Monsters and Kids

MGMT, masters of the psychedelic music videos with low budgets, have put out another interesting one to view. The music video for "Kids" can be seen below. Click on the link below.

These videos are not safe for children. Even if your child is a sword wielding, venom-spitting nephew of the Devil.

In all seriousness, is this why babies cry?


http://www.whoismgmt.com/kids/

I'm Back and Worse Than Ever

The Sauce went on an ill-advised 16 day sabbatical which started with a parasailing adventure in Paraguay (bumped my head and forgot the log in information to this blog) and ended with a bouncer throwing me out of the Sky Bar in Los Angeles after I told Dave Navarro he sucks at life (bumped my head again and remembered my log in information). Somewhere in the middle of all of this, I announced the birth of my brand new rock band. But more on that later...

Hollywood. It's where dreams come true. A magical place where bartenders and waiters can lie and convince everyone they're also an actor. But it also serves as the official stop for successful comedians whether they're hosting an awards show or a daily late night talk show.

Only a few years ago, Saturday Night Live's Andy Samberg was a nobody, making funny videos with his buddies on the internet. On Sunday night, Samberg hosts the MTV Movie Awards. Yes it's an awards show that shamelessly helps plug all the summer movies, but it also serves as a tremendous platform to spoof the very same movies it has to honor. And who better to help make fun of these films than Samberg.

MTV's "For Your Consideration" promos have been mildly hilarious, but this one is my personal favorite. Maybe all it takes is Will Arnett, but if we see more comedy like the first 30 seconds of Slaughter Shack, we're in for a decent show.

More importantly, Conan O'Brien takes his seat at the Tonight Show desk for the first time Monday night. A seat once occupied by the likes of Jack Paar, Johnny Carson and that dude with the big chin and corny jokes... what's his name again?? Oh, right. Jay Leno.

For every generation, there's a legendary late night talk show host who represents the people. Carson and Letterman are perfect examples. And now, Conan is in prime position to be the next legend. Even though he's a legend in many people's minds, he has yet to attract the attention of the average American.

Conan's not for everyone, in fact, he's not for most people because most people don't have the capabilities to appreciate his sense of humor. Always remember, 15 million Americans watch shows like NCIS and CSI: Miami. Keeping this in mind, one can never be surprised when a brilliant but quirky program doesn't pull in millions of viewers.

It'll be interesting to see what gags Conan keeps alive at the pre-midnight time period, and what new tricks he has up his sleeve. For Samberg, we know his tricks, so will he bring the digital short mentality and mash it up with the Movie Award spoof format? He has one night to show off... for Conan, he has years. Good luck to both.

Sorry for the long layoff. Keep betting on black. Say your prayers before bedtime.

Seventh Heaven

Wow, so three of the four conference semifinal matchups will require 7 games before a winner is decided. Tonight, the NHL's dream playoff matchup will come to an end. The Penguins-Capitals series has lived up to the hype and then some. Right now, Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin are both tied for the league lead in goals with 10.

Will goal #11 decide the series? Wouldn't that be something.

Out in Anaheim, the Ducks held on to force a 7th game against the mighty Detroit Red Wings. They'll go for the upset on Thursday night... my money's on Detroit.

Finally, the most intriguing of the three, the Bruins have climbed back from a 3-1 deficit to force a game 7 on Home Ice Thursday. The Sauce's pick to represent the East in the Stanley Cup Finals (the Canes) will have their hands full as the B's clearly have momentum and a rockin' Garden to support them. Of course, that can all be erased if the Canes score the first goal.

With both games only 30 minutes apart on Thursday, will hockey fans be able to see both? Probably not, which is a real shame. The NHL should've moved one of the two series to Friday night.

Finally a band with a cool name

Although a google search for the band, Hockey, doesn't produce the number of results you might expect for a group trying to make a name for themselves, it should only be a matter of time until more people are searching for info on this hip new group from Portland, Oregon. 

Hockey has drawn comparisons to LCD Soundsystem and The Strokes according to their wikipedia page.  That's a fair assessment, but take a listen and judge for yourself. 

iTunes has their single "Too Fake"... their myspace page has a handful of their tracks and is worth 5-15 minutes of your time if you're interested in discovering new music before it's mainstream.

The band is slated to perform at the 2009 Bonnaroo Festival and the 09 edition of Lollapalooza in Chicago this August. By that time, their debut album will have been out in the UK for a few months and the PR machine should be all greased up (album drops in the US on August 24th).

So why am I writing about them? Subconciously, I'm excited that they've chosen the name hockey for their band name. But seriously, they offer a soulful sound that reminds me of other alternative bands I listen to. Better yet, they don't have an album out yet which makes following them all the more exciting.

