The Daily Sauce

Monsters and Kids

2009-06-04T12:49:00.005-04:00

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

2009-05-29T09:50:00.013-04:00

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

2009-05-13T08:49:00.002-04:00

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

2009-05-10T21:58:00.004-04:00

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

2009-05-04T22:12:00.006-04:00

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

2009-05-01T09:50:00.018-04:00

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

2009-04-29T11:02:00.012-04:00

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

2009-04-28T09:19:00.005-04:00

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

2009-04-24T11:58:00.005-04:00

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

2009-04-23T21:57:00.013-04:00

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

2009-04-20T00:01:00.000-04:00

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

2009-04-17T15:33:00.009-04:00

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

2009-04-17T14:22:00.008-04:00

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

2009-04-16T17:20:00.011-04:00

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

2009-04-15T09:35:00.002-04:00

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

Goodbye HK

2009-04-14T00:01:00.001-04:00

This blog wasn't supposed to include anything emotional or sentimental, but I felt like I had to comment on the sudden passing of broadcasting legend Harry Kalas.

Kalas, the Phillies play-by-play man since 1971 collapsed Monday, at the age of 73, in the broadcast booth in D.C. today before the Phillies took on the Nationals, thus stunning the city of Philadelphia - which became home to him and homes became friends of his.

This isn't the first time we all lost a great Philly broadcaster. The late Gene Hart started out his career with the expansion Philadelphia Flyers in 1966 and was the voice of the team for 29 years. His famous Stanley Cup winning call stills ring in Philadelphia sports fans' ears.

"Ladies and gentlemen. The Flyers... are GOING to WIN.... the Stanley Cup!! The Flyers win the Stanley Cup!!! The Flyers win the Stanley Cup!!! The Flyers have WON...the Stanley Cup!!!" You can listen here.

Over the past 38 years, Harry Kalas had his fair share of great calls. This tribute includes many of them, specifically Mike Schmidt's 500th home run versus the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"SWING and a long drive... there it is!!! Number 500!!! The career 500th home run for Michael...Jack....Schmidt!!!"

That call, which inexplicably included Schmidt's middle name and made it all the more special, coupled with Schmidt's memorable celebration down the first base line are engrained in fans' minds and will live on forever.

Kalas had a uniquely deep voice that was unmistakeable when you tuned into a baseball game, an NFL Films production, or a Campbell's Chunky Soup commercial.

Bill Lyon's column in the Philadelphia Inquirer will surely sum things up much better than I could ever dream.... or check out Bob Ford's emotional story, too.

People my age have long listened to stories from the older generation waxing poetic about Howard Cosell or nights spent with the AM radio at their bedside tuned into a nightly sportscast. I've never felt like I had a similar story to tell until now.

I remember spending many mid-summer days down at the Jersey Shore as a kid, and there were days I'd refuse to go to the beach with the rest of the family because the Phillies were on TV. I can still remember every detail about those days... the house to myself, a cold coke or iced tea in hand, breezy salt air infiltrating the screened-in sliding doors, a few packs of opened baseball cards in a mess on the floor, and most importantly... the VOICE... the voice of a great storyteller was loud and clear.

Who Plays Who?

2009-04-13T00:01:00.001-04:00

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Boston Bruins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens

#2 Washington Capitals vs. #7 New York Rangers

#3 New Jersey Devils vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Philadelphia Flyers

Here's what I look forward to or wonder about with these East match-ups:

Two Original Six franchises go to war: B's and Habs. If you type in 'bruins canadiens' into youtube, you'll see the words "fight" and "brawl" appear as the 2nd and 3rd options. Just sayin'.
Alexander Ovechkin comes to the biggest city in the world and on the biggest stage at Madison Square Garden.
Can Marty Brodeur cool off one of the league's hottest teams?
The battle of Pennsylvania featuring 4 of the NHL's best centers in Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks

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

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

#4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames

Here's what I look forward to or wonder about with these West match-ups:

A Sharks-Ducks match-up is what Barry Melrose has been clamoring for since early March. If it's as physical as he expects, this will be the series to watch.
Can the Blue Jackets hang with the defending champs in their first-ever playoff series?
I was more excited about a Canucks-Blues series when players like Pavel Bure, Cliff Ronning, Al MacInnis and Brett Hull were involved, but this one should be interesting as the Blues have come out of nowhere to claim this #6 spot.
Won't it be cool to see Chicago Stadium, er the United Center, rocking again for playoff hockey?

