Habs working hard to kill off Caps & Max sighting in Birmingham
Last Friday, the top-seeded Washington Capitals were set to finish off the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens. They had taken games three and four in Montreal by a combined score of 11-4 and returned home with a 3 games to 1 series lead. With a win, they could have joined the Philadelphia Flyers as Eastern Conference teams that had punched their ticket to round number two and a week off to prepare for it.
Washington won the President’s Cup…had the league’s best G/G average, (3.82)…and the highest ranked power play, (25.2%). They had survived an early-series scare, losing the first game and then trailing 4-1 in the second period of game two, but now it was time to take care of business…do away with the first-round fodder and move on.
Besides, the NHL world is really just looking forward to that Crosby/Ovechkin rematch in the Eastern Conference Finals…so this first-round is just and exercise in academics, right?
Well if so…it seems Montreal has yet to receive the memo.
Behind Jaroslav Halak’s 53 save performance and Michael Cammalleri’s two goals in game six, the Canadiens will return to D.C. …a place where they have won twice in three games…for the all important, deciding, do-or-die, there is no tomorrow, lose and go home, win and move on, game seven on Wednesday night.
So how are they doing it so far? Well, one major reason is that Halak has held off the mighty Capitals offensive juggernaut when it’s matter most…holding them to but two goals on 92 shots over the last two games. Another has to do with the Hab’s penalty kill unit allowing Washington just a single power play goal, an Ovechkin tally in game four. This even though the Caps have been afforded 28 chances on the man advantage.
That’s a kill ratio of .96.4%…and it’s helped them to get to within a game of killing off the top-seeded Capitals.
The Habs and Caps are the only series in the east still yet to be decided as Monday night the Boston Bruins finished off their 6-3 upset of the Buffalo Bruins with a 4-3 win in Beantown behind a pair of goals by David Krejci.
If Washington pulls this series out with a win Wednesday night, they will take on a much-rested Flyers squad while Boston and Pittsburgh square off. If the Canadiens come out victorious…winning three straight after being down 3 games to 1…then the Penguins become the highest remaining seed and will draw Montreal while the Bruins and Flyers would go at it in round two.
Tomorrow night we’ll be treated to a seventh game in the battle between Detroit and Phoenix. This was brought about by the Coyotes win Sunday afternoon in Motown. If the Yotes pull this out…and that’s whom I am pulling for…then that would mean all four top-ranked teams advanced setting up a Sharks-Coyotes and Canucks-Blackhawks matchup.
If Detroit wins, they will be rewarded by drawing the top-seeded Sharks.
Vancouver will face off against Chicago regardless, who played there way into the elite-eight by way of a 5-3 game-six win last night in Nashville. This, of course, was preceded by Saturday’s dramatic overtime win when Marian Hossa went from sin-bin to hero…scoring 10-seconds after being freed from the box after a boarding call with 63 second left in the third earned him five minutes in the box with the Hawks down 4-3.
Afinogenov Sighting in Birmingham
Where does one go to prepare for the World Championship? Why Birmingham, Alabama of course. At least, that is, if you are Maxim Afinogenov.
Afinogenov scored a career-high 24 goals for the Thrashers last season (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
As Ray Melick of the Birmingham News reports, last Tuesday Max was in town with his girlfriend Elena Dementieva…who was there with her Russian National Team tennis teammates competing in the Fed Cup…and was looking for some ice time. So he shows up at the Pelham Ice Rink for a little adult pick-up game…to the delight of not only those he played against but for the fans that got to spend a little time with him afterwards.
Jeff Cheeseman, the director of hockey at the ice rink, said he was surprised to get a call from Afinogenov’s agent …but he was happy to make sure Max was on the list, even waiving the $10 sign-up fee.
“He was very professional, sharing the puck and everything”, Cheeseman said of the 30-year old native of Moscow who is scheduled to be a UFA this summer. “The I told him we have a little better level of competition on Thursday nights with BASH, (Birmingham Area Select Hockey). These are guys who played college or minor league, a few of the old Birmingham Bulls”.
“As a general rule, we don’t allow drop-ins”, Cheeseman continued. “We made an exception”.
As for the game…after Afinogenov scored seven goals in about ten minutes for the black team, making the score 7-2, he was “traded” over to white squad. The final score was 16-13 white…Max scoring 17 of the 29 overall goals and all three for team white after the score was 13-13.
