Shades of '06

If you are an Oilers fan like me, I don't think I have to tell you about the goaltending exploits of Cam Ward. The Carolina goalie is one of the key reasons the Canes beat the Oil in the finals that year. The unknown at the time was on the top of his game. Ward isn't an unknown anymore but he is once again on the top of his game and as a result the Hurricanes and Bruins head back to Carolina even at one after a 36 save performance in a 3-0 win.
Its a good job the Canes did win this game as the controversy of controversies may have broken out had Boston emerged victorious. With Carolina leading 2-0, Chad Larose scored just as the buzzer sounded to end the 2nd period. They had to go upstairs to see if the puck went in and while every replay seemed to show the puck had crossed the line, the bigwigs in Toronto said no goal much to the surprise of everyone. The league saying it was inconclusive. Seeing the entire puck over the goal line is conclusive enough for me but apparently not for those at central command. By the way if you don't know, Cam Ward is a huge fan of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He even wore a Rider cap when the Hurricanes had their Stanley Cup parade in 06. Even that didn't ease the pain!!!
Earlier in the day, we had our first marathon OT of these playoffs. It ended with Anaheim beating Detroit 3-2 on Todd Marchant's goal. Perhaps Marchant's biggest goal since.......

One of the all-time great Edmonton goals right there ladies and gents.
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How bout this from the World Hockey Championships courtesy Slovak defenceman Tomas Surovy.....


Who's kidding who, if I'm Jaroslav Halak, Surovy is eating blocker!!!!
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While on the topic of the World Hockey Championship, is it just me or is great to see nice clean white ice----ice devoid of ad after ad after ad. With the exception of the giant Skoda ad at center ice, it is just white ice. I know junior teams like the Pats and Warriors fill up their ice surface to make it look gaudy because of the $$$$ involved but seeing the white ice with very little ads is refreshing to see.
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My wife believes Sports Illustrated columnist and TSN's The Reporters Michael Farber, and actor Michael Gross (Steven Keaton on Family Ties) were separated at birth. Ummmmmm OK!!
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My five year old daughter knows some of the words to Papa Roach's "Hollywood Whore". She has been taking one too many car rides with Mommy!!!
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Stop thief!!! Tampa's Carl Crawford stole six bases in a win over Boston. Six!!!
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The NFL just keeps doing things that I think are stupid. First, they won't overturn Pittsburgh's Super Bowl 40 win over Seattle because of the horrid officiating that took the game away from the Seahawks. (Oh yes, that still touches a raw nerve) Secondly, they want the NFL draft to be stretched out over three days and now there is talk they want to put the 2014 Super Bowl in London. How can one of America's biggest sporting events be played overseas. Has Roger Goodell been offering his services as a tackling dummy!!! A Super Bowl not played in the U-S will not go over well with football fans--especially fans from the two teams playing who will have to saddle up money to go overseas instead of going to Tampa, Pasadena, New Orleans or elsewhere.
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As you start your Monday, ask yourself this. If you were choking out a Smurf, what colour would he turn????!!! Have a good one!
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