Welp.

Just to make it official: 

More tomorrow - it's been an exhausting two weeks of playoff hockey and I haven't quite wrapped my head around the results. Let's just say I have never been prouder of the Hawks for proving the doubters wrong and fighting to the very end. Oh and that Vancouver has only reinforced the fact that they're a bunch of classless, crybaby assbags. Have fun choking in the second round again dickheads!

Later!

LEMMINGS

WE LOST GAME ONE! EVERYONE, TO THE CLIFFS!

Seriously folks. Anyone who's watched any amount of sports knows that losing a game one in a seven game series is not the end of the world. Ask the 2004 Boston Red Sox. I'd tell you to ask the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers, but I'm afraid Zdeno Chara may check you into a turnbuckle if you do

Does this mean I don't wish the Hawks would have beaten the Canucks last night? Of course not. That first period was deflating to watch as a fan. I am encouraged by the way the Hawks game out in the second and third periods. If Kane has better aim on Luongo's ass and Brouwer hits Hossa on the breakaway, it would have been a different game folks. Do you remember hearing either of the Sedins' names except when they did the skate of shame to the penalty box? No. And that is a good sign.

That being said, I think game two is close to a must win for the Blackhawks. They can't come out looking like they just woke up and get steamrolled like they did in that first period. Get a goal early, crowd the crease and the Nucks will get frustrated. We've all seen it before.

Anyway, no real recap (you expect me to have an attention span this time of year?), but I'm dusting off the awards. Because I can.

The Han Solo Award (Best Overall Performance)
Corey Crawford

For a guy starting his first playoff game, you cannot complain about how Craw performed last night. Sure, maybe that second goal should have been stopped, but Corey kept his team in the game and gave them a chance to win, as he's done all year. Two goals against the highest scoring offense is nothing to be sniffed at. And let's be honest - can you name another Hawk that had a notable game last night? I don't think so.

The Jar-Jar Binks Award (Most Annoying Asinine Person or Object)
Mr. Goal Post

I can't remember the last time the Hawks (or any team for that matter) hit four posts in a game. Well, the Hawks did exactly that in game one, and for that, the post deserves a jeer. If only it would have gotten out of the way! Ok, yes I know the blame is squarely placed on the shooters for just missing. And in all fairness, I heard a couple PINGS for the Nucks as well. Oh goal post - why must you troll so hard?

PLAYOFF TOEWS FACE!

Rich Lam / Getty Images

I'd like to at least see a partial appearance of the Toews muttonchops this postseason. So LET'S GO HAWKS!

Let's Laugh At My Predictions & Then Make Some New Ones

First off, let me apologize for my absence the last couple of months. I have no real excuse besides the fact I'm lazy and it is much less enjoyable to write about your team when they're kinda stinky. Most of my time has been focused as of late on my Flickr account - I still have well over 500 photos to go through from our trip to Vegas last month (not to mention IceHogs, Cubs & more Hawks pictures). Woo.

But now that we're on the eve of THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR (yes, I love this more than that Xmas holiday thingy), I'll do my best to be more active for the duration of the playoffs. I will warn you that I take losses hard, so I will apologize in advance for any angsty, despondent or otherwise nonsensical posts I make here in the coming weeks.

Let's start with a flashback, shall we?

Game 82, Heart Palpitations & $43.78

They say playing sports are good for the heart. They never mention that watching sports can induce labor, cardiac arrest and an extreme bout of manic depression.

In stark contrast to last year, the Blackhawks' dreams of actively defending their Stanley Cup came down to one point in one game. All they had to do was gain a point in yesterday's tilt with Red Wings and they were in - maybe even as high as a five seed. Lose in regulation and odds were the golf clubs would be out, as the Dallas Stars could tie the Hawks with a regulation or OT win, and take the last spot by virtue of winning the tiebreaker.

I was in Milwaukee Sunday morning, after spending Saturday night at Miller Park with my girlfriend and her parents watching the Cubs lose (as usual). We were on the road shortly before the game started. Thankfully my girlfriend offered to drive home or you might have heard a story on the news about a Honda Fit careening off of 94 shortly after a goal was scored in the game.

The first period was scoreless. I missed going into the newly constructed Mars Cheese Castle so I wouldn't miss a second of the game. I am so dedicated. We were approaching the Chicago 'burbs when Frolik scored to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead in the second. Shortly thereafter the wheels came off. The Wings scored two in quick succession. We got home right before the second ended, and I had barely taken a bite of the falafel I was having for a late lunch when the Wings scored again to take a 3-1 lead early in the third.

I couldn't handle it. This is how the season is going to end? Losing on home ice to our hated rivals when there were SO SO MANY points left on the table throughout the entire season. I flipped to watch something mindless (Major League) and followed the game action on Twitter. I flipped back when the Hawks made it interesting (3-2, then 4-3 because of course, the Wings scored yet again), only to have to turn away after a minute or two. When the Hawks had to take a draw outside the zone with 45 seconds left, I was done. And so was the Blackhawks' 2010-11 season. My heart hurt.

Because there was no way the Minnesota Wild, they of the terrible second half of the season and two full lines of starters injured was going to beat the Dallas Stars. Right?

I sat in my recliner post game in a daze. And angry. SO SO ANGRY. Angry at a team that at times looked liked they couldn't be bothered to care. A team that let so many games slip away in the last period, that if they had just held it together for a few minutes more, their ticket to the postseason would have been punched already. A coaching staff and front office that made so many mind boggling personnel moves during the season that I actively questioned their sanity.

I was also pissed that I would not be getting the $43.78 in Ticketmaster fees from the three playoff games I had purchased refunded. $43.78 for printing out four tickets, stuffing them in an envelope and sending them standard mail. Fuckers.

By the time the Wild-Stars game had started, I had occupied myself by editing photos on my computer. I couldn't bring myself to witness disappointment again, even though the game was on NHL Network. I kept checking my Twitter feed for updates. The Wild scored first - a small glimmer of hope flickered. It was quickly extinguished with two consecutive Stars goals. I glared at my playoff tickets so hard I thought they would burst into flames.

By the time the third period had rolled around, the game was tied at 3. I was basically watching my Twitter feed as I still couldn't bring myself to turn on the TV - I'll jinx it, I thought. I bargained with any deity that would listen. I promised never to badmouth Basil McRae again. And I said I could donate that $43.78 to a Minnesota charity if the Wild could pull this game out. Because I was going to lose it anyway, right?

