Pens back to the Finals

I was relieved, elated, excited, optimistic, and positively anxious upon hearing that the Pittsburgh Penguins were heading back to the Stanley Cup Finals for a second straight year. Quite simply, they are the most exciting team in hockey right now, and there’s no other group that I’d rather see battling it for hockey’s Holy Grail then these young ice birdies. Facts: The team has won 8 of their last 9 games and only allowed one PP goal against Carolina; Marc-Andre Fleury is at the top of his game; the team is largely injury-free; and Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin seem endowed with the raw power of the hockey gods. They are unstoppable right now.

Although the Pens’ roster remains largely unchanged from last year, the team dynamic is considerably different. The young Pens are one year older and wiser too, being led by Sid the Kid, who may be lean on years but has shown the hockey wisdom of Joe Sakic/Steve Yzerman with the work ethic and willingness to sacrifice of a Mark Messier/Adam Foote. He’s simply the best player in the NHL when it comes to combined skill, attitude, and passion for the game. It is easy to tell that this youngster lives and breathes the game of hockey. But I digress. Back to what the Pens have going for them this year: they are largely injury-free (except for Sergei Gonchar, who is still playing at a fairly high level); they will be well-rested after a fairly unchallenging Carolina series; they’ve picked up some proven playoff-weary vets such as Ruslan Fedotenko (2 goals in last 2 games), Bill Guerin, and Chris Kunitz; and finally, the hunger is just there. You can see it in the way every player on the team plays every game, especially from the team leaders (Crosby, Fleury, Malkin, Gonchar). The intensity in their eyes as they line up for a faceoff, the willingness of even the stars to get their hands dirty by net-crashing, backchecking, and shot-blocking, and the scruffiness of the beard are all key indicators of a fierce desire to come out on top. They want to win, and they want to do it now. Get ready for an exciting Cup Finals, folks.



Oh, and my favorite thing about the Carolina series happened after it was all said and done: Sidney Crosby broke the tradition of not touching the Prince of Wales trophy (a slightly stupid tradition that somehow implied that by touching it you were jinxing your team from winning the Cup). Instead, he grabbed it, posed for pictures with it, and will probably sleep with it tonight. I love that Sid defies all norms. This time, he was basically saying that they were leaving nothing to “luck”; they are going to win the Cup, and no silly tradition is going to stop them. I, for one, hope it happens. Sorry Derek.

Another link... Getting lazy in my old age

I feel slightly cheap by just posting links to things instead of actually writing... but you know how life gets. Know this: I would never clutter Thackalanche with useless junk; anything you get from here is because it is, in the words of Anchorman, a "pretty big deal." So it is with this AWESOME Steve Carrell promo. It is guaranteed you will bust a gut laughing at this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-Hm2eAmDDE&feature=related



RANDOM BARRY SHOT:

May the Mullet also live long and prosper.

The "Hockey" Guy?

I loved this article by Bill Simmons over at ESPN. If you haven’t heard of him, Known as “The Sports Guy,” Bill is one of today’s premier sports writers. He grew up an avid Bruins fan, but became jaded by the clutch-and-grab, bogged down NHL of the 90s and the early part of this century. However, it looks like the game has won him over again. Bill offers some interesting insights that I wouldn’t expect from a “mainstream” sports writer. Hope you enjoy…

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=4178211

RANDOM SICK/DISTURBING PHOTO OF THE WEEK:

A Star is born.

Middle East, but not gone

Oh man, imagine my surprise when I logged into the NHL website, then straightway over to thackalanche to find news that makes the heart race! Three playoff races in game 7 and an update that I can only add my meager two cents to.

I am in a foreign country, Jordan to be exact (no, not South Jordan like Thack) so I only get the internet every couple of days, but ya e'nee! Ya seedi! Two Arabic phrases of surprise and pleasure! Here's my recap. I haven't watched any of the games, by virtue of being in a soccer mad country where the closest regular snowfall is 700 miles away in Kazakhstan, but I have been following them very closely.

