DEE-ICING

Pronunciation: (dē-ˈīsing).

Function: transitive verb.

Definitions -

1 : Process of unwinding after a Wild hockey game.

2 : Process of leaving a lifetime of cold and snow in Minnesota behind for warmer climates.

3 : My random thoughts on hockey, life and the pursuit of really good tequila. (no politics allowed)

4 : Relief from insomnia.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Survived First Round and Now Onto The Second

First Round Craziness and Lack Of Sleep
There were 48 games played in the first round and I missed watching just three of them as live telecasts.  There were days when 5 games were televised; dropping the puck beginning at noon and the sudden death overtime winning goal being scored at 1:30 the next morning.  The games were fast and furious, long and excruciatingly tense right up to the last moments.  I was sending and receiving texts with just under a dozen folks for each game and that kind of 'live' interaction was far more important and meaningful to me than being able to blog during them.  The fact that I was going to sleep watching hockey and waking up to watch hockey also prevented me from doing any decent kind of blogging during the first round.  Not that I'm complaining in any way, shape or form.  It's all Bliss!    

Click here for the greatest interactive rundown of the first round ever put together.  Outstanding job by the good folks at Puck Daddy. 

Ratings, Ratings, Ratings
More people are watching the Stanley Cup playoffs in the United States this year, thanks to NBC Networks.  NBC Sports stated Friday that an average of 929,000 viewers tuned in for each first round Stanley Cup Playoff game on NBC, NBC Sports Network and CNBC in Round 1.  This made it the most-watched first round of the NHL playoffs in history. 
Per the NBC press release games on NBC Sports Network averaged 744,000 viewers, up 16 percent from a year ago when the network was know as Versus. Those are the highest numbers for hockey on cable since 2001, when ESPN's first round coverage averaged 745,000 viewers.
Not only are those impressive numbers but here's the Big Tell: Game 7 on NBCSN last Thursday had 984,000 viewers for the Rangers/Sens.  When that game ended and the remaining play of the game 7 for Devils/Panthers was shown, 867,000 of those original viewers stayed tuned in.  You all remember that game went to double OT, right?  It was 12:15 a.m. here in Georgia when that one was finally over.  
Nothing like a little National Network broadcasting to bring up the numbers for the sport we love, eh?

Best Texts From Round One
Sally - from the PENS/FLYERS series:
"Get in the fast lane grandma!  The bingo game is ready to begin!"  Quoting the great Mike Lange, longtime radio man for the Pens.  His "Lange-isms" are epic.   
"2 goals slide in under Fleury's ass!!", "It's like he's pooping goals for the F-heads!!"  My response: "but it's a cute ass??" 
"Dear Malkin, stop trying to score goals from behind your back while doing a pirouette.  Slap the shit out of the puck and send it in!"

Coach/Ref Daggett
"Does Shana-Nuts have a freaking dart board he is using?"

Nan
"Regulation?  We don't need no stinkin' regulation!" 

Tim
"Did they just say Phil-Lip...and not Phil-Leep...for KUBA??"

Robyn
"What doesn MAF stand for?"

Ben
"Vancouver Out - Let the Rioting Begin."

Who's In Round Two
Capitals - wait, really?  Even though I had them picked to be one and done this post season I have to admit I'm always happy when my boyfriend is in the thick of it.  Of course, the way they're playing in game one of round two is exactly why I thought they'd be out in round one.  
VS
Rangers - huh?  Yep.  There they are.  And now I have to rely on my Caps to usher them out.  I just realized the ridiculousness of that last statement.  Rangers lead the series 1-0, FFS.    

Flyers - or as Sally so eloquently refers to them as: FuckHeads.  What the Hell, Penguins??  I know I was only bandwagonning (what, not a real word?) because I hate the Flyers worse than a dental or OB-GYN visit but you couldn't get the job done for us in round one?  Never mind the fact that I had the Pens picked as a Cup finalist.  Remember, never bet the farm on my SC picks.
VS       
Devils - sorry Panthers but the Wild needs that 3rd round draft pick.  Now hear this Marty and Company:  Stuff Zhidlicky into a gear bag and ship him to Vancouver for the duration of the playoffs.  You there - Parise, Kovalchuk, Zajac, Henrique...score your little asses off and shut those FuckHeads down!  Do It Now.  

