My Top 10 NHL Playoff Series

The Stanley Cup

So here we are in November, looking at what I believe is going to be a fully locked-out season. If that’s the case, we will have seen a seven-season stint of NHL hockey, “between the lockouts.” This time period, between 2005 and 2012, was the time I will always remember for my love of hockey. The post 2004-05 lockout era was the NHL I was first introduced to; though I watched a few pivotal playoff games in 2002, 03, and 04, I became a hockey fan in full force once it returned in the fall of 2005. Hockey Night in Canada has been, without a doubt, my favourite TV program since.

An idea I’ve always tossed around was a list of my Top 10 Favourite Playoff Series. So now that something drastic has happened in the NHL’s timeline, it’s only fitting that I can now make that list. So here are my Top 10 Favourite Playoff Series, “between the lockouts.”

Some series that came close, but didn’t make the Top 10…

Washington – Pittsburgh, second round, 2009- The Crosby and Ovechkin match-up led to a lot of hype, with the Pens hanging on to win in seven games. Unfortunately, they haven’t met in the playoffs since.

Montreal – Philadelphia, second round, 2008- The Canadiens were down 2-0 in game one and ended up winning in overtime with a goal by Tom Kostopoulos, but couldn’t match the strength of the Broad Street Bullies. The Flyers won in five games.

Pittsburgh – Ottawa, first round, 2010- A series I remember because of Ottawa’s hard fight. An underdog win in game one, 5-4, the endless scuffles after plays, Andy Sutton’s monstrous hit on Jordan Leopold in game two, and an epic game five, which Matt Carkner ended in triple-overtime to give Ottawa the win, and stay alive in the playoffs. Up 3-1 in game six, the Sens blew it and Pittsburgh won the series in overtime.

MY TOP 10

Jiri Hudler lying on the ice after being smoked by Mike Brown, game one of the series

10 – (2) Detroit vs. (8) Anaheim, second round, 2009

I felt the Wings should’ve had Anaheim down and out without much trouble, but the Ducks played hard, and dirty at times, keeping Detroit on edge every single game. With Lidstrom’s winning goal in game one, the Wings could have taken solid hold of the series in game two, and almost did, only to see Anaheim win in triple-overtime…Brad Watson’s call on a game three goal still rattles fans when they think of the series…(it almost cost Detroit their playoff run) Needless to say, the Red Wings pulled it together to win the series in an exciting game seven. Dan Cleary scored the game-winner with only 3:00 left in regulation, jamming it past Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller…Mike Brown’s hit on Jiri Hudler in game one is still one of the biggest hits I’ve seen on live television.

9 – (2) New Jersey vs. (4) Ottawa, second round, 2007

The Senators were the Canadian team I cheered on in the ’07 playoffs, and this series was one of the first I intensely followed every game of. I was hooked after a riveting game one, where Ottawa jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first, somehow holding on to win 5-4. Game two featured a comeback by Ottawa; who down in the third, pushed the game to overtime with a last minute goal by Heatley. I’ll never forget Bob Cole’s call in double-overtime, as New Jersey won on a breakaway. “Langenbrunner…SCOOOORES!!! Game over, series tied!”

Langenbrunner's double-overtime goal on Ray Emery, April 28, 2007

Tom Preissing scored on a sharp angle shot in game three, giving Ottawa a late 1-0 lead and the game winner…Game five was the final NHL game in the Continental Airlines Arena, as Ottawa advanced, beating the Devils 3-2. By now I recognized nearly every player’s name on the Senator’s roster, and Ray Emery was becoming one of my favourite goaltenders.

8 – (4) Pittsburgh vs. (8) Montreal, second round, 2010

Halak became a hero overnight for the Canadiens

After leaving the Washington Capitals speechless, the 8^th seed Habs had their next challenge, the defending Stanley Cup champs. In a hard fought seven games, Montreal captivated fans across the continent, as they defeated Pittsburgh, highlighted by a come-from-behind win in game four, and jumping to a 4-0 lead in game seven, sealing Pittsburgh’s fate. Like the Devils’ end in 2007, it was the Pens’ last game in “the Igloo,” Mellon Arena. Jaroslav Halak became a hero for Montreal, carrying the team on his back during the playoffs. Following the win over Pittsburgh, celebration began in the jam-packed streets of Montreal, a glorious sight.