Playoff predictions and much more coming tomorrow and Wednesday.

Best Safety At Work Video Ever

2009-04-10T21:16:00.003-04:00

This might be the craziest video I've ever seen. Unintentional comedy at its best.

Fridays Are Good

2009-04-10T09:32:00.010-04:00

Some random musings on this Friday to get you ready for Saturday and Sunday:

The Eastern Conference playoff spots have been claimed with 3 days left in the regular season. It's good to see two storied franchises make it despite the roller coaster seasons the Rangers and Canadiens have had. Though I'm pretty sure their will be riots in Miami today as fans realize the Panthers will now lose defenseman Jay Bouwmeester for nothing. (checking cnn.com right now....... ) Wait, no riots? Oh, well maybe there's a one-man riot in GM Jacques Martin's office. The Miami Herald didn't even mention it... too soon?
Speaking of the Rangers, last night's crowd at Madison Square Garden was one of the more spirited crowds I've seen at a regular season game. It's just a shame referee Don Van Massenhoven joined the party in the first minute of the game. I'm not one to gripe about calls costing a team a game, but there was absolutely no good reason that the Rangers' first goal counted. Last time I checked, you can't slash a goalie's glove (6 times in total) and push him behind the goal line. Bad officiating like that is definitely unfair this time of year when one-goal victories are a nightly occurrence.
HBO's next installment of their 24/7 series featuring Manny Pacquiao and Ricky 'the hitman' Hatton starts tomorrow. Set your DVRs. Why? Because Floyd Mayweather, Sr. is the trainer that's why. Check out the trailer.
The season finale of NBC's Friday Night Lights is on tonight at 9 PM. This has to be the best TV show I've never seen. Honestly, my DVR is too full... don't think for one second that I'm not setting my DVR for the Groomer Has It finale on Saturday night. Blah.
Have you heard of this rising comic star, Seth Rogen? Ok you probably have, but did you know he's starring in his 9th film (not counting voice work) in 3 years? Observe and Report hits theaters today and hits you over the head with Rogen. Remember Will Ferrell in Semi Pro? That's what's going on with Rogen right now, although this film does have potential. Ah, nevermind...thanks for saving me $12 Metacritic.
Back to the NHL... four teams are battling for the final 2 spots in the Western Conference. Minnesota trails the Ducks, Blues and Predators by 3 points and faces the former squad tonight for a must win game. This is also the Preds' last game of the season and without gaining at least a point in tonight's game, they will be eliminated from the playoffs. Cool, right?
Last night's BU-Vermont NCAA Hockey game on ESPN2 was a pretty epic battle. BU got a late goal from big-time NHL prospect Colin Wilson for the 5-4 win.
Lastly, Sunday is the officially the best nap day of the year with the Masters on CBS. Tune in to the soothing sounds of Jim Nance, set the volume to 22 and take in all that Augusta has to offer...just make sure you wake up in time to catch the back nine.

A First For The Blue Jackets

2009-04-09T12:35:00.005-04:00

For the first time in their franchise's existence, the Columbus Blue Jackets are headed to the playoffs. And it only took eight seasons get there!

This is a team that has picked within the top 8 of every NHL entry draft since 2000. Let's take a look.