In this era of the digital download, discovering music has changed for the better. Fifteen years ago, I wouldn't catch wind of this group until months after their studio album and a few weeks after the radio airplay was in full swing.

I caught one of their songs, "Work, work, work", in the latest Sony Playstation 3 title MLB 09: The Show. Arguably, the best next gen sports title to date (right up there with EA Sports' NHL 09). The soundtracks of video games has proven to be one of the greatest ways to expose consumers to new artists. EA Sports has an amazing track record (The Madden NFL franchise in particular) of introducing new bands to the mainstream and kudos to Sony for following suit.

Keep your eyes on these guys, and if they end up changing their name to differentiate themselves in Google searches from the greatest sport on the planet... I'll be sure to let you know.

Oh My Ovechkin

The NBA has the battle between Lebron James and Kobe Bryant. The NHL has the battle between Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. The difference? Well, right now the difference is the latter are actually battling out in a grueling seven game series in the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs, while NBA brass anxiously await the fate of their NBA Finals matchup.

In a game where NHL's poster boy, Crosby, scored his first ever post-season hat trick, it was Ovechkin who got the last laugh with a hat trick of his own.

With the scored tied 2-2 late in the third period, Mike Green found Ovechkin alone on the left point and feathered a perfect pass for what has become the signature move for the Great 8. A wicked one-timer that beat Marc-Andre Fleury to the short side to give the Capitals a 3-2 lead. Just two and a half minutes later, Ovechkin raced down the right side on a one-on-one with Penguins defender Sergei Gonchar. Ovechkin cut to the middle, dragging the puck behind his stride and unleashed an out of this world wrist shot that beat Fleury and set the Verizon Center into a frenzy. Can you hear me now? Good.

Crosby scored an impressive goal of his own, batting the puck out of mid-air past the Caps' impressive rookie goaltender Simeon Varlamov, but it was too little too late.

The NHL got this dream matchup and the star players are living up to the hype. Celtics-Bulls? Thanks, but I'll take this series instead. If Evgeni Malkin gets his game going, the Penguins will be right back in this series, but it's hard to imagine the Penguins having an answer for Ovechkin right now.

He can beat teams in so many ways. Both of his late goals defied hockey logic. The one-timer came less than three seconds after an offensive zone draw. A coverage mistake by Matt Cooke that he'd certainly like back.

The final goal came on a one-on-one play which typically requires an amazing move past or around the defenseman. Any shot scored in this type of situation is considered a bad goal to give up. But can Fleury or Gonchar be faulted? Not really. And therein lies the beauty of the Great 8's game. The argument can be made for Crosby or Malkin, but Ovechkin will do whatever he can to erase any doubts of him being the best player in the NHL.

It's hard to believe he won't succeed. 

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 2 Picks

Moving on to the second round...

The Sauce went an impressive 7-1 with its first round predictions including a perfect pick on the Capitals in 7. Now it gets more difficult. Only 8 teams remain and all of them are super talented, tough as nails and each team can say they are more experienced than they were two weeks ago.

Here we go...

Eastern Conference

#1 Boston Bruins vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes

Unlike the San Jose Sharks, the Bruins come into this round after an impressive regular season and a dismantling of their bitter rivals, the Canadiens. It's hard to say whether the layoff and rest will help them versus a Hurricanes team that miraculously stole game 7 from the Devils just a few nights ago.

These two teams are similar. The Canes are playing their best hockey all year which is a good sign, most importantly, their goalie Cam Ward is tending the nets like he did during the Canes' 2006 Cup run. The Canes have an advantage up front with their grit and experience. Guys like Rod Brind'Amour, Matt Cullen, Erik Cole, and superstar Eric Staal have been through this grind before. The Bruins don't know what to expect from Phil Kessel, David Krejci, Milan Lucic and Chuck Kobasew.

On defense, the Bruins have the advantage with big man Zdeno Chara leading the way. Though the Hurricanes' improved defense is a major reason why this team was able to turn it on down the stretch. Former Flyers Dennis Seidenberg and Joni Pitkanen have looked like veterans manning the blue line over the past few months.

In goal it's a draw with Vezina Trophy candidate Tim Thomas battling the red hot Ward. The winner of the special teams play might tip the scales in either direction. The Bruins have the advantage here and the Canes struggled against the Devils on the man advantage. Boston will need to get the power play clicking early to take advantage of their home ice in games one and two.

The Canes will need clutch goal scoring like they got in round one. Maybe not from Jussi Jokinen this time, but perhaps Sergei Samsonov or Tuomo Ruutu.

I like the Bruins as much as any team out there right now, but the Hurricanes were my pick to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals. For whatever reason, in almost every season in the last 5 have we seen a Cup finalist that missed the playoffs the prior season. It's a mystery, but a common trend so the Canes are my pick.