Kings - who have my everlasting gratitude for having sent the Canucks packing in the first round.  I hear Luongo wants out of Vancouver...Bwuuhahahahahaha!!  God Bless the idiot team that picks up his redonk contract and inability to stop a puck in the playoffs.  Kings lead the series 1-0. 
VS
Blues - sent San Jose packing after some very entertaining games.  Get bent, Havlat.  Good to see Brent Burns getting some playoff time under his belt.  And now the coaching staff really know what they have to work on with him.  Is there a training routine for de-Goofballing?  

Coyotes - shut the aging Wings down and reminded everyone else in the NHL that hockey exists in the desert.  Some of the best games in round one, bar none.  Goalie Mike Smith will have to be on his toes for round two.  Across the ice he'll be facing someone who will make it very difficult for his teammates to score...
VS
Preds - PEKKA RINNE.  That name should strike fear into the hearts of the Coyotes.  He's tall, lanky, bendy in all the right goalie places, moves across the crease like lightning and covers the posts like he's an extension of them.  He's the kind of goalie you're always cheering for, unless he's in net against your team.  That being said, the Coyotes lead this series 1-0.  In overtime.  Cuz that's the way the Preds and Yotes roll.    

Best Commercial In Playoffs So Far
         


Second Best Commercial So Far


Friday, April 13, 2012

First Round Mania! Pens and Canucks In The Hole

Recap of Thursday Night Games
Caps vs Bruins:   1 - 0 Bruins
Game 1: What always happens to my boyfriend in the post season?  He stops scoring.  Ovechkin had one shot Thursday night.  He was hard on himself in the post game presser but words don't score goals, Ovie.  This game was a goalie duel that went into OT to determine the winner.  Braden Holtby, rookie goalie in his first playoff game, was in net for the Caps and he was a warrior with 29 saves.  Bruins got the only one needed past him just 1:18 into the OT.  Chris Kelly got the goal with assists from, ahem... Benoit Pouliot and Brian Rolston.  #previouswildplayerreference  

Hawks vs Coyotes:  1 - 0 Coyotes
Game 1: This was an amazing game!  The Yotes are going with "Hockey The Hard Way" for their slogan this season.  Boy, they aren't kidding.  The desert dogs almost had this one in the bag but Chicago scored to tie the game with just 14.2 seconds left in regulation.  Martin Hanzal got the credit for the win in overtime, deflecting a shot from Aucoin.  Chicago played hard but true to their slogan, the Coyotes played just a bit harder. 


Sharks vs Blues:  1 -0 Sharks
Game 1: Martin Havlat (Mr. Half Assed in Minnesota #previouswildplayerreference) is The Man in San Jose.  He's still half assed, having missed 43 games after being traded to the Sharks, but he came through in a big way in game one against the Blues.  The game went to double overtime and my eyes are still bloodshot from having stayed up for the whole thing.  Marty scored his second goal of the game in the second OT to finally let all the fans go home for a quick nap in the wee hours of the morning before heading off to work.  

Sens vs Rangers:  1 - 0 Rangers
Game 1: The Rangers had the 1-0 lead through the halfway mark of the second period Thursday night but they were starting to get pinned down in their own zone and you just feel the momentum starting to turn for the Sens.  Rangers took a time out, got their poop in a group and got their game back on track.  Dammit Stanley - not what I wanted to see.  Three more goals, including one by Gaborik, gave the Rangers to score and confidence they needed to survive a late rush by the Sens who did manage to score two goals before the third period came to a close.  Oh, #grudginglypreviouswildplayerreference