7 – (1) Buffalo vs. (4) Ottawa, Conference Final, 2007

Everywhere I looked, it seemed that Buffalo was heavily favored to win this series; well that was a mistake…Ottawa fought hard, harder than I thought they ever could, and won the Eastern Conference Final in five games. After a convincing 5-2 win on the road in game one, the Sens played great in game two, topped off by Joe Corvo’s slapshot that skipped past Ryan Miller, winning the game in overtime. The Sabres got a mulligan in game four, scoring a mere nine seconds into the game and staving off elimination that night.

Alfredsson's goal, sending Ottawa to the Stanley Cup Finals, May 19, 2007

But on a Saturday afternoon, the Sens were victorious in game five, highlighted by Daniel Alfredsson’s wrist-shot goal in overtime to win the series. I was pumped; Ottawa was heading to the Stanley Cup Final! Sadly, the Ducks went on to win the Cup in five games. Until then, Ottawa had looked unstoppable.

6 – (2) Detroit vs. (4) Pittsburgh, Stanley Cup Final, 2009

A rematch of epic proportions, Detroit’s experience against young stars Crosby and Malkin for a second time. The memories start when I got to attend game one of this series, excited as ever to watch the Red Wings win 3-1. Game two had a similar result, and featured a late-game fight between Malkin and Zetterberg. After Pittsburgh tied the series, Detroit went on a scoring spree in game five, with five unanswered goals. “CROS-BEE-SUCKS!” became a favourite chant of my friends and I…

The Wings celebrate their win in Game One, as I watch from section 226 of Joe Louis Arena

Unfortunately for Detroit, they couldn’t finish off the Pens this time, Pittsburgh won games six and seven, both by a score of 2-1. At the time I was pretty ticked to watch Crosby skate off with the Stanley Cup in Joe Louis Arena (but I was happy to see former Leafs defencemen Hal Gill hoist it as well). Sweet revenge for the Penguins…

5 – (1) Montreal vs. (8) Boston, first round, 2008

Montreal and Boston lined up for the anthems in the TD Garden

The first Boston – Montreal series I witnessed did not disappoint, not one bit. Closely contested, Montreal had to fight the Bruins for a good seven games. After a 4-1 victory for the Canadiens in game one, game two ended as a thriller; as Alexei Kovalev scored on the powerplay in overtime to give the Canadiens another win. Boston fought their way back into the series though, and Carey Price – only 20 years old at the time – seemed to be losing confidence. In classic fashion, Montreal came together for game seven, winning 5-0 at home; Price stopped all shots, and the Kostitsyn brothers scored three goals. Montreal proved they deserved their #1 seed.

4 – (1) Detroit vs. (2) Pittsburgh, Stanley Cup Final, 2008

Lidstrom lifts the Stanley Cup, Detroit's fourth one in 11 years

A big deal at the time, being Sid the Kid’s first finals appearance. The Red Wings’ skill outlasted the Pen’s young talent; Chris Osgood shutout the Pens in games one and two. By the time the series shifted back to the Joe for game five, Detroit was on the verge of another Stanley Cup, resulting in one of the greatest hockey games I ever watched. Down 2-0, the Red Wings powered to a 3-2 lead, and had the entire arena in celebration mode. But just seconds away from the Cup, Maxime Talbot tied it for Pittsburgh, sending the game into an eventual triple-overtime, which Petr Sykora won for the Penguins. Detroit subsequently won the Cup in game 6 in front of a disappointed Mellon Arena crowd. The fact that it was the last final that Bob Cole called for CBC, also gives it a special place in my heart. Finals play-by-play hasn’t been the same since.

3 – (1) Vancouver vs. (8) Chicago, first round, 2011

Never have I felt such sweet revenge watching the NHL Playoffs. I was heartbroken as the Blackhawks ousted the Canucks in 2009 (Sundin’s last goodbye), and then again in 2010. I felt assured 2011 would be different with Vancouver running away with the President’s trophy, but it almost wasn’t.

