NHL playoffs.....

[skatha]

Looks like I'm bowing out early this year, too...in terms of teams....

First, I follow the Pens who barely won 20 games this year...

Then I picked the Stars(Dallas) and the Rangers(Jaromir Jagr)
Jagr is hurt...
and the Rangers and Stars are both choking....

Who's in for who and who's going to the finals this year?

[Derf]

I don't care much about hockey, but all I can say is Go Habs Go! :biggthump

[AndyYT316]

Yeah, I'm a Stars fan too even though I'm from Utah. I've just followed Modano and Turco for a while now so I'm a fan. The Stars can pull it off if they want to. They'll just have to do it in Colorado. Go Stars!

[ncermak]

born a rangers fan...
bruins fan due to location...

but following the flyers this season, as one of my former students (Freddy Meyer) is playing for them...

[Allee]

Oh, too bad, Noah. The Flyers are getting their a$$es handed to them.

Go Flames Go!!

Although at the rate things are going, we're all going to be cheering for Edmonton, because they're giving it to Detroit and looking really good.

I wasn't a hockey fan until the Calgary playoff run 2 years ago. Now I really like it. And these playoffs have been AWESOME ... the Montreal/Carolina game on Monday night was the best game of hockey I've ever seen.

[skatha]

Could it be an All-Canadian final this year?????

Calgary won the cup the year we were building the cabin....My ex-, at that time he wasn't, was up helping my dad for a month...he also was having an affair at the time, so I watched a lot of hockey....when I wasn't POUNDING
%$#(*&^ nails into logs!!!!

[Maciek]

Looks like I'm bowing out early this year, too...in terms of teams....

First, I follow the Pens who barely won 20 games this year...

Then I picked the Stars(Dallas) and the Rangers(Jaromir Jagr)
Jagr is hurt...
and the Rangers and Stars are both choking....

Who's in for who and who's going to the finals this year?


Pitchfork handlers. Of course New Jersey Devils!

From town adjacent to town with Continental Arena ( a den of NJD)...

BTW Playoffs are played differently than regular league so you may make judgement mistakes (that's what I heard as just fan rather than expert)... but Penguins really suck recently. Sorry, but NJD after losing Stevens and Niedermeyer and with out of shape, ill (getting out of Hepatitis-A) Elias and trying to build a new team are better.

[skatha]

Pens suck for one, actually 2 , major reasons....
1. no cash. They have the smallest venue in the league and worst revenue flow.....because they are losing money, a few years ago, the owner sold them to problem #2...Mario Lemeiux....what's that, a pox you say for calling Mario a problem????

What does a responsible owner of a business doing badly do? Give himself a big raise? That's what Mario did.....
How'd he do it?-trade his best and best paid player, Jaromir Jagr.... :angryfire
Plus, Jaromir was darn cute too...no responsible businessman trades his best player, an excellent hockey player who is also a hottie and draw attention to the team, just so he can pay himself a star salary...
Mario bought the Pens during his retirement for his back. He came back and played for them, bad back and all, after Jagr was gone


Ottowa has polished off Tampa. Stars lost to the Avies.
Edmonton killed the Red Wings....

[skategoat]

Habs are done like dinner. They just don't have the size or the talent to compete with Carolina. The first two games were anomalies.

Edmonton is riding the hot hand but I don't know about Roloson in the long term plus, if they meet Calgary next, they will be totally spent after an all-Alberta series.

Ottawa looks tough to beat in the East and I'm picking Calgary in the West. Calgary takes the Cup.

skatha: Jagr was finished in Pittsburgh. His last few seasons there, he was going through the motions. He wanted to get out and who could blame him. And for every Jagr fan, there are probably 20 who dislike him for his floating and lack of leadership.

Mario didn't just buy the Pens. He saved them from bankruptcy and relocation. If he didn't step in, who would have? As for playing, how can you blame him? Until Crosby came along, he was the best player the Penguins had. It would've been irresponsible as a business owner to not play.