Friday Night Games
Devils vs Panthers: 1 - 0 Devils
Game 1: Umm, hello Panthers? Did you forget you had a game tonight? Devils up 3-0 in first period. Florida gets on the scoreboard in the second. Finding their footing in their first NHL playoff game since 2000. Y2K...good memories there. Zhidlicky in the box for delay of game - good memories there too ;) #previouswildplayerreference. Anyway, Panthers get another goal in the second and it starts to look like a hockey game.  The Devils stay in control of this one and win it to take the series lead.  Now that the Panthers have this one under their belt I'm betting they come out for game two like they own the joint.     
Pens vs Flyers: 2 - 0 Flyers
Game 2: The Fast & The Furious is the name of this game.  I don't know if it's a record of some kind?  Crosby scored just 15 seconds into the first period.  The Pens were up, The Flyers tied it.  The Flyers were up, the Pens tied it.  The Flyers tied it and then took the lead.  It got to the point where Sally and I were only able to text one word responses back and forth to each other.  Mostly the F Word.  On the home front: Pascal Dupuis with the second assist on Sid's goal so... #previouswildplayerreference  The Pens are in trouble in the first round of the playoffs having dropped 2 games on home ice. 
To really do this game justice in terms of the how fast things turned over for each team I'm just gonna let the boxscore speak for itself:
1st Period
00:15PITSidney Crosby(2) Snap -ASST:S. Sullivan(2) ANDP. Dupuis (2)
09:27PITPPG -Chris Kunitz(1) Wrist -ASST:J. Neal(1) ANDE. Malkin (1)
12:44PHISHG -Maxime Talbot(1) Wrist -ASST:C. Giroux(1)
19:42PITPaul Martin(1) Snap -ASST:S. Crosby(2) ANDP. Dupuis (3)
2nd Period
05:11PHIPPG -Claude Giroux(1) Wrist -ASST:J. Voracek(1) ANDK. Timonen (1)
11:04PHISHG -Claude Giroux(2) Snap -ASST:M. Talbot(1)
11:10PITPPG -Chris Kunitz(2) Wrist -ASST:J. Neal(2) ANDE. Malkin (2)
19:57PHISean Couturier(1) Wrist -ASST:B. Coburn(1) ANDN. Grossmann (1)
3rd Period
01:04PITTyler Kennedy(2) Backhand -ASST:M. Cooke(1) ANDJ. Staal (2)
01:21PHISean Couturier(2) Wrist -ASST: NONE
09:13PHIJaromir Jagr(1) Wrist -ASST:P. Kubina(1) ANDC. Giroux (2)


Preds vs Wings: 1 - 1 Tied Series  
Game 2: Detroit came for a little revenge on a couple of levels Friday night.  First, they needed to win game two.  Second, they needed to get a little more out of Shea Weber than the paltry $2500.00 fine Shanaban bestowed upon him for smashing Zetterberg's head into the glass during game one.  Todd Bertuzi (BOOOOO) and Shea went toe to toe just 1 minute, 36 seconds into the game Friday night.  It pretty much set the pace for the whole game.  Despite sitting in the penalty box for just short of a full period the Wings were in control of this game.  They won pretty handily, 4-2.  Nashville will need to start cashing on their power plays if they intend to make it past this first round. 



Kings vs Canucks:  2 - 0 Kings
Game 2: Very defensive game through the first period.  The Kings got on the board late in the first with a short handed goal by Dustin Brown.  Vancouver scored just 17 seconds into the 2nd period but Dustin Brown popped his second shorthanded goal in five minutes later.  I do believe this was the least penalized game of the playoffs so far, especially compared to the 27 minutes the Canucks served in the first game.  Of course Willie Mitchell, being so fleet of foot, took his customary holding penalties.  #previouswildplayerreference.  Good thing Dustin Brown was scoring those short handed goals, huh?  The Canucks took a bad penalty in the third and the Kings took advantage of it.  Stoll got the goal with one of the assists going to Dustin Brown.  With 7 minutes left in the game Dustin Brown nets the hat trick and puts the Kings up 3-1.  This kid had the game of his young life/career tonight at the expense of the Canucks.  Does my heart good.  With just over 5 minutes left the Kings scored again.  Vancouver managed a goal with 3:30 to go making it 4-2.  Too little too late and the Canucks drop the first two games, at home.  Just like the Pens. 

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Hello, My Name Is Dee and I'm a Hockey Junkie

This is the greatest time of year!  No, not Easter and all that it implies.  No, not tax time and the smell of refunds in the air.  No, not springtime and nature coming back to life after a winter's nap.  Okay, springtime is a big deal for me but that's not what has me actually ingesting nondecaffinated caffeine in order to stay up until 1:30 a.m. and firing up the old laptop for the first time in...well, forever.  
NHL PLAYOFFS, BABY!!