Key Player: Chad Larose, Hurricanes. This scrappy, agitating winger played huge against the Devils. He created room for Eric Staal by doing the little things in both zones. If he can continue this play, Staal will have more breathing room against Chara. If his play fizzles, the Staal line might go down with it creating high goal scoring expectations for the Brind'Amour line.

Prediction: Hurricanes in 6

#2 Washington Capitals vs. #4 Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, and Evgeni Malkin. Without question the three best forwards in the NHL today. You'll hear sound-bites from all of these players redirecting the focus on the teams and not the superstar rivalries that exist, but don't believe them for one second. There is plenty of ego involved here. Both Crosby and Ovechkin have been battling for years to achieve the status of the NHL's top player, but it's been Malkin who brings the most complete game of the three and could be the NHL's MVP this season. Malkin led all players with 9 points in the opening round against the Flyers. The Flyers D had no answers for him in crucial situations throughout the series. It's very hard to imagine the Capitals will have an answer for him.

In round one, the Jordan Staal line was arguably the reason the Penguins prevailed over the Flyers. They consistently pinned Jeff Carter's line in their own zone for an entire shift. Depending on the line matchups here, we could see a very productive series from Staal, Tyler Kennedy, and Matt Cooke.

The x-factor in this series comes down to two players: Capitals goalie Simeon Varlamov, and Caps forward Alex Ovechkin. If Varlamov remains stoic in net and can frustrate the Penguins shooters, then we could see a very long series and a Capitals victory. Same goes for Ovechkin. If he can take games over, this will turn the tide.

But individual efforts do not win series' by themselves, and the Caps' Mike Green has been a disappointment so far leaving their second wave of attack very much in question. You also have to wonder why it took the Capitals seven games to defeat the New York Rangers. Yes, Henrik Lundqvist was possessed to start the series, but the Capitals outplayed them in almost every contest.

The Penguins have been on quite a roll since head coach Dan Bylsma took over and it will take a more complete team to finally stop their momentum.

Key Player: Alexander Semin, Capitals. If the Penguins find a way to contain Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin, they will look to Semin, who has average 32 goals per season since 2006-07.

Prediction: Penguins in 6

Western Conference

#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks

Why is it that the Ducks posed a real threat to the Sharks, but you don't get that same sense here. Ah, the Red Wings are a savvy bunch that have already won numerous Stanley Cups. But let's not forget, it was only two years ago when Scott Niedermayer hoisted the Cup over his head. So I believe we have the makings of a possible upset here. The easy to imagine it is the Ducks' toughness prevails over the Wings' finesse and rookie goaltender Jonas Hiller outplays Chris Osgood. Osgood had a very strong series versus the Blue Jackets but he will always be disrespected because of his sudden drop in play during periods of the regular season (and basically every year since 2000).

I like the Ducks defense here as they can certainly frustrate an offense like the Red Wings. It will be crucial for the Wings to have a strong down low presence with Johan Franzen and Tomas Holmstrom. They need to post up on Hiller's front door step and rattle the young netminder. These players do it better than any in the league. Add in the fact that the Wings D has a very high I.Q., which translates into smart play. Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Niklas Kronwall, and Brad Stuart can all bring a very accurate, low slap-shot from the blue line.

The Ducks' top forwards need to find room down low, and can ill afford to play this series on the perimeter. Guys like Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Teemu Selanne, and Bobby Ryan can dangle with the best of them, but it won't matter if they're not playing in the dirty areas.

I'm sensing an early lead for the Ducks, but a resurgence by the Wings gets it done in the end.

Key Player: Chris Pronger, Ducks. Pronger's play dropped off a bit this season, but the big man brings his best stuff in May. His physical play and active stick could drive the Wings forwards nuts. He'll need to throw Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Valtteri Filppula, and Jiri Hudler off their games early.

Prediction: Red Wings in 7

#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #4 Chicago Blackhawks

Ok, this series already started. I'm a cheater. Well, not really (see prediction). The Canucks pulled out an insane game 1 victory on Thursday night after blowing a 3-0 lead on home ice.

This is a series with two very evenly matched hockey clubs. The Canucks have a little more grit and experience, while the Blackhawks have the youth and flash to their games.

We already saw Patrick Kane come up big for the Hawks in game 1 even though they fell short... but that's a good sign. Nikolai Khabibulin will have to better if he's to keep up with Roberto Luongo at the other end. Lungo could be the difference maker if this is to be a low scoring series. Somehow I doubt that will happen with the firepower on both sides. The Blackhawks have an opportunity to shine here and to show the hockey world what Blackhawks hockey is about now and will be about for the future. With Joel Quennville behind the bench, he will push the right buttons to make sure this team stays on track.