[skatha]

Habs are done like dinner. They just don't have the size or the talent to compete with Carolina. The first two games were anomalies.

Edmonton is riding the hot hand but I don't know about Roloson in the long term plus, if they meet Calgary next, they will be totally spent after an all-Alberta series.

Ottawa looks tough to beat in the East and I'm picking Calgary in the West. Calgary takes the Cup.

skatha: Jagr was finished in Pittsburgh. His last few seasons there, he was going through the motions. He wanted to get out and who could blame him. And for every Jagr fan, there are probably 20 who dislike him for his floating and lack of leadership.

Mario didn't just buy the Pens. He saved them from bankruptcy and relocation. If he didn't step in, who would have? As for playing, how can you blame him? Until Crosby came along, he was the best player the Penguins had. It would've been irresponsible as a business owner to not play.
Yeah, but he had his cash, he didn't need to make the big payola, again....
As for Jagr, I saw his name AGAIN on the leading scorers list for this year....
The fact he stepped out on the ice within a week of having a dislocated shoulder, to me, shows he isn't just going through the motions. I was nervous about skating last week with my Brownies and I dislocated my shoulder 3 weeks ago-none of my Brownies was going to slam me in the boards, either-at least, not intentionally :D

[Allee]

I can't see Calgary going all the way this year. They just don't have the depth. You could have said that last time too, but at least they had an offence then - no Conroy, no Niemenen, no Gelinas this time ... They should have polished off the Ducks last night, it was pretty obvious that Iginla for one, was pretty pi$$ed that they didn't.

Edmonton are on the hot hand for sure. I thought they were choking bigtime last night, that was a hell third period and that last goal was a doozie.

I still think Carolina looks really dangerous. They were a bit slow to get going but I predict a styley end to the Canadiens tonight.

The police here are VERY worried about the Red Mile if we play Edmonton in the next round. All those rampant Calgary fans and half of Edmonton's too ... things could get very interesting indeed.

[skategoat]

Yeah, but he had his cash, he didn't need to make the big payola, again....
As for Jagr, I saw his name AGAIN on the leading scorers list for this year....
The fact he stepped out on the ice within a week of having a dislocated shoulder, to me, shows he isn't just going through the motions. I was nervous about skating last week with my Brownies and I dislocated my shoulder 3 weeks ago-none of my Brownies was going to slam me in the boards, either-at least, not intentionally :D

Maybe not this year because he got what he wanted during the regular season - a place in the spotlight with a contending team. But, in the previous few years, he's been floating. He has tremendous raw talent but hasn't been what I would call an elite scorer since maybe 2001-02.

[skategoat]

I heard the Calgary cops are exercising zero tolerance on the Red Mile. Honk your horn unnecessarily and you get a citation. Anyways, what's with the hooliganism in Cowtown? Do they think they live in Vancouver?


I can't see Calgary going all the way this year. They just don't have the depth. You could have said that last time too, but at least they had an offence then - no Conroy, no Niemenen, no Gelinas this time ... They should have polished off the Ducks last night, it was pretty obvious that Iginla for one, was pretty pi$$ed that they didn't.

Edmonton are on the hot hand for sure. I thought they were choking bigtime last night, that was a hell third period and that last goal was a doozie.

I still think Carolina looks really dangerous. They were a bit slow to get going but I predict a styley end to the Canadiens tonight.

The police here are VERY worried about the Red Mile if we play Edmonton in the next round. All those rampant Calgary fans and half of Edmonton's too ... things could get very interesting indeed.

[Allee]

Just a big excuse for all the tossers to come out and play. The chief of police started it, he was dumb enough to play the heavy as soon as it became apparent they were going to the playoffs. So now the cops are the "bad guys". The mayor waded in the next day and said it was the people's city and they could party where they liked. But the police presence down there is huge and there's more than a little aggro, and lots of stupidity.

I haven't been down there this year. It's all too contrived - there's none of the happy spontaneity of the last playoffs when it was just a bunch of people having a great time.

