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Round Two begins tonight. Is anyone all that interested? Ugh whatever. It doesn’t matter, a Senator will be hoisting the Stanley Cup in five months or however long these playoffs will last.

First, how did I do in Round One? Pretty damn good baby. I went 7-1. The only blemish on my record was the Ducks vs Wild but I think everyone lost on that one. Or at least thought it would go 6 or 7 games. The Wild should be ashamed of themselves with that performance. They were completely dominated. Embarrassing!!! Although I don’t mind the Wild being humilated like that. Those damn defensive teams need to be smacked around like that. Or how about the Calgary Shames? Calgary Lames? They lived up to expectations….did they not? Although they did win twice, shockingly. How? Only one explanation: a miracle. And twice.

So wassup for Round Two?

Ottawa Senators vs New Jersey “coma-inducing” Devils

The Devils were lucky to get past Tampa Bay, who actually played quite good (downfall was goaltending as I predicted) but the Senators are on a roll. This team is tough and uses their speed to perfection. Brodeur keeps the series close but his best years are behind him. Sure, the Devils will try to lull the Sens (and anyone watching) into a coma with their defensive-style play. But this is the Sens’ and Emery’s coming out party. Ottawa in 5.

Buffalo Sabres vs New York Rangers

Buffalo’s speed and depth will ultimately win out in this series. Both teams are kinda annoying. I don’t know why, but I hate ’em both. The Rangers have an outside chance if Buffalo continues to play as they did in round one. They should have annihilated the Isles but it was a very close series, even though they won it in 5 games. It was very close, and it should not have been. I’ll take Buffalo but NY Rangers have a shot. Buffalo in 6.

“Mighty Dycks” of Anaheim vs Vancouver Canucks

I hate to say this but the Mighty Dycks will win this series. I hate ’em with a passion, not only due to the Devil (aka Pronger) but because of coach Randy Carlyle. The whole team just gets on my nerves. However, if Vancouver remembers how to score goals, they have an outside chance. Luongo will have to channel every single Vezina winner of the past hundred years to give his team a chance. Another interesting side-story, GM of the Ducks used to be GM of the Canucks until he was fired (stupidly) several years ago. I never agreed with canning Burke, since he revitalized that team and then they chucked him to the curb. Could this be revenge? Yup! Duckies in 6.

Detroit Red Wings vs San Jose Sharks

Another series I do not give a shit about. Who wins? Who fucking cares. Detroit has Chelios so let’s hate them. San Jose has Cheechoo, let’s hate them too. Who is less hate-able?? Anyways, my first instinct is that Detroit will get this series. San Jose had trouble scoring on the powerplay which might sink their chances. This is the one series that I’m not sure about and I’d love to see Chelios and Hasek smacked around. However, I don’t think that will happen (because that’s what I want, so of course it won’t happen). Detroit in 6.

So there are my predictions!!!

I’m watching the first few minutes of the Sabres-Rangers game and Pierre McGuire has been smacked with a stick (he’s hanging out between the benches). Can I just say how wonderful that is? They just showed him, he has a couple nice marks on his ugly mug. Sweet!!! I’ll pay for someone else to smack him in the face with their stick!!!

Well playoff time has arrived. Do I care? Not really. Will I watch? Sporadically. I’m only interested seriously in one series….Ottawa vs Pittsburgh. I really don’t care who the Sens are playing; they are the only other team in the league that I like or half-heartedly follow. I literally hate every single other team.

Before I get to my predictions, the draft lottery was held today. With the Oilers blowing the 5th spot by beating the Calgary Flames in game 82, they did not have a shot at the number one overall pick. They sat 6th and will pick 6th. They did not move up. Who gets the overall pick? Chicago. What place were they in? 5th. Hmmm weren’t the Oilers in that spot before their debacle in Calgary?? Ahuh. The 5th spot had an 8% chance to get the overall pick and they managed to do so. That could and should have been the Oilers. I normally do not cheer against my boys ever, but when you’ve won only twice in like 20 games, what is one more loss. Good job boys! (update: thanks to Lord Bob for pointing out that a loss (in regulation) would have ended up with Edmonton in 4th, and still losing out on the lottery. Now if they could have lost in overtime, that would have been nice. lol).

I’ll get into a moratorium on the Oilers’ season in my next post but here is a quick link to check out Kevin Lowe’s assertion that changes, many changes, will take place. I’ll discuss this in my next post.

Okay playoff prediction time. Let’s start with the Eastern Conference. Notoriously a weaker conference and yes it is again as a whole. But the best team in my mind comes out of the East and wins it all.