The Wild scored to make it 4-3 in the third.

At this point, I was convinced I was hallucinating. Or that I would wake up, sitting in the recliner in the living room post Hawks game, willing myself not to cry. The chinese food we had ordered for dinner had arrived at this point, so I sat down in front of the TV for the last five minutes of the game. How my fried rice did not end up on the ceiling is a mystery.

The Stars pulled their goalie. The Wild fans were going...well, wild. And Mel is willing herself not to jump out the open window, pee herself or both.

The Wild scored the ENG to put the game away at 5-3. "YES!" I screamed. "THANK YOU JESUS!" Later, this would be comical to me as the storefront church next door was having services and probably thought I was a church member in the back row speaking in tongues.

A team that had no business winning, who had nothing to play for but pride, booted the Stars right out of the playoffs. And the Chicago Blackhawks, who don't deserve it, have a chance to defend that Stanley Cup that they won in the most magical summer of my life.

Thank you Minnesota Wild. Because of you, the Minnesota AIDS Project is now $43.78 richer.

Bring it, Canucks.

P.S. GAME 82 TOEWS-FACE. FOR OLD TIME'S SAKE!

Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images

History Will Be Made...Again

Well since the Blackhawks are coming off a eight game winning streak (which ended tonight - POO), they currently sit in a much more comfortable fourth place in the Western Conference. The playoffs seem like they may just happen this season - coincidentally the NHL announced this week that they would be reviving the "History Will Be Made" commercials that were so successful last season. Bravo I say! For all the league's foibles in promoting the league in America, they have by far the most successful playoff media campaign of any of the four major sports.

After the jump, a look at the new and some classic HWBM spots...

The Western Conference - Scoreboard Watching & Tiebreakers

Last night I rooted for the Detroit Red Wings.

No, this is not an alternate universe. I did not hit my head. And believe me, I made a retching sound when I admitted it.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Western Conference. Where you wake up one morning in ninth place and by the time your head hits the pillow that evening you're back in the mix in sixth, and you didn't even play a game. This happened to the Blackhawks just a few days ago.

With most teams having around 19 to 20 games left to play, the Western Conference is so jammed it looks like a truck jackknifed on the Kennedy during rush hour. At the start of the day, only 13 points separate 3rd place from 13th. There is a mere 5 points between 4th in the conference and 11th. THIS IS MADNESS (SPARTA!!!1!). So while the Blackhawks finally decided to wake up (five game winning streak thankyouverymuch), with the conference this close you can understand why tonight I am rooting for the Blues to beat the Flames, the Oilers to defeat the Preds, and that the Stars/Coyotes game just ends in regulation DAMMIT. Excuse me, I think I may vomit.

Let's look at the Magical Mystery Tour, shall we:

With a conference this close, inevitably teams are going to finish with identical records somewhere along the way. I decided to take a closer look at the NHL's tiebreaker system to see what will happen in a few weeks. There are currently three tiebreakers - looking at each one separately, you'll see some teams have an advantage over others. For the sake of argument, I'm just going to assume Vancouver & Detroit are in (MY CREYS) and Colorado and Edmonton are out. That leaves eleven teams battling for six spots. Yeesh. 

Tiebreaker #1: The greater number of games won, excluding games won in the Shootout

From highest to lowest, here are the number of total wins the eleven teams have in the skills competition: Kings, (7), Calgary (7), Predators (6), Blackhawks (5), Stars (5), Sharks (4), Ducks (4), Blue Jackets (4), Coyotes (3), Blues (3), Wild (2). This was a new rule instituted this season with the idea that teams will play harder to win outright in regulation or overtime. I don't know if that's in fact happened, but with the conference this tight, this may decide whether or not a team is scheduling tee times in April. With just a few weeks left in the season, you figure at most a team will have maybe a couple of additional SO wins. 
Advantage: Wild, Blues, Coyotes, Blue Jackets, Ducks, Sharks
Disadvantage: Kings, Calgary, Predators, Blackhawks, Stars

Tiebreaker #2: The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first game played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included. If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any "odd" games, shall be used to determine the standing.

Huh what? Ok, basically this is the head-to-head rule. The team with the better record in games against one another wins. I don't think the "odd" game rule will come into play here as most teams will either have played four or six games against one another. If there's a three (or god forbid, four) way tie, they'll take whomever had the highest number of points in games involving all of the teams that are tied. At this point, I'm just going to go here with the teams with the better records within their divisions & the conference. Yes, some teams have played more games in conference than others, but with few games left, if you're barely at .500 at this point, things are not looking good. The first number is points in the WC, the second is points within the teams' division.
Advantage: Blackhawks (62,24). Wild (61,27), Sharks (60,20), Coyotes (58,16), Predators (54,23)
Disadvantage: Blues (42,17), Stars (49,12), Blue Jackets (49,18), Ducks, (50,16), Kings (52,14). Flames (52,18)

Tiebreaker #3: The greater differential between goals for and against for the entire regular season.

Ah yes, the old goal differential. This is when having a Vezina candidate and/or an explosive offense can make or break your season. This is also an easy one to figure out who has a step above the other teams in the conference.
Advantage: Blackhawks (+29), Kings (+22), Sharks (+16), Predators (+10), Flames (+8)
Disadvantage: Blue Jackets (-11), Ducks (-10), Blues (-7), Stars (-4), Coyotes (-2), Wild (-1)

So using these stats along with my intuition (aka I'M GUESSNG), here's who I think will make the playoffs come April:

Vancouver Canucks

Detroit Red Wings

San Jose Sharks

Phoenix Coyotes

Chicago Blackhawks

LA Kings

Minnesota Wild

Nashville Predators

As for the order of these teams - WHO KNOWS. I forgot my ESP at work.

BONUS TOEWS FACE!

Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Oh I see the Blues lost 5-0 to Calgary. BITE ME ST LOUIS. BITE ME HARD ;P

Scoreboard watching is fun!

Fun With Macros

I was going to try to put a semi-serious post on here, but the Blackhawks have made me emo as of late (and I swear I get three grey hairs every time they blow a lead), so fuck it, here's some macros I made:

The first three photos I took at last Wednesday's game (you can see the originals on Flickr) and the last three are via Getty Images.