My other half lives one street off the Red Mile. It's fun on game night, if you don't want to sleep...

[ak_rider]

Originally was a Vancouver fan(from AK it was closest and I'd been to BC to see their games some). Now, I gotta go with the Avs, but I'm not too sure how well they will fare.

[skatha]

Originally was a Vancouver fan(from AK it was closest and I'd been to BC to see their games some). Now, I gotta go with the Avs, but I'm not too sure how well they will fare.
My choice for round 2.....maybe it's me...

The Houston Aeros got swept out of the AHL playoffs last night....

[AndyYT316]

The Utah Grizzlies did pretty good in their playoffs. They were beat out by Alaska, but I'm just happy the Grizzlies did as good as they did.

[skatha]

I'm having to take solace in that the Devils are getting creamed...... :eplus2:

[Sinecure]

Did anyone watch the Sharks/Oilers game last night. Wow! It was exciting. Shots on goal in the 1st period: 15:2 Oilers! Vesa Toskala was amazing. The Sharks didn't deserve to win, but it was fun anyway. I'm so tired from staying up to the end, then getting trapped fixing stupid crap on my computer until 1:30am. I'm like :sleep: at my desk.

This is a good series. Hopefully the Sharks will roll on from here, having given the Edmonton fans some small degree of hope last night.

[skatha]

Did anyone watch the Sharks/Oilers game last night. Wow! It was exciting. Shots on goal in the 1st period: 15:2 Oilers! Vesa Toskala was amazing. The Sharks didn't deserve to win, but it was fun anyway. I'm so tired from staying up to the end, then getting trapped fixing stupid crap on my computer until 1:30am. I'm like :sleep: at my desk.

This is a good series. Hopefully the Sharks will roll on from here, having given the Edmonton fans some small degree of hope last night.


HeHe...maybe Shark fans shouldn't have booed "O Canada"

Emergency...they're running out of beer in Edmonton. They (journalist from the CBC) interviewed a liquor store owner who said they were out and she pointed to a cooler full of Coors and Bud....

Ouch!
She's right, though :rolleyes:

[Allee]

I think they were al primed for a big party in Edmonton last night and then Anaheim rained on their parade. About time those guys came to play hockey.

Hopefully I'll get to watch Saturday's game. I've been so busy studying I've missed the whole series so far ... I can only judge progress from the hollers of my roommate upstairs ...

Running out of beer. It's a national disgrace.

[skatha]

Running out of beer. It's a national disgrace.

I wish the US could make a similar statement....our national disgraces always seem to involve guns, war and prisons.....

That's all in terms of politics, I swear.....

I'm cheering for Edmonton at this point....My personal cheer rankings 1. home team 2. past favorites and, if those aren't available-3.the team from Canada :biggthump

[skategoat]

Tough choice - Edmonton or Buffalo, assuming they make the finals. Both teams are small market, hard-done-by in recent years and deserve some success. Both teams are Canadian too. Buffalo is really just a suburb of Hamilton.

[skatha]

Okay, the economies of TX and Alberta are fairly similar-if you exclude the ski industry...
I mean, Houston's old football team was the OILERS....

So, I'm still cheering for Edmonton

You can keep Buffalo!

[Neil Gendzwill]

I mean, Houston's old football team was the OILERS....Led by Edmonton's old quarterback...

[skatha]

Very true....Warren's made quite a name for himself between then and now!

[Neil Gendzwill]

I don't think Houston fans realised how big a name he was in Canada. The press there usually dismissed his CFL career with a single sentence.

[skatha]

Not this one....he's one of the most underrated QBs that ever played the game. I've never seen another who could roll out, plant his off-foot and throw a 40 yard bomb across his body as easily as Warren Moon....and I've watched a bunch of QBs in my 35+ year football watching career....
I listened to the announcers roll off his stats for his Hall of Fame induction, first ballot, of course....the Houston TV voice-over added his CFL stats as an aside

[skategoat]

I don't think Houston fans realised how big a name he was in Canada. The press there usually dismissed his CFL career with a single sentence.