2000, Rusty Klesla (D) #4 overall
2001, Pascal LeClaire (G) #8 overall
2002, Rick Nash (LW) #1 overall
2003, Nikolai Zherdev (RW) #4 overall
2004, Alexandre Picard (LW) #8 overall
2005, Gilbert Brule (C) #6 overall
2006, Derick Brassard (C) #6 overall
2007, Jacub Voracek (C) #7 overall
2008, Nikolai Filtaov (RW) #6 overall

So basically, the Jackets only nailed it perfectly once in all those drafts - and that's when they really had no choice but to take the much-hyped Rick Nash (pictured above). In all fairness, half of these picks have become full-time NHLers and it's still too early to rule out players like Picard or Brule.

When the franchise needed a strong start via the draft in 2000, they missed out on the three players chosen (Rick DiPietro, Dany Heatley, and Marian Gaborik) before them. All three players eventually became franchise cornerstones and when looking at picks #5 - 17, the other choices for were nothing to regret. So the Jackets were dealt a bad hand from the start and it took them awhile to figure things out.

Just when it looked like the team was turning a corner with a 12-point improvement upon the previous year in 2005-06, their play regressed.

It would take 2 key changes to get this franchise to respectability.

1. The hiring of head coach Ken Hitchcock. A great teacher of the game and a man who knows how to push the right buttons with veterans and how to motivate and educate the young players.

2. The emergence of goaltender Steve Mason. The 3rd round pick in the 2006 draft could turn out to be a savior for a team that has never had elite goaltending.

The Jackets need to avoid finishing the season in the #7 spot. Something they can take care of with at least one win in their final two games. I believe this is a team that can advance a round - if they face the Canucks, Blackhawks or Flames - making them a team to watch once the Stanley Cup playoffs commence.

I Didn't Know Bemidji Was A State

2009-04-08T10:29:00.003-04:00

Here's a good New York Times story on the unlikely journey to the Frozen Four for Bemidji State Hockey.

Thanks to J. Klevans for being a good cousin. It's pretty unlikely he was looking for a hockey story on this Wednesday morning. I'm betting he was googling the word "beavers". Oh, Klevans.

The Habs or Hab-Nots?

2009-04-06T21:57:00.013-04:00

The Montreal Canadiens received bad news Monday as they learned they'll be without their top two defenseman for the next three weeks. Andrei Markov, the team's leading scorer with 64 points will be out three weeks with an injury to his left knee. Mathieu Schneider, acquired at the trade deadline from Atlanta, will be out for the remainder of the season and will undergo surgery to his shoulder.

The team could receive a boost at some point in the first round of the playoffs with the return of Markov, but first they have to clinch a playoff berth and that might be a challenge. The Canadiens fell to the Senators 3-2 on Monday night, blowing a third period lead in a matter of 38 seconds. Dany Heatley scored both third period goals for Ottawa to erase the deficit and then move ahead. Goaltender Jan Halak could not be faulted with the loss, but the team's defense sure didn't get the job done in what could've been considered a must-win game for the recently surging Canadiens.

The Canadiens were coming off a three-game winning streak and starting to turn it around after what many have considered to be a disastrous season that has included underachieving play from key players (Alex Kovalev/Carey Price), off-ice scandals (the Kostitsyn brothers + Roman Hamrlik), the firing of their head coach (Guy Carboneau), and off-ice shenanigans that weren't appreciated by the fans, media and management.

Now, with 3 games to play (all against playoff-bound or playoff hopeful teams) they need to avoid a collapse and figure out the best way to replace their two offensively gifted defensemen.

Alex Kovalev will move to the point on the power play, but between the 6 defensemen, there will be no easy substitution available. Markov averaged 24:37 minutes of ice time per game, while Schneider averaged over 21 minutes. Head coach Bob Gainey now must allocate some of that time to players like Ryan O'Byrne (yikes, remember this goal?) and Doug Janik (double yikes).

Beyond using those two inexperienced defensemen, the domino effect will take quite a toll on some other key defensemen as ice time will spike for Mike Komisarek, Josh Georges, Roman Hamrlik and Patrice Brisebois. The increased ice time won't negatively impact the Canadiens in the short term, but after a long season you can bet it will have a tremendous affect throughout a grueling playoff series where coaching staffs step up their pre-game scouting.