Now I must stew a little bit more that tomorrow's Blackhawks-Blues game is at 1pm. 1PM?!?!? Some of us have to work *grumble*

Do You Have Polish For My Golf Clubs? The Chicago Blackhawks Through 53 Games

There are 29 games left in the 2010-11 season for the Chicago Blackhawks. If the season ended today, your defending Stanley Cup Champions would be heading to the driving range. They are currently in 11th place in the Western Conference, two spots out of playoff position.

The Hawks started a long 6-game road trip last week - or what I call the "Ice Capades" trip (ok, it's Disney on Ice at the UC, but who cares?). The trip started out fine, with a 7-4 thrashing of the Blue Jackets in the first game after the All Star break. This bodes well, correct? Well as is the hallmark of this season, the only thing consistent about the Blackhawks is their inconsistency. The game last Friday at Vancouver could only be described as extremely frustrating. The Hawks lost 4-3 to the Nucks, in a game that featured a goal that should have counted (Brouwer got called for a phantom inference call against Sarah Bernhardt, err Luongo), a goal that should have been disallowed (the puck clearly left the blue line on the first Nucks goal), a Nick Boynton goal (WTF?), and yet another third period lead by the Hawks blown. As maddening as that game was, I can almost accept it. The Canucks are the best team in the conference (*gag*), and if not for refs with their heads up their collective arses and Bobby Lu standing on his head, the Hawks should have won this one.

Last night's game versus the Flames I cannot accept. Three shots on goal in the first period? 0 for 4 on the power play? Actually if you take in consideration the Nucks game, the Hawks are 0 for their last 9 with the man advantage - thanks Mike Kitchen! Another game in which a third period tie equals zero points against a team ahead of them in the standings? The Hawks have had 14 games where they headed into the last frame tied, and walked out of the building with zero points. There are no words. Actually there are, but I may get arrested if I say them all.

Let's look at the standings, shall we:

The good news is that the Hawks are only 3 points out of a playoff spot. Only 3 points separate the 4th through 8th spots for that matter. They also have games in hand over several teams currently ahead of them. It was pointed out today that in 2009, the Penguins were 27-25-6 with 24 games remaining. They only ended up winning the Cup that season. At this point though, I'm just concerned about the Hawks making the playoffs first. Last season, the 8th spot in the Western Conference had 95 points (Colorado). That would mean the Hawks would need 37 points in their last 29 games. This is certainly attainable - win 19 out of those 29, and you're probably in. But if the Hawks don't get their asses in gear, it's not going to happen.

My not-so-friendly suggestion: follow Mel's three steps below, or else you'll be the first team since the Carolina Hurricanes not make the playoffs the year following winning the big prize.

1. K.I.S.S

Yes, Valentine's Day is coming up (I haven't been single in almost seven years and I still hate this holiday, but anyway), but I'm not talking about smooching. Keep It Simple, Shitheads. Yes, I know the last "S" usually stands for "Stupid", but this is a dire situation. I've lost count how many times in the recent past that the Hawks have had an odd man rush, only to make an extra pass or three and not even get a damn shot on net. I'm not one of those buffoons who sit in the 300-Level who shout SHOOOOOT every time the Hawks touch the puck, but in Jesus' name, if you've got a clear shot at the net, shoot it. Especially when you're losing. Likewise, get some bodies in front of the opposing goalie. The only person who seems to get there with any consistency is Brouwer. Kopecky tries, but he treats the puck like it has an STD and just stabs at it. Defense, stay at home and clear bodies out of your crease. I'm looking at you Mr. Duncan Keith. "Fuck the Power Play," indeed. Speaking of which, if the opponent gets better chances on your power play, can you decline the penalty? And for all that is holy, SOMEBODY WIN A DAMN FACEOFF! That 22 of 51 faceoffs you won versus the Flames is downright pathetic.

2. NO EXCUSES

There no longer is a Stanley Cup hangover. The argument that six players had an extended season what with the Olympics last year? Invalid. The Philadelphia Flyers played more games than us last year and guess what? They're the best team in the Eastern Conference. Whining about all the players who left in the offseason also needs to stop. Burish, Versteeg, Eager and Fraser haven't done much with their current teams, Sure, Sopel & Madden might be good to still have on the team, but how much difference would they have made at this point? I miss Andrew Ladd and his grit, but he was a second liner at best on the Hawks. Byfuglien? He's been ice cold in the new year, and he would have mostly likely stayed at forward if he was still on the team. The Hawks probably miss Niemi the most, but goaltending hasn't really been the issue this year. At most, he probably could have won maybe two or three more games for the Hawks this season. Don't forget, he was also pretty yuck the first couple months of the season. And no more complaining about injuries. *Every* team has to battle through them, and it's up to the players that replace them to step up. This hasn't happened which leads me to...

3. THE BEST PLAYERS HAVE TO PLAY THEIR BEST

Much grumbling has been made about players like Jack Skille, Nick Boynton, John Scott and the like. But they're the fourth liners, the guys with the least amount of ice time. They're not going to put up Crosby-esque numbers. Even Tomas Kopecky, who gets my ire more times than not is having a career year. He has 31 points, which is good for *fourth* most on the Hawks. Let that sink in for a moment. The real issue is our "best" players aren't playing their best. Not by a long shot. Kane and Hossa have 15 and 12 goals respectively - sure they've been hurt, but that's less than one goal in every three games. Patrick Sharp, with all of his scoring, is a woeful -13. Brent Seabrook has more points than Duncan Keith and they've had more defensive gaffes this season than great plays. Even the Captain, Jonathan Toews, only has 19 goals in 51 games. These guys are the faces of this team, the stars. If they don't start pulling their weight, playing with a sense of urgency and start putting the damn puck in the net, then I'm afraid this season is a lost cause. 

Coach Q put the team through a bag skate today. I'd say that was three months overdue, but I'm not even going to start with criticizing the coaching staff, as I'll be here all night, and I need to get some sleep. Tomorrow night's game in Edmonton will tell us a lot about the 2010-11 Blackhawks. Do they come out like this is a playoff game? Do they play like this game really matters? Or do they sleepwalk through 20-30 minutes of the game, expecting that they can win solely on reputation and happy thoughts? Tomorrow is the most important game of this season. Win it, and build on it. Lose it, and start thinking about where you stashed your golf balls. 