BOSTON AND CAROLINA

This went far further than I expected. Carolina led by Staal showed that sixth seed means nothing in the high stakes of the Stanley Cup playoffs. A while ago, I predicted to my friends on my team that Boston was going to take it all in a fashion not seen since Edmonton in the Gretzky days. Now I'm biting my nails. Tim Thomas is a solid goalie, but has had the most dastardly luck in the playoffs. After coasting through the first round, the Bruins had it handed to them by the Hurricanes, but I still think the cubbies will come out on top. My prediction Boston 4-2.

DETROIT AND ANAHEIM

Ooooooooh, I have nothing good to say about this. My least favorite team in the NHL and my second least favorite team who surprised the crap out of the hockey world by upsetting my third least favorite team. I will be the first person to say I predicted San Jose to sweep Anaheim and meet Boston in the final. Now I'm not so sure that I want the Ducks to lose...
Anaheim goalie Jonas Hiller has something that Chris Osgood has not had all season, namely, luck, and Chris Osgood has something that Hiller doesn't and that is a solid core of defensemen in front of him to cover his mistakes. These games have been the roller coaster ride I would never have expected, but I predict the big red machine will handle the Ducks 3-1. Hopefully we'll see some fighting at the end of this one to soften up Detroit before they face Chicago.

CHICAGO AND VANCOUVER

Done, and I thought it would come out this way. I think that Detroit will roll over Chicago. Even with trades and stuff, they are pretty much the same two teams that met in the Winter Classic, and the only thing that has changed is the stakes.

Finally, DRUMROLL PLEASE!

PITTSBURGH AND WASHINGTON!

The NHL could not have asked for a better series! The superstars of the league, Sid the Kid and Ovechkin the Crazy Russian! The unsung heroes of the regular season Malkin and Semin! The three highest point producers in the season and the player who far and away took the most shots! A rookie goalie who has been doing stellar after replacing an injury prone choke artist and a not-quite-so rookie goalie who hit his stride halfway through the season, finally! BILL FREAKING GUERIN!!!

Why the media is not going crazy about this, I will never know, but the NHL should be tripping over itself to capitalize on this. I'm sure it will happen next year and the next. For now, let's concentrate on the here and now. Penguins will triumph 4-1, but Fleury will miss his elusive shutout, probably thanks to Ovechkin.

Can I make my prediction now? Detroit will beat the Blackhawks in 5, Pittsburgh will down the Bruins in 7, and Pittsburgh will get their revenge on Hossa in a thrilling, seven game final.

Playoff Musings...

Some thoughts on the current state of the NHL playoffs…

BLACKHAWKS VS. CANUCKS
In a year of great playoff series, this one ranked near the top. Full of scoring, grit, and outright hatred, these two teams battled it out to the final whistle. Sorry to all those Canuck fans, but I was pleased to see Chicago win. Their youth movement has reignited the franchise, instantly turning Chicago back into one of the premier hockey cities. The arena has been packed almost all season, ratings are up, and who could forget the Winter Classic at Wrigley? It has truly been a great year for the Blackhawks, and it’s exciting to be a part of their success. As I mentioned in my last column, the Blackhawks WILL win a Stanley Cup… and sooner rather than later. Khabibulin has been stellar (although he’ll probably be gone after this season). The defense, led by Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, has been solid. And the offense… WOW. Kane, Toews, Sharp, Versteeg, Brouwer, Byfuglien. Hell, even Ben Eager (yes, THAT Ben Eager!) is scoring. I’ve mentioned this before, but Jonathan Toews will be one of the premier players in this league. We’re talking Joe Sakic, Jr. He’s everything you look for in a captain: Talented, humble, mature beyond his years. I’ve even seen him get involved in some scrums. Gotta love a kid like that. How would it be to see a Blackhawks/Bruins Stanley Cup Final? Something to think about…

