Series for the ages

Do you believe in miracles?

I can tell you that the folks in Edmonton do. After the dominant performance the Oilers put together tonight, I have to say that I'm starting to believe in miracles. The question on everybody’s lips, however, will be: Do the Oilers have anything left in the tank?

As difficult as it was to win two straight games to even the series at three games apeice, it will be twice as difficult to win game 7 in Raleigh. That being said, it was the Hurricanes who seemed to be out of gas in game 6. Leaving the ice at Rexall place, they looked like they were dead tired. They looked defeated, in the larger context.

Given that he Canes were humiliated tonight, they will be completely fired up for game 7. The danger for Edmonton is that they may feel like that they have already won, although they seem to be on a pretty even keel.

My emotions may be getting the better of me, but I think Edmonton is a team firing on all cylinders and they are the ones that seem to want it more. They'll take the cup back to Edmonton.

In any case, the game will be great. As my favourite Edmontonian, a.k.a. The Murph Dog, would say, it will be great no matter what.

Game on!

See you Saturday night

Desperation

Note: I just got back from Lotus Land where I was in the fine company of Beeg, Moi, Lubelly, Shaky and Ballzov. It explains the lack of posts (for me, at least). Thanks, Rob, for keeping the blog active.

What a game! I was on the edge of my seat for most of the night and the fact that it went to OT made me relish the fact that I don't have hair. What does this Oiler win mean for both teams involved?

As we'll surely read from most puck pundits tomorrow, "delaying the inevitable" will be a much-used phrase. It's hard to argue with that logic since, before tonight, the Oilers looked like they had hit the proverbial wall. They seemed tired and sluggish, like playing above their heads had finally caught up with them after thrre great playoff series.

For Oilers fans, however, there may be a glimmer of hope. Edmonton showed some flashes of offensive jump and they were very physical tonight. The Carolina defencemen took some serious hits tonight (and blocked lots of shots) and some of them look hurt. This may help the somewhat anaemic Oiler offence. Another positive is that Hemsky and Peca had a great game. A secondary scoring threat will do wonders for the Oilers.

Now, if the Oilers are to take game 6, they absolutely will have to playa much more disciplined game and work on their PK. That was their bread and butter in previous series and they have to get things in order. A better PP would also be nice, but that's just a pipe dream at this point.

Carolina will press hard on Wednesday and their forwards will be all over the net like a fat kid on a Smartie. The Canes defencemen will to be good as well, even if they're hurt.

As my old friend Murphy would say, this is gonna be good...no matter what.

So Dark the Conn of Smythe

Disclaimer: I do am not claiming that the Stanley Cup has been already awarded and the heroes associated with this championship consigned to history. After losing a wad of cash when I bet against the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS, I am the last person to declare a victory before a victory is won. If Edmonton does crawl back into the series, it will be because of a Herculean effort by the likes of Pronger, Smyth and Horcoff, not to mention goaltending above that which we have witnessed thus far. This might happen, but I write this on the premise that it will not likely come to pass.

Now that that's out of the way, let's look at the potential candidates for this year's Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player to his team in these playoffs.

Cam Ward

Here we have one of the most obvious contenders. A rookie goaltender who took over from the consensus number one in the regular season, the 22-year-old Ward has been a beacon of poise and consistency for the already potent Hurricanes. He has allowed his team a chance to win in virtually every game. With a .924 save percentage and 2.01 goals-against average over 20 games, he has the numbers which certainly put him in the same breath as Conn Smythe winners past. However, he hasn't had to steal many games for his team, as Bill Ranford, Patrick Roy and J-S Giguere had done on a regular basis during their winning years. This is a strike against him, though not a big one.


Eric Staal

There is no doubt that Staal is the best and most talented hockey player who is still lacing them up this season. He has shown to be dominant when his team needs him and this is indicated by his share of the point scoring leadership in the post-season. But the best player is not necessarly the most valuable one, and this might be the case with Staal's bid for the Conn Smythe in 2006. Still, you could do far worse than having his name join up with those the legends of the game.


Cory Stillman

Sportsnet's Hockey Central have been touting this previously unheralded journeyman as the next Conn Smythe winner, but I have my reservations. Yes, he is on a 12-game points streak. Yes, he is tied for the league lead in points. Yes, he has been playing better hockey with each successive round and saved his best for the finals. But there is another player who has also elevated his game, who has had timely scoring, who has played plenty of minutes, and who is more deserving, and that player is ...