Just so everyone doesn't jump off the building, here's a couple nice Toews-Faces to lighten the mood:

(Photo by Gerry Thomas/NHLI via Getty Images)

(Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

Bonus points, just for the look on Soupy's face in that second photo!

Your 2010-11 Chicago Blackhawks: In Photos

I haven't done a photo dump on here in awhile. Since we're at the ASG break, I'll do one now with all of the guys who've played a game for the Hawks this season. Enjoy.

All Star Weekend - 58th Annual NHL All Star Game

Well here we are: the centerpiece of All-Star weekend. IT'S TIME TO PLAY THE GAME! Again, I predict Team Lidstrom 13, Team Staal 11 with Toews as the ASG MVP. If anything I expect this to be a lot of fun!

Pre-Game

- Are we really having a little kids hockey play on the ice? Cute idea, but cheesy as hell. I'm such a cynical bitch.
- Well Rod Brind'Amour & Rod Francis coming out was nice. I guess. Guys can't act for shit though.
- GO 300 VIOLINS GO! Love, love, love that song.
- OK guys, Patrick Sharp is on the CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS. Let's not screw this up this time.
- Marty St. Louis is so short he makes Kaner look like a giant.
- I'm sorry, I will never get over HOW FUCKING CREEPY THE SEDIN TWINS ARE. Even when they are on opposing teams.
- Too bad Team Lidstrom has two of the douchiest coaches in the league. Is Vigneault going to cry if Team Staal scores more than five goals?
- Ryan Kesler's hair is just too much.
- LOL at Chara standing next to Price. Price looks like a damn midget.
- Rick Nash's hair is also terrible. Though I guess he wants to complete the total douche package.
- Jeff Skinner could be my kid. Seriously. UGH.
- YAY MIKEY HAVILAND. And Coach Q in his best mob suit. Is he getting fashion tips from Edzo?
- I will always prefer "Oh Canada" to the "Star Spangled Banner." Especially when it's sung in French.
- Oh hey Clay Aiken. Does anyone care that he's still around? I don't.
- My gf is trying to mute the TV. LOL.

First Period

- I spot mascots! I wonder if Tommy Hawk bought his silly string?
- If I was at a Hurricanes game, I'd head to the lobby when they set the siren off. That midwest Tornado Siren reaction is ingrained in my very soul.
- Well that was quick. Too bad Duncs got an own goal.
- And Sharpie gets the first *real* point for a Hawk with an assist on Stasny's goal. Beautiful pass.
- Jesus, 3-0 Team Staal less than 4 minutes in? OUCH. I guess Flower used all his mojo in the shootout last night.
- Duncan Keith is now a -2. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since he's paired with Buff.
- AND FINALLY TEAM LIDSTROM SCORES! Doc & Edzo jinxed Ward, mentioning he had a shutout thus far.
- I'd forgotten how ridiculously fun the All Star Game is. I almost feel bad for any goalie who gets named to it ;)
- Last time a goalie was named ASG MVP: Mike Richter in 1994. The fact the game was played at MSG might have had something to do with that.
- And Big Buff scores - beauty of a pass by Kaner. 4-2 Team Staal.
- The 4 goal lead is the most dangerous lead in hockey ;)
- Blackhawks have assists on 5 of the eight goals scored thus far. Sharpie has 3 assists, Kane, Toews & Keith each have one apiece.
- And that's the period, 4-4 tie. Very entertaining game thus far. I would expect nothing less.
- I guess Toews wasn't awarded an assist on Eriksson's goal. Poor Tazer, he's probably about to kill someone.
- 3 Doors Down? Yeahhhhh, let me find that mute button. Sweet, sweet silence.
- Scoresheet now says Toews has the assist on Eriksson's goal. Got him mixed up with Havlat. I guess the scorekeepers were voted in by fans too. MAKE UP YOUR MINDS PEOPLE!

Second Period

- Carey Price & Jonas Hiller now in net. Pour souls.
- Someone tell Hiller his Darth Vader mask clashes with his blue jersey.
- Sharpie scores to make it 5-4 Team Staal. MVP! MVP! MVP!
- The more I think of it, the more I want to get Sharpie for my next Hawks jersey. And it's totally for his play alone! Sure, he's attractive, but, well, you know ;)
- Letang scores. Duncs standing there like a statue. Oh well. Is there a prize for worst +/-? :P
- And Toews misses on the breakaway. This is just not Tazer's weekend. Hopefully, he'll be angry and go on a scoring tear once the season starts up again.
- And Kopitar is the first player with more than one goal. 6-5 now Team Staal.
- The fans are booing the Ovi offsides call. LOL.
- 6-6 - Stamkos with the goal. Let's get the goalies to score too!
- 7-6 Team Lidstrom - Briere with the goal. Amazingly this is Lidstrom's first lead of the game.
- I love how the goalies aren't freezing the puck. They'd probably get a snow shower from half the team if they did ;)
- And that's the end of two. 7-6 Team Lidstrom. BRB GOING TO TEXT PATRICK SHARP FOR MVP UNTIL MY FINGERS FALL OFF.
- Oh great it's the Guardians reveal. I can't wait. NOT.
- I'm sorry - Stan Lee has lost it.
- Saturday Morning cartoons from the 70s were way more entertaining than this.
- I am embarrassed for Stan Lee, the NHL and Versus for airing this Guardians Project. That. Was. Terrible.

Third Period

- King Henrik vs. Timmy Cheeseburger. This should be entertaining.
- Um Emrick - how can you mix up Henrik and Timmy? BUY NEW GLASSES!
- Thomas keeps stoning Skinner. Carolina fans must hate him.
- Just as I write that, Eric Staal scores. That's your cookie Carolina.
- LOL - OVECHKIN GIVES UP A PENALTY SHOT TO DUCHENE FOR THROWING HIS STICK. What a total douche.
- HI COACH Q! Glad his face isn't purple. It would clash with his suit.
- QUICK! VOTE FOR SHARPIE MORE! PUCK BUNNIES ARE GOING TO FLOOD THE VOTING SYSTEM FOR LETANG!
- And now Briere pots his second to tie the game again at 8. Sharpie better get another point or two to cement that MVP.
- TAZER WITH THE PRETTY GOAL! CAN HE BE MVP TOO?  9-8 Team Lidstrom
- Honestly, Shea Weber probably does deserve the ASG MVP. Not going to win it though, poor guy.
- Marty St. Louis puts Team Lidstrom up 10-8. Go Short Round, GO!
- Thought Sharp got another assist on the Nash goal, but it was Corey Perry. Multiple players with the same number is so confusing.
- Kaner misses on the breakaway /facepalm
- I wonder if Timmy will let one in just so we can go to OT
- EMPTY NET. WOO WOO WOO!
- Kinda early to pull the goalie out of the net there wasn't it? Vintage Coach Q :P
- Eric Staal scores his second goal with 33 seconds left. He'll be MVP if Carolina fans can text quickly enough.
- Toews got an assist on Eriksson's second goal BTW. He also has a 1G 2A night.
- That's the game folks: Team Lidstrom 11, Team Staal 10. My prediction was soooo close.
- Those white gloves Team Staal is wearing are fugly.
- PATRICK STARP FROM THE COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS. Jesus Christ people :P Is his name that hard to pronounce?
- Sharpie's going to have locker room bragging rights for awhile me thinks.