Same thing with Doug Flutie and before either Flutie or Moon, how many people realize Joe Theismann played for the Toronto Argos before being signed by the Redskins as a punt returner?

[skatha]

Same thing with Doug Flutie and before either Flutie or Moon, how many people realize Joe Theismann played for the Toronto Argos before being signed by the Redskins as a punt returner?

I didn't know about Theismann....
I will always remember that game that L.T. broke his leg, though....


Woo-Hoo, half of the matchup for the finals is set-
Go Edmonton!

[Jim Callen]

If Buffalo plays as it did during the Ottowa series, we could see good things from them. Miller was playing better than I have seen him play all season. I was in Buffalo for those games, and the city was crazy.

[skatha]

Edmonton was definitely not skating very physically with Game 4....I didn't get to see the game last night because the overnight doc was 5 hours LATE for his shift and I had to stay over, but the post game commentators said they definitely were more on the boards Game 5.....
Buffalo was pretty physical with the Senators, too...

Should be a killer matchup if the Sabres make it

[Allee]

I still think Carolina looks really dangerous. They were a bit slow to get going but I predict a styley end to the Canadiens tonight.

Damn, I'm good...5-0 to Carolina, up 2-0 in the series. I suspect that losing Roloson was a stake in the heart for the Oilers ...

I see the decibel-o-meter in Raleigh got up to 126 dec tonight - that's nearly as loud as a Calgary crowd.

[skatha]

Damn, I'm good...5-0 to Carolina, up 2-0 in the series.
Sentiments like than can get you kicked outta Alberta, little missy ;)

I agree, though...I think the Oilers are cooked......

Who'da thunk it, Hartford wins the cup...it just seems like yesterday that they were the perennial doormats of the Eastern Conf.

[skategoat]

Guys, guys, guys.

San Jose was up 2-0, remember?

That Edmonton crowd will fire up the Oilers. I predict they leave Edmonton at 2-2. There's no way Pronger/Smyth/Smith are going to lay down and die.

[skatha]

I'd like to think so, but the goalie situation is pretty tenuous for the Oilers, didn't they get Roloson right at the trade deadline and start their winning toward the 8th spot after they got him?
On a lighter note, as long as he didn't hurt his meniscus with his MCL, he's going to be just fine. No surgery required

[Allee]

Apart from being the patriotic thing to cheer for the Canadian team, Calgary and Edmonton prety much hate each other.They'd never kick me out of Calgary for not cheering for Edmonton!

I'm cheering for Carolina for 3 reasons - one, Andrew Ladd was my favourite Calgary Hitman before the Canes signed him, two, because I feel that Rob Brind'amour, like Dave Andreychuk with Tampa the last cup, is about due for some good karma, and three, they play exciting hockey.

I need to buy some more beer for Saturday's game...

[skatha]

Apart from being the patriotic thing to cheer for the Canadian team, Calgary and Edmonton prety much hate each other.They'd never kick me out of Calgary for not cheering for Edmonton!

I'm cheering for Carolina for 3 reasons - one, Andrew Ladd was my favourite Calgary Hitman before the Canes signed him, two, because I feel that Rob Brind'amour, like Dave Andreychuk with Tampa the last cup, is about due for some good karma, and three, they play exciting hockey.

I need to buy some more beer for Saturday's game...

I mean cheering for a US team over a Canadian one--surely that ranks up there with buying 3 tons of ammonia nitrate :eplus2:

[Derf]

My GF cheers for Carolina because Alberta are against Kyoto and in the Oilers arena, it says "You are in oil country". I kinda agree...