Ottawa Senators vs Sid ‘the whiny’ Kid’s Pittsburgh Penquins

After a horrendous start to the year when they went 7-11-1 in their first 19 games, they picked things up and were the team for the rest of the year, although doing it quietly and under the radar which might help them. Ottawa had one of the league’s only two 50 goal scorers this year in Dany Heatley and he is clicking big time with his linemates, Spezza and Alfredsson. Yes, this team is one of the favorites to win it all. Wait, we’ve all been saying this for a decade. The word choke comes to mind when you mention the Senators (anyone remember those horrible series with the Leaves? Yes choking). But this is a different team who faced major adversity earlier this season with the bad start to the season. That adversity will help the boys. Little whiny Sid will have to wait another year (Fleury is not going to win a series for you…..yet). Ottawa in 5.

Buffalo Sabres vs New York Islanders

Poor little Ryan Smyth and the Isles will be golfing very soon. Sorry kid, but the Isles are going to get steam-rolled with or without their 15-year man in goal. No need to go into more detail. This is your best bet in these playoffs. Buffalo in 4.

New Jersey Devils vs Tampa Bay Lightning

New Jersey has Brodeur and Tampa Bay has Holmqvist. Who? Exactly. Sure the Lightning has Lecavalier, St. Louis and Richards which could play a part. But seriously, who gives a damn about this series? Neither of these teams makes it past the second round anyway. The Devils win by putting us all in a coma. New Jersey in 7.

Atlanta Thrashers vs New York Rangers

Atlanta is the third seed. Why? They play in a shitty division so they get the home-ice advantage. But the Rangers are going to smack the southern hick of out them. Atlanta has some fire power in Kovalchuk and Hossa but the goalie situation probably does them in. Rangers in 5.

Now we go to the Western Conference, the always tougher conference. Just look at the teams and their point totals: 7 of 8 teams had over 100 points (as compared to 4 in the east). Detroit once again has an inflated point total like last year (they went 22-4-6 in their division) and we all know what happened last year (bounced by 8th place Edmonton, hmmm the memories). The West is more difficult to predict but let’s take a chance.

Detroit Red Wings vs Calgary Flames

Sorry Lames’ fans…..no repeat of last year. Even though Detroit’s season looks dominate, their point total is an illusion. However, they luckily drew the Flames in the first round. The Wings will dominate and the losers, I mean Flames, will be gone before you can say Dion “Pussy” Phaneuf. I do enjoy what Grapes has to say about the Wings though, “There’s a lot of sweeties on that team.” Yeah Detroit is still the softest team in the playoffs but Calgary can’t win on the road. Game over Lames! Detroit in 5.

Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (yeah I’m still calling you that) vs Minnesota Wild

Just like their counterparts in the east (Buffalo), Anaheim dominated the early part of the season. It was eerie watching both the Mighty Ducks and Sabres dominating so handily. However, they came back to earth and the Ducks will have their hands full with the Wild. First, Minnesota will trap you into a coma and then score on you when you’re passed out on the ice. Yeah, the Wild are exciting (sarcasm folks). They are very unlike their name. They should be called the Minnesota Dull. Everyone will be picking the Ducks, but Minnesota with their stifling defense could play a huge part in this game and will upset the Ducks. Minnesota in 7.

Vancouver Canucks vs Dallas Stars

This might be an interesting series. Not that I’ll really watch it nor do I like either team. However, every Oilers fan has a long standing hate-on for the Dallas Stars and I cannot deviate from that hate. Basically, I hate the Canucks less than the Stars. And they have the better goalie (Turco isn’t good enough to carry Luongo’s jock strap). Vancouver in 7.

Nashville Predators vs San Jose Sharks

Nashville picked up Peter Forsberg at the deadline and he’s basically been a disappointment. He hasn’t nor will he put the Preds over the top. Sorry Peter is not the player he used to be. San Jose has looked pretty good down the stretch but this team should be better. Will Joe Thornton, notorious for failing to show up in the playoffs, actually play a key role? That remains to be seen. Yes he was hot down the stretch, putting pressure on Whiny Sid for the scoring race, but we’ve seen this before (ahem, last year. SJ wins the first round but tanks in the second to who? Oh yes Edmonton baby. SJ had a chance to go up 3 game to 0 but lose in triple overtime and then lost three more straight). But SJ should get through to the next round if Joe remembers to put on his skates. If not, Nashville has a chance. San Jose in 6.

There y’all go. I also predict Ottawa wins the whole thing, but against who? Vancouver or San Jose? Maybe.