After the game, word got around that the NHL star player was in the locker room and Max stuck around making sure everyone who wanted an autograph on a stick, jersey, puck or picture… got one.
He then thanked the players for allowing him to join them as well.
Sounds like a fun night and a good time had by all the lucky fans that happened to be at the rink that evening.
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147 comments Add your comment
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
2:27 pm
Okay, here is my proposed line-up for your 2010-’11 Atlanta Thrashers! And the entire line-up costs only $52.1 M. Sadly, Bryan Little was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks…my g/f is gonna slap me silly!
Bergie – Sharp – Antropovious (Antro is not a # 1 C!!)
Kane – Peverlicious – Mad Max (Max signs for $2.5 M per)
Pyatt (Taylor) – Slates – Arty (all get right around $1 M)
Thornton (Shawn) – Reasey – Thorbs / C-Mac (C-Mac @ $1.65 M tender)
Kubina & Enstrom
Oduya & Bogosian
Hainsey & Boris
7th: Schubie
Pavelec & Ellis
Rotate C-Mac into the 3rd line when match-ups dictate and bench Arty when he is free-lancing too much / not playing adequate D. Thornton gives the 4th line even more grit and size. Reasy & Thorbs have good chemistry and C-Mac can rotate in for more offense against a less defensive-minded team.
Whatta y’all think?
Savannah Blueland Fan
April 27th, 2010
2:30 pm
I feel as though Boris was a lot better this year than last. If we could just get him to drink more milk or something to avoid any more bone-breaking………………
World Be Free
April 27th, 2010
2:40 pm
Smoothie-so you are trading Little for Sharp straight up?
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
2:41 pm
My team kicks your team’s a** Smoothie! Taylor Pyatt? Is he from Albany? Boulton is the equal of Shawn. Sharpie is not being dealt or leaving, Dreamweaver!
Marty deserves more than to be a fourth liner. He’s better than that, which is why I moved him up to the 3rd line.
Don’t think you added a playmaker for the second line, which is essential.
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
2:52 pm
I would love to be able to trade C-Mac and a prospect for Sharp, but surely CHI would balk at that offer. Tis not a dream that CHI will have to give up someone. They are stuck with Huet and Campbell and they have nearly $57 M tied up already and that’s before they re-ink any RFA. Hell, we might be able to get Sharp for less than that if we offer the # 1 from NJ and a couple of prospects. Problem is which prospects.
Red Light – I agree that Marty deserves to play 3rd line minutes so if you want to dismiss Taylor Pyatt in Joe Friday fashion, then go with Slater on the LW, Reasy at C and C-Mac on the RW. That line might actually pot 30 goals or so. As for the 4th line, I could see us going in a number of different ways, but Thornton seems more willing to fight than Boulton and due to his size, he wins outright more often.
R. Stroz
April 27th, 2010
2:55 pm
While we’re discussing goalies, I’ve heard there’s a really young goalie that plays for Dallas with incredible potential. He does, however, have a history of a few health issues.
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
3:06 pm
Not dismissing him. I have always appreciated Pyatt since he played his butt off for the Sabres back in 05-06, but he’s a carbon copy of Marty IMO. I like Shawn and Bolts but if you keep Arty he has to play that role. I think we’ve had this conversation at a game, and I think Arty has to be willing to play the big nasty for that salary. He’s not going to score more than 10-15 goals and he’s no set-up guy either. He can be an intimidating force!
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
3:15 pm
Are you going to tell him he has to take his visor off? You’re much bigger than me and you might actually see eye to eye with the giant.
That’s not Arty’s game. I don’t think he wants to play that way. I think he has more potential than MacArthur if someone can hone his skills and rein him in a bit so he is more responsible. As for Pyatt, while he’s similar to Marty, he’s younger and plays LW. Not sure why we can’t have both. I certainly don’t want Kane playing 3rd line anymore and Pyatt would be a gritty stop-gap until Klingberg and Cormier are ready to take over. I’m trying to be realistic and think ahead to when our younger players will be ready.
kracker
April 27th, 2010
3:15 pm
Arty needs to lose the visor if he’s going to be our #1 enforcer.
Tony C.
April 27th, 2010
3:17 pm
I get the feeling that the front office is looking to re-sign Kubina then our RFAs then Afinegenov….. Don’t really see them making a big UFA addition (I’m still crossing my fingers for Marleau-but not holdingmy breath), I think the most likely scenario being that the #1 from NJD and prospects not named Macachek, Cormier, Esposito, Kulda in play-Hopefully we could snag a Patrick Sharp-type talent with such a package (don’t see him as enough of a playmaker to be a #1 pivot-but Big Nik certainly showed us he can be one so it would probably work).
