, being the moron I am, I would have a couple of Jameson’s, and then be on a whole different plane. Not cool. Plus, MOL is taking all her finals now, so she’s been in the office studying like a crazy person. Why am I telling you this? Well, I have been gone awhile, and I wanted to let you know. Call off the search. I didn’t wind up like Billy Bats. Although, with the cold I had, there were a couple of days I would have been fine with having my hoof cut off.

While I was down and out I did what any good American down and out kid does. I watched hockey. Well, maybe any good Canadian kid. Not my point. Moving on. I found the first round to be pretty darn good. I do not think anyone has anything for the Devils right now. Those guys have so much experience, and are playing some great hockey. I like them to be hoisting Lord Stanley in the next couple of weeks. Janssen has been buzzing for them. I especially don’t think Carolina will have an answer for the style he plays starting Saturday. That is my focus series.

I was hoping for a Playoff Battle of Alberta, as I am sure most everyone was. That Calgary/Anaheim Series was very entertaining. Very physical. Couple of fights. Dion Phaneuf is the real deal. That kid can flat out play. If he doesn’t win several Norris trophies before his day is done, there is something wrong with this universe. Too bad Calgary came out as flat as Vito’s Johnny Cakes in game 7. As an aside, did anyone really need to see fat Vito make out with a guy? Me neither.

I watched at least one game from every series. Here is who I like next round.

New Jersey over Carolina

Buffalo over Ottawa

Out West I think is a little harder. The Edmonton and San Jose series is going to go 7. Looking at the old dart board….

San Jose over Edmonton

No…wait….Edmonton over San Jose….ah fuck it. Either Edmonton, or San Jose is moving on….how’s that for a prediction.

Anaheim over Colorado. Jose looked a little shaky to me. Boy, the West is hard to pick.

It all gets started tonight. Let’s hope round two is a war. Boys, don’t forget, the gloves don’t have tie downs on them, just the jerseys.

I am cheating on my DVR with You Tube. I love You Tube for reasons like this.  The last time I saw a Flyer get hit that hard in the playoffs, it was #88 laying on the ice trying to figure out where he was. This is why the NHL playoffs are the best in sport. You just don’t see that kind of thing happen anywhere else. I like the Devils/Rangers Series. Good scrap at the end of the game Saturday. The emotion is up in the Spring, lets hope we see some more fights.