Vancouver storms the ice to congratulate Alex Burrows, for his series-winning goal in overtime of Game 7

The Canucks took a dominating 3-0 series lead, only to have it evaporate. Chicago went on a scoring spree in games four and five, and Cory Schneider nearly took the job of starting goaltender for Vancouver. Chicago was on the brink of becoming only the fourth team to comeback after being down 3-0 in a series. It’s a good thing Luongo started in game seven, he stopped 31 of 32 shots. In a climatic game that Chicago tied while short-handed late in the third, Canuck Alex Burrows broke in and ripped a shot past Corey Crawford in overtime, causing Rogers Arena to erupt in celebration. As Jim Hughson said proudly, “It’s a wonderful day for an exorcism!” No other game seven has kept me in such anxiety; the endless sound-off of the Canucks goal horn still roars through my ears… “Burrows! Shoots, SCORRRRRRRES!”

2 – (1) Vancouver vs. (3) Boston, Stanley Cup Final, 2011

The series I couldn’t have been more excited to see, nothing compares to the fast pace, back and forth match-up I saw in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. So much pride on the line; so much to win, so much to lose. The stars between both teams, and the hate that grew between them as well.

Burrows does it again, this time wrapping around the net and beating Tim Thomas in Game 2

After unbelievably exciting game winning goals by Raffi Torres in game one, and Burrows – 11 seconds into overtime in game two – Boston humiliated the Canucks on the east coast, winning 8-1 and 4-1. Not only were Luongo and the Canucks in trouble away from home ice, but Aaron Rome was suspended for the remainder of the finals for his hit on Nathan Horton in game three. (A decision that cost Vancouver in the long run) Once again the tide turned in game five, as Vancouver delighted fans with a 1-0 win at home. But Boston turned the tide yet again, winning game six in the TD Garden 5-2.

The Vancouver riot, which immediately followed the Canucks' Game 7 loss. This time around, the riot was far worse than 1994's loss to the Rangers.

The deciding game seven proved to be a dark day in Vancouver’s history, the Canucks lost 4-0 and ultimately failed their fans. A massive riot developed in the city streets after the game, with downtown windows smashed and cars set ablaze. The riot made international news, and gave the city a bad image in the eyes of millions. One of the greatest NHL playoff runs ended in heartbreak and destruction…Zdeno Chara’s emotional lift of the Stanley Cup made me start crying in my living room…Two months of excitement for the Canucks, all the way to a valiant, bitter end…

1 – (2) Carolina vs. (8) Edmonton, Stanley Cup Final, 2006

Roloson after letting in a goal in Game One of the Finals. It was his only game of the series...

The first series I had ever been so captivated by, and really the first year I had ever followed the playoffs. The Oilers stunned the President Trophy winning Detroit Red Wings in six games, and soon I had found an underdog team to fall in love with. Edmonton won their series against San Jose in six, and the conference finals in a dominating five games, to find themselves in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Game one set the scene for an underdog-style series. Edmonton climbed to a 3-0 lead, only to have the Hurricanes tie the game and eventually win 5-4. Dwayne Roloson was injured in the third period, causing the Oilers to lose a key force in goal.

Markkanen was a surprise to everyone, and saved Edmonton when Roloson was lost to injury

Jussi Markkanen became the saving grace for the Oilers, and helped force the series to seven games. Who could forget Ryan Smyth’s winning goal in game three? And in game five, when the series seemed like it would end any minute, an errant pass at the blue line gave Fernando Pisani a short-handed breakaway overtime goal, forcing the finals back to Rexall Place. Bob Cole’s call: “It is Pisani, SCORES!” is one of his greatest he ever made.

One of the greatest overtime goals of all time, Fernando Pisani in Game Five

Edmonton’s near-Cinderella run ended in game seven, as Carolina won 3-1, and Rod Brind’Amour finally hoisted the Stanley Cup. I admit it, Carolina was the dominant team, goaltender Cam Ward was unbelievable, he completely deserved the Conn Smythe...The series was the culmination of the first NHL season I regularly followed. With all the suspense, and Canadian pride on the line, it is still my favourite series…

So in review,

10. Detroit & Anaheim, 2009

9. Ottawa & New Jersey, 2007

8. Pittsburgh & Montreal, 2010

7. Ottawa & Buffalo, 2007

6. Detroit & Pittsburgh, 2009

5. Montreal & Boston, 2008

4. Detroit & Pittsburgh, 2008

3. Vancouver & Chicago, 2011

2. Vancouver & Boston, 2011

1. Edmonton & Carolina, 2006

Let's hope for many more exciting, and top-ten worthy series to come...