As far as goaltending goes, I’m still very high on Vokun-I don’t want anything to do with Ellis or Biron.
But what worries me most is that list of coaching candidates they put up on the front Thrash-page…. If that’s the list that Duds is been given to choose from so far-well, let’s hope HE knows that Tremblay is the best option (judging from responses most readers not familiar w/Mario).
But everything that has been coming from the front office mentions that they are ready to graduate some guys up from the Wolves (Macachek being mentioned by name), and the need for our next coach to be capable teacher-of-the-game (Rules Murray out). This tells me that they’re looking to go forward with the youngsters we’ve got.
Not a bad idea-look at the talent that’s been assembled in this nuclear winter of post Hossa, Lehtonen & Kovalchuk trades (because let’s face it, no excuse for having talent like that and surrounding it with uhm “almost-there” talent) isn’t that bad.
Bergfors , Little, Cormier,Esposito, Macachek, Kane-maybe not earthshattering names (well Kane definitely stands out), but tell me any one of those guys sucks.
Bogosian, Enstrom & Kulda look good, Valabik showed a lot of progress-if he can stay healthy, I’d be delighted. Hainsey-I’m lookin for more to be honest, but he stepped up from last season. If we can re-sign Kubina, I feel good about our blueline.
Add in the FUBAS-factor and I just don’t see us making any big splashes UFA season.
World Be Free
April 27th, 2010
3:44 pm
I like LAC’s suggestion of Booghard. A real heavyweight
DWTOO
April 27th, 2010
3:48 pm
OK – Just my two cents:
Bergfors Antropov Afinagenov
Pleckanac Peverly Little
Machachek Slater Kane
A-Train Reasoner Thorburn
Odoyua/Hainsey
Kubina/Enstrom
Bogosian/Kulda
Valabik
Price(Halak)/Pavs
Does anyone think Matthew Lombardi would work well here? He’s looked good from what I watched.
Pardon the spelling.
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
3:49 pm
Very expensive heavyweight and there aren’t many teams that play that way anymore, particularly in the SE divsion. It’s merely a sideshow these days, unfortunately!
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
3:49 pm
I forgot Kulda, darnit! Scracth Schubert and add Kulda.
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
4:04 pm
DWTOO – not bad, not bad at all. I wish we had a realistic shot at Plekanec, but alas, I don’t think he’ll be interested in us. But you never know. He’s due for a big raise that MTL may not be able to pay him since they have nearly $37 M tied up in 7 players. Plus, they are going to have to ante-up to pay Halak since his agent is so tough. Price is definitely available unless they freeze-up and let Halak’s agent scare them into giving up Jaro. Also, MTL has a ton of RFA’s on its roster, 8 to be exact, which will make life quite interesting.
kracker
April 27th, 2010
4:04 pm
Oh…Evgeny needs to lose the visor and get a grill like this. I don’t think he’d ever have to fight more than once.
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk23/mrbillyt/moonraker_jaws.jpg
kracker
April 27th, 2010
4:14 pm
Pretty good Dennis…maybe you swap Little and Kane…whichever starts off good and works better w/ Pevs. On the other hand, you may want to count on Kaner for heavy special teams duty and a little less at ES.
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
4:35 pm
There are 4 UFA goalies who have played more than 400 games. Here are their career numbers along with age and salary in parentheses):
1) Nabakov (35 y/o & $6.0 M)…..2.39 & .912 w/ 50 shut-outs
2) Turco (35 & $5.4 M)………..2.31 & .911 w/ 40 shut-outs
3) Biron (33 & $1.4 M)………..2.63 & .910 w/ 26 shut-outs
4) Theodore (34 & $4.5 M)……..2.68 & .908 w/ 29 shut-outs
I sampled 9 other goalies who have at least 100 games played:
1) Mason, C. (35 & $3.0 M)…….2.54 & .914 in 253 gms (20 S/O)
2) Price, C. (23 & RFA)……….2.73 & .912 in 134 gms (4 S/O)
3) Ellis, D. (31 & $2.0 M)…….2.64 & .912 in 111 gms (10 S/O)
4) Emery, R. (28 & $1.5 M)…….2.70 & .907 in 163 gms (11 S/O)
5) Auld, A. (30 & $1.0 M)…….2.78 & .904 in 207 gms (6 S/O)
6) Budaj, P. (28 & $1.25 M)……2.74 & .903 in 197 gms (8 S/O)
7) Nitty, A. (31 & $.600 M)……2.98 & .903 in 210 gms (5 S/O)
8 ) Toskala, V. (34 & $4.0 M)…..2.76 & .902 in 266 gms (13 S/O)
9) Hedberg, J. (37 & $1.175 M)…2.93 & .900 in 293 gms (14 S/O)
10) Pavelec, O. (23 & RFA)…….3.33 & .902 in 61 gms (2 S/O)
Yeah, now I can see why Ellis would make such a lousy choice!