The Canucks have shown a lack of focus during the regular season and in past playoffs. This should be a long series because of it. Who do the Canucks turn to up front if they're in trouble? The Sedins? Maybe, but when the going will get tough, I will go with the Blackhawks. This script is only halfway done... we still have a dramatic third act approaching where the Hawks fans are in for a heartbreaker.

Key Player: Kris Versteeg. This player continues to amaze me during an impressive rookie campaign. He was arguably the Hawks best player in round one and seems to do all the things required of a two-way hockey player. If he chips in with a clutch goal or two, wins faceoffs on a regular basis, and throws his weight around. He will be the catalyst for this team in a round two victory.

Prediction: Blackhawks in 7

First Round Meltdowns

Last night's double whammy of game 7 action featured the culmination of a slow, methodical breakdown (Rangers) and a sudden turnaround (Devils) sending both teams packing for the summer.

The Rangers played a strong opening 40 minutes, scoring the game's first goal and limiting the Capitals to just 11 shots. In the third period, the Rangers appeared to lose steam and Sergei Fedorov (yeah, he's still alive) delivered the knockout punch in the form of a short-side Kovalev-like snipe over "King" Henrik Lundqvist's shoulder.

So yes, the Rangers blew a 3-1 series lead for the first time in their franchise history. It will leave a mark for awhile. The only saving grace for tormented Rangers fans is there aren't many who believed the Rangers were good enough to get by opponents like the Bruins or Penguins. They were only good enough to get deep in the postseason, riding the coattails of their stud goalie.

Now begins an offseason with questions and very few answers. Big contracts remain on the books, but John Tortorella's coaching should rejuvenate this franchise for next season.

**************************************************************************

For the Devils, this was obviously a series they should have won as they held the lead in the series several times. Last night's 52-second meltdown has left Devils fans stunned. It's not a familiar feeling to fans of this very successful franchise. The look on Marty Brodeur's face after Eric Staal's game winning goal certainly confirmed that.

By the way, who knew that shootout specialist Jussi Jokinen would play such a big role in this series. After scoring the infamous game-winning goal with 0.2 seconds left earlier in the series, Jokinen tied the game with 80 seconds left, one-timing a beautiful pass by Joni Pitkanen.

The next 48 hours are critical for Devils fans. They will be wondering how this happened for a long time, but the reality of the situation will settle in once the numb feeling wears off.

Believe me, I know the numb feeling. I was at game 6 in Philadelphia when the Penguins erased a 3 goal deficit in front of a hostile Flyers crowd and ended the series after scoring their 5th straight goal.

**************************************************************************

It wouldn't be a meltdown without the San Jose Sharks though. After all the media coverage heading into the playoffs about this season being "the one" for this talented Sharks team, where do they go from here? Bruins management is looking pretty smart right now. It was four years ago they decided to trade Thornton when they collectively agreed that he was not the right type of leader for their hockey team. Big Joe has all the talent and physical ability you could ask for in a team captain, but for whatever reason, his teams fail to move past the first two rounds of the playoffs. It's a mystery. I cannot figure out the Sharks - a team with all the tools to make a Cup run over the past 4-5 seasons. They remind me of the Flyers, with better regular seasons and no goalie controversies.

We'll preview the second round tomorrow.

Inner City Pressure

Tonight, two New York city area teams battle for survival in game 7 of their opening round series. In what the sauce would like to call, Inner City Pressure.

New York Rangers @ Washington Capitals 7:00 PM EST
Carolina Hurricanes @ New Jersey 7:30 PM EST

Both the Rangers and Devils failed to seal the deal on an opening round victory in game 6 and will look to rebound in do-or-die fashion.

Here's the big difference for both teams, plain and simple.

The Devils' franchise goaltender Marty Brodeur hasn't been brilliant, but has been consistent and will need a better effort in front of him if the Devils want to advance.

The Rangers' franchise goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has been brilliant in the beginning of the series, but was recently pulled in the last two consecutive contests.

Which Henrik shows up tonight? The King or the Jester?

In all seriousness, this will go one of two ways (duh)...

- Lundqvist is too good to fall apart for three games in a row. He knows what's on the line and he has the opportunity to play his most legendary game as the Rangers' goalie. The Rangers will pull out a low-scoring victory... perhaps an OT thriller.

- Lundqvist has been exposed, the Rangers have been outplayed throughout the series, and the Capitals will finish them off Mortal Kombat style on home ice in emphatic fashion.

I truly believe in the former, but my money will be on the latter. I think Alexander Ovechkin will carry this Caps team beyond the opening round (as the the Sauce predicted... Capitals in 7).