There you go. Sens win it all, but it doesn’t matter since there are no Oilers in the playoffs. The good news: I get to save about $1200 on playoff tickets plus a miscellaneous amount on mercandise and alcohol. I’d be happy to shell out that kind of money and more to see the Oilers in the playoffs. Very sad days around here. I’ll wait until next year and hope for a better team on the ice (paging Kevin Lowe) and a better performance by the team (hello every single Oiler).

Update: Maggie has made her predictions along with her TSN counter-parts. Also check out predictions from Coveredinoil and Battle of Alberta. Grapes is picking a Sens-Ducks final (I’m totally biased against the Ducks, I just can’t pick them). ESPN’s picks as well.

Cristobal Huet is back in net tonight as the Habs take on the devil, I mean Toronto Leaves. So if the Habs win, they are in the playoffs. Very simple. If they lose, and depending in the manner in which they lose (overtime or the shootout), they could either be in or out depending if the Isles win their last game tomorrow. If they lose in overtime or the shootout, Toronto is done but the Isles can take the final playoff spot with a win tomorrow. Toronto must win in regulation to have a shot.

So let’s keep it simple. Montreal wins, and they’re in. The end. So I never thought I’d say this, but GO HABS!!

An even more important point: is Cristobal a popular name in France? Did you know Huet was born in France? I did not until I decided to look at his bio, and the guy is from France. Then my next thought, wassup with that name? I’ve never heard it before. It’s actually not French, it’s Spanish (Spanish for Christopher). So there you go, a little non-hockey lesson.

AND, the awesome Edmonton Oilers finish out their season in hell, I mean Calgary. This is interesting, the Oilers have a chance to play spoiler, and how sweet would it be to knock the lames out (remember 2002 when they did it to the Oil? I sure do. Revenge time). Calgary has not clinched a playoff spot yet. Is choking in the future of the Calgary Lames? If history is any indicator, the answer is a resounding YES. Whether they choke tonight or in the playoffs, they never let us down. Choking is a way of life to them. It’s in their blood. You can’t deny DNA.

GOILERS!!!!!

update: Leaves win. Fuck. Do I cheer for the Isles now? No bloody way. I’d rather have the Leaves in the playoffs than the Isles.

Fighting has become an issue. Following Fedorak getting KO’d last Wednesday and having to be taken off the ice on a stretcher, the issue of whether fighting has a place in the NHL has been renewed. Colin Campbell, idiot extraordinaire, has decided it’s time to question the role of fighting. Even more shocking, MacT has agreed with him.

Actually, it was NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell who first dropped the gloves by suggesting it might be time to at least ask the question: do we still need bare-knuckle bouts in hockey?

Edmonton Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish yesterday agreed, and good for him.
The fear is players are bigger and stronger and better trained as fighters these days, making a toe-to-toe scrap more dangerous than it’s ever been.

I’m not sure if MacT only agrees that it should be addressed or if he truly believes fighting should be removed from hockey. I’d be quite disappointed with him if it’s the latter.

“He was bang on,” said MacTavish of Campbell’s comments about questioning fighting in hockey. “A guy in his position has to ask the question. I know we were all watching it live and it was a pretty ugly situation. It left a knot in all of our stomachs just watching it.”

I love Don Cherry’s response to all this and, in particular, Colin Campbell’s assertion that the players are bigger today.

Does anyone except the liberal media want fighting removed from hockey? Majority of players and fans want to keep it. Isn’t that all who matters? The NHL needs to quit screwing around with the game. I’ve had to endure the addition of the embarrassing shootout, but please, stop it.

I agree with Brian Burke, just because one player ends up on a stretcher, a debate should not be triggered. Fighting has already been reduced and it’s a shell of what it used to be. I’d like to see it bulked up to be honest. Get rid of the instigator rule for starters. It’s not just fighting that has been reduced, it’s the hitting. While I enjoy the skilled play, I miss the physical part of the game.

Oh and the Oilers lost again last night, shut out once again. Ales Hemsky returned on Friday but did not play last night. What a difference between the two games. Hemsky is the catalyst. His return on Friday was absolute magic. While the boys still played a respectable game early on last night before going down 4-0, Hemsky was sorely missed.

We have also seen the return of Tom Gilbert, a defenseman who is going to make the team next year. I’d be surprised if he didn’t. I would love to see Greene shipped out of town. I’m not sure that will happen, because MacT has an inexplicable hard-on for him.

Our defense for next year will have Smith, Staios, and Smid for sure. Hedja is a possibility as is Gilbert. I’m assuming a trade/free agent signing will bring in someone to play on the top defense pairing. That’s 6 players, and Greene could be the 7th guy (or trade him and add Roy as the 7th). Greene’s minus rating (third worst) and penalty minutes (leads the team) would not be missed.

