Brad May 10 years ago might have dealt with Simon or Fedoruk. I'm talking a second goon ala Kevin Sawyer or Trevor Gillies who they kept in the closet all those years.

HB - the Simon signing was purely for the chance of meeting the Ducks in the playoffs. One of them will probably sit in any other series (Fedoruk can actually play a little bit and at this point, is more of a defensive forward than an enforcer) but against the Ducks, you bet they will all be dressed every game and looking for payback.

If this was right, it is 29 games now. :D

Don't worry Devils fans...you play the Flyers tonight...who you've owned for over a decade.

its past worrying. it is flat out expecting to lose...which is a feeling i dont know that ive ever had as a devils fan

Pyser, clearly you weren't around during the Mickey Mouse years.

If anyone is a hockeybuzz reader and following their blogger contest, DownGoesBrown is featured today: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=14366

Feel free to vote if you're a member of the site and would normally do so, but if anyone spams or otherwise screws around, I'll go Jonathan Roy on you.

The last time the Flyers beat the Devils...in NJ...March 2004.

no. i was like 6 then. i dont even think i knew hockey existed

Good luck, man. If I were a member of the site, I'd totally vote for you. I enjoy your blog. It makes me laugh.

Sign up for Hockeybuzz and vote! Sean said that if he wins this round he would do a hockey podcast with me!

Maple Leafs has a blog?

You spend too much time in the bathroom!

I can always bring my laptop to read the blog!

I am registering now and shall place my vote!

Edit: I am registered and my vote was placed.

apparently, I am a member.

but I have no clue how to vote.

just post in the thread that you like sean's blog better

Click on the "Comments" link and post in the thread that comes up. It's at the top of that page.

teehee funny

hxxp://puckthathit.com/2008/03/25/coach-review-star-wars-edition/

That's pretty much it. Just click on the comments thread, click "post", and then type "Hey, guy who wrote that first blog about attendance numbers of whatever it was, don't I know you from that pro-Hitler web site we both frequent? Heil Rangers!"

(I get the sense that the voting doesn't actually determine the winner -- it seems like an ESPN "What's Now" deal where they can overrule the results if they choose to. I'm up by a few votes right now, but watch Eklund find a way to screw me with the super-delegates.)

Canes win a chippy, penalty-filled game 7-1 over Atlanta. Not much in the way of fighting, but the refs were awfully twitchy all night including hitting both benches with minors for begging to differ with the calls being handed out. Atlanta wound up with 51 penalty minutes and Carolina had 48.

End result leaves Carolina up four points on Washington with four to play for both teams. Both play tomorrow night, Washington at Florida and Carolina at Tampa, but it'll essentially come down to the game in Washington next Tuesday to settle the division, most likely.

HUGE win for the Avs tonight, tying up the game with 8 seconds left and then beating the Oilers in the shootout. Edmonton now can't catch the Avs - they have to duke it out with Nashville (who moved into 8th tonight) and Vancouver (who dropped to 9th).

Forsberg, Stastny and Hejduk are looking like a crazy good line. Unfortunately, Forsberg didn't play in OT and didn't come out for the stars of the game announcements.

MacTavish should be shot for leaving Staios out there at the end of the third. How do you only change half your defensive pairing, especially after Forsberg lost 3/4 of his stick up Staios' backside? Absolutely unreal.

Sharks knock off the Ducks in LA and take the division and number 2 seed. Man oh man I hope they meet again in the playoffs.

Really hoping SJ can shake the "soft" image and do some damage this year.

Sharks have the Ducks number right now. That being said Ducks aren't much without Giguere, Pronger, Getzlaf and Perry (and yes, I know Boucher was in goal for the Sharks tonight)

Should be a great series if it happens. I can definitely see the Sharks winning the cup this year, but typically you don't win without a great blueline. We'll see.

Rangers hockey star Sean Avery's name and private cell phone number are in the little black book of Manhattan madam Kristin Davis.

Avery, 27, a trash-talking enforcer who has dated a string of models and actresses, is listed as a $500 client of brothel Maison de L'Amour.

Maison de L'Amour was the madam's midrange prostitution service, farming hookers out to Manhattan hotels for $500 dates. High-rollers went to her Wicked Models service, where prices started at about $1,200 and went upward of $3,900.

His ex-girlfriends include supermodel Rachel Hunter and "24" cutie Elisha Cuthbert. Maxim magazine described him as No. 1 in "Hollywood hookups" - presumably the kind you don't have to pay for.

