Rematch!

Thank god that the Finals can start this weekend and we don't have to sit through the dreaded bye-week.

I don't care about Marian Hossa. He's been mostly invisible this post season except for one game. Either he'll make a difference or he'll completely shirk, because he's embarrassed that he's facing the team he dissed.

Although the Pens team has changed more than the Wings from last year, its like they also got Malkin back who sucked in the playoffs in 08.

If the Wings win, wouldn't Osgood get the Conn Smythe. Maybe regardless of the winner the Conn Smythe will go to either Crosby or Malkin.

Let's get it on!

Its hard to go against the Wings, but with Malkin grooving and the Wings sneaky banged up, I'm taking the Penguins in 6.

-Bress

Make your pick in the comments. Here are the leaders:

Bress – 53

Cornelius– 51

Nemmy – 42

Alex – 74

Moe –41

Heals – 46

Brando – 41

Mac – 43

Question

First off, thank goodness the Finals start this weekend and not next week like we originally thought. I just told Scotty how sick I am of reading countless articles about the Wings/Pens rematch. A week of being bent over and rammed with Marian Hossa stories would have been unbearable. The two best teams are in the Finals. Let's sit back and enjoy this one.

Now someone asked me this over Memorial Day weekend and I had about 12 different answers:

What's the best NHL city to play in?

Is it Detroit because they are the most talented team? Keep in mind that you'd be living in Detroit. Florida and LA have great weather but your team would be terrible. Toronto has the largest fanbase but again your team would be terrible and everyone (including certain members of the media) think they could do your job better than you. Weather, fanbase, locale, team strength - everything should be considered.

I can make arguments for and against every team. I didn't get into it too much with the guy who asked the question because he really wasn't a hockey guy he was just making small talk. I won't get into the whole thought process on this blog because I don't have 12 drinks in me BUT I think Dallas may be my city.

- Great town - drinking town
- Solid fanbase - not a hockey town per se but far from an LA, Florida or Long Island
- Talented team
- Better weather than Chicago or New York
- Closer to civilization than Calgary


What say you?

- Nemmy

What you missed last night because VersusHD was frozen

Red Wings beat the Blackhawks in OT, 2-1 (DET wins series 4-1): Great game and the result was needed so that we (the fans) didn't have to wait and wait for the finals to begin. Huet was surprisingly fantastic and so was Osgood. "The Shift" this year belongs to Darren Helms forecheck on the penalty kill. Pat Kane's backhand was sick, but it took too long for him to get going. I love the rematch. I'll update The 2Man play-off game and give a prediction tomorrow.

Peter Zezel RIP

Zezel was 44 when he died from hemolytic anemia. Awful news.

The only real memory I have of him was when I went to an Albany River Rats game as a youth and was surprised to see how chubby he looked on skates. I'm probably not getting the look for the eulogy.

Surprising point total for Zezel? Scored in 70% of his NHL games? Sneaky solid.

- Nemmy

What you missed last night while you were trying to catch up on Lost-season 3 in one night

Penguins beat the Hurricanes, 4-1 (PIT wins series 4-0): I thought Eric Staal's opening goal wrap around was awesome. Full power/reach sweep. But that was it for the Hurricanes. Yea, they had some more pressure, but the Penguins were almost surgical in the win. Things might go wrong, but they successfully complete the operation. As soon as that 2-on-1 developed with Sid and Black, you knew the puck would be in the net. I loved how Sid grabbed the Prince of Wales Trophy, and then explained that he didn't touch it last year and look how that worked out. Just awesome. Lets get the rematch!

Weekend Wrap Up OR I might dance better on one leg

Here's a quick summation of the Blackhawks weekend: Great start, oops, thank you patrick. Oh man we just got pooped on.

I think anyone who saw the games pretty much gets that.

Carolina can be summed up with just the last sentence.

How great was that pass from Guerin to Crosby.




Lets get to the Finals rematch already!

Clean Sweep and Aramis Ramirez

Imagine if your name was Aramis? Imagine if I actually got into a fight out one night with a black dude who thought I was being racist because I said Billy Black Guerin and that shot was just sooo Blaaacckk! Nothing to do with the color of a person but I could totally see it being mistaken for that. Watch for Black to be black tonight and put the series away. Malkin has been simply hot Magenta and Crosby has been very Wawa-esque. I'd really like to see some lash-back from Carolina and win one or two but down by 3 to a team that has been playing solidly doesn't leave much room for a comeback.

Bress you good over there? I miss Bress.

People Detroit whooped Chicago without Datsyuk and Lidstrom? Oh man! That is brutal. Yea the goalie situation has just gone poopy-off-a-cliff over there but jeez! So a rematch of last year huh? Hossa on the other side? Did he make the right choice? I think both Detroit and Pitt are better barring Gonchar playing as well as Datsyuk and Lidstrom than they were last year. I said the other day that if Datsyuk and Lidstrom both did not play in the finals that Pitt could easily win. I mean Nikky Lidstrom goes out for 5 minute clips regularly. Despite Datsyuk not scoring much this playoff he provides space for Franzen and Zetts to get the job done as the Hossa/Datsyuk line gets keyed on. If Malkin scores like he has been, they will DEFINITELY win. He is magenta right now.

This week starting on a Tuesday...tits up!

11:30 game tomorrow without Lenti against a team I haven't beaten in over a year? What do you guys think?

2man pilot being picked up? 1000 (Barring Artem actually making it)

The Incredible Sliding Guerin - hmmm...


Yes to Mikey Douglas in this movie.

- Scotty "Barzus" trying to trade Generaal Motors