Well that was a fun one! And the best thing is, the Blackhawks performances earned $66 for Chicago Pucks Cancer. I put money on the board for $5 Blackhawks goals (2), $1 for Blackhawks assists (6) and $50 for MVP. Yay!

All Star Weekend - Super Skills Competition

It's probably been about ten years since I last watched the ASG Skills Competition. I think the key to enjoying it is not to take it too seriously. The only issue I have with it is that while they'll tout players as "the fastest player," "the hardest shot", etc, really they're only the best of the All Stars. I think they should open up the competition to all NHL players, and perhaps leave the decision of who competes up to the players. After all, they would be the experts in who is the best in the league with certain skillz.

Introductions:

- That smoke "waterfall" the players are coming through is pretty neat. It'd be funnier if it was actual water.
- Why is the scoreboard covered in a sheet? Are they painting it?
- My girlfriend is way too excited that Marty Havlat is playing.
- Is Kaner starting his mullet early or has his hair loss escalated?
- Apparently when Sharpie was introduced they showed the Blue Jackets logo. FAIL.
- The music they're playing is rather distracting. PICK ONE OR TWO SONGS AND PLAY THE WHOLE THING. PLEASE AND THANK YOU.
- All of the Hurricanes are on Team Staal? LAME.
- Oh great, all of the competitions are sponsored. I swear there will be ads on jerseys ala Europe within ten years.

Fastest Skater:

- I remember that competition with Mike Gartner. OLD.
- Duncs vs. Letang to start. DON'T FALL PRETTY BOY!
- Damn, Letang beat out Duncs by a hair. I bet he got extra propulsion from all the fan girls screaming.
- GO TIMMY CHEESEBURGER GO!
- Timmy grabbed a waffle that fell on the ice behind the net - at least it looked like he did.
- It would be nice if they just stuck to the split screen for this.
- Michael Grabner of the Islanders wins. My gf would like to note that they pronounce his name in a very un-German way.

Breakway Challenge:

- The winner is determined by text? Oh, THAT'S fair :P
- Marty Havlat has the best ginger beard.
- Oh, PK Subban. Trolling for crowd approval wearing that Skinner jersey.
- LOL, what is Flower doing?
- Maybe they should do this competition sans goalies
- At this rate, whoever actually gets the puck in the net will win.
- I'm voting for KOPITAR
- Ovi won again? QUELLE SURPRISE! :P

Accuracy Shooting:

- Sharp, Toews & Kane are all competing in this. Oh the chirping that will commence...
- Q's on the bench and telling one of the Sedins: "Sorry we made you guys cry when we ran up the score on ya."
- The shooting is taking place at the same time? WHY? MORE TIME = MORE COMMERCIALS NHL.
- I bet Timmy Thomas wishes he was in the accuracy contest. MMM...MCDONALDS.
- The audio on-ice in Carolina is terrible.
- TOEWS VS. SHARPIE. LOL
- A do-over? What even...
- LOL at the fans booing Tazer after he wins the do-over. CHEATER! ;)
- Kaner beats hometown boy Staal. Probably thought the "LET'S GO CANES" chant was for him.
- Marty Havlat that was terrible. My gf makes a sad panda face for you.
- Kaner vs. Sedin #1 for the final...
- At least Kaner can tell Sedin, "Sorry, but my SC ring slowed me down."

Oooh, good timing. My Indian food arrived just as the intermission started.

Challenge Relay:

- This one seems...cumbersome.
- Oh it started? Geez that was anti-climatic.
- I WANT ONE OF THOSE LITTLE NETS.
- That was rather boring really.
- Team Lidstrom is going to have to win this one by like 50 seconds if they want to have a shot at winning the Skills Compitition.
- LOL at Henrik Sedin and those little nets. 
- TAZER FTW! That was rather impressive.
- Good lord Letang - you're a D-man. You'd think you could pot the one timer from the point.
- Geez, Kaner. You're doing it wrong!
- HAAAAAA F BOMB BY DUCHENE!
- Aaaaand Team Lidstorm actually wins one. You can thank Jonathan Toews for that.
- Hey Claude Giroux - remember last June when a certain someone scored on that angle from which you just shot? ;)
- Thank god this is over. I think half the crowd either went for more beer or visited the potty.

Hardest Shot:

- Is this even going to be a contest? Hopefully Chara will go last to make the other guys think they actually have a shot at winning.
- Have they always included the rookies in the ASG? They should do a rookie shootout or something instead.
- The audio and video is totally not synced. This irks me.
- Just set this up for Chara vs. Weber.
- I wouldn't have picked Sharpie for this but whatever. They needed a handsome quotient in this category.
- Here we go: Weber vs. Chara. Put it through the net Shea!
- IS THAT A FLIP PHONE KANER?
- Nothing would please me more if Buff destroyed Nash here.
- Rick Nash. FAIL.
- Too bad Ovi didn't chip another tooth with that face plant there.
- 48 MPH OVI??? OH FAIL. BUY NEW STICKS.
- Oh he gets a do-over too? Of course.
- Apparently Ovi broke the speed gun with his ugly.
- Weber vs. Chara in the finals. SHOCK.
- Looks like Chara was just lying in wait...
- I bet Timmy Thomas says a prayer of thanks everyday that Chara's on his team. Wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of one of those bombs.

