PreGame Post Plus Side Notes

Tonight Pittsburgh tries to defeat the odds to become the first team in I have no idea how many years but it's been a long time, to lose in the Stanely Cup final the previous year and make it back to the final the following year! Congratulations to the Penguins on getting this far. I have to admit that I didn't think they had it in them back when Theirren was their coach. They were sluggish, sloppy, and weren't playing with heart. Bylsma comes in and injects something into the offense as well as the defense and BOOM you've got a cup contender! Amazing how two different coaching philosophies can change the attitude of a team! I would also like to say that I think Kris Letang has established himself under Head Coach Bylsma as a premier defender in the league. Last year and part of this year he was getting burned on the ice and was getting pushed around. Now he's pushing guys around and outskating them. It is great to se "Le Swoon" as Lauren so lovingly calls him, playing with so much passion. He's such a spark plug! Props to you Le Swoon!


Back to the game...Pittsburgh is playing at Carolina tonight! I'm just wondering if the Hurricanes will be in attendence for their own game. I haven't seen much of them this series, and I really haven't seen the hyped up Eric Staal. He's a tremendous player, but the Penguins have done a heck of a job shutting him down the past three games. They make it look like they aren't even bothered that he is on the ice.



Now being the RED WINGS fan that I am...as well as a Pittsburgh fan, the RED WING in me is hoping that Carolina pulls out the victory tonight. The hockey fan in me is hoping for a great game! I want to see Carolina play well because they haven't this entire series and I want to see a real game between these two teams. I'm gonna feel kinda ripped off, as a fan, if I don't! As a Pittsburgh fan, I want to see them take their game to the next level once again. They need the practice for when they play the wings.

So I find myself at this crossroads once again. I love too many hockey teams. But I would rather have this problem of loving to many hockey teams than not having any to love. The Red Wings are still my favorite, but I still enjoy the Pens! So let's go Canes tonight! Let's have a good game!

Side Notes: Coach Quenneville has embarassed his team and the NHL. He's been fined $10,000 for criticizing the referees for calling roughing on Matt Walker at the end of the 1st period during Sunday's game. "I think we witnessed probably the worst call in the history of sports there,” he declared. “You know, they score, it's 3-0, they ruin a good hockey game. They absolutely destroyed what was going on on the ice. Whatever happened after that, you know, our guys were battling and competing and doing what we had to do to get ourselves back into it. You know, we'll find a way to fight through it. But it was that call that you could -- never seen anything like it.”

Coach Q, were we watching the same game?? Because I'm pretty sure that your team was out of the game when they took the ice on Sunday! They were so focused on revenge for the Havlat hit that they forgot the reason they were playing was for the Stanley Cup. Stanley Cup or bashing the wings to make up for the hit on Havlat? Hmmm...let's pick! Teams make choices. This was the choice your team made. Maybe it was the right choice for them on some level and a wrong choice on others. Either way, there was no way that this penalty did anything to hurt you anymore than what your team had already done. Remember the shorthanded goal the wings scored in the first? Or Franzen hitting the upper left corner of the net with a shot through Soupy's legs? Those hurt your team far more than this call of a penatly! Keep things in perspective Coach Q. I've got a lot of respect for you and your program, but you've gotta keep it all in perspective! I don't think your guys were doing whatever they could to get back into the game. Kris Versteeg taking a stupid penalty and then getting called for a cross check 6 seconds after he gets out of the penalty box is not doing whatever he can to get your team back in the game. His role is to score goals and make magic happen. Not to antagonize or go after the opposing team.

It's 7:35 pm and the game is about to start. I'm gonna go watch it. Afterall, there may only be 6 more hockey games left this season. Then what am I going to do before football starts? Watch baseball? Hahaha, I don't THINK so! :)