Opening Night

This was opening night.

This was the Thursday night in October I would suddenly rush home and turn on Hockey Night in Canada. The night in high school, when I’d get home from marching band practice and run downstairs, frantically flipping to channel 99; Toronto would be playing their first game of the season. I got to see all the new and old faces once again, hear the voice of Bob Cole, and witness some fast-paced sports action once again.

This was the night I counted down to during my freshman year at CMU, starting from a month away. The player introductions, the first goal, all the excitement. I think September 2010 was half-spent sucking in the college life, the other half was waiting for opening night on CBC…

There wasn’t any anticipation this year…I’m so sad…

Opening night 2008, where Nikolai Kulemin made his NHL debut by scoring his first goal

Friday Night Lights in Northern Michigan

Pine River's offence and Manton's defence line up for a play in the 2nd half

One thing that I haven't done/seen in quite a while, (or interacted with much recently) was high school. This is pretty obvious, considering the fact that I'm in college. ß Ridiculously obvious lead-in, I know…

I went to my first high school football game of the 2012 season this past Friday  an hour and a half drive from Central Michigan. It was the Manton Rangers hosting the Pine River Bucks in Manton, Michigan, on September 29. Manton dominated the game, many times blowing right through Pine River's defence. Pine River never got very far on any of their possessions, and the Rangers won their homecoming game 21-0...

It was really cute listening to the homecoming court introductions at halftime, every guy & girl had their life goals described to the audience. For example: "Johnny hopes to go to college to become a brain surgeon," or "So and so wants to be a police officer." Everybody had the biggest goals, it reminds me of how my big my dreams were in high school...Likewise, I came to the realization that I have grown up, considering the fact that all the high schoolers looked like little kids. I think the realization partly came from seeing a 4-foot tall football player get destroyed when he got handed the ball… (Hard to believe I was at my high school from ages 14-17, I saw myself as being much "older" when I was there. Of course, I feel old right now at 19 in my junior year of college)

The Manton Ranger Marching Band plays the school's fight song

The real reason I attended is because of the Manton Ranger Marching Band. Over the summer I helped out with their band camp, and with another friend who helped out, we drove up to see how they were doing. The opening movement we had spent a week helping with has improved a lot; I wish the Ranger Marching Band the best of luck at their competition in Reed City!

No club hockey anymore...

So I was all excited to watch some NHL action this fall…then that went down the tube over this past month. My backup plan? I was really looking forward to it too; I was hoping to attend a majority of Central Michigan’s club hockey home games, at the ICE Arena in Mount Pleasant. They had always played weekend games, free to get in with your student I.D., so this season I was going to follow them religiously. I planned to recap every game I attended in a blog post. (Good way to find something to write about!)

CM Life article from Friday, September 21.

Then a week ago this article showed up in the paper. Right before I saw it I ran into a player on the team, who coincidentally is in one of my classes. I asked him if he was excited for the team’s first two games of the season, on the road that weekend against U of M Dearborn. He told me that the team was “going through some stuff” and they weren’t playing those two games. I thought, well okay, I’m still looking forward to the home openers against Northern Michigan. Of course, I could only assume what was going on with an investigation by the Office of Student Life.

Then I saw the article on the CM Life website on Friday. “Club hockey team dealt five-year ban for violating alcohol policy, hazing.” I literally started yelling at my computer. Nothing could pierce my heart better than realizing CMU no longer had a men’s club hockey team. All the games I looked forward to seeing, all the games I had wrote down in my planner, they no longer exist…

I’m heartbroken. Honestly, I can’t believe I would get left in the dark like this as a fan. No local team, no NHL. What is the hockey world coming to? A five-year ban for CMU club hockey? Not on probation for a couple years? I doubt the club hockey team did something Penn State/Jerry Sandusky related, why such a harsh punishment? Oh well, I guess I’ll visit CMU someday as an alumnus and go see a hockey game…in 2017…

To read the full CM Life article, click herehttp://www.cm-life.com/2012/09/28/club-hockey-team-dealt-five-year-ban-for-violating-alcohol-policy-hazing/

Yep, it's a lockout

I mean these look more like baseball stadium seats, but you get the idea...