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
4:48 pm
Yea, Biron too!
Joe Friday
April 27th, 2010
5:10 pm
“you’re just being obstinate for the sake of being obstinate.”
Moi?
“I’ll buy you the beers at the Pony here in ATL if it gets you to stop being such a hard-ass”
Actually, I’m not allowed to go in those anymore, or look at any nekkid women not named Mrs. Joe Friday. Satan would get me in the end then, and we can’t have that. I was just name dropping the Mons as that’s where some of the fellas go every year on our Orlando trip, I hear it’s…interesting.
“Joe-I’ll let you have the last word today because I hate deny a baby his bowl of ice cream.”
ok
“I really enjoy battling with people on this blog, as I have in the past. Today is no different. I hope the Thrashers sign Nabakov and he wets the bed, just for you.
Wait, I thought I was gonna get the last word, Mom!!!
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
5:12 pm
Don’t you just hate it when stats back up an argument!
DWTOO: You’re going to pay extra for Lombardi coming off a career year, particularly if Phoenix advances tonight. But, he’ll make less than Plekanec.
Just for laughs I took Smoothie’s list and applied number of lifetime playoff wins, (W-L shown below), which I feel is a strong barometer for veteran goalies. Certainly, it has a lot to do with the team they played for, too.
1) Nabakov 36-33
2) Turco 21-26
3) Biron 11-12
4) Theodore 19-28
1) Mason, C. 1-8
2) Price, C. 5-11
3) Ellis, D. 2-4
4) Emery, R. 18-12
5) Auld, A. 1-2
6) Budaj, P. 0-0 (4 games)
7) Nitty, A. 0-0 (2 games)
8 ) Toskala, V. 6-5
9) Hedberg, J. 10-12
10) Pavelec, O. N/A
Joe Friday
April 27th, 2010
5:20 pm
stats back up an argument? lol. you guys slay me!
So, Red Light, with that lineup, you’re content with driving up to Nashvegas to watch playoff games? I’d prefer to watch our guys make the real season (although the drive up there may be just slightly longer than downtown at rush hour).
Frolov-Antropov-Sharp
Peverley-Little-Bergfors
Kane-Slater-MacArthur
Boulton-Reasoner-Thorburn
Kubina-Hainsey
Bogosian-Oduya
Kulda-Valabik
Nabokov (Pavelec backup)
$52m opening night roster and leaves me room to make a deadline deal to bring in a shutdown Dman for our playoff run.
Drop the puck.
Joe Friday
April 27th, 2010
5:24 pm
dang Trixie left Mac in there again:
Frolov-Antropov-Sharp
Peverley-Little-Bergfors
Kane-Slater-Machachek/Artyukhin
Boulton-Reasoner-Thorburn
Kubina-Hainsey
Bogosian-Oduya
Kulda-Valabik
Nabokov (Pavelec backup)
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
5:24 pm
Red Light – thx for cobbling those records together. Ran out of steam by the time I got to the 15th goalie!
Joe – LOL, the g/f will be pissed enough if she learns I want to trade her favorite player! We’ll just have to settle for a couple o’ brews at the rink I guess!
Whoa! The wind is HOWLING! Is hell freezing over?
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
5:31 pm
Joe – by my figures that would cost us closer to $53 M. It would cost us at least $16 M to sign Frolov, Kubes and Nabby, wow that’s a lot of coin. I sure hope hell IS freezing over!
World Be Free
April 27th, 2010
5:54 pm
DWTOO-I had Lombardi a few blogs ago, I think he’d be a real good addition here. Note to Thrashers-please don’t be tempted by any the garbage line Connelly, Riy or Pominville that the sabres may offer up at the draft. We don’t need any wimps on this tewam, especially Plastic Timmy.