Confessions of a New York City Devils Fan

Sitting in a local Manhattan bar. It's 7:38 pm and not one television has game 6 of the Hurricanes-Devils series on... so I ask for it on one of the mid-sized LCD televisions splattered across this fine establishment.

“Let me see if I can change this baseball game” a cute bartendress says.

“Jeez, I can't get a playoff hockey game on... a local team mind you... over the White Sox-Orioles game??” this dummy (being me) says.

She puts it on.

Ten minutes go by and now she changes it to basketball. I ask for hockey to be switched back on ANY TV in the bar! This exchange goes on through the first 2 periods... until I realize I have beer at home and should just watch it there uninterrupted.

Ahh, such is life as a Devils fan in NYC. For anyone who is clueless about this Devils-'Canes matchup, it is the most exciting series in the playoffs right now. There have already been 2 overtime games - not to mention a game in which a 3-0 lead by Carolina was erased by the Devils who then lost in regulation with 0.2 seconds left on a controversial goal.

Last night, game 5 was phenomenal even for a 1-0 game. 40+ shots on each side? And only one goal??? Most would think, BORING. Not even close. It’s a shame this series is getting no media attention because the small size of each team's respective market. Oh well, understandable.

Now let me revisit the situation I wanted to write about yesterday morning until stupid life got in the way. The 0.2 seconds goal. Yeah, that one... Marty was interfered with when Jussi Jokinen bumped into him outside of the crease. Marty saw Jokinen, and in my opinion tried to draw a penalty in OT and stepped into him. After he was knocked backwards, he was still able to regain his position, and a nasty tip-in ended the game.

While I’m a devils fan, that is what I saw objectively. It was a heartbreaking goal and I thought... the Devils are in trouble now. They came back and played a great game and now have a nice 3-2 lead in the series. Lots of work to do still.

***************************************************************

Five Alive: Last night, the Flyers go into Pittsburgh facing elimination and pull out a 3-0 win to get the series back to Philly for game 6 on Saturday. What a great effort. Claude Giroux - are you kidding me? This kid is legit (Sunday's epic assist). The things he’s done in the playoffs are pretty amazing. I’d be very excited for the future with this kid if I'm part of the Flyers' Faithful. Big game at home for the Orange Crush on Saturday.

Spread Your Wings and Sweep: What do I have to say? The Red Wings are unreal. Right now, they're the only really scary team in the playoffs. Hats off to the Columbus Blue Jackets who didn’t give up last night and kept battling back. Down 1-0. Then 1-1. Down 3-1. They make it3-3. Down 5-3. They end up tying it late at 5-5. Then they lose in heartbreaking fashion in the final minute. Congrats to Columbus on their first short playoff stint and hopefully despite not winning a single playoff game, the fans in Ohio got a real treat.

Oh, and how could I forget? Lastly, way to get that 8th win with 146 games left in the season Orioles! Thank God you were on 8 of 24 screens at the bar tonight.

Flyers Avoid Elimination, Red Wings Sweep

The Flyers will live to fight another day - and since the game is in Philadelphia Saturday there will be no shortage of aggression from the orange and black - as they shutout the Penguins on the road 3-0.

The Flyers played their most disciplined game of the series and frustrated the Penguins throughout the contest holding them to 13 shots in the game's final 40 minutes.

Besides a few tense moments when goaltender Marty Biron lost sight of the puck behind the net, he was in great position all night to make every save. Rebounds were a rare occurrence and it allowed the Flyers defense to remain calm when the Pens brought the heat.

Penguins fans must've been surprised as their captain Sidney Crosby disappeared for most of the game. Evgeni Malkin was still dominant with his physical play and puck handling but was unable to score with his stick in this one. Malkin put one past Biron in the 2nd period, but replays showed a distinct kicking motion on the play and the goal was correctly disallowed.

For the Flyers, the bounces went their way - and not to sound like a whining fan but it just hasn't happened for this team so far in the postseason. The Pens had several sloppy offsides on odd man rushes and failed to execute down low when the Flyers' defense was out of position. One area of concern is the play of center Jeff Carter. The NHL's 2nd leading goal scorer in the regular season has been non-effective in this series showing little interest in competing at a higher level.

It's great to see the Flyers extend this series, but they won't pull out this comeback unless Carter brings his goal scoring touch back.

Game 6, Saturday @ 3 PM on NBC. I'll be there with orange on.

***************************************************

Meanwhile, in Columbus, the Red Wings spoiled the Blue Jackets' first playoff series with a 4-0 sweep. In an amazing back and forth hockey game, Johan Franzen sealed the deal giving the Wings a 6-5 lead with under a minute to go. 