So it’s happened.

Work stoppage No. 4 for the NHL, I’m ultimately disappointed that there’s no guarantee of hockey this season in the major leagues…guess I’ll be watching a lot of football…While there’s still time to get a new CBA completed before regular season games are lost, the NHL just lost all the credibility it worked to regain over the last seven seasons. All the passive hockey fans will soon forget that they even watched the games on NBC and VERSUS, and continue watching other sports. I hope the owners realize what they’ve done soon enough.

I didn’t even realize there was a 10-day lockout back in 1992 until recently doing some research. It was right as the regular season was coming to a close. Wonder what the fans were thinking then, I can hear their voices call out from 20 years ago: “Oh no! What if the playoffs get cancelled?” They had no idea what would happen in this new millennium…an entire season cancelled, and another on the verge of the same misfortune. Fans used to not worry about this kind of problem, they focused on whether your team would make the playoffs or not, rather than worrying if the season would start on time.

So for now, rest in peace NHL…Looking forward to the 2013-14 season!

NHL Lockout Looms

A lockout would leave hockey arenas across the continent dimly lit, like Perani Arena in Flint, Michigan.

As the summer draws to a close and fall is almost upon us, we still have no guarantee of an NHL season at all.

In fact, we’re only about 100 hours away from that frightening deadline NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has set for a deal to be reached between the owners and the Player’s Association. The worries we have carried all summer are about to be realized on Saturday, September 15. Unless we witness a miracle, the National Hockey League will have its third lockout in a mere 18 years.

All the storylines, all the goals, all the fights, and all the Saturday nights with Ron Maclean and Don Cherry on CBC, are only a distant memory right now…Will the Los Angeles Kings continue their unexpected dominance of the Western Conference? How will Rick Nash do this year with his new team, the New York Rangers? Is Nail Yakupov – Edmonton’s third straight No. 1 overall draft pick – the missing piece for the Oilers?

All these questions are on hold. As a die-hard hockey fan for the past seven years, I can’t believe we’re about to witness another lockout. No matter how long it is, unless a deal is reached, a lockout is a lockout. The bottom line is no professional hockey on our continent until both sides of the debate can agree. You would think that after the travesty that was the 2004-05 NHL season – Hint, it didn’t exist! – nobody would ever let something equivalent occur. And after all of this heartbreak, Gary Bettman says the NHL has the “greatest fans.”

Greatest fans? I can’t think of how many people I’ve been around recently who didn’t even realize a lockout was in the mix. Why? The American media, particularly ESPN, has done a god awful job at covering the 2012 off-season, and the so-far failed CBA negotiations. When I say god-awful I mean nearly non-existent. Hardly any headline news at all, leaving millions of hockey fans in the United States out of the loop. Yes, the NHL has some great fans, but plenty of people who wouldn’t even notice when it was gone. If only the fans could legitimately give up on the league and show Mr. Bettman what happens without the most important piece of the puzzle.

Sadly, hockey is the most exhilarating sport in the world to watch, and we fans just couldn’t go through with something so sacrilegious. Just imagine what we’re missing this coming year! No open-ice hits from Niklas Kronwall, no follow up to a great playoff campaign by goaltender Braden Holtby, no chance for Martin Brodeur to finish his career in style! And I have to mention it, no games with 346 penalty minutes (I’m talking to you New York and Pittsburgh!).

Will the Leafs make the 2013 playoffs? They don't stand a chance if the playoffs don't exist!

It’s been a long time since Hockey Night in Canada hasn’t been a staple of my Saturday night, things are going to be different this fall…I can honestly think of no better cliffhanger to be left with. I’m a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, becoming a big follower of hockey immediately after the previous lockout. In all that time, Toronto’s the only team that hasn’t put together a playoff squad, how’s that for a disappointment? As much as I love stars Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul, Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin, they haven’t gotten it done. Seven years of broken promises, and now a lockout looms. I’ve learned how to accept defeat when my #1 team is down and out; I have yet to learn how to accept no game whatsoever. I guess I’ll need to wait even longer for that Stanley Cup parade down Yonge Street…