Maybe they'll do something other than BOO Jagr tomorrow afternoon at the Mellon Arena.

Well, it's now nervous time. Carolina gives up a tough loss at Tampa while Washington blitzes the Panthers, cutting the lead to two points with three to play. The next one is the big one, though, as the Canes go to Washington on Tuesday. If Carolina can win in regulation, they'll clinch on tiebreakers. Otherwise, it's going to the end. It's also not helping my stress level in that all the remaining teams at the bottom of the playoff standings keep winning, thus increasing the likelihood that only the Southeast winner is getting into the playoffs (Carolina is tied in points with 8th-place Boston, but are only three points behind 4th-place New Jersey).

I've also had my superstition confirmed. I've been avoiding wearing team colors on the day of a game in recent weeks and Carolina has been playing very well in that time. I forgot they were on a back-to-back night today and wore one of my Carolina shirts. Of course, they lost. Must remember to wear anything but red on Tuesday. :D

Holy shit this NBC intermission show is one big clusterfuck!

The Avs clinch a playoff berth with a big win to the Canucks. Vancouver led 2-0, but the Avs scored 3 goals in 5 minutes in the second. And then this late-season call-up, some Swedish kid, ices the game on a breakaway in the 3rd. He looks like he might be a good one...

It's too bad to see the Oilers lose. They really put forth quite an effort the last 20 or so game this season. The future looks pretty bright in Edmonton. Assuming their young guys continue to develop and they can stay healthy, the Oilers have a solid foundation.

I never like to pick who I'd like to see the Wings face in the playoffs, but I wouldn't mind seeing Nashville. They don't quite scare me as much as the other teams and they are in the Central time zone. The fewer 10:00 or 10:30 pm EST starts, the better. Those really suck. I am an old man now. I can't stay up until 1:30 in the morning and still function properly the next day at work.

It was good to see the Caps win. The atmosphere looked amazing in the MCI or Verizon Center or whatever it's called nowadays. I will be in DC for a wedding this weekend and we're going to go to the game on Thursday night. It should be a lot of fun and it'll be nice to go to a game with some meaning. Looking forward to seeing Ovechkin and my old boy Fedorov live again.

A ton of things can happen to get in the way of this, of course, but if standings and seedings hold through the first round, Ducks versus Wings in the second round. How's that for a second round matchup? Should be fun if it happens, but there's a lot to play before that (including our first round opponents).

Whether Washington makes the playoffs or not, Ovechkin should be the MVP. He is just sick.

I totally agree. I have no feelings whatsoever for Washington as a team, but Ovechkin is probably the best hockeyplayer in the world right now. He scores goals like Jaromir Jagr or Pavel Bure in their heydays, he's not afraid of playing physical, and he just LOVES playing hockey.

Just imagine what would have happened if Pittsburgh had gotten to keep their pick in that draft and not lost the lottery to Washington. Crosby and Ovechkin on the same team.. wowzer.. not that Malkin is a bad hockey player, but OV8.. like you said, he's just sick.

Had Pittsburgh won the lottery in '04, they'd have had one less ping-pong ball in the '05 (Crosby) lottery. So we might be looking at Ovechkin and Bobby Ryan...I'll take Crosby and Malkin.

Note- this conveniently leaves out that the NHL fixed the '05 lottery to get Crosby to Pittsburgh. ;)

Move along...nothing to see here

There is now a very realistic scenario that would see Ottawa miss the playoffs.

They would need to be passed by four teams -- the Hurricans, Flyers, Bruins and Caps. But the Flyers and Bruins are each one point behind with a game in hand, and the Caps and Hurricans are two points back and own the tie-breakers against Ottawa.

So if the Sens lose both their final two games, there's a very good chance they're out. And if they win one and lose one, they could still get passed by everyone.

Pretty amazing for a team that started 15-2 and had everyone writing stories about "in the age of parity, it's Ottawa and then everyone else".

Don't forget, the Crosby lottery came down to the Penguins and Ducks.

Think Anaheim would be any good the past few years with him instead of Ryan?

I was just about to post something about Ottawa missing the playoffs. Also since the Caps fired their coach they have been the 2nd best team in the east to Pittsburgh. If they end up the 3rd seed, all hope of finishing 6th being the lucky team go out the window. Also, the Caps and Canes could make the playoffs which could stack up Washington against potentially the Pens or the Habs. So much for finishing #1 or #2.

I am really worried about the Flyers chances of making the playoffs right now. They play tonight @ Pittsburgh, Friday vs NJ, and Sunday vs Pittsburgh. Even though the Flyers hold a 4 games to 2 edge against the Pens, they have been extremely out played in the last two games. Jersey has been struggling but that has not been a team the Flyers have historically had a good record against.