So, will the Chris Osgood questions continue or cease to exist? We'll find out once the second round matchup is determined.

Sunday Bloody Sunday

In a physical game Sunday afternoon the Philadelphia Flyers cut the Penguins' series lead in half after a spirited effort led by rookie forward Claude Giroux.

After the Rod Scuderi tied the game early in the second period, it seemed like the Penguins had all the momentum and were on their way to embarrassing Philly in their home barn.

Enter, Claude Giroux. After a juicy rebound by Marc-Andre Fleury, Daniel Briere fed Giroux and he deposited the puck into the open net to give the Flyers the lead. But it was the apparent game-winning goal that impressed all hockey fans watching game 3. Giroux forechecked deep into the Penguins zone while shorthanded. He stole the puck and then put on a clinic, shielding the puck from Kris Letang and then sliding a perfect pass through the crease by Sergei Gonchar and the goaltender Fleury before Simon Gagne banged in the winner midway through the second period.

The Flyers went on to win 5-3 and will look to tie the series at two Tuesday night on VERSUS.

* The Devils won it in OT on a Travis Zajac goal giving them a 2-1 series lead.

* The Canucks took a 3 games to none lead on St. Louis. Roberto Luongo remains the playoffs MVP to this point.

Matt Gilroy to the Rangers

The New York Rangers announced the signing of Hobey Baker winner Matt Gilroy from Boston University this afternoon.

Details of the signing are on nypost.com.

Thoughts from an entertaining night #2

What to Watch Tonight:

Game 2: Philadelphia @ Pittsburgh, 7 PM. PIT Leads 1-0 (VERSUS)

This game will determine whether or not the Flyers can adjust to the Penguins speed. In game one, the Flyers looked flat and took needless penalties.

Game 2: Carolina @ New Jersey, 7:30 PM. NJ Leads 1-0 

The Canes need to find new ways to generate offense. Especially playing in an environment not quite as hostile as other buildings this time of year. I expect a much different game from them tonight, although Brodeur will probably be up for any challenge thrown his way.

Game 2: St. Louis @ Vancouver, 10 PM. VAN Leads 1-0 (VERSUS) 

The more experienced Canucks can really put the screws to the apparent Cinderella team from St. Louis. Roberto Luongo will be key in net, as his play can catapult the 'Nucks to a 2-0 series lead.

* Rangers-Capitals have the night off. 

Reaction from last night's games...

Blue Jackets @ Red Wings

After the Red Wings got on the board first, the Blue Jackets responded well with a goal from R.J. Umberger on a nifty pass from behind the net by Jakub Voracek. With a 1-1 score, the Jackets were surprisingly holding their own... until their defense decided to interfere with their own goaltender.

First a defenseman tried to glove the puck in the slot, even though goaltender Steve Mason would've easily stopped it, instead deflecting it into their own net.  Minutes later, Jan Hejda used his knee to block a shot in the slot but it resulted in another deflected goal past Mason. Suddenly the score was 3-1 Wings and the Jackets never recovered.

Canadiens @ Bruins
Alex Kovalev's laser found the top shelf to tie the score at 2-2 and we had quite a game down the stretch. Eventually, that impressive slapper from Zdeno Chara on the power play resulted in the game-winning goal.

Interestingly enough, Maxim Lapierre hit Phil Kessel after the empty net goal with 13 seconds left. Was he sending a message? Is this worthy of a suspension?

Certainly the NHL has set a bad precedent after handing down a 1 game suspension to Flyers forward Daniel Carcillo for perceived "message sending" antics at the end of game one between the Flyers and Penguins.

It's doubtful they follow up that precedent with any other suspensions even though Lapierre's actions were inexcusable since there was no doubt the game was over.

Flames @ Blackhawks
I found this the most entertaining game of the night by far. Jonathan Toews was everywhere in the 2nd period as he helped get the Blackhawks back into the game.

Though it was Marty Havlat stealing the show in the game's final 20 minutes...and 12 seconds.
Havlat followed his own rebound to tie the score at 2 with just a few minutes left in the game.  And just :12 seconds into overtime, Havlat wins it in front of the home crowd giving the Hawks a 1-0 series lead. 

The Flames definitely helped wake the beast as Flames forward Mike Cammalleri delivered a dangerous butt-end/glove combo to Havlat's head during a faceoff. The puck was nowhere near the two players and Cammalleri received a 2 minute minor. Given his reputation, it's hard to believe the NHL will discipline Cammalleri despite the random attack that looked like a scene from Youngblood (he must've been channeling his inner-Racki). 

Ducks @ Sharks

Missed most of this contest, though as expected, the Ducks found a way to grab game one.