So the Oilers will head out on a season-ending six game road trip. Will they win again? That is THE question.

Little Stevie Staios is done for the year. His knee, which has been affecting him since November, is kaput. Off to surgery for you Steve plus a nice four month rehab.

Edmonton, Canada – A seven year old boy was at the centre of an Edmonton courtroom drama yesterday when he challenged a court ruling over who should have custody of him. The boy has a history of being beaten by his parents and the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt, in keeping with the child custody law and regulations requiring that family unity be maintained to the degree possible. The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat him more than his parents and he adamantly refused to live with her.

When the judge suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy cried out that they also beat him. After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was apparently a way of life among them, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him.

After two recesses to check legal references and confer with child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to the Edmonton Oilers, whom the boy firmly believes are not capable of beating anyone.

I could go on, but you get the point.

Not surprisingly, the Oilers lost again last night. However, it was not a regulation loss but an overtime loss. A step up, yes, but not enough. They took St. Louis to overtime (and before you scoff, St. Louis has been playing some damn fine hockey of late. I never thought I’d say that) and just came up short.

BUT, good news folks: According to TSN, Petr Nedved‘s second stint with the Oilers has ended. Nedved, knocked out of the lineup earlier this month with a knee injury, has left town in a move agreed upon by both himself and the team. The 35-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Now only if we could get Lupul out of town? Any thoughts??

So Horcoff returned last night and played fantastic. He should be out with the flu more often. Horcoff deserves some kudos for his play BUT also for infecting Joffrey “I won’t go into the corners” Lupul, who did not play last night. Hallelujah!! Apparently, it was the “flu” but Dan Barnes makes a good point, what the hell was he doing in the press box “infecting” others if he truly had the flu? So maybe he was finally scratched for the first time this year?? Too fucking late. Nicely said Dan….here is the bit about Lupul.

Joffrey Lupul has been wasting ice time all year long and they finally scratched him Saturday, allegedly with the flu. If he was truly sick, he shouldn’t have been breathing on his teammates in the press box, lest they catch whatever it is that has affected his play this season.

The rookies? Brodziak got his first NHL goal, Nilsson played quite good and Jacques had a decent fight. Smid got injuried in the second period (puck hit him in the side/stomach, he has bruised ribs according the Edm Journal and this could results in calling up Sebastien Bisallion), so they boys were down to 4 d-men. Considering that, the defense held up damn good. There weren’t a lot of breakdowns or giveaways (that was reserved for TORRES….did he ever play a shitty game).

The crowd was actually into the game last night. The only cheering I’ve heard in Rexall in the past month had nothing to do with the Oilers. Megadeth played on March 13th, finally giving the crowd something to cheer about and did they ever!!

So we’re heading towards the end of the season: four more home games in the next week (Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat), then the boys head out on the season-ending six game road trip. As horrible as they have played the past month, I’m still sad to see the season end.

Even better news: NYI lost last night and the Rangers jumped into the 8th playoff spot. Is it horrible that I do not want Smyth’s Isles to make the playoffs? I don’t think so. So please keep winning Rangers and Habs. I never thought I’d actually cheer for the Habs. What is becoming of me? Shocking days around here!!

The Smitty-less Oilers are having a tough time. Two shutout losses were followed up by a pretty good game against Calgary. Yes they lost 4-2, but I thought they played quite well. A couple of bad bounces went against the Oilers but I was impressed with their game. I’m becoming more and more impressed with M.A. Pouliot. His second stint with the team has been fantastic. His first call-up was a disaster, and I was wondering why many bloggers out there were so high on this kid. He was called up in late November and played 18 games. I forgot he was up for that long. Probably cause he was invisible. He had 3 points during that period. He was sent back down and up he came February 9th. Since then, he’s played 12 games and has 6 points with 2 assists coming in the game against Calgary. He was dynamite on the road trip, and probably should have had a dozen more points. He’s had so many scoring chances. I can see him having a real good breakout year next season.

Okay, enough about Pouliot. The picture above is of Ales Hemsky. This is his team now now that Smyth is gone. He must step it up, he must start shooting more and he must take charge of this team. He’s the superstar, he’s the scoring leader and he has to take the next step forward in his development. Unfortunately, Hemmer reinjured his shoulder against Calgary. I’m not sure how long he’s suppose to be out. His numbers look like they’ll be a little off last year, but he’s had a couple stretches where he’s been out with an injury. But the numbers are close enough to last season, his breakout year.

So Hemsky, when he returns from his injury, needs to play out the rest of the season. Play with pride. That’s all there is for now.