Rod Brind'Amour

If Brind'Amour doesn't win the Conn Smythe (provided that the Hurricanes win either Game 5 or 6), then an inquiry should be made. Not only does he lead the NHL in goals scored, but many of those were scored at such key moments of the game as I wonder why he hasn't been officially declared MVP already. Stillman plays 20 minutes a game; Brind'Amour plays those same 20 minutes plus every PK. He takes all important faceoffs. He hits, he blocks shots, he draws the opposition's to defensive specialists away from Carolina's other offensive powers. Most importantly, he is the heart and soul of the franchise, the one instilling levity to the team when momentum begins to sway against their favour. He is as much of a leader as this game has ever seen.

Moreover, just as Bob Gainey in 1979 and Scott Stevens in 2000, Brind'Amour would be the perfect representative for this well-balanced team who don't rely on any one person to carry the team on his shoulders.

And while I'm on Gainey, I could also mention that this might be the first time since 1979 that a Selke Trophy winner double up with a Conn Smythe as well.

On a personal note, if this comes to light, it will be the second consecutive season that alumnus from my high school take home this trophy (Brad Richards having attended Notre Dame College a year after I attended), a thought that allows me a little bit of pride.


Honourable mentions:

Could a goaltender who dominated three playoff series be considered a candidate for MVP? It's a shame to admit that, no, it isn't possible. But if Dwayne Roloson is given the Conn Smythe at the end of the playoffs, you won't hear me complaining.

I can't say the same for Chris Pronger, who enjoyed one of the most dominant playoffs by a defenseman since Scott Stevens in 2000 all the way through to the Campbell Bowl victory, but hasn't been the same since. If the Oil can pull out a couple of games and win 'er all - or even lose in seven - Pronger would be as deserving as anyone.

Game 4 : The Aftermath

Another terrific game marred by that effin' reffin' but it was probably the best performance by both teams in the same game. The Oilers played inspired hockey but Carolina seemed to find their groove in the second and never let go. I figured the Canes to be the better team overall and, when all else is equal, they would be far more likely to emerge.

I was wrong about the high-scoring affair. Shots were down, the respective PK were great, and scoring chances were kept to a minimum. However, the scoring chances which did arise were exciting as anything these playoffs have offered, and both Markkenen and Ward relied on a bit of that ol' Grant Fuhr luck rubbing on their pads. Or maybe that was some of the defective dasher boards which peeled off. Either way, fans of the Shiv Town Lardbirds cannot blame the loss of Roloson if the inevitable occurs.

I called Staal to have a multi-point game (yes, I thought incorrectly that he'd bag three) and I thought Samsonov was due for some scoring, which he provided. Yet, aside from the few scoring opportunities afforded to Whitney, neither Horcoff, Smyth or Weight seemed to garner some significant chances, and so I shouldn't boast about my predictions quite yet. Ah well, maybe next game.

But I'll try to predict the future nonetheless. Will the Oilers win one more before the series is out? Perhaps. I wouldn't be surprised if they pulled one out of their ass in Raleigh but I can't see them winning more than that one. Their spirits are looking as deflated as that shot of Whyte Ave just shown on Sportsnet, and there is no way they can rely on spirit and spirit alone.

The entire team is going to have to give all they can muster, but none moreso than Pronger, Peca and Smyth. All three of those gentlemen have been merely okay but none of them have led their team the way they can or how they're supposed to. Perhaps this is overwhelming for them. At the end of the Western conference series, they were caught up in the jubilation of donning those nifty ball caps and high-fiving each other as if they won something worth more than a bag of spit. Contrast that with the subdued Brind'Amour, Weight and Wesley, all of whom seemed to recognize the poignancy of the moment and kept their grins to themselves. In other words, the leaders of Tobacco Belt hockey appeared to have a greater sense of purpose than their counterparts in Alberta's Second City.

Or maybe that's just me.

It's been a good ride, and it's not over yet, but I don't recommend you to schedule your babysitter for Saturday night.

Greasy rebound

Tonight's Game 4 is, as it is with for most playoff series, the pivotal match-up in these terrific Stanley Cup finals. Edmonton had a game to adjust to a new goalie in Game 2, to their detriment, while Carolina had to readjust to a better 'tender in Game 3. There are no excuses any more for either team. Jussi has shown he can play if he has to, even if he is on his back while doing it, and the Oilers have shown that they can crash the net to positive results as well. Call it even.