Thoughts on Night #1... pre-game Night #2

What to Watch Tonight:

Montreal @ Boston, 7 PM. CBC (NHL Center Ice)

Will the Bruins set the tone early? Or will their undisciplined play allow the road team a chance to find momentum?

Columbus @ Detroit, 7 PM. VERSUS

Detroit has fared extremely well in series openers over the years. How will the Blue Jackets respond to their first playoff game? Should be an interesting first period to watch.

Calgary @ Chicago, 8:30 PM. VERSUS 

I'm most intrigued by the 8:30 start time and how Versus plans to show it when the Red Wings-Blue Jackets game starts 90 minutes earlier?

Anaheim @ San Jose, 10:30 PM. VERSUS

A late night battle royale in California. I get the feeling the Ducks can pull out game one setting up some interesting conversation tomorrow.

Winners and Losers From Last Night:

Winners...

* Henrik Lundqvist helped the Rangers steal one on the road. No one is surprised

 when the Rangers get outshot and still win. That's why they have a legitimate chance in this series.

* Daniel Sedin scored the opening goal, set up the eventual game-winner, took 6 shots on goal and finished +1 to lead the Canucks to a game one victory.

* The Devils defense held the high flying Hurricanes to 19 shots making goaltender Marty Brodeur's evening much easier than it should have been.

Losers...

* The Flyers. That was a pretty uninspired performance to open up the playoffs. Forget a goaltending concern... the Flyers take too many penalties and now everyone's wondering if it's caught up to their best players, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, who are counted on in every situation.

* The Capitals' worst nightmare came true as Jose Theodore allowed the Rangers to break the Capitals' momentum on the road. Will we see Simeon Varlamov in nets for game 2... or 3 if the Caps are down 2-0?

It's Time For New Heroes

Well maybe not that kind of Heroes featuring Hayden Penettiere (great hockey name by the way), but the kind of heroes that bring cities together and have a huge impact on a team's Stanley Cup chances by doing the little things right.

We all know the superstars. We know the prime-time players that have risen up and led their teams to glory while taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs.

Henrik Zetterberg in 2008. Scott Niedermayer in 2007. Steve Yzerman in 1998. Joe Sakic in 1996.

But what about those unsung heroes. The role players or 2nd line goal scorers that emerge as the heart and soul of a franchise for a grueling two months of do or die hockey. It doesn't always result in a Stanley Cup. But it results in very fond memories that fans can carry with them forever.

The 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs start Wednesday night. It seems like the most wide open field the NHL has ever seen. Each conference has four, maybe five, legitimate threats to win it all. At the top of each conference, we have some of the finest teams we've seen in some years. But at the bottom of each bracket we see some of the scariest #7 or #8 seeds in quite some time. Teams that didn't meet expectations in the regular season and snuck in. We even have teams in each conference that were written off months ago... Carolina and St. Louis.

So without further adieu... I present to you the unscientific results of my playoff predictions. For the NEW season. Let's go.

Eastern Conference

#1 Boston Bruins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens

There has been a lot of talk about this storied rivalry and the upper hand the Canadiens teams of the past have had over the Boston Bruins. It makes you wonder about the psyche of this well balanced Bruins team and whether they'll allow doubt to creep into their minds if the Canadiens steal a game in Boston early. Perhaps that would be the case if Andrei Markov was healthy and the Habs didn't have such a strange season, but it seems unlikely this Bruins team doesn't have the confidence necessary to pull this out. The B's have all the ingredients necessary for a Stanley Cup run, while the Canadiens will need amazing play from their goaltender, Carey Price, to disrupt the flow of this series. Don't count on it.

Key Player: Zdeno Chara, Bruins. Besides shutting down some of the savvy Canadiens forwards that Montreal boasts in Alex Kovalev, Alex Tanguay and Saku Koivu, Chara will need to have an impact on the Bruins power play with that booming shot of his.

Prediction: Bruins in 5

#2 Washington Capitals vs. #7 New York Rangers

One of the NHL's top offenses, the Capitals, runs into one of the NHL's stingiest defenses. Which one will be overwhelmed first? Probably neither. Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is a difference maker and an asset the Capitals don't have. His play gives the Rangers upset potential, but will it be enough to win 4 games? The Rangers are an improved team since head coach John Tortorella has taken over but their play has been too inconsistent to believe in. Especially against a team with the most explosive goal scorer in the league in Alexander Ovechkin. I expect the Capitals crowd to have an impact in the series' first two games putting the Rangers behind early.

Key Player: Ryan Callahan, Rangers. He's been one of the strongest Rangers forwards of late and can play a pivotal role in frustrating the likes of Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom.