If Washington wins out, the Flyers need 4 pts in the last 3 games which will be tough. I'd love for the Flyers to win but if not I'd like an OT loss for 2 reasons. One they get one point and two the Pens clinch the Atlantic. Then on Sunday they might rest the majority of their players for the playoffs.

Washington has two games left against Tampa and Florida, both at home, and both teams play the Caps after playing Carolina the night before.

with washington 10 points out of the playoffs, AO is no mvp.

with them right there, there's no question.

Not that anyone cares but me...

The Philadelphia Flyers can clinch a playoff berth tonight with a win and a regulation loss by the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:00 p.m.

I just giggled at that idea a few months ago that all the Atlantic Division teams might make the playoffs. The Islanders were playing pretty decent hockey at the time, but jeez, they fell apart in a hurry.

I'm comfortable with the Devils in the #4 spot. If they get it, they could end up playing against the Rangers. I know that they still haven't beaten the Rangers this year, but I'd hold out hope that the Devils could win in the playoffs.

Silly me, I know.

Well, you didn't beat us during the '94 season and that didn't stop you from taking a 3-2 series lead back to the swamp.

Just sayin.

ok i'm just gonna die now

thanks bye

i honestly dont even know why i check into these threads

i am scared shitless of a rangers-devils playoff matchup. we just cant penetrate the "everyone collapse around the goal" defense of the rangers.

So why are you even worrying about the outcome of the Carolina game? ;)



Don't feel bad...the Penguins can't solve them either, and have slightly better offensive talent.

I just want the Devils and Rangers to meet in the playoffs so Logan and I can rumble.

What a turn of events in the devils-bruins game with the waving off a clear devils goal. I can only hope this is the difference between the Rangers getting home ice in the first round vs the Devils

Bring it on Sloppy Poopers.

I'm following tonight's action on NHL.com and was wondering why the score went from 2-1 Devils back to 1-1.

Devils scored a wrap around goal that was pinned inside the post. Thomas pushed the puck out and fired the puck into the corner in disgust. But there was actually no view of the puck over the line, but you can assume that the puck was in. They looked for like 10 minutes and there was just no view of it.

Let's go Devils, Pens and whoever is playing Carolina.

That's odd. There was a similar play in last night's Sabres/Leafs game (puck clearly in based on the laws of physics, but no actual view of it) and it was called a goal.

With the NHL, does that surprise you? They are so inconsistent with everything from suspensions to replays.

Canes bounce back from a horrid loss in DC with a 6-2 whipping of the Bolts at home tonight (sorry to disappoint the various parties rooting against Carolina... :D ).

So, it comes down to Friday at home against Florida. Win and they clinch the Southeast and the #3 seed. Lose, and they'll need a Washington loss (if they don't lose tomorrow night--and they shouldn't since Tampa's coming to town on a back-to-back) or a bit of help by other teams in the conference against Boston and Philadelphia (even Ottawa?). They got a little bit of that help tonight with the Bruins losing in a shootout and Philly losing outright, which moves them into a tie with Boston and Ottawa at 92 points and Philly one back. However all those teams have a game in hand.

Not feeling comfortable, but feeling a heck of a lot better than I did 24 hours ago.

Penguins wrap up the Atlantic. Sitting at 102 points, they wrap up home ice in the East with either a win Sunday in Philly, or a Habs loss in either of their remaining games.

I have no Youtube at work...but Crosby's 2nd goal last night - PP deflection, reached back and deflects through his own legs-- pretty sweet.

i cant decide if the east is wide open and gonna be a great playoff season, or if every team is completely mediocre, and someone will just "survive" to get killed in the finals.

it certainly isnt like buffalo and ottawa last year...

in other news, the devils are locked into the 4-5 series. now just have to hope the rangers drop to 6th place or lower. come on....bruins, i guess. or philly.

I hope the Devils do the Flyers a favor and rest Marty tomorrow.

They would never do something like that when another team's playoffs are at stake.

and it will be so funnier when they don't.

Please ignore all news bulletins that refer to Marty Broudeur and missing for the next 48 hrs...thank you.

Yay, Jagr is scoring goals again.

The Senators smoked the Leafs last night to stay in the playoff driver's seat. But the big story was Mark Bell destroying Daniel Alfredsson with an open ice hit. Everyone lies about injuries at this time of year, but Bryan Murray indicated Alfredsson could be gone long term.