Though I give full credit to the play of the Oilers, I do think that the problem with the Hurricanes, who boast the most potent power play in the league, was ironically because of the amount of penalties which occured against both teams, especially in the first period. Sure, they performed beautifully on the PK, but the frequent call for special teams left the more-talented Canes looking for more consistency with their line changes. The Carolina's underrated Adamses on the fourth line, for example, received scant opportunity to wear down Smith and Pronger to the benefit of their more skilled teammates, and this lack of pressure hurt them in the third.

Also, we must see more out of Eric Staal. He is the most talented player on either team but has yet to shine in the finals. This could very well be his night if Peter Laviolette has anything to do with it. If the Canes coach can adjust his game plan with the same effectiveness that MacTavish did in Game 3, I would not be surprised to see the young'un from Thunder Bay explode for a three-point night. Now's the time to shine and I think the big kid has it in him.

Moreover, both Doug Weight and Ray Whitney need to contribute more. Again with the lack of consistent line changes, neither one of these generally-terrific veterans were up to their tasks in the building both had formerly called 'home'. I see them both improving.

What I see on the Oilers' behalf tonight is a continuation of a tightly-contested defensive battle, giving nothing away in the neutral zone and sticking it to the Canes on the power play. Yet I think their job will be to keep the game close rather than shutting off the taps completely, which I don't believe they have it in them. Markannen won't be as lucky as he was the other night (have you seen so many saves by a goalie on his back?) but he'll be good enough. Pronger will be as solid as ever and Horcoff and Smyth will likely believe that they're over their scoring drought. However, their scoring stars, in my humble opinion, will be probably the likes of Pisani and Samsonov, go-to guys in the previous rounds who might be slipping under the radar during the course of this series.

It will be close: Carolina will be looking for revenge but Edmonton has renewed confidence. I think the former will take it in a high-scoring affair.

Game 3

After game two, I was, and still am, pissed-off at the poor performance of the Oil.

Not that I'm their biggest fan or that I think they can absolutely beat the Hurricanes, but simply because I'm a hockey fan and to see a team play that badly in such an important game is frustrating.

I shared much of the same frustrations as Sacamano: "Quite simply, the Oilers played like a bunch of dickheads. They tried to be too cute instead of just shooting the damn puck at a goalie who was giving out rebounds like a trampoline. They took idiotic penalties. They gave up odd-man rushes on stupid pinches. They refused to direct anything towards the net on powerplays."

Seriously, the Oilers allowed more 2-on-1's than Debbie did when she was doing Dallas. The only positive thing that came from that game was that it made the goalie contreversy irrelevant. The problem is not with the goaltending.

Now we're here and we've been here before. The Oilers are home and they're down 2 - 0. We all know the clichés. Their backs are against the wall. It's a must-win situation. They have to give 110%. Have I forgotten any?

It's simple really. The Oilers have to play like they did for most of game one and not collapse. In order to do this, some players will have to return to their 3rd round form. Peca and Horcoff especially. The "skilled" players will also have to make an appearance (that means you Samsonov!).

Game on!

News that is absurd

It's no secret to those who visit this site that Beeg is a Habs fan and that Rob is really not. I, however, fall somewhere in between. I seem to get more interested in the team every year (I'm a somewhat recent resident of Montreal).

I have taken more of a liking to the Canadiens since the arrival of Bob Gainey, a man who I think was an amazing player and is as good a GM. The addition of Guy Carbonneau is also a move that I liked.

Today, however, I read something that made me doubt the sanity of both Gainey and Carbo. Rumour has it that the two former Habs captains are seriously considering hiring Mario Tremblay as an assistant coach (French only). To me, that is one of the most perplexing things I've read in a long time.

Tremblay's tenure as a head coach in Montreal was, to say the least, a bust. The "bionic blueberry", as he is known in these parts, never succeeded in inspiring anyone, neither the players, nor the fans. He was a petulant hot-head that will be remembered only for being the man who let the best goalie of all-time stew in his own sh*t for 9 goals and then drove him out of town.

Does anyone have an idea why this makes sense? Am I missing something here?

More news that actually matters

It's great of Beeg to finally make an appearance. I guess Rob's little shout out woke him up.

I was so inspired by his "infotainement" style of writing that I figured I would follow in his footsteps.