The Habs were already struggling with the man advantage this season after having the NHL's top power play during the previous two seasons. The loss of free agent defensemen Mark Streit in the offseason played a big role in the decline this year. The Canadiens tried to rectify the situation by acquiring Schneider from Atlanta, but now that move has been completely null and void. Schneider scored more than half of his points on the power play this season (17 of 31). Even worse, Markov scored an overwhelming 39 of his team-leading 64 points a man up.

Most playoff-bound teams could alter their style with a more defensive approach and hope their goaltending bails them out in tight games. Unfortunately, the Habs goaltending doesn't seem capable of that yet. I fully expect the Habs to claim a playoff spot, even though the schedule this week will truly test them, but at this point I can't see them advancing past the first round potentially making a long summer even longer in this hockey hotbed.

Check out the Daily Hab-It for more Canadiens insight and a morning playoff check up.

Western Conference: Five Teams Fight For Last 2 Spots

2009-04-06T15:54:00.015-04:00

Although the Eastern Conference playoff picture comes with more questions, half of the teams in the West have been in or around the same slot for weeks. The top 5 teams in the West have clinched playoff spots. Columbus should be next as they sit in 6th with 90 points with 3 games to play.

Let's check in on the Western Conference:

Like Boston, San Jose is assured the #1 seed. Who they play is anyone's guess at this point. The Sharks will deal with questions about being able to come out of the West (as has been the question for so many consecutive years now)... Detroit still gets more respect for obvious reasons, but the Sharks look like the real deal this year. Hard to find weaknesses on that team.
Speaking of the defending champs, the Red Wings will roll into the post-season as the #2 seed. The favorites, to repeat, will deal with the same yearly questions about their suspect goaltending. Can Chris Osgood get it done for them or will we see Ty Conklin?
The Flames were in danger of losing control of the 3rd seed (getting shut out in 3 of the 5 games), but the Canucks have stumbled down the stretch. The Flames visit Vancouver Tuesday night in a game that should feature plenty of aggression. If the Flames can win that contest, their final 2 games of the season would be against an Edmonton team that might be eliminated by then. I expect Calgary to seize the 3rd seed and home ice.
The Blue Jackets are a win away from clinching the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. They will be a story over the course of the next week. They've finally put it all together thanks to the emergence of rookie Steve Mason in goal.
With only 2 games left, the Anaheim Ducks better not make any mistakes. There are 4 teams behind them and all are fighting for their playoff lives with 3 games to go.
St. Louis' unlikely second-half resurgence could result in a playoff berth, but they're neck and neck with Nashville and the Wild and Oilers are hanging on the ledge. With 2 of their last 3 games against non-playoff teams (Avalanche and Coyotes), the Blues find themselves in a pretty favorable position. I'll be rooting for head coach Andy Murray's club.
The Oilers and Wild basically have to win out if they want that final spot and I'd imagine the Ducks, Predators and/or Blues would have to stumble. I think we'll have a 2-team race for that 8th spot before we hit the weekend.

In random news, Universal Pictures' Fast and Furious (same title as the first one? Really?!?) was no.1 at the box office pulling in over $72.5 million. SNL paid tribute to the film this weekend with their own ad and an alternate title. Pretty funny stuff.

Check it out here.

Eastern Conference: Teams Jockey For Position With One Week Left

2009-04-06T10:50:00.002-04:00

It's the final week of the NHL Regular Season and only 9 of 30 teams have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Checking in on the Eastern Conference:

Boston has locked up the #1 seed and will probably face the Rangers or the Panthers - both teams are now tied with 89 points with 3 games remaining. Personally, I'd love to see a Rangers-Bruins 1st round series.
Washington and New Jersey will be fighting for the #2 seed which ultimately won't matter. Both teams may rest their stars in the final game of the season. If the Devils sit Brodeur, they will turn to Scott Clemmensen who rejoined the team this weekend.
And here's where it gets interesting: Philadelphia (95 points), Carolina (95 points), Pittsburgh (93 points) and Montreal (92 points) will jockey for seeds 4 through 7 barring any major collapse this week.
In a busy night in the NHL tomorrow, Montreal visits the Rangers, while the Panthers skate into Philly. I expect both of these tilts to be intense playoff-like battles. The playoff picture may get a bit clearer with a Philly win. The Flyers can clinch a playoff spot and will add some separation for that coveted #4 seed (home ice in round one)... and fuzzier with a Canadiens or Panthers victory.
Pittsburgh and Carolina both take on teams that are fighting for the #1 Draft position (Tampa and the Islanders)... so count on wins there.

A look at the Western Conference race will be featured later...

Check out this sick shootout move.

Thanks to Brian Casablanca for sending this in.

Looking Into Our Crystal Ball: Fearless Predictions For The 2009 MLB Season

2009-04-03T14:48:00.001-04:00

Spring is here, and that can only mean one thing...winter is over. It also means the much anticipated start of the 2009 MLB season. I'm sure you've read your fair share of predictions and analysis, especially if you're in a fantasy baseball league. You know how it goes, the usual division winners, World Series matchups, yada yada yada. But I'm more concerned about the predictions you probably haven't thought of and most likely don't care about.

Most likely to be caught juicing
Due to the fact that getting caught juicing has had such a crippling effect on players lives, players may be starting to think twice before using. However, I doubt we'll go through a season without a few casualties. I'm thinking a middle reliever who can bring the heat.

Grant Balfour - Tampa Bay Rays (right)

Most caught stealings
Turns out guys who get a lot of stolen bases also get caught a lot too. Who knew. I think the Angels run and gun style will slow down slightly this year.

Chone Figgins - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Most likely All Star Game snub
Lots of good catchers in the NL this year. One of them has to be the odd man out. Although I think the Dodgers will have a good year, this guy won't make the cut.

Russell Martin - Los Angeles Dodgers

Second highest AL home run total
Anyone can pick a Home Run champ. We here at The Sauce like a challenge. This guy will almost have the most home runs in the AL.

Justin Morneau - Minnesota Twins

Team most likely to miss the playoffs by less than 1 game
Even with a revamped and downright deadly bullpen, these guys will still find a way to screw it up in Amazin' fashion.

New York Mets

Most GIDP
Lots of groundballs + dwindling speed + Minka Kelly - old Yankee Stadium = lots of GIDP.

Derek Jeter - New York Yankees

Least AVGNP
For those of you who don't read good, AVGNP stands for Almost Very Good Night Participation. It also may stand for Average Number of Pitches per start. I'm gonna go with a guy that throws more pitches warming up than in the game itself.

Chien-Ming Wang - New York Yankees

Wild Finish?

2009-04-03T11:45:00.008-04:00

It hasn't been the best tournament I've ever seen, but I have to say there is one bright spot. The Villanova Wildcats. Not only have they made me money (I'll be taking them moneyline and also the 7 points against UNC), but they've been the only real excitement of the tourney, for me anyways.

From their first game, down 15 to rally back and win by 13, to Scottie Reynolds space ghost, coast to coast, game winner to break Pitt's heart. I'll say it. I'm smitten. I like these guys. And quite frankly I really believe they're gonna beat UNC. I know the consensus is they don't have a shot but that's alright. Seven point dogs, all the "experts" pick UNC, Hansbrough/Lawson=too much. Whatever. 'Nova showed some serious character being down like they were to come back and win in the 1st round. They showed they were for real dismantling UCLA by 20. Then they made Coach K's Duke squad look just plain silly. And wow, what a game versus Pitt.

Nova's a scrappy, hardworking bunch and they do all the little things well. My kind of team... and Philly's kind of team. They'll need to shoot better than 33 percent from 3-point land and they CAN DO THIS. Plus, Ty Lawson has already won, so I'm hoping he just won't show up.

