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?