Earlier in the week, hockey fans and insiders got some good news with the announcement that Ted Nolan was making a much-anticipated return to the NHL coaching ranks with the New York Islanders. This is great for the NHL and great for the Islanders who need some direction. It will also help that the organization also added Neil Smith as the new GM.

The only people who will be (slightly) sad are the good folks in Moncton, who were hoping that Nolan would be back to try to lead the hometown Wildcats to another Memorial Cup appearance. I know for a fact, though, that they wish him nothing but the best.

Expect to see the Islanders' fortunes change in the next two years (so long, Alexei Yashin!). Let's hope they can also change their uniforms.

News that actually matters

Yeah, yeah, we know, Edmonton is done for. Not that I can say I'm upset - never have been an Oiler fan, never will be. When your mascot's an oil rig, well, what else is there to say? Though your heart breaks a little for the Dwayne Rolosons of the world - those who exceed expectations, commit to their work and then see a unique opportunity go bust all thanks to some crappy defenceman. What can you do? The Hurricanes, far from the best team this post-season, will soon enough do away with the Oilers and we can all be happy for Glen Wesley (or not - once a Bruin always a Bruin and fuck the Bruins) and Rod Brind'amour, the ugliest guy standing.

More importantly is this item about the Vancouver Olympics. Seems nobody wanted to renovate GM place (at a cost of $10 million?!?), so the next ginormously overrated IIHF tournament will be played on NHL regulation ice. I say bring back the old tiny rinks of Chicago and Boston yore. Then again, I'm far from an NHL Governor.

Who can say (and really, who cares?) what the implications will be for the next NHL-involved Olympiad? I'll miss the larger ice surface, with its speedier play and higher proportion of weirdo passes that never get anywhere, but, hey, Canada (or an independent Quebec? Shudder) should be better off. Then again, Syd the Kid, who will be the Man by then, will probably get his face destroyed big time, not like the little business at the Worlds this year, so maybe a little more room to move would be better for the not-ass Canucks.

Anyhow, my closing thought is to Carolina: end it fast (or, to appease the Murph, who is proof that good stuff comes from Edmonton, though it often winds up in freaking Hogtown, Edmonton: come back and take it in six, OK?). The playoffs have been fun but this series is for the birds. Let's get down to some off-season jiggy-joo. Gainer, bring Zdeno to Montreal where, under a real coach, he just might shine.

Team Destiny

It is beginning to look like Carolina has lady luck smiling on them. The old adage of "you have to be good to be luck" is sure true, but this will mark the second time in the past two Stanley Cups that I could care less for a team that is on the verge of winning. First, Tampa Bay and now the hockey hotbed of Raleigh.

Carolina reminds me of the 1986 Canadiens. They can't lose. They didn’t deserve to win Game 1. They deserved Game 2. Sure, the Hurricanes have talent and a great young goalie, but they also have had a heavy dose of LUCK. First series - Saku's injury. Second series - draw an overachieving Devils team. Third Round - a depleted Sabres team. Now, a team minus arguably the best goalie in the 2006 Playoffs. The Oilers will still make this a series, but will come up short.

I was annoyed watching the Carolina-Montreal series to see all the uncalled high sticks from the 'Canes and the diving the team does. Between Matt Cullen and Justin Williams - who is a fine player - you have a great synchronized diving team.

I will never embrace Redneck Hockey. Carolina will likely go the way of Tampa - winners to barely there. Such is life in the new NHL. You have to love the parody when the Cup gets to vacation in the Sunbelt with 8 fans.

It is probably true, that like Dave Andreychuck, one should be happy for Glen Wesley, Rod Brind'Amour and Brett Hedican for the chance to get their names engraved on the mug.

Game 2

As the second game of the Stanley Cup championship series is about to become underway, and the Edmontonian re-enactments of The Deer Hunter have all come and gone, the question of the day is, Will it be Ty or the Juice?

Do I care? Sure I do. But, do any of the other half-dozen "commentators" on Puck This! give a rat's ass? I mean, I like Phoff and all, but this is becoming a two-way conversation which could probably be more suited to MSN than in blog format.

Buck up, boys. I want commentary.

Robbin' Bilker'Amour

The Oilers should worry less about playing mind games with the refs and concentrate instead on preserving 3 goal leads:

Where the Hurricanes are concerned, a big contributor to their victory on Monday wasn't just Conklin's performance but what they did at the faceoff circle. Carolina won 45 of 73 faceoffs in Game 1, due in large part to Rod Brind'Amour's work on the draw.