Division-II ACHA game between Central Michigan and Ferris State in 2010, at the "ICE Arena" in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

The only good news is that there are still minor league teams to cheer for. Going to college at Central Michigan University means there’s no NCAA team to watch, but the club hockey team will certainly do. The games are played in a local barn in 40 degree conditions, in front of a few dozen fans, if that. Nonetheless I find the action quick and exciting to follow, especially when you can get in for free as a student! The OHL, AHL, CHL and ECHL aren’t going anywhere either, but where will the aspiring talents of those leagues go? Not a very promising future for NHL hopefuls…

All I hope is that the players and owners can hash a deal together quickly and muster up some sort of excuse for the 2012-13 season. Even if we saw a 10-game season (hypothetically), it’s still a season. I just need the assurance that something good will happen, because right now I give Gary Bettman and the other owners a vote of no confidence.

CMU vs. MSU is almost here...

Michigan State and Central Michigan battle it out in last year's meeting at Spartan Stadium.

So now that I haven’t exactly put up a blog post in about 500 years, I think I’m ready to put them up as much as possible, now that I’m back at college at have…more free time? Something like that, but I think this whole college thing is what got me an urge for another blog post.

The big storyline in Mount Pleasant, Mich. in 2012 has been one and only thing: CMU vs. MSU at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on September 8. We’re more or less 60 hours away from what could possibly be the largest crowd that has ever come to a Central Michigan home game. Students have lined sidewalks for hours just for a ticket, extra seats have been brought in, there’s even a new suite on the back sideline! I’ve been looking forward to this event ever since I realized it was happening. The Chippewa Marching Band and the Spartan Marching Band are both performing at halftime, and then will play a tune together on the field and blow everybody out of their seats!!! And I certainly can’t wait for pregame coming on the field…did I tell you I’m a Marching Chip?

At the same time, I’m not excited for a lot of things about the weekend. Thank goodness nobody is coming to visit me for this game, I think it’s going to be the worst day of traffic I’ve ever seen, and yes I have been in Toronto. At least I won’t be on the road…Apparently there’s four bars in Mount Pleasant that will only allow MSU fans inside on Saturday, and if I’m right, I guess that means no Chippewa fans can go to their favorite bars like The Bird or Marty’s on a day when it would mean the most…So a Big Ten town bought a MAC town for a day? That’s somewhat insulting…

But what I think got everyone all up in arms today – except for me – was a CM Life article, talking about Central students planning to attend the game in MSU gear, and cheer for the Spartans. Facebook lit up, people on campus lit up about it, people in class lit up about it, all absolutely stunned that their own student body wouldn’t have the pride to cheer for their own team.

What do I think? Let them do what they want, and don’t rat them out for it.

For anybody that has a lot of Chippewa pride at CMU, why be upset if the rest of the student body doesn’t? To start, it means YOU have a lot of school spirit, and YOU are in the top tier of “fired up” people for Central Michigan University. You stick with your team even when they’re 3-9 in back-to-back seasons. You stand behind Ryan Radcliff and Dan Enos, even when infinite interceptions and 30+ point losses tell you not to. You know how to sing the Alma Mater, the Fight Song, Hail to the Chippewa, and maybe even On To Victory! (If you’ve ever heard of that one) Maybe you even know how to play every one of them as well…

Whatever the case, that means YOU’RE AWESOME!!! Why criticize everyone else when you could simply be proud of your unwavering devotion?

Second, don’t forget what Central is, a mid-sized college, surrounded by miles and miles of farmland in the middle of Michigan, and with teams in the Mid-American Conference. The point here, is to not forget where most of CMU’s student body comes from in the first place, and what they grew up with.

The first college football game I ever attended – and probably ever watched – was in November 2004 at Spartan Stadium; my dad’s friends invited him and I to come watch the final home game of the season. We tailgated all afternoon (no I was no drinking, I was 12), and witnessed the Spartans win in style, blowing out the undefeated Wisconsin Badgers 49-14. Watching all that action out on the field – especially when it was still a close game – was about the coolest thing I had ever seen in person. I hadn’t become a passionate hockey fan yet, a big golf fan yet, or anything. But I thought Michigan State was cool, really cool.