Smoothie-doing your homwork today. Like I said yesterday, all the UFA goaltenders have something about them that makes them less than stellar. We just have decie if any of them, or a combination of any of them are an improverment over the Pavs/Moose combo. I thik a better team scheme will help our goals against average as much as new goalies.
kracker
April 27th, 2010
6:11 pm
Smoothie, from your goalie list…Salary-wise, either Auld or Budaj fits in my three goalie scenario. Pavs #1 backed up by an inexpensive acquisition or Mannino with Moose signed as goalie coach/goalie as insurance. I know it’s unconventional but Moose has the temperment where he could probably stay relatively sharp with an occasional start, dedicated practice time and keeping himself fit, as he always does.
I’m not advocating doing this, just thinking how to possibly upgrade the position on a shoestring budget if that is the type of budget Dudley is being given.
Perhaps, if like Tony C. said above, they are planning to promote some guys from the Wolves, the budget will allow for signing or trading for a more proven goalie, if they don’t go super cheap. We are sort of assuming, maybe hoping, the owners will spend something over $50M…52, 53. What if they are cash strapped and only allow $43-45M? Kulda takes Kubina’s spot, Machacek gets a shot at Kovalchuk’s roster spot…maybe Vishnevskiy gets a look.
Not counting Kubina and Armstrong, in-force salarys and modest spending assumptions on signing our UFA/RFA and counting two cheap promotions easily gets us to at least $44-45M. This is standing pat with Pavs and Moose. Bringing in the cheap 3rd goalie would add another $1M plus. If it’s Mannino, it’s less than a million.
Anyway, if the owners go the cheap route, this will be a tread water development year for sure. Which won’t do much to increase the ticket selling unless several of our youthful core have breakout years.
R. Stroz
April 27th, 2010
6:27 pm
I’ll buy you the beers at the Pony here in ATL if it gets you to stop being such a hard-ass.
Smoothie – As I’ve seen your woman, I would strongly advise you to skip the Pony and purchase a shiny ring and pole for your abode. BTW, you better do so in that order.
Red Light
April 27th, 2010
6:32 pm
I’m content watching playoff hockey anywhere Joe. Of course, I want it here, but if I can’t get it here I’ll go find it elsewhere.
A little side wager? I say there is no way they spend $52 million.
HookyBob
April 27th, 2010
7:01 pm
WBF: Yes, I believe Volchenkov has earned (ie will get) offers somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 M /yr, and it may take a “premium” for him to sign here. That is about what Kubina is making now. Not sure what other D-men (excepting Kubina) will be on the market July 1st.
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
7:03 pm
If they don’t spend $52 M, then they better be ready to lose that $7 M “saved” and then some in dwindling tkt revenue. Hell, the Hawks are in the playoffs and they are selling lowers for $30! Talk about your fickle fans!
glovesave29
April 27th, 2010
7:43 pm
Thanks Smoothie…when I put together my wish list of goalies on the last blog, to be honest, I didn’t even look at stats. I picked who’s styles I liked, and I thought would bring the right element to the team. I stick by my Vokoun (for a big splash next year) or Ellis (for a solid back up / split-time with Pavs now) – and I like that you research backed me up – thanks!
kracker
April 27th, 2010
8:31 pm
Yeah Smoothie, at least us hockey fans are passionate enough about our sport to fill a playoff building without the lure of cut-rate tickets!
I don’t think the owners will set a mid 40s budget but who knows how their month to month financial situations go? It probably will help if the Hawks advance and put more cash in their pockets. They have their own Kovy-like situation coming up with resigning Joe Johnson, I think I read.
My best WAG is they try to get the RFAs and the lesser UFAs they intend to keep, including Max maybe, signed before July and see how much that costs. Then they know where they stand on making an offer to Kubina, if he’s interested. If he’s not or if they aren’t close they can try to target another 1st pairing guy. But here’s hoping Kubes likes what’s happening here and will sign reasonably, as he may be our only realistic option for maintaining a talent at his level.
So…if Duds is given $50M or a little less (my WAG), signing Kubina will about push payroll to maintain the team to a level approaching that amount, which could mean we would for sure be looking at a Machacek to fill a spot and Kulda or Schubert as 7th D. If my assumptions on what it takes to get some guys to sign are a little high, maybe they have a couple mil more to spend than what I figure…or maybe the owners will actually spend to $52-53 million.