The Oilers, in turn, have labelled Brind'Amour - the league's top faceoff man this season - a 'cheater' on faceoffs.

Oilers centre Shawn Horcoff wasn't shy about saying that at all. Brind'Amour fared better than 80 percent on the draw, compared to about 30 percent for Horcoff. The Oilers argue this was made worse by the fact that Brind'Amour's a veteran who gets benefits from the linesmen.

Horcoff, who had a running battle all night with the linesmen and referees, said that Brind'Amour did get tossed out of the circle on a few occasions. But it was only because they complained so much that the referees started making the calls instead of the linesmen.

Horcoff had a real nasty exchange with one of the linesmen in Game 1, and some video will be put together for the NHL and its officials on what they believe to be Brind'Amour's 'cheating.'

The Oilers' argument will be that he does not line up straight at the circle and comes in on an angle. They'll also point out that he benefits from putting his stick down and lifting it up again.

Anything else? Oh yeah - he's also better than anyone else in the entire league.

Either get over it, Horcoff, or else let someone else take the draws.

Can I change my pick?

Not because they lost game 1, but because they have lost their goaltender for the remainder of the series.

According to coach MacTavish, Roloson won't be back. Now, that may be posturing on behalf of the Oilers in order to be considered the underdog (it seems to give some teams a mental edge). In any case, the injury is clearly serious and the Oilers will have to use backup goalies.

I hope that I am wrong, but a Ward/Conklin duel is not a duel. It's like showing up to a gunfight with a water pistol.

I've been wrong before, I hope that I am wrong now.

Game 1

First Period:

I hope the Oilers get their skate sharpener fixed, as it seems like quite a few of them are having trouble staying upright when a Hurricane touches them.

Second Period:

Canes played better but need improvement. Didn't like the penalty shot call as I thought Wallin was trying to fish the puck out of the crease; good shot by the whore gap, though. The Oil better watch out for these third-period specialists.

Third Period:

Just a question: When a player tales his hand of the stick, wraps his arms around a player and that other player falls down, shouldn't that be a penalty? Another question: Why doesn't that count when the player infracted is a goaltender?

Canes turned it on, as they usually do when they're behind going into the third. Too bad for Steve Jason Smith and Ty Conklin on the winning goal, but the big goat of the game is none other than Marc Andre Bergeron. Any defenseman who nails a rushing forward into his own goaltender deserves nothing but a pillow case and a bar of soap. What a dipshit.


After Hours:

Good. The Oilers might still pull one out of Raleigh before they head home but now everyone knows they can't take the Canes for granted. Like I said, These men are the real deal.

Craig MacTavish: "Goalie's not good. Won't be back in the series." Oiler fans better be hoping he's talking about Conklin.

Forward to the Past

I'm a local celebrity of sorts here in Calgary when it comes to sports prognostication. A day doesn't go by when a person doesn't say to me: "Huck, you're awfully good-looking and one hell of a sports visionary. What is the secret to your tremendous success when figuring who will be still standing at the end of the Stanley Cup final?"

Being a modest person, not to mention eerily astute and extremely handsome, I have to admit that there is a reason to my supposedly mad sense of forbearance. For one, the biggest factor in picking a series has nothing to do with current playoff performances, nor does it even have to do with regular season success. Go back even further to past post-season accomplishments by the players, or even that of the particular franchises themselves, and you won't find where I develop my keen insight to where their respective destinies lay.

No, the first question I ask myself regarding which team is going to win a particular series is, What is the record of that franchise in World Hockey Association championship play? In this case, the New England Whalers, who later became the Hartford Whalers and, ultimately, the Carolina Hurricanes, have a dominating single championship to their credit while the lowly Alberta/Edmonton Oilers have merely one final round defeat for which to boast. How pathetic.

For this reason and this reason alone, I believe that Carolina will defeat Edmonton in 6 games in the 2006 Stanley Cup championship series.

Avco Cup victories aside, there are other reasons to believe the Canes will emerge victorious.

I don't buy the theory that the Grease Spots are the overwhelming underdogs in the series. Even though Vegas is betting against them due to regular season differences and the advantages due to home ice, there are few around these parts who aren't giving the Oil the Cup already. From the Conn Smythe play of Chris Pronger to the inexplicable play of Dwayne Roloson, from the grown men waving silver pom-poms to the knives of Whyte Ave, it seems that this is the year of destiny for those raucous Shiv City fanatics.