 Elimination Shootout:

- Kesler has a terrible cow-lick
- Price with the poke check on Henrik Sedin. Go Price Go!
- Are we sure this isn't the goalie saves competition?
- And Buff is the first skater to score? Who knew?
- Flower is on fire here.
- So two D-men are the first to score? LOLLERCOASTER
- Darth Vader & GQ man in net now.
- King Henrik tripped Richards there. Niiiiiice.
- And that is why Duncs isn't ever in the Hawks' shootout lineup.
- Anze Kopitar looks like he hasn't slept since they implemented the shootouts in games.
- LOL OVI! GO TIMMEH GO!
- WHY CAN'T YOU DO THAT IN GAME SHOOTOUTS KANER?
- Sharpie has never been good at shootouts/breakaways. Rather surprising considering.
- And Toews misses. He's usually money in shootouts. OH WELL.
- Buff's tries his one move again and it doesn't go. Do you have a wrist shot Buff?
- Marty St. Louis is sick!
- That looks more like the shootout Patrick Kane I remember.
- Corey Perry wins in the third round vs. Marty St. Louis
- I'm surprised so many shooters missed. Made this whole shootout thing less exciting for fans, but as a goalie fan, I appreciated it.

And...Team Staal beats Team Lidstrom, 33 to 22. Wouldn't it be great if that was the final score tomorrow?

Overall, I thought the Super Skills dragged on a bit too long. Did it really need to be almost 4 hours? My ADD cannot handle it. I would rather they dropped a few contests and had something like a Legends vs. Rookies game or something similar instead.

My prediction for tomorrow's game? Lidstrom 13, Stall 11. Toews with the game winner ;)

P.S. BONUS ASG TOEWS-FACE!

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

All Star Weekend - Fantasy Draft

I missed watching this live as we recorded the NHL Network's 2 hour pre-draft show (really?) instead of the actual thing. WHOOPS. So we recorded the replay, watched a movie ("Exit Through the Gift Shop" - it was good), and watched it later sans commercials.

I'll go on record to say I didn't really care for the whole fantasy draft scenario. I found it cheesy in a very uncomfortable way. Perhaps I'm just projecting long buried feelings of getting picked near the bottom of my class during gym as a kid. Besides, if the point of the whole draft was to "mix things up" a bit, it really didn't offer too many surprises. The captains picked teammates, all of the Hawks with the exception of Sharpie landed on the same team, and one Staal picked another. The only "surprise" was the Sedin Twins were split up, but we all knew that would happen anyway. Some of the interviews after the players were picked were cringe worthy. Hey NHL, you really want to mix things up? Get a Lotto machine and put a ball in there for each All-Star - bonus points if you put their faces on them. Have fans pick out players one-by-one by position (goalies, defensemen, forwards). Once the players for each team have been picked, then they can vote for their captains. That's the way I would do it anyway *shrugs*

Rather than attempting a lame recap, here is the summary of the Draft in macros:

Above Two Macros From: robertgordonorr.tumblr.com

From: kanersgonnakane.tumblr.com

From: gobstoppers.tumblr.com

From: ilovetheoilerstaylorhallnumber4.tumblr.com

I swear I'm just on Tumblr for the Macros.

Skills competition coming up. I will be live-blogging it for the LOLZ

Puck You Cancer!

It's weird when two unrelated things happen at the same time in your life that seem to be such a matter of perfect timing, it's uncanny.

As some of you may know, my dad has been ill since early December. He has always been the healthier one of my parents (diabetes and a few other issues notwithstanding), so for him to be in the hospital suddenly was jarring to say the least. They found a small tumor near his pancreas, and the plan was to have it removed in a fairly major surgery two weeks ago. Things did not go according to plan. As they were beginning the surgery, they found a pretty large cancerous tumor on his liver - which was somehow missed in the seemingly 600 CT and endoscopies my dad had prior to surgery. This really is a cruel twist of fate as I can only recall my dad having an alcoholic drink once in my 30-odd years of existence. They removed this tumor and his gall-bladder, and sewed him back up. He starts chemo next week. Doctors are hopeful that treatment will kill the cancer, but as with anything having to do with the C word, since it has spread, he will be closely monitored. Things are going to be touch and go for the foreseeable future. To say this whole situation sucks is my understatement of the year.

My mother is also a cancer survivor. About five years ago, my mother was diagnosed with kidney cancer. She had her kidney removed, and knock on wood, the cancer hasn't returned. My mom really lucked out. Kidney cancer is often called "the silent killer" as in most cases, it isn't diagnosed until it is too late. Chemo is not an option for treatment. My mom had a bad cold which developed into pneumonia and had to be admitted to hospital. While there, they discovered the small growth in her kidney. Had she not been stubborn and waited until she was really ill to go see her doctor, in all likelihood she wouldn't be here right now. I shudder to think about it.

So while this is all going on "in real life," some fine folks are organizing a hockey related fundraiser: Chicago Pucks Cancer. It is a two part event - there will be a road watch for the Hawks game vs. the Coyotes on 2.12 at the Bottom Lounge in conjunction with Second City Hockey.  There will be a raffle for many cool prizes that have been donated. Additionally, there is also an online raffle for another assortment of prizes that runs through 2.28. You can buy raffle tickets through their website, or "like" them on Facebook for additional information. Proceeds will benefit the Young Survival Coalition, an organization who assists young women with breast cancer.

I will be attending the event on the 12th, and will probably blow a bunch of money trying to win some of these prizes. Additionally, many tweeps are "putting money on the board" on Twitter, pledging to donate money every time a player/team accomplishes something. I will be donating:

- $1 for every Blackhawks goal between last Tuesday's game and the game at Phoenix on 2.12. Right now I am up to $2 - thanks refs for waving off that third goal - turds.
- $100 for every goal John Scott scores between now and 2.28. Sure, he's been a healthy scratch more often than not, but if a puck defects off his large frame and hits twine, hey, it's for a good cause. 

Most teams have been represented, but a few have not. If you have a few dollars to spare and are on Twitter, why not put some money on the board for your favorite team or player and have a little fun with it? Be sure to include @ChiPucksCancer on any tweets you make.

Cancer effects us all in one way or another. It's hit a little too close to home for me lately, so I will be doing my part to make this a hugely successful event. Won't you do the same?

The Amazing Kreskin I Am Not

I would like to put a midseason review of the Hawks up here, but seeing as I have little motivation for anything of much substance, no go on that idea. Perhaps that might be something to tackle during All Star Weekend. Therefore, I'll write something quick and easy - namely mocking myself.