[skatha]

My GF cheers for Carolina because Alberta are against Kyoto and in the Oilers arena, it says "You are in oil country". I kinda agree...
Do you drive, use electricity, eat food?
If so, you depend on oil and coal for that matter....
China will be the largest consumer of coal in the world in the next 10 years and coal produces far more greenhouse gases than oil...and China is exempt from Kyoto...
It's okay to be pro-Kyoto, but please learn what exactly what the treaty entails and the big flaw it has in exempting India and China

[Derf]

Do you drive, use electricity, eat food?
If so, you depend on oil and coal for that matter....


I don't pretend to be more catholic than the pope. I do drive, but I commute most of the time with my bicycle. I live in the province of Québec, we have hydroelectricity. I try to eat local food as much as I can.


China will be the largest consumer of coal in the world in the next 10 years and coal produces far more greenhouse gases than oil...and China is exempt from Kyoto...

I did not know it exempted India and China. I do know that coal pollutes more than fuel.


It's okay to be pro-Kyoto, but please learn what exactly what the treaty entails and the big flaw it has in exempting India and China

Unfortunately, I did not read the treaty, but I know it's goal: a healthy planet. I agree that it is a big mistake to exempt India and China. For me, that exemption means that in the minds of the people who wrote the Kyoto protocol, in order to become a developped country, a country has to go the same way all the presently developped country did. I disagree with that.

So what does the treaty entail?

P.S.: I'm not tryin to start a flame war, I'm just merely expressing an opinion.

Edit: Here is the link to the text of the protocol. I'll read it.
http://unfccc.int/essential_background/kyoto_protocol/background/items/1351.php

[skategoat]

Did a bit of Googling and stats from 1999 state that the USA burns:

25.5% of the world's oil
26.9% of the world's natural gas
25.5% of the world's coal

All this with, what 5% of the world's population?

I'm sure Canada is no better on the per-capita basis.

China and India have a long way to go baby.

[Derf]

Did a bit of Googling and stats from 1999 state that the USA burns:

25.5% of the world's oil
26.9% of the world's natural gas
25.5% of the world's coal

All this with, what 5% of the world's population?

I'm sure Canada is no better on the per-capita basis.

China and India have a long way to go baby.

I don't know about Canada, but I know the province of Québec is the biggest electricity consummer on the planet per capita. Nothing to be proud of. This is because of the cheap electricity.

And in addition, the city of Montréal emits more light than the city of New-York (as seen from space), which creates a lot of light pollution. Again, not proud of it.

[skategoat]

Back on topic.

Big game tonight!

I just can't see the Oilers losing this one. Ryan Smyth will win it even if he has to bite Cam Ward's arm off.

[skatha]

Go Oilers......


I must admit, they are gamers, after losing Roloson and all.....

I'm pulling out my old (Houston) Oilers hat to wear!

[skategoat]

Let the mourning begin.

[skatha]

It doesn't seem right that the Whalers, now residing in the "Land of Dixie" should have the Cup....
Ya gotta love Cam Ward, tho....

His interview......many "abOUTs"....
He's from Edmonton, ya know....

[mnfusion]

Damn, the wrong team won IMO. They played a great game though, Edmonton just couldn't match them tonight and can you blame them? They fought back from a 3-1 game deficit just to force a game 7. Winning one more was gonna be a tough one against Cam Ward. Saddly I think we will be seeing more of Carolina in the coming years. With a goaltender like Ward, they will be tough to beat. It is just sad that a State with no ice or winter has the Cup. Something is just wrong with that.

[Allee]

No matter who won, that was a kick a$$ series and a cliffhanger last game.

I'm happy that Carolina won. It sounds as if they might be developing a hockey faithful too ... tailgate parties are a great idea!

Hard to say what might have happened if Roloson had still been in the mix, but Cam Ward ... what a sensation. My nerves were just shredded in that third period, and he didn't even bat an eyelid. There's going to be a long and lucrative career ahead of that boy, I think.

You have to feel sorry for Edmonton, what a great effort. But a small part of me is happy that they lost ... otherwise, we'd never have heard the end of it here. Let the rivalry resume next season.

Anyway, let's get on with camping season now...