Shooting at the walls of elimination (BANG BANG)

Tuesday May 13, 2008 @ 06:48 PM EDT

Is it just me or should Toronto really get on hiring Ron Wilson as their new head coach? One man’s trash is another man’s ticket into next season’s playoffs. Actually you know what, the Sharks could hire Paul Maurice to man their bench, considering they don’t seem to like the playoffs very much anyway. Hey it’s just an idea, I’m keeping all parties in mind here.


In my new venture as a Red Wings fan I have to say I’m a little overwhelmed. I’m not used to watching such an on-point team, let alone one that wins…. a lot. The Detroit Red Wings are almost too deserving of their final four spot in the playoffs. You think of a good hockey team, just picture one in your mind, and they would look a lot like the Wings. I don’t know a lot about Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Niklas Lidstrom, Johan Franzen, Kris Draper, insert uber talented hockey superstar in Red here. But these guys are pure poetry, plain and simple. Their playmaking abilities are practically an art form. To say the least, it’s been a trip so far. In a somewhat expected twist of events, Dallas is now the team facing a game four elimination. How does that feel guys? Will they take a page from their previous opponent and make the elimination a little bit less embarrassing by forcing a game five or six? Or will they choose to adopt the “Why Not Us” slogan, and go all the way? Frustration is getting the better of the Dallas Stars, desperately trying to rattle the Wings with selfish penalties and riding dirty after the whistle. Namely that Ribeiro slash to the chest of Osgood after the final buzzer in game two, granted Osgood played it off a little (not only are the Wings great at hockey, they also have Academy Award worthy acting skills), it was still a shifty move. Ribeiro is lucky that it didn’t result in him kickin’ it in the press box during game three. I think the Stars can only hope that the entire Wings roster comes down with the stomach flu before the next game, and even then a win is not guaranteed.


This would be the appropriate time to panic.


Another team with a goose egg in the conference semifinals, but not yet in full panic mode, is the Philadelphia Flyers. The Battle of Pennsylvania continues tonight with game three. I’ve seen a bit of both games so far, and I have to say the Flyers are not down from lack of effort. Despite the outcome of each game (a score of 4-2 in both games), Philly has put up a decent fight. Even though the Flyers were ultimately outplayed, I never really saw them lose momentum. I actually don’t see the Penguins shutting them out completely. And of course none of this will end without a little controversy, as any good series wouldn’t (that no-goal was good… you know the one). Oh and I wish a speedy recovery to one of my favorite (former) Dub players, Braydon Coburn who took a rocket to the brow bone in game two. Hey if it makes you feel any better Cobey, I think you’d look pretty fierce with an eye patch…


Now for all of you who are a little turned off by the Stanley Cup playoffs at the moment for whatever reason, or are just watching it objectively, there is plenty of hockey action going on right now elsewhere, and even more to look forward to. Here are some things you might want to consider jumping on to pass the time:


The IIHF World Hockey Championship. For those of us whose teams blew their playoff load prematurely (...or some not at all), wondering where our favorite NHL superstars are at; we can get our fix in Quebec City and Halifax. The quarter finals start TOMORROW and have Sweden/Czech Republic, Russia/Switzerland, Norway/Canada, and USA/Finland set as the match ups. Pretty exciting stuff. Like a little prequel to the Winter Olympics. Check out IIHF.com for more info about the 2008 World Hockey Championship.


2008 MasterCard Memorial Cup. This Friday May 16th kicks off the 2008 Memorial Cup Championships in Kitchener, Ontario. In case you don’t know already, the Memorial Cup is the Stanley Cup of junior hockey, and is no less prestigious. The best of the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL, along with the host team of the Championships battle it out to be named the best team in the Canadian Hockey League. The teams participating in this year’s Cup finals are the Belleville Bulls (OHL), Spokane Chiefs (WHL), Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL), and Kitchener Rangers (hosts). This is probably my favorite hockey event next to the Stanley Cup and World Juniors, so I’ll be keeping an eye on it for sure. GO CHIEFS! For schedules and game info visit MasterCardMemorialCup.com.


NHL Awards show in Toronto. Tune into Versus or CBC on June 12 to see all of our good friends: Calder, Hart, Vezina, Norris, Conn Smythe, Art Ross and more… oh and the players who are nominated for them. Black tie, red carpet, the whole shebang. Unless you’re cool enough to actually be there, you can enjoy a nice evening in watching some big names accepting some well deserved recognition. Keep an eye on NHL.com to see the nominees being announced everyday.


The Draft. Ottawa, Ontario hosts this year’s Draft on June 20th and 21st. See who your team picks up; OR if you’re a junior/college hockey fan, see where your favorite hopefuls go. There is no happier moment to witness than when a first rounder pulls on their NHL jersey for the first time and poses with the GMs. The Draft is always a lot of fun to watch, and keep track of. It is usually televised on CBC, and can be followed in real-time on NHL.com. For prospect information, scouting reports, ranking, and lots more, check out HockeysFuture.com.


So turn that frown upside down, it’ll be training camp as soon as you know it. To some fans… there is no such thing as an off-season.

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