However, by playing in a city which alters its hockey schedule with that of the NASCAR circuit, the Hurricane generators have gone unnoticed but still built themselves the best franchise in the league has seen ever since Steve Yzerman had at least one working knee ligament. Solid goaltending, both on the starting rotation and manning the door, has already taken on the world's best netminder - who had been on a 15-game winning streak, I might add - and won decisively. Rookie Cam Ward, in particular, has shown he can keep his cool in big games and give his team a chance to in every game. Hockey peoples looking for Ward to falter under the bright lights of (ahem) Edmonton will be disappointed in his confidence in the blue paint, even with Ryan Smyth's big ass and greasy mullet in his face.

Three exceptional first-lines bolster an attack more formidable than most, complimenting an effective fourth line centred by the underrated Kevyn Adams. What more can be said about the brilliant play thus far of Rod Brind'Amour, for example, which doesn't involve his talent in the face-off circle, his aggressive forecheck and timely scoring? What can I add to Eric Staal's desire to have the puck and do something wonderful with it? How does one describe the pairing of Oilers-linked has-beens - former captain Doug Weight and former stickboy Ray Whitney - and their emerging presence with rookie Andrew Ladd with every game closer to the final? Is there anything I can contribute to the stories of Justin Williams and Cory Stillman other than they are two players who will be considered as potential late-season pickups for teams contemplating a Stanley Cup run for the foreseeable future?

These men are the real deal.

True, the offense had had the luxury during the last series of dealing with a depleted Sabres blueline, and they managed to take advantage of that weakness to their full advantage. But how do you explain the success of the Canes' d-corps, known only for their success as a no-name hodge-podge of dependable defenders, who shut down the likes of Briere and Drury? I know that Wesley has flown under the radar ever since leaving the dominant Bruins teams of the late eighties and early nineties, but here you have a guy who hardly ever makes a mistake, which is precisely all 'lina needs. Ditto that for Bret Hedican and Niclas Wallin. Mike Commodore, known more for his bedroom attire and Raggedy Andy 'do, has established himself as a first-rate, second-line defensive specialist. There are no Prongers here, but you don't need a twelve-foot wingspan if you're rotating three pairs without any key injuries who can all play in all situations.

And do I have to mention the vicious special teams play by the Hurricanes?


Yep, Edmonton has had a terrific run and the players and management are to be commended, even if their fans aren't. However, it's about to end. Like I said earlier, the Lardbirds aren't the only team to go on a torrid post-season streak in these playoffs who have met the Hurricanes, and I'm betting that the results will be quite similar.


Then again, according to my Western conference predictions, I've been wrong before.

Canes in six

I await my turn on 'CSI'

Well, I'm not as good as Huck because I didn't have the Ballz-ov to make my predictions for the entire playoffs at the very beginning. I did, however, make predictions for each round before they began and, for the third round, I was perfect. Unlike Rob, I don't depend on psychic ability. I prefer to say that I analyse each matchup with forensic-like precision. Yeah, right.

Basically, my thinking was this: I wavered on the two final teams in the second round. I lost my faith in them. They proved me wrong and I, therefore, had to pick them for the next round. They, obviously, didn't disappoint. Now comes the hard part. I have to pick one to lose.

Here's how my forensic-like mind sees the cup final play out: Carolina will bring more skill and speed up front and Edmonton will block all the shooting lanes and will have the edge on defence and penalty killing. That's pretty much obvious.

The difference in the series will be Chris Pronger and the rest of the Oilers defence (both the rearguards and the entire team defence). None of the Carolina forwards have faced the likes of Pronger this season and they will be in for a very rude awakening. Staal (who may already be hindered by injury), will show his youth and won't be able to handle having Pronger in his face all night. The veterans like Brind'Amour, Stillman, Recchi and the like will adjust better, but not enough.

Oil in 6.

Monkey picks Oilers to win the Cup...

.. and Maggie picks the Oilers too. Maggie - the resident TSN Monkey - has picked the Edmonton Oilers to hoist the Stanley Cup for the first time in sixteen years. If she is correct, and really would you bet against a monkey spinning a roulette wheel, then the Oilers would be the first Canadian team to sip from Lord Stanley's mug since the Canadiens in 1993.