So, everyone and their grandmother made preseason NHL predictions, as folks do in most sports. Seeing as we just passed the halfway point of the season, let's take a look at where I predicted the teams would finish come April:

Western Conference:

1. Vancouver Canucks
2. Chicago Blackhawks
3. LA Kings
4. San Jose Sharks
5. Detroit Red Wings
6. Colorado Avalanche
7. Phoenix Coyotes
8. St Louis Blues

Now here's reality:

WELL HEY, I HAVE #1 & #6 RIGHT! Seriously though, the Western Conference is such a clusterfuck right now it's not even funny. Six points separate the fourth and twelfth seeds. Really, it's all up for grabs right now. Vancouver looks to be in the driver's seat at this point so it's their conference to lose. While Detroit seems to have a pretty comfortable lead in the Central, with Howard, Holmstrom, Datsyuk, Osgood and Stuart all out at the moment, a hot streak by someone else in the division (GO HAWKS GO) could make a serious challenge for the #2 or #3 seed. The biggest surprises are the Stars and Ducks - especially the Ducks as they were terrible for the first dozen games or so. Nashville doesn't surprise me as I figured it was either them or the Blues cracking the top eight. Disappointments would include the Kings, Sharks and your Chicago Blackhawks. There's still a long way to go, and it's still possible my eight preseason picks make it into the post-season.

Eastern Conference:

1. Washington Capitals
2. Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Boston Bruins
4. Philadelphia Flyers
5. Buffalo Sabres
6. New Jersey Devils
7. Montreal Canadiens
8. Tampa Bay Lightning

Reality:

Like last year, the East is a bit of a LOLLERCOASTER. If you picked Atlanta to crack the top eight and the Devils to be sweeping up the basement, please buy me a Lotto ticket. The Flyers seem to have picked up where they left off in their surprise run in last year's playoffs. With the goalie situation in Tampa solidified, I see no reason why they can't take the Southeast. Pittsburgh and Washington go as their stars go - if Ovechkin continues to well, SUCK, and Crosby still sees birdies circling his head, it's going to be tough for them to take their divisions. As for my predictions, you can cross off the Devils, not even Jesus himself can save that disaster. If Ryan Miller can get hot, the Sabres might be able to sneak in. I'd keep an eye on Carolina though - Atlanta's been fading a bit, so they may be able to grab a 7 or 8 seed come April.

This may be my last post of any substance for a couple of weeks. Not that I've been posting much as of late anyway. My dad is having major surgery next week and I have a big government audit at work the following week, so if I'm still sane by February and haven't bitten anyone, I'll consider that an accomplishment. If things goes well, hopefully I'll be able to get back on a somewhat regular posting schedule by the All Star Game *knocks on wood*

Oh and by the way, I haven't updated my links on the left side of this page in well like, ever. So if I know you from the Twitterverse or elsewhere, or you just have a cool blog, drop me a line and I'll add you on here!

A Little Bling With My Hockey

So, the Blackhawks have these "official" road watches where they throw an ice girl or two at an local bar, have a couple giveaways, etc, etc, etc. I had been to one during the Stanley Cup Finals - by accident actually. It was either Game Three or Four and a bunch of us fans planned a meetup at an usual watering hole, only to find out it was an "official" road watch bar. Which meant I had sweaty men sitting on top of me, could barely see the TV and got I think one drink the entire evening. Bleah.

Last week I saw they were having one at the bar about six blocks away from my apartment for Monday's game at Los Angeles, and since we frequent there every once in awhile (they have pretty good food), I decided to give it a go. Luckily, we got there early enough to get a table by the TVs, and was able to order and eat dinner before the game even started, The bar actually wasn't packed, which was nice, but it was still amusing to watch some of the regulars come in and just kinda stare in bewilderment at all the people in hockey jerseys and two scantily clad glorified cheerleaders bopping around.

The game was good (THANK YOU HOCKEY GODS FOR TWO POINTS IN REGULATION KTHXBYE), but this was even better:

Yes my friends, that is a genuine Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Championship ring, sitting in my girlfriend's hand. Gene Honda was at the bar - he's the PA announcer for the Blackhawks at the United Center and also does White Sox games (which I will now forgive him for). Since the Hawks organization seemingly bought everybody but the cleaning ladies at the UC a ring, he was sporting his. It was pretty damn obvious -a prolonged beam of light on it could have burned a hole in the roof. As he was walking by our table, my girlfriend called him by name, which I assume impressed him somewhat as not everyone knows what the guy who makes the "one minute remaining in the period" announcement looks like. She asked him if we could look at his ring, and just TOOK IT OFF AND GAVE IT TO HER. 30K sitting in our hands - wow. I had to take a picture with it, but since I didn't want to take up too much of his time, I got only one shot with it, thus the goofy look on my face:

Gene was very nice, and I appreciate the time he spent with us. Actually I give props to the Hawks folks for setting these up, even if I didn't win the signed Niklas Hjalmarsson jersey. Boo.

Anyway, the game was good - the Kings dominated the first, the Hawks dominated the second, so fittingly they went into the third tied at two. The Hawks took the lead, but after taking three penalties in a row, of course the Kings tied it up. Toews was in the box when the Kings scored, so he worked a bit of magic and got a puck to ricochet off of him with about five minutes left, which ended up being the game winner. Was it pure dumb luck? Why yes, but with the way we've been hemorrhaging points, I'll take it, thank you very much.

Because I haven't done one in awhile - here's a Toews face for ya....

Getty Images

And here's a "I can't believe I just scored" Toews-Face:

Getty Images

Well, I have a busy hockey week ahead of me, as I bought myself a ticket to tomorrow night's game vs. the Stars (HI ADAM BURISH). My girlfriend is visiting her grandparents in Texas this week, so since I'm by my lonesome, I figured I'd buy myself a belated Xmas present and got a reasonably priced seat in the 200 level. Friday night we're driving up to Rockford for another IceHogs game. So I will have plenty of pictures to upload, and hopefully will get a couple posts up here by the end of the weekend!

Live Blogging the Winter Classic

Well, it's been awhile since I've live blogged a game, and I've never done one for two teams I have *zero* vested interest in. So why not start with the Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins at the fourth annual Winter Classic? Personally, I'm rooting for the meteor in this game. I don't really have anything major against either team, but I'm sick of the NHL and their marketing partners continually shoving Sid and Ovi down our throats. I had to LOL at all of the weather reports out of Pittsburgh this week, and had a moment of schadenfreude when they announced the game was getting pushed back to 8PM EST. But hey, maybe hockey in prime time would be a good thing for the league? I guess the ratings will tell.