NBC is my dealer and I am an NHL Playoff Junkie.  NBC, NBCSports, CNBC, NHLN - I love you all and would inject you if possible.  This is an addiction for which I refuse any and all attempts of intervention.  I am high on hockey and I don't ever wanna come down.  
**Warning To All NonHockey Friends: If you do not have tv's with the above listed channels please do not invite me to spend an evening with you during the next 6-8 weeks.  Unless it's an off night with no teams playing.  And even then it might be questionable since I will likely use those nights for sleep.  I'm serious.  I know it's hard for some of you to understand and that's okay.  It's a hockey thing, you wouldn't understand.  And yet, we're still friends.  Really.  I'm just a hockey junkie, plain and simple
  • My Annual Prediction - aka - "Don't Bet The Farm Based On My Pick Cuz You'll Lose The Farm"
  Pittsburgh vs Nashville for the Cup

Great link to see which NBC channels are showing each game - use this as your guide for finding the games on your tv and possibly making the decision to upgrade your viewing package for the playoffs.  Just sayin'...this is the PLAYOFFS, BABY! 

Remember to read the blog at the website - ALWAYS assume there are videos and pictures which won't show up in the email format. 

And heeeere we go!
Pens vs Flyers: 1 - 0 Flyers
Much to Sally's delight and happy giggles I'm rooting for the Pens all the way.  There is no other team in the East I hate more than the Flyers so it's a given that I'm cheering her team on, especially in this first round of playoff games.  The fact that I'm somehow turning into a quasi-closet Pens fan since moving to the Eastern conference also makes Sally delirious with joy.  For this I may accept an intervention - much to Vicki's relief. 
GAME 1: Pens took the early lead 3-0 and then promptly fell apart, like the Wild.  No wonder I feel an affinity to the Pens?  Crosby netted the first goal of the playoffs followed by Kennedy and...wait for it...Dupuis!  #previouswildplayerreference.  Brierre netted 2 goals followed by Schenn to tie it up and then Voracek scored the winning goal in OT.  I expected this game to be chippy but the refs set the tone early and the teams got the message.  That's not to say the Flyers weren't their usual goon selves: Claude Giroux was called for boarding. 
  • Game 2 is Friday night (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TSN. RDS).  That's 6:30 p.m. CDST for you Minnesoootans, dontchaknow ;)   

Preds vs Wings:  1 - 0 Preds  
Nashville is my pick for the West.  They were sooo close last year and now they've played all the regular season with that taste in their mouths.  There was no better underdog in the West last year.  As much as Pekka Rinne - still sounds like an imported cheese, right? - owned the Wild this last season you can recognize he's the kind of goalie you need in the playoffs.  You know, the kind of unmoving, unyielding brick wall we all need our own Backstrom to be?   
This is the series of the playoffs for my money.  The Wings sent the Preds home last season in the playoffs so there's some redemption to be had by the Preds.  GAME ON! 
Game 1: Clearly there is bad blood between these teams and the 34 minutes of penalties was proof of that.  Even after the first period in-game interview with Preds coach Trotz saying his team needed to stop giving the Wings power plays his team went on to accrue 16 more minutes of penalties.  Now this was a fun game to watch!  Preds struck first with a goal by Gaustad in the first period.  Zetterberg scored for Detroit in the second followed by two consecutive goals from Bourque in the second and third.  The Wings came back in the third with a goal from Holmstrom but the Preds hung on for the win. 
I'm ashamed of Shea Weber for his head slam of Zetterberg into the glass in the last seconds of the game.  There's no place for that in the playoffs.  You decide for yourself if this deserves the Shanaban:

  • Next Game: Friday, April 13, 7:30 ET on CNBC  (6:30 for my homies)
Kings vs Canucks:  1 - 0 Kings 
Canucks suck, plain and simple.  Hate and loathing and despising to the max for the Canucks.  Luongo is still The Man in Vancouver so that pretty much sinks them sooner or later.  When will the Canucks ever learn?  I don't have any feelings for the Kings, other than they're the ones who should dedicate their very lives to eliminating the Nucks in this first round of the playoffs.  One and Done - the way it should be.  So don't let me down L.A. Kings.
Game 1: The Canucks got on the board first with a goal from Burrows.  At least it wasn't a Sedin.  The Kings answered back late in the first thanks to Mike Richards.  Another game filled with penalty minutes: 8 for Vancouver, 4 for L.A. in the first period alone.  Tied going into the second and Vancouver finds their way to the sin bin again.  Followed by the Kings.  Followed by the Canucks.  Followed by the Canucks.  Very undisciplined hockey by the Canucks who played like their fans behaved after they caved in the Cup Final last season.  Two charging, a boarding and a game misconduct penalty in the second for the Canucks.  Willie Mitchell puts the puck behind Luongo for his third playoff goal in 52 games #previouswildplayerreference.  Kings ice the puck in the last 10 seconds of the second period.  Vancouver actually pulled off a well executed play from winning the faceoff to putting the puck past Quick.  Game tied going into the third period and the Kings get things started by going to the penalty box.  Canucks unable to pounce on the opportunity.  Both teams get down to playing hockey until the 6 minute marker when the Kings go to the box again.  Not for a lack of trying, the Canucks failed to take the lead.  With 3 minutes left the Kings make magic happen and Dustin Penner scores!!  69 seconds left, Canucks call timeout.  They pull Luongo, it doesn't work.  King's captain, Brown, scores on the empty net, Kings win 4-2.  Funniest tweet of the night, courtesy @jtbourne: "Canucks lost, which sucks for them, but the good news is that it tooootally cured Daniel Sedin's concussion. Hurray! See you Friday buddy!"      
  • Next Game: Friday, April 13, 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. 
       
Caps vs Bruins:   Game 1: Thursday, April 12 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN
Politics aside, and seriously Media, let it die will ya?, Tim Thomas and the Bruins should make quick work of the Capitals.  Yes, that's my boyfriend's team I'm predicting an early exit for but I just don't think they've got what it takes this year...again.  I'd rather see them out early than see them get my hopes up only to have them crushed after I've gone all in for them.

Hawks vs Coyotes:  Game 1: Thursday, April 12, 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN 
Hawks, hands down.  Put it in the books.  I know the Hawks struggled a little but seriously, it's the Yotes - regardless of winning their division.  Not gonna happen.  Not when we're talking Toews, Kane, Sharp and the unsinkable Teeth Duncan (Keith).  Then there's Crawford in goal.  He's got what it takes to stop the Yotes. 

Sharks vs Blues:  Game 1: Thursday, April 12, 7:30 p.m. ET on CNBC 
I have to give the edge to the Blues just based on how the team came together so quickly under Hitch.  I wonder if Yeo is wondering how to get a team to do that?  I wonder if the Wild players are wondering how the Blues players pulled together to play as a team for their coach?  I think the Sharks are missing Heatley and Setoguchi, kinda like the Wild are/was/were...  Clearly the dynamic duo were happier in San Jose and it showed in their scoring.  Kinda like how it didn't here in MN.    

Sens vs Rangers:  Game 1: Thursday, April 12, 7:00 p.m. ET on NHLN 
Given my dislike of Gaborik, I'm going with the Sens.  They're an underdog to be sure and I'm a sucker for the underdog.  I mean, I am a long-suffering Wild fan so it's an easy stretch to latch onto the Sens.  Besides, I'm a huge fan of @JoNana so I have to get on board with her excitement for her team. 

Devils vs Panthers: Game 1: Friday, April 13, 7:00 p.m. ET on NHLN
I wonder if Tim and his friends remember me saying that Florida was packing some serious heat with their draft picks and trades last June at the Xcel Arena.  Sure enough, here they are in the playoffs for the first time since 2000.  Go Panthers!  They are the sleeper team of the 2012 NHL Playoffs.  I just don't think it's in the cards for the Devils this year.  Nor do I think the Panthers get past the second round.  It's just exciting to see them get to the show for the first time in a decade. 
Please Hockey Gods and Vicki's Mom, don't make me wait a decade?  Pretty Please?