One Last Game

Through two periods, it looked like the Stanley Cup final would go to a 7th and deciding game as Pittsburgh was beating Detroit in every facet of the game, but once Kris Draper scored to make it 2-1 in the 3rd, the Wings kept swarming and swarming and swarming the Pittsburgh net. You thought it was only a matter of time before they tied and maybe even won it. Then Pavel Datsyuk sends Daniel Cleary into the clear on a breakaway, but Marc-Andre Fleury stops him with over a minute to play and its Game 7.
BTW--where was the slashing call on Brooks Orpik on that play and why was Henrik Zetterberg flagged for goalie interference after his glorious first period chance when he was knocked into Fleury by Jordan Staal with one referee sitting right there. That's why I don't like the two ref system.
Game 6 might have been the best game of the series as both Fleury and Chris Osgood made several big saves. Game 7 is Friday night. Friday night!!! That's just wrong. The season shouldn't end on a Friday night. It needs to end on a Saturday night. My oldest daughter has a softball game, so I'll be PVR'ing what I miss once I head out to the diamonds. She actually had an awards ceremony for her high school softball team last nite so I PVR'ed Game 6. The game goes by pretty quick when you pass through the commercials and the intermissions. Yeah, I watched Grapes, but I just buzzed it right through any PJ Stock analysis. If HNIC does something at the end of the game Friday in which they show Stock shaving his playoff beard, then the program will have lost all credibility with me as far as I'm concerned. I'm still not really sure what role Stock is supposed to have on that show, but he does absolutely nothing for me. McLean, Cherry, Hrudey and Friedman are their usual solid selves, but he brings the product down. Then again, they could have......

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Dany Heatley wants out of Ottawa. He is requesting a trade. Can you imagine if the Sens sent a package of players including Heatley to the Islanders for the number one pick which would be John Tavares. Brian Burke would flip!!! That would be fun to see would it not??? It will be interesting to see if the Oilers make an offer for Heatley. Yes, he comes with a hefty contract, but new owner Daryl Katz has said he is willing to spend some money. Would such a deal perhaps have to include Jordan Eberle though?? Maybe Ales Hemsky and Robbie Schremp and a draft pick would do the trick. It will be interesting to see where Heatley goes and what the Sens get for him. There are many teams he would help and there are many teams he could make even stronger than they are now. Seriously though, seeing him go to the Islanders in a deal that would see Tavares go to Ottawa would be great just to see Burke's reaction. C'mon hockey gods---make that happen!!!
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Dave Hunchak will stay in Moose Jaw and that is the right move for the Warriors. Some wondered what Hunchak's future would be after Chad Lang was set adrift earlier this month with Jeff Truitt coming on board. Hunchak is a good coach and he will get this young Moose Jaw team back on its feet.
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Question for you. What would you rather have as a football fan when it comes to winning a championship. An all-star quarterback with a mediocre defence or a mediocre quarterback with one of the top defences in the league. It is a good question, but I think I would go with the latter.
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I believe I forgot to mention it in an earlier post, but the Riders put both Wayne Smith and Dave McKoy on the nine game injured list today. That means three guys are on the nine game list and they haven't even played a game yet. Please, please, please tell me there will be no repeat of the injury situation that plagued this team last year.
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Defensive co-ordinator Gary Etcheverry and coach Ken Miller want a Canadian to occupy one of the corners this year. The odds-on favourite right now is Donovan Alexander, but could the coaching staff change its mind if Chris McKenzie keeps playing the way he has been. Impressive at rookie camp, McKenzie is carrying it through into main camp. The team will start an import at safety and James Patrick likely has the inside track right now, but perhaps McKenzie moves to safety if the plan to have a Canadian is still in effect. If not, could McKenzie throw cold water on that plan because of his play.
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So answer me this. Many are once again saying the Riders won't do squat in 2009 because they have an unproven quarterback, they lost their defensive co-ordinator and two all-star linebackers. However, these same people don't want to talk about the fact that the B.C. Lions have lost Stefan Logan, Jason Clermont, Rob Murphy, Kelly Bates and Cam Wake and their quarterback isn't exactly established and is a little injury-prone. Is it because Wally is the dean of CFL coaches?? I don't know about you, but I would much rather be in the Riders position than the Lions position going into 09.
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I love this story. Lakers coach Phil Jackson just hours before his team took to the court in Game 3 of the NBA final against Orlando said the league screwed up at the end of regulation in Game 2 and should have called one of HIS players for goaltending which would given Orlando the game. How often do you hear a coach do that??? You hear them say the incorrect call was made a lot of times, but not when that incorrect call benefitted them. Talk about embarassing the NBA. Commissioner David Stern must be real impressed with Jackson for this move. By the way, Orlando won Game 3 108-104 meaning the Magic still trail 2-1 in the series.
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More pitching problems for the Jays. Jesse Litsch will miss the rest of the season and probably part of next as he needs Tommy John surgery. It means Litsch, Dustin McGowan and Shaun Marcum are all out for this year. I can't help but wonder the way Halladay has pitched where this team would be if these guys were all healthy.
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American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert has admitted he's gay. In another news item this morning, scientists have discovered the sky is blue and that water is indeed wet!! He tells Rolling Stone that he doesn't think anyone should be surprised. DO YA THINK???!!! Once again, just to re-iterate, Kelly Clarkson is the one and only American Idol. She won the first one thus she gets the honour----the rest of them and that includes Ms. Underwood are just wannabes as far as I'm concerned. I can't believe I just dedicated six lines of this blog to American Idol. Who am I---Tony Kornheiser??!!
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As always, thanks for checking in. Since Rider camp has started, I've had a lot of people watching camp tell me they like what they are reading. Thanks a bunch. I do appreciate the kind words.