With that, I’m sure a lot of fellow Chips grew up in the mitten the same way, picking the U of M or State side. Long before I envisioned myself in college, I was a fan of Michigan State. In fact, I don’t think I had ever heard of CMU until grade eight when I saw a graduation plaque on the wall of my math teacher’s classroom. Actually learning about CMU happened when people I knew in high school started going there for college.

Again, I think many students here would feel the same, they knew about Michigan State – whether they love or hate them – light years before they knew anything about Central, Western, Eastern, Northern, Grand Valley, Wayne State, the list goes on and on. So likewise, why be upset with CMU students when they cheer for the team that they’ve either 1) loved for years, or 2) been a bandwagon fan of for years? They might not have had the GPA to go to Michigan State, or the money (Not that CMU’s cheap). And speaking of money, most businesses in Mount P. are undoubtedly only looking at this with a financial perspective, dare I say it, I’d be stunned if the university wasn’t. Sadly, I have been told over and over that everything is “all about the money.”

Can't wait to spend another football game as a member of the Marching Chips...

But believe me, I promise, I am PROUD TO BE A CHIPPEWA!!!! OO-WAH!!! Even if that student section is going to be the greenest it’s ever been, the section I’m sitting in will be 100% Maroon. Win or lose, I will be proud of Chippewa football. I respect the decision of any student that goes into Kelly/Shorts wearing a Spartans jersey, I think it’s an honor to be able to see Michigan State in action IN MOUNT PLEASANT, Something that has never happened before. It’s a historic day for the city, the community, and 20 years from now, I will be thrilled to have been in attendance. So if you bleed maroon and gold, know that when all your classmates won’t be pumping up the Chips on saturday, YOU WILL BE! Be proud!

Of course, all this talk about leaving your fellow CMU students alone could be easily dismissed by you. If you know me, you probably know that I’m Canadian and completely biased towards Team Canada, or any Canadian NHL team, even living right here in the lower peninsula of Michigan. If you think the Spartan fans at Central Michigan should transfer to MSU and get off our campus; well gee-wizz, you might as well tell me to “go back to Canada.” As you can tell by the quotation marks, I’ve already been told that about 60 million times…

Round One recap coming soon!

Kyle Turris winning Game 4 for Ottawa, and tying the series

I'm obviously too lazy to update my blog after every important game in the playoffs, so I'll just make a big recap post as soon as the first round is over. Get ready for my predictions on the second round as well, since my bracket has a good chance of being completely valueless.

Nashville takes Game One 3-2

Rinne and Weber defending against Datsyuk.

It feels kind of weird to cheer for a certain team when you're predicting the opposing team will beat them. This is especially the case when everyone else you see/know is cheering for the same team. That's how today went at Central Michigan University. Everywhere you went, a Red Wings jersey, hoodie, or t-shirt was present, shining out among everybody walking on the sidewalk. I was one of those people, sporting Henrik Zetterberg's #40 all day. I wonder how many people had the same mindset I did, right now I'm not really upset since my bracket's starting out well.

The Predators proved why they have home ice advantage, winning game one over the Red Wings. Aside from some penalties that shouldn't have been called against Detroit in the first period, Nashville seemed to have the stronger game, even with much less shots in the second and third periods. The first period set the Wings back, and the crowd of "mustard-yellow" jerseys (as Mark Lee of CBC called it) were in it the entire game. Detroit's going to have to fight even harder to get past Rinne and possibly mess up my bracket. Hope Helm's alright, currently getting surgery after taking a skate to the elbow. (That'd be a player the Wings will miss)

It's also really odd to have CMU Cable, and get to choose which playoff game broadcast I prefer to watch. The Detroit-Nashville game tonight was on CBC, Fox Sports Detroit, and CNBC. I obviously chose CBC, no brainer there, as soon as Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond started telling stories rather than actually calling the game below them. (For someone whose dream job is hockey play-by-play, something that little can be pretty annoying)

And from what I've seen so far tonight with the first period of the Canucks vs. Kings, Vancouver has played great so far. I certainly wouldn't rule out an upset though, Los Angeles looks pretty focused...I'm still stunned that Pittsburgh would give up a 3-1 lead to Philadelphia, that'll also be a close series.

AND SO THE PLAYOFFS COMMENCE!!