Here's a history lesson:

1985: Villanova, NCAA champs. They held off No. 2 UNC as the 8 seed to advance to the Final Four,and went on to beat Georgetown in the finals.

2005: Sweet Sixteen, Villanova as a No. 5 seed, down 64-54 with 3:45 left, rallied back to cut the lead to 66-63. With :11 left, Allan Ray drives the lane and is called for a travel despite there being no discernible illegal steps. Click the link and forward to 1:15 to see what some say was one of the worst calls in NCAA Basketball history. The No.1 seed UNC wins 67-66 and goes on to win the whole mama jama. Ugh.

Hey, Rollie believes and so do I!

Obama Meet He-Man. He-Man Meet Obama.

2009-04-02T14:48:00.004-04:00

If you're looking for a metaphor that fits the battle President Barack Obama faces with this ailing economy... look no further. Apparently in the action figure world it's akin to fighting Darth Vader. But if that's too intense for you, perhaps the mellow side of Obama is more fitting. Because who wouldn't snuggle up on the White House lawn with a picnic blanket and a basket of oranges?

Check out the new line of Obama action figurines. Thanks to Bolivia Bandrews for this one.

And is it me or in the last shot if you scroll down... Barack does his best Tom Cruise pose.

Fight Night Looks Tight!

2009-04-02T12:48:00.000-04:00

Rejoice XBOX360 and Playstation 3 owners... one of the best multi-player video games of all time is set to return in June.

EA Sports' Fight Night Round 4 improves upon the previous version, which was one of the highest-selling next-gen sports games in 2006, with revamped A.I., graphics, and wait for it... wait for it... the return of Iron Mike Tyson.

Head to the mall and pre-order your copy soon... or Mike will punch you OUT. No, seriously he will.

What's Wrong With New Jersey?

2009-04-02T08:07:00.000-04:00

Aside from the obvious cliche punch-lines...

Marty Brodeur came back from a severe arm injury after missing 4 months and it looked like he never left. In an almost super-human effort, he rattled off nine 9 wins in 10 games en route to the all-time wins record among goaltenders in NHL history. A week ago the Devils looked like the force that dominated the late '90s and early 2000's with their stifling defense and disciplined system.

So what happened? Since New Jersey's 4-0 win over the Minnesota Wild at home on March 20th, they have lost six games in a row. Granted they lost to playoff bound teams like Boston, Philadelphia, Carolina and Chicago, the Devils suddenly look lost. In those losses they have failed to score 2 goals in 4 of those losses.

If you take a closer look at the Devils last 6 losses it's obvious they are losing the special teams battle... BADLY.

Devils on the power play: 1 for 21

Opponents on the power play: 9 for 27

So the power play isn't executing and the penalty killing units aren't doing their jobs. What's even more astonishing is that New Jersey has had 3 power plays or less in 4 of these contests. If you watch the games closely you might question the officials but power plays are typically created by outworking the other team and putting them out of position. The Devils clearly aren't doing that.

Obviously Devils coach Brent Sutter's closed-door team meeting on Tuesday didn't help as the Devils were thumped by the Penguins last night, 6-1.

So the team didn't respond to the coach and Brodeur wasn't able to bail them out. Luckily for New Jersey, the Flyers failed to show up in Toronto, so they remain 6 points ahead of their division rivals. If the special teams play can Though with teams like Carolina and Pittsburgh playing very strong hockey down the stretch, it might be time to panic if you're a Devils fan, especially since this was the case one year ago for Team Lamoriello.

While the Devils are fizzlin' in the East, check out who's sizzlin' Out West:

St. Louis Blues (won 6 in a row)
Vancouver Canucks (won 3 in a row)

And for the weather patterns that don't make any sense...