RED WINGS VS. DUCKS
Having always been an Av fan, I’ve grown up with a healthy dose of hatred for the Wings. However, my dad and I were talking about the team the other day and realized that if it weren’t for ONE player, we could probably stomach the Wings. That player, of course, is none other than Chris Chelios. What a whiner… the biggest black eye on the league next to Sean Avery. Nothing made me happier than seeing him get burned the other night by Corey Perry and hearing the announcer say, “You can’t blame that on your linemate, Chris.” HA! Anyways, the Ducks are looking DANGEROUS. You know that feeling Gandalf was getting as he realized Sauron was coming back in to power and could pounce at any moment? That’s how any remaining team in the West should be feeling about the Ducks. They are playing INCREDIBLE hockey right now, having just forced a Game 7 against the Wings. It would be awesome to see them go all the way, and as long as Jonas Hiller is alert and Ryan Getzlaf is healthy, they can win easily.

CAPITALS VS. PENGUINS
Wow. EVERYTHING WE COULD HAVE HOPED FOR AND MORE!!!! Sidney Crosby is proving why he’s the NHL’s finest, and is – at least for now – laying to rest the debate over whether or not he’s better than Alexander Ovechkin. Currently, he’s better. Much better. The thing I like about Sid is how he has learned (in a relatively short amount of time) to EMBRACE pressure and feed off it. In these playoffs he has been all over, hitting, scoring, battling in the corners. Basically doing everything and anything to win. He’s been phenomenal. Evgeni Malkin may be the scoring leader, but I think there’s no question in anyone’s mind that Crosby is the heart and soul of the team. Ovie, on the other hand, has struggled at times in these playoffs under the pressure. He’s tried to do too much himself, almost seeming as if he’s wound himself up so tight he can’t shoot, play, or see straight. Luckily, it seems he’s starting to settle in to his game, which has made this one of the most exciting playoff series in ALL HISTORY. Still, if you’ve got a kid learning to play hockey and you want to show him a player that embodies the heart, soul, and attitude of a hockey player, you show him tapes of Sidney Crosby. He would be my absolute first pick of who to build a team around. He’s a magical player who will win Stanley Cups galore and go down in history next to names like Howe and Gretzky.
PS- Kudos to Bruce Boudreau for having the gonads to go with Simeon Varlamov throughout the playoffs after Jose Theodore struggled. Not too many coaches would do that after taking a peek at Theodore’s salary. If Washington goes to the Cup Finals, I think that decision will be forever known as the difference maker.

BRUINS VS HURRICANES
My brother is a huge Boston fan, so I’m inclined to go for them this post season. Plus, they’ve got everything you could want in a team: Youth, Ring-wearing vets, balanced scoring, gritty third- and fourth-liners, a stingy defense who can contribute offensively, and the best goaltending tandem in the playoffs. Of course, one cannot count out the Hurricanes, who have ridden the likes of Cam Ward, Eric Staal, and (gasp) Jussi Jokinen to a surprising playoff run. The games have been heated so far, and I cannot go further without mentioning the Scott Walker/Aaron Ward incident. For those of you who have lived in a foreign country over the last week: In Game 6 of this series, Boston defenseman Aaron Ward was involved with Carolina’s Matt Cullen in front of the net. The two were exchanging friendly face washes after the whistle when Scott Walker of the Hurricanes intervened, standing in front of Ward and engaging him in what appeared to be a simple staring contest. Ward did not say anything, had his hands down and gloves on, when out of nowhere one of Walker’s gloves came off and he threw a haymaker at Ward’s face. Ward went down instantly and may have broken his orbital bone. Surprisingly, Walker was not suspended (the incident called for an automatic one-game suspension which was waived) and he was fined a meager $2,500 (pocket change for him). Walker should have been suspended, and for multiple games. His actions are precisely what the league is trying to do away with, and it blows my mind that they would hand down that type of slap-on-the-wrist discipline. Heck, they suspended Sean Avery and sent him to anger counseling for running his mouth, yet they don’t do anything for Walker’s sucker punch after the whistle after he was technically the third man in? What a joke. They said it wasn’t exactly a sucker punch, and Walker claims Ward was calling him on…. Bull. Total bull. Way to drop the ball on this one, NHL.

In other news, Mike Modano will be back for a 20th season. Very cool, and I’m happy to let my childhood memories live on for at least one more season.