Prediction: Capitals in 7

#3 New Jersey Devils vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes

Probably the least anticipated series of the bunch, the red hot Hurricanes skate into the playoffs with an offense AND a defense that can score (Anton Babchuk, 16 goals!). Most importantly, the play of goaltender Cam Ward reminds some of their Stanley Cup winning run in 2006. While the Devils continue to be a model of success with their defense-by-committee style and consistent goaltending from the great Martin Brodeur, they don't seem to have a squad formidable enough to score goals when it's going to matter most.

Key Player: Zach Parise, Devils. Parise reminded many of Sidney Crosby with his play this year. The Devils' leading goal scorer was the heart and soul of the team this year. But can his clutch goal scoring make up for a lack of scoring depth against a deeper 'Canes team?

Prediction: Hurricanes in 6

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Philadelphia Flyers

The battle of Pennsylvania occurs twice in two playoff seasons. Last year the Penguins got the better of the Flyers, defeating them in 5 games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Logic tells you the Flyers will have an answer for the Penguins this time around with a healthy Kimmo Timonen, Braydon Coburn, and Simon Gagne. Both teams feature amazing scoring depth and slightly above average goaltending, but the Penguins might be playing better hockey than they were last year - and last year they pushed the Red Wings to 6 games in the Stanley Cup. It might be asking too much of Marty Biron to help shut down a Penguins offense featuring Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, especially when his team gives up far too many scoring chances every night.

Key Player: Mike Richards, Flyers. Richards' play has dipped lately. If he's unable to find his best game, the rest of the Flyers will follow suit. If he can help shut down Crosby or Malkin, Philly can pull this out but it just doesn't seem like they're able to string together 60-minute efforts at this crucial juncture of the season.

Prediction: Penguins in 7

Western Conference

#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks

This was not the matchup the Sharks were hoping for. After steamrolling the competition, they draw a rival team with the chops to make a surprising run after a mostly mediocre regular season. Similar to the Bruins-Canadiens series, history shows the top seeded Sharks are susceptible to losing confidence early in the playoffs. Most of the pieces from the Ducks 2007 Cup winning team are still in place, but this is the Sharks time. They have their best D corps in years and Joe Thornton knows that it's now or ever with this talented club.

Key Player: Evgeni Nabokov, Sharks. The goaltender can be a difference maker in every series, but this is where the Sharks have a serious edge. Nabokov has been strong for them all season long while the Ducks are flip-flopping between former Conn Smythe MVP JS Giguere and youngster Jonas Hiller.

Prediction: Sharks in 6

#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets

It'll be exciting to see how the Columbus crowd reacts to their first NHL playoff home game

once the team returns from Motown. Hopefully they're not down 2 games none at that point, which very well could be the case. If the Red Wings didn't have goaltending issues, this looks like a team that could casually take out opponents en route to a repeat. But that's not how it will work. The Blue Jackets have come this far for a reason. Their franchise leader, Rick Nash, will try his best to lead the way and rookie goaltender Steve Mason should keep the Jackets in every game.

Key Player: R.J. Umberger, Blue Jackets. The Flyers might've taken this forward for granted after his clutch performance in the 2008 playoffs. His competitiveness will rub off on other teammates and his propensity for the big goal should be witnessed at least in two games during this series.

Prediction: Red Wings in 6

#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues

The Blues' improbable second half merits respect from other teams and even fans. But their roster is a who's who of young talent and veterans who most people wrote off long ago. Vancouver seems to be firing on all cylinders of late, too. Moving Alex Burrows to the first line and giving Mats Sundin a couple of linemates to gel with has paid dividends. The Canucks just seem like a playoff team. They're solid in all areas and have the star power up front to make the difference in close games.

Key Player: Roberto Lungo, Canucks. At times during the season, the Canucks played without their franchise goalie and struggled mightily. With Luongo back there, the Blues will find it tough to score too early to give them the confidence they need to pull off this upset.

Prediction: Canucks in 6

#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames

The young and the restless. At least that has to be the feeling in the Hawks locker room as they prepare to take the ice in game 1 to a roaring United Center crowd. Young stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews have their first opportunity to shine... or fall flat on their faces. With head coach Joel Quenneville's experience, they should have enough leadership to guide

them through this opening round. The Flames, however, are trying to find their game and stay healthy. Not a good combination in April. Goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff will need to regain his 2004 form or else it could be a quick fizzle for the Flames.

Key Player: Jarome Iginla, Flames. One has to believe that the captain of this team will lead by example on the ice and have the support of his team off the ice giving the Flames a powerful bond that goes back many years... before the Hawks had players like Toews, Kane, Marty Havlat, and Duncan Keith. Seeing is believing though.

Prediction: Blackhawks in 6