Hot Out East:

Carolina Hurricanes (won 6 in a row)
Boston Bruins (won 4 in a row)
Pittsburgh Penguins (won 3 in a row)

Cold Out West:

Chicago Blackhawks (lost 3 in a row)
Detroit Red Wings (lost 2 in a row)
Calgary Flames (lost 3 of last 4 games)

Two Peas in a Pond

2009-04-01T16:25:00.000-04:00

Just in time to give the Anaheim Ducks some much needed inspiration for their playoff run, Billy Joel and Elton John (aka Belton Joelon) rocked the Honda Center on Monday night. Yours truly was in attendance and believe me when I say, it was quite a show. It was also quite a different experience than any concert or Cirque du Soleil show I've ever been to... and I've been to a lot.

It's pretty weird hearing these kinds of songs live. Most of them remind me of riding in the back seat of my mom's car on the way to the doctor's office. The kind of songs you grew up with but never really got into. That being said, these guys are musical geniuses. I've never actually SEEN Billy Joel playing the Prelude to Angry Young Man. Quite a sight.

Speaking of angry young men, the Ducks are on fire. Winning seven of their last eight, including a nail-biting victory last night in Edmonton. They are refusing to let the sun go down on their season (by the way, I reside in Orange County and it's sunny here every day...jealous?) As good of a job Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle has done of late, he didn't start the fire... it was always burning since the world's been turning. If they don't make the playoffs I'm sure there will be plenty of disappointed faces in the Ducks dressing room. I guess that's why they call it the blues.

Jonze'ing For This Flick

2009-04-01T09:34:00.000-04:00

Giving Spike Jonze the creative freedom to bring a children's book masterpiece to the big screen sounds like a great decision to me. Jonze, the director behind Adaptation and Being John Malkovich, will have a new film in theaters October 16th with the release of Where the Wild Things Are. Based on the famous children's book of the same title, Jonze will definitely bring a unique visual look and strong music background(Remember this video?) to this highly anticipated film.

From the looks of the trailer, which features music from The Arcade Fire, we might have a winner here. Not sold? Perhaps you prefer Jack Johnson and the Curious George movie. Or perhaps you prefer CGI over big creepy muppets. Check out the trailer to see for yourself.

Today's Saucy Celebrity Sighting

2009-03-31T13:01:00.003-04:00

Amir Blumenfeld from MTV's The College Humor Show walking through Astor Place on my cross-town route to work. No joke, this was as exciting as any other celebrity sighting (if you can even call it that) I've had in my 5 years in Manhattan. Watch the videos at jakeandamir.com to understand why. Also, if you haven't seen the prank war between Amir and his buddy Streeter, do yourself a favor and check it out here.

MSG Strikes Again!

2009-03-31T08:34:00.012-04:00

So there was a hockey game at the Garden last night....yawn. The Devils looked uninspired, the Rangers almost looked like they cared and those damn Garden taps still get you every time. Seriously, has anyone ever drank more than 2 tap beers from MSG and not woken up feeling like Steven Adler used your head as his snare drum all night. Just me?

Sure this game had a playoff feel to it, there were some loud MARTYYY chants, Ranger fans screamed "SHOOOOT IT" 472 times, blah blah blah. Bottom line, The Devils stunk and everyone is probably questioning Avery's manhood now. Now I know I'm biased being an ex-Devil and all, but to be honest I dont even mind Avery. Actually, I think he's an effective player. But "C'mon man", you can't get rag-dolled like that and do nothing about it? You get thrown to the ice twice like the Sham WOW! guy throws around hookers in his hotel room* and you do nothing about it? I don't get it.

* For the record, this Sham WOW! guy should be locked up for a long time. Him and Chris Brown should be cellmates.

Side note, I was able to sit one row behind hockey legend Tie Domi. Yes, a legend. He's also the only NHL player where if you scrambled his name it would speak to how he played the game (Me Idiot). No link provided here as you can surely go to youtube, type in Tie Domi, and spend 400 hours watching his fights and antiques (ah, sorry inside joke). Here's a picture of me and the Tie-man... he actually punched the photographer as he snapped the photo...hence the blur.