I await my guest turn on 'Medium'

I should have been laying money down in Vegas at the start of the playoffs. While my Western conference picks have been less-than-stellar, my East prognostications have been downright astounding. Sure, before last series, I thought Carolina would topple Buffalo in seven games, as, I'm sure, did many other hockey pundits. How many people, though, picked the Canes seven-game victory over the Sabres in the conference final before the playoffs even began?

Damn, I'm good. Just don't ask me my feelings on the West anytime soon.

The series came down to the final period and the game winner was decided as I figured it would be:

The intangible will be, once-again, Rod Brind'Amour. He is the heart and soul of the Hurricanes and has proved he can elevate his game when his team has needed it most.

Indeed he did.

However, I was also impressed with the elevated game of Ray Whitney and Dougie Weight. Both were cast-offs from their former teams this season and both have shown how invaluable experienced play can be when experience counts for most. That they are playing so well with uber-talented rookie Andrew Ladd shows the smarts of coach Peter Laviolette of not only getting the rookie some important playing time, but also preparing him for the future when he and Staal will be taking this fantastic Canes club to a few more exceptional playoff heights. Hats off also goes to rookie 'minder Cam Ward, who has shown he is merely as good as he has to be and has given his team a chance to win every night. The thing is, I don't believe they've played their best hockey yet, and I don't think they believe it either.

While I'm at it, I have to commend the Buffalo Sabres for showing so much grit and pride even while their top four defensemen were out of the line-up. That was a shitty piece of luck on their part, the only silver lining of which was the emergence of future all-star Brian Campbell, he of everlasting Umberger fame, who logged over 25 minutes last night and played the game of his life.

As for the Oilers, well, what can I say? I figured the wrong goalie would be the difference, and I guessed that the wrong team would be the tenacious fighters. The long wait after round two hurt the Ducks but it shouldn't have hurt them that much. They did out-play the Oil on more nights than not (or, so I was told, as I missed the first three games and only caught the results in newspaper reports) and might've had a chance had they had more finish in their offense. The one poor outing of Roloson proves that he was beatable, if only the Ducks could get to him.

But they didn't, the Oilers scored when they had to, they sacrificed the body, and now they're sitting somewhere in New York state and booking rooms at the Raleigh Super-8.

It was a hell of a series. I give Anaheim all the congrats in their post-season success, and I wish the Oilers all the best, provided they lose in 5 games or less.

Calgary blogger calls Sabres coach 'meathead'

Sabres coach calls Hurricanes 'arrogant'

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[Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff] accused the Carolina Hurricanes of being "arrogant."

He said the 'Canes laughed at his players as they skated past the bench when they won 4-0 in Game 4.

And, if that wasn't enough to get the pot boiling, he also accused them of having champagne on ice to celebrate their series win in Buffalo which failed to materialize.

Honestly, "champagne on ice"? For a semi-final game? Sabres captain Daniel Briere said he used that accusation by Ruff "as motivation" for Game 6, which was won on an OT winner by Briere himself. I'm sure the rest of the hard-working Sabres team felt the same way, painting themselves as victims in this gruelling seven-game match-up.

Know that these are all high-calibre and focussed professional athletes and if they didn't use whatever motivation which was afforded to them, then they wouldn't be where they are today. If they want to believe that the Hurricanes were "laughing" at them during the 4-0 romp, so be it (though I beg to know exactly which emotions should a team express while moving one game closer to the Stanley Cup finals).

As for the "champagne comment", though, how stupid would that motivation appear for the rest of the playoffs, provided that the Sabres get by the Canes tonight? There never was any champagne in the dressing room that night, and anybody who says otherwise is a bold-face liar. And Lindy Ruff said otherwise. How will his own players believe his motiviations from here on out?

Picture yourself in the near future. You're in the Buffalo dressing room, 10 minutes before Game 5 against Edmonton, where the Sabres are down 3 games to 1 and trying to stave off elimination:

RUFF: All right team, enough's enough. These bastards are thinking they are going to win tonight. Are we going to let them?!

PLAYERS: NO!!!

RUFF: These guys were laughing at us last game. Remember that? Are we going to let them laugh at us?!

PLAYERS: NO!!!

RUFF: These guys are so cocky, they have champagne chilling in their dressing room as we speak. They think the series is over. Are you going to let them get away with thinking like that?

[crickets]

RUFF: What? Don't you guys believe me?

PLAYERS: No.

Lindy Ruff is an incredibly talented coach in the best hockey league in the world, but when it comes to media sparring, he shows everyone his true self, that being, a dumb meathead of a hockey player.