Here's hoping I get the last loads of laundry folded and dinner consumed before the game starts!

Pregame:

- OK, Terrible Towels are great - for STEELERS GAMES.
- Obligatory polished opening vignette. Featuring....wait for it....Sid & Ovi. SNOOZE.
- The Drum Line as the teams come out of the tunnel is pretty sweet. No bias, being a former percussionist of course ;)
- Do they only sell Crosby jerseys in Pittsburgh? All those little kids behind Bob Costas & Mike Milbury are wearing Sid's sweater.
- Mario Lemieux - repect him for being one of the all time greats. Don't care too much for him - see 1992 Stanley Cup Finals.
- "Gentlemen remove your caps?" FUCK YOU, GIRLS WEAR HATS TOO! What is this, 1934?
- Nice they played "Oh, Canada." Too bad the NHL/NBC would never consider a Canadian team to play in the WC.
- Nice voice, but that girl singing the Star Spangled Banner is a tad creepy. 

GAME ON!

Period One:

- The ice doesn't look too hot. It'll be interesting to see waht it looks like in the third.
- The camera work on this game is gonna make me sea-sick. You'd think NBC would have that under control. FAIL
- Pierre McGuire: Looking like a penis with a little NHL cap on.
- The one guy fixing the glass just flashed a little plumber's crack on national TV. Such a nice touch.
- I feel like I need to use binoculars to watch this game on the TV. Where are the damn cameras - on the roof?
- And now they've cut to the blimp shot during a fucking Caps power play? What the hell is the NBC production team doing?
- They have reams of fluffy white cloth to simulate snow on the infield. Lame.
- Always a smart move to hook Crosby when he has a clear break to the net. Let's see how this Pens power play goes.
- The red helmets the Caps are wearing amuses me greatly.
- Ugh, I should watch this game on mute.
- FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! Rupp looks like he gave up there in the end.
- Poor Dan Bylsma - looked like McGuire was trying to cuddle up to him there. Like the fedora.
- POST!
- PING x2!
- I don't know how anyone can see the ice from the upper decks. I guess you'd just go for the experience. Or something.
- LOL AT OVECHKIN BITING IT WHILE WINDING UP FOR A SHOT!
- A little chippy at the end there. Pretty good game thus far. Great goaltending from both ends.
- McGuire interviews Crosby. SLURP SLURP SLURP.
- Did you know there are 20 players on a hockey team? Watching NBC, you'd think there was just one per team.
- The intermission panel: two short bald men & one giant windbag. Jee-bus.

Period Two:

- Kinda lame that the Winter Classic patch is on the shoulder of the Caps jerseys.
- Rained for a little bit there. Mother Nature has a sense of humor.
- Thanks for that informative explanation of hand warmers Pierre McGuire. As if you can't go to Walgreen's and buy a box.
- Ugly Face scores first for the Pens. OOPS, I mean Malkin.
- Kinda a BS call on Laich for goalie interference.
- Sneaky, sneaky five-hole power play goal by Knuble to tie the game up. You can really tell the puck was bouncing all over the place.
- OH NO LETANG! I CAN HEAR THE KEENING OF YOUNG WOMEN ACROSS NORTH AMERICA!
- Playing this NHL Twitter Trivia Contest is rather distracting. Oh Well.
- Fleury got REALLY lucky there. Caps missed an open net *twice*
- Really loud at Heinz Field right now. Which is fine because it drowns out Doc & Pierre.
- REALLY NICE WE COULD SEE THAT CAPS GOAL NBC. YOU SUCK!
- Seriously though, Fleury's been living on the edge this period - finally caught up to him. 
- Oh Crosby got away with a slash? COLOR ME SURPRISED!
- Goal wiped out for Pens - goalie interference. Looks like the right call.
- They have the Geico Caveman "refereeing" the game on the kiddie rink. All of the kids have on either Crosby or Ovechkin jerseys /facepalm
- OH NOES - CROSBY IS HURT! CANCEL THE GAME!
- Yes, I do like to use Caps Lock for shits and giggles. Thank You.
- That was a very exciting period - lots of action end-to-end.
- Holy awkward interviews before this puck shooting contest w/Harris & Bettis.
- Can these guys shoot the puck any slower? SHUT UP PIERRE AND MILBURY!
- I'd rather watch NBC's Prime Time Lineup than this shitty intermission shootout.

Period Three:

- Hockey Day in America hosted in Millennium Park? TELL ME MOAR PLZ!
- If the winds continue, they'll change sides halfway through the third. I think they did the same thing at Wrigley two years ago, but my memory's a bit fuzzy.
- Looks a little froggy in the stadium from that damn blimp-cam
- WOAH - excellent saves there by Varly!
- Can't they get the guys with the squeegees who try to clean your windshield to help out with the water on the ice?
- The rain's been coming down for awhile  - ice looks awful. EEP.
- HEY NBC - JUST BECAUSE THE GAME'S IN A FOOTBALL STADIUM DOESN'T MEAN THE SAME CRAZY CAMERA ANGLES WORK FOR HOCKEY! Sheesh.
- Well, if this ends in a shootout, they won't need to bring the Zambonis back out.
- WOW - Fehr gets behind the D and beats Fleury - 3-1 Caps with 8 minutes left in regulation.
- TROLOLOLOL - Ovechkin's goal waved off after he hugged Fleury behind the net.
- See now this is why I don't like Ovi - 10 seconds left and he's raising his arms up at Centre Ice like he just won the Stanley Cup. Asshat.
- LET THEM FIGHT! WOOOOO!
- No shaking of hands. Stay classy Pittsburgh. If the Wings and Hawks can do it, you can do it too.

Welp, that was entertaining for sure. Too bad about the shitty conditions, but they toughed it out. Bets on next year's classic? I heard a rumor the NHL is thinking about Blackhawks-Canucks, but I doubt they'd have the Hawks in it twice. Then again, it didn't stop the Penguins :P Personally, I'd bet it'll be in New York next year - perhaps NY Rangers vs. Leafs/Habs for a O6 matchup? Let's just hope the weather's a bit more wintry!