Sabres fans will enjoy the irony, since the hit was virtually identical to the Neil/Drury incident (except anywhere near as late).

oh my

Any Sabres fan may enjoy this:
http://downgoesbrown.blogspot.com/20...-balanced.html

I was hoping Heatley would go with Tucker...I would have gone back and changed my vote for Lathum taking Heatley as his powerforward!

Heatley probably would have been destroyed. He's Kyle Wellwood-tummy soft. (Of course, Tucker knows that, which is why he makes a big show out of challenging him.)

It was strange watching a scrum that prominently featured Bell and Heatley. Is this a hockey game or a driver's ed video?

I just figured they were trying to hold each other up.

another game where the devils didnt score.

balls.

anger, and balls.

dola

im predicting it now.

devils lose to the rangers in round 1, and score less than a goal a game on average.

I'm I right that the Canes loss means the Caps are the 3 seed?

No, a Caps regulation loss tomorrow gives the Canes the Southeast based on tiebreaker (43 wins to 42 wins).

Not officially, but you can pretty much pencil them in now. They have to just get a point against Florida tomorrow night to win the division.

Carolina did everything but score more goals than Florida tonight. They didn't draw a penalty, had a ridiculous shot advantage, and still lost. It was there for the taking over the last two weeks against divisional opponents they have beaten all year. Instead, they finished the season going 2-3-1 in their final six games, including a shootout and a regulation loss to Washington and losses to Florida and Tampa. In hindsight, it seems fairly obvious the Canes were crashing back to earth after that great stretch coming out of the All Star break. The last several games looked very much like their ugly stretch during the end of 2007 with defensive lapses, problems getting goals, and Ward giving up bad goals. In sum, they probably didn't deserve to make the playoffs the way they finished out. They'd just have been cannon fodder for someone in the first round anyway.

*sigh* :(

Blech, the Rangers had a chance to make the season finale against the Devils worth home ice and they blow it against the Islanders.

Flyers clinch! 56 pts last year and the worst team...to the playoffs this year. We didn't even have to follow the Pens route to tank for 3 years.

the rangers still have a very good shot at the 4/5 seed

Heh, you're right. I forgot the Rangers earned a point for reaching OT. Excellent. :cool:

Leafs can wrap up a playoff spot with six more wins.

Heatley is plotting his revenge by offering to take Bell out for a late night drive.

Get your facts straight....it was a good 5 years.

Great, so I'd want Canadian teams to make it. And I also like the Sharks. What do the 1st-round matchups look like? Canadiens-Senators on one side, and Sharks-Flames on the other.

Glad the Stars lost last night, giving Anaheim the 4th spot and home ice. It officially turns the Ducks' final two games into exhibitions, which is the sort of thing we need with the injuries (and a suspension) we're trying to come back from. Carter should be back this weekend, Getzlaf and Giguere are already back but just, and Pronger returns from his stupid ass suspension (note, he is stupid for the suspension) on Sunday. Unfortunately, Perry probably still won't be back until maybe sometime in the first round.

The East matchups aren't set yet, but I don't think Montreal and Ottawa can play in round one after tonight.

Washington beats the Panthers to win the Southeast and knocks out Carolina. From seven points up with six to play to out of the playoffs. Unbelievable. Going to be an interesting (and long) offseason. Last night's loss will haunt this team until they make the playoffs again.

I love the Devils fans inability to sellout their arena for a playoff game. Just bought tickets for all four games at the Rock a.k.a. MSG 2. Go Rangers!!!

Awesome. I thought both conferences were pretty much set. After today though, it seems like none of my teams will play each other in round one? That makes me happy.

But now they can all lose! At least before you were guaranteed to have 2 teams in the second round. :D

Excellent blog post. The hypocrisy is off the charts in Ottawa but in a way I don't expect any less when a team's star goes down. How soon they forget when the shoe was on the other foot.

I just hope the incident is brought up when Roy Mlakar makes his customary appearance on Jim Rome so he too can make himself out to be an ass.

Meh. No home ice and no sweep.

Yes, you know how Jim Rome loves to ask the tough questions,

Pens will get a first round rematch with Ottawa. However, the series this year has a different feel. I hate to look ahead, but if Alfredsson misses the series, and Fisher and Kelly are out as well...I have to think Pittsburgh is the prohibitive favorite (first cliche of the playoffs!!).

True! Well now it looks like the West matchup is Flames-Sharks, so I'll get one team through. And here's hoping to the Canadiens and Sens in their respective matchups!