This is all tea leaf or entrail reading lol…Max not signing or one sizeable trade or a couple of smaller ones in June can blow it all up! I don’t expect much in the way of a trade, though, except maybe involving the NJ #1, I look for them to try to keep intact the team they thought “should have made the playoffs” this year and go at it again with better coaching and a more experienced young core of talent. Hey, even with all the Kovy BS if Bogo hadn’t injure his arm and Kane didn’t break his foot the Thrash might be playing the Caps now tied 3-3 instead of the Habs!
R. Stroz
April 27th, 2010
8:40 pm
For all the Red Wing fans:
Go To (Special Place For Satan) Red Wings, Go To (Special Place For Satan)
R. Stroz
April 27th, 2010
8:41 pm
Smoothie – Are you ignoring my comment?
Smoothie
April 27th, 2010
8:57 pm
Nope! Go Coyotes!
R. Stroz
April 27th, 2010
8:59 pm
Come On McFly, are you CHICKEN?
HookyBob
April 27th, 2010
9:21 pm
Stroz-a-damus: Game on. Who will win tonight? (hint,..the team that scores the most goals)
R. Stroz
April 27th, 2010
11:03 pm
I predict, are you ready, the Red Wings will beat the Coyotes making all those from the cesspool, known as Detroit, happy.
HookyBob
April 27th, 2010
11:13 pm
R. Stroz = One of a kind. And we are so enriched to have him on this blog.
glovesave29
April 27th, 2010
11:20 pm
Not giving up on the Yotes yet, a quick PHX field goal and they are right back in this one.
HookyBob
April 27th, 2010
11:23 pm
Let me clear up any questions/thoughts about my last post. There was no sarcasim intended. This blog is truley better with Mr Stroz’s input.
Brendan
April 28th, 2010
12:21 am
JLH, I wasn’t being cynical. I was congratulating the man for a fine achievement.
Brendan
April 28th, 2010
12:23 am
WBF, we both called the Bruins over the Sabres. Just out of curiosity, the “monkey” get that pick right? If not, then … well … I’m better than the monkey.
Brendan
April 28th, 2010
12:38 am
Bummer that this 6-1 drubbing by Detroit will be the offseason memory for hockey fans in Arizona, who spent GOOD COIN to attend that game. I heard the announcers say that Phoenix soldout every home game for the playoffs. Good for them. That’s $8 million, if not more, for their “bankrupt” ownership. Now, let’s see what happens with that club. I think they’ll still be in Arizona next season.
Congratulations to the Detroit Red Wings. What? It’s not wrong to congratulate them for beating Phoenix. The Red Wings were in 10th place in the West near the Olympic break. They climbed their way all the way up to 5th position. And I’m predicting the Red Wings over San Jose, to reach the Conference Finals, yet again.
Keeping score at home? If Detroit DOES, indeed, reach the Conference Finals, it will be the 5th time in the last eight seasons, (2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010,) and fourth (4th) year in-a-row. So, the salary cap is working, right? Whistling. Checking my watch. Moving right along.
I’m also taking Chicago over Vancouver in the next round. So, to recap, it’ll be the Blackhawks and Red Wings in the Western Conference Finals, per my lousy projections. At present, I’m a rare 6-1, thus far. Believe me, that is a rarity for me. I’m usually 4-4 or 5-3 in the opening round. My “average” for the entirety of the playoffs is 8.5 wins against 6.5 losses. I’m, uhh … not good to picking these things. But, I’m reminded by a co-worker that “knowledge and good picks” often do not go hand-in-hand. You doubt that? Who wins your office football poll, 4 times a year? That’s right, Alice. Alice, the secretary, who couldn’t name 4 players on the Falcons, much less much four players in the whole league!! Her “time-tested formula” for success? It’s a combination of “better weather,” “better shopping,” and “team colors.” I repeat, Alice wins 4 times a year. But she’d go 0-16 in a Fantasy league, and be fleeced in every trade.
Rawhide
April 28th, 2010
12:40 am
Well…with the Wings’ win, I am now a mere 4-3 in my round-one picks. Un-good.
sigh…
Anyway…let’s discuss the Western Conference second round matchups, shall we?
Joe Friday
April 28th, 2010
9:35 am
“A little side wager? I say there is no way they spend $52 million.”
Sure. If they don’t, we’ll probably be driving up, over, down to somewhere to watch a playoff game next year.