Bye Bye Birdie

2009-03-30T17:05:00.000-04:00

A true Philadelphia Eagle at heart, ex-Eagle Brian Dawkins, spoke to NBC about his feelings on leaving the city he called home for over a decade. Courtesy of C. Dellapenna... which in italian means The Classy Philadelphian. Fact.

Luckily for me, I don't work for the Eagles so I'm allowed to say that letting him go was "retarded". Him meaning Dawkins, not Dellapenna. Still with me?

What? No Radiohead?

2009-03-30T14:59:00.000-04:00

ALL POINTS WEST LINEUP ANNOUNCED!

Last year, this was every New Yorkers chance to see Radiohead LIVE and in full effect. Where are those blokes this time around? Sunday looks like the best day to attend... though how does Gogol Bordello headline? Has anyone else heard of them and isn't Gogol from that movie The Namesake with the dude from Harold & Kumar?? MGMT fans... prepare to get your Coldplay on for better or for worse.

And the headliners are...

Friday, July 31st

Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Beastie Boys
Vampire Weekend

Saturday, August 1st

Tool
My Bloody Valentine
Gogol Bordello

Sunday, August 2nd

Coldplay
Echo & The Bunnymen
MGMT

Check out the full lineup here.

Muppets Take Manhattan

2009-03-30T10:32:00.000-04:00

Three games on the NHL slate tonight. Not all games are meaningful (see Stars @ Coyotes 10 PM ET), but two out of three ain't bad. Out West, the Sharks roll into Calgary as the two division leaders will duke it out for a little pre-playoff messaging.

Here in the big city, the Muppets, er Devils, skate into the Garden to take on the new look Rangers (Versus, 7 PM ET). A few months ago, these two teams played a couple of spirited affairs and neither Marty Brodeur or Sean Avery was present. Now we have a party! Ah, remember the NHL before the Avery Rule? How did the NHL survive the past 100+ years without incorporating this rule?

The 9th-place Florida Panthers trail the Broadway Blueshirts by only two points so you know Rangers coach John Tortorella will be in a feisty mood and will expect the troops to follow his lead. If the Devils get the calls, will we see a Torts meltdown?

If you stole Kenny Powers' iPod

2009-03-29T16:07:00.000-04:00

From Gregorian's Sound of Silence to Lil Wyte's F**ked Up, the music offered up in HBO's East Bound & Down had some serious range and serious swagger.

Check out this site which lists all the songs that made season one. You can listen to each song in its entirety, or you can listen to half of the song if you're the quitting type.

Let's get out there and crush some... orange!

2009-03-29T15:09:00.000-04:00

If this is your first serving of the The Daily Sauce - soon to be coined TDS - prepare to have your mind blown and a puck land perfectly on your blade every day.

We are two weeks away from the start of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs and you can feel the excitement all across the nation. Sure only the die'est of the diehards are small talkin' people about the tight playoff races in the NHL during these final dozen games, but perhaps people are growing tired of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Ok, that's probably not true (Go Nova!).

The 2009 MLB season commences in a week, which is good news for sports fans, New Yorkers, Bostonians, and men 55-89. I'm as amped for baseball as anyone else, but when you think about all 162 games that are upon us... the buzz will simmer down.

That's why we need the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And the Stanley Cup Playoffs need YOU.

Playoff beards. Red hot goalies. Nasty rivalries are formed and bitter rivalries are renewed. Sudden-death overtime - there's nothing like it. And of course... the oldest and most legendary trophy is presented to the team crazy enough to sacrifice mind, body and soul for 4 grueling rounds. Long live the Stanley Cup.

The plan for this blog is still very fuzzy. The plan to start this blog was consummated less than 45 minutes ago. I do know this... I will be blogging like a maniac to provide some insight, commentary, opinions and redundancies during the next few months to filter all the good stories that occur during the playoffs and share them in one place.

So instead of the fragmentation of AOL IM, email, Facebook and Twitter. I will try my best to put out the vibes right here.

So stay tuned, stay cool and let's get after this.