My 2012 Stanley Cup Playoff bracket

Kessel scored a career high 37 goals this season, currently at 99 with the Maple Leafs and 165 overall.

So once again a season where my beloved Maple Leafs fail to make the playoffs, though Kessel did have an incredible season, 37 goals and 82 points overall.

Now let’s stop right there, enough of Toronto, and onto the playoffs!

Here you go, here’s my bracket. You can click on it to zoom in if necessary.

For all the Detroit fans reading, yes I did just pick Nashville to beat the Wings. As much as I will also cheer on Detroit, I’m getting a little apathetic towards Detroit’s playoff hopes these days, esp. after the last 2 playoffs. Therefore, I completely accept my fate of being roasted when Detroit miraculously defeats Nashville in the first round and supposedly ruins my bracket. I’m certainly not one to predict spoilers, I have the #1, #2, #4, and #6 seeds moving on in each of the first rounds. If you’re better than the other team, why would I not predict you to beat them?

The toughest series for me to decide on was definitely Pittsburgh over Philly. If the Pens win that series, I think they can very likely march straight to the Stanley Cup Finals. (After somehow beating Boston of course) I picked them obviously because of Crosby’s return; and now that it’s once again the Crosby-Malkin duo – who they didn’t have either of in the 2011 postseason – I think Pittsburgh can potentially beat the Flyers. If not Pittsburgh, I can see Boston reaching the Finals again, and defending their cup.

Now for the Stanley Cup choice. Vancouver certainly have the experience of last year; a war against Chicago for the 3^rd straight year in a row, and then a drive to the Finals. The Canucks know what went wrong last year, and I feel like this year they’ve been serious, concentrated, and it got them another President’s Trophy. (They haven’t even had much of goal celebrations!) Hopefully, it can translate into a Stanley Cup for the first time in their history. Obviously Daniel Sedin sitting out a while with a concussion isn't helpful, but if they get him back – which I assume they will – they should be the playoff powerhouse.

Truly the most exciting moment of the 2011 playoffs, Alex Burrows wins Game 7 in OT against the Blackhawks...

So there you go. Here’s my top 3 selections for the Champion:

1. Vancouver

2. Pittsburgh

3. Boston

It’ll be very interesting to see how the Blues do with home-ice advantage in the playoffs, something that hasn’t occurred since 2002. They haven’t won the Central division since they had the best record in the league in 2000. Definitely a valiant effort by the Blues; and maybe a run to their first cup awaits if their stellar goaltending holds up. Plus, the Rangers haven’t been to the conference finals since 1997, can it happen again?

Make your own bracket before Wednesday night! See how yours holds up!

Edmonton still struggles

Oiler Shawn Horcoff battles for the puck in last night's 4-2 loss to Anaheim

I couldn't help but noticing a bit of an insightful statement from ESPN's NHL Power Rankings. (Which are superb compared to SI's) We find the Oilers ranked 28^th out of 30, one position better than last week's 29^th. Their caption reads: “The Oilers have lost three of four while keeping their eye on the lottery pick.”

What?!? You've gotta be kitten me right meow. For a team that started off the season great at 8-2-2, Edmonton has plummeted to 25-34-6, with 56 points and well out of a playoff spot. Even the Blue Jackets are catching the Oilers! Even the Canadiens are catching the Oilers!

What's more surprising, Edmonton is looking at the possibility of three straight seasons of being rock-bottom in the league. 62 points in the last two seasons, and maybe a few more than that this season. With four of the main scoring contributors still under 23 years old, Edmonton is looking at its third straight season with a high draft pick, potentially #1 once again.

But really, what does this even mean for the Oilers? What have the past two seasons even done to prove their success with draft choices? I'm certainly not ignoring Hall and RNH's success, but the team overall is still doing miserable. What is a third straight top draft choice going to do for them? What will happen when the Oilers acquire someone like Nail Yakupov, or Ryan Murray in this year's draft? How close is this team – which hasn't graced the playoffs since their 2006 cup bid – to contending in the playoffs? (Don't forget, on that 2006 run, Edmonton was still ranked 8^th in the West overall, hardly even in the postseason)

Regardless, they still have an extremely loyal fan base, which believes it will have an incredible NHL team a few years down the road. We'll have to wait and see.