This And That

The usual weekly thoughts running through my muddled mind and as always, they are in no particular order!

--The Regina Pats need a win Friday in Brandon to force a Game 6 at the Brandt Centre Sunday. One would realistically think this series is over and we have seen the last of the Pats until training camp, but John Paddock's proteges won't quit and it wouldn't surprise me if I am watching some hockey under the orange roof Sunday night.

--Game 4 as we all know had a controversial play to it as Connor Hobbs was given a 5 minute major for "kneeing" Ryan Pilon. That led to the Wheat Kings getting the tying goal which led to their overtime win. After seeing the hit, it was a penalty......but it wasn't a 5 minute major IMHO. The fact Pilon didn't get up was the big factor in the major being handed out. It makes you wonder if Ivan Provorov would have been given a 5 minute major for his blatant hit from behind on Colby Williams and why Reid Duke wasn't given a 5 minute major for his cross check to the face of Adam Brooks in Game 1. Those who say Kelly McCrimmon pulls the strings in the WHL much like Wally Buono does in the CFL have a definite argument in seeing the way the "stripes" have handled this series.

--If Pats p x p man Phil Andrews grows a stache for Movember, one must ask where his playoff beard is. CMON PHIL!!!!  For that matter. where is Daniel Fink's playoff beard and where is Mark Rathwell's?  #letdown

--Bad joke of the week!  Riders quarterback Darian Durant told the assembled media in Bradenton, Florida at the Riders mini-camp that the Jacques Chapdelaine offence was like basketball on grass. If that's the case, who's the 3 point guy because we know it wasn't Chris Milo last year!!!  Bah dum dah!!! OK....BOOOOOOOOO!!! Sorry Chris. To protect the innocent, the name of the guilty party who told me that will not be mentioned. I think there should have been a flag for that one, but there wasn't.

--Durant was on Saskatchewan's #1 sports show Thursday afternoon from Estevan as he spoke at the Bruins annual dinner. You can just tell he is ready for the 2015 season by listening to him and showing people what many of us already think and that is this team could have and would have won the Grey Cup had it not been for that awful Sunday in Winnipeg. If he stays healthy this year, you have to like their chances at being in Winnipeg in November. After all, as he reminded people while on the Sportscage, they were 8-2 when he went down.

--EA Sports has the Anaheim Ducks beating the New York Rangers in seven games to win the Stanley Cup with Corey Perry being the hero scoring a goal late in the third in Game 7. The playoff simulation on NHL 15 also has Regina's Ryan Getzlaf as the Conn Smythe Trophy winner. That's not as ludicrous as it might sound. I could see those two teams getting in, but then again there could be a valid argument for all 16 teams getting the Cup which is great.

--I had just pulled into the driveway at Casa de Scruffy after Game 3 of the Pats-Brandon series when a tweet came to me asking if I had talked to Kevin Lowe at the Pats game. Kevin Lowe was at Game 3? It would have been great to have him on the Sportscage, but you know the Oiler fan would have come out in me and the question WTF Kevin, WTF??? would have come out. I'm sort of glad I didn't find out until after the game he had been there. There is no doubt in my mind he came to have a look at Wheat Kings defenceman Ivan Provorov who some think is the 3rd best player in this draft behind Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel.  Who's kidding who, there are a lot of guys Lowe and other NHL scouts and higher ups could have been watching in this series.

--We will find out this weekend where McDavid ends up. If he ends up with Toronto, the conspiracy theorists will have a heyday and they should. Jeremy Roenick's prediction a few weeks ago would be 100 percent correct.  How will the NHL react if he ends up with Boston or L-A? McDavid in L-A would be something to see and might be rather Gretzky-ish in the hype that would surround it.

--Speaking of the Kings, Riders communications guru Ryan Pollock--a San Jose Sharks fan---is obviously still stinging from the Sharks 7 game loss to L-A in last year's playoffs after being up 3-zip. Pollock tweeted Wednesday night that after last year, he still isn't counting the Kings out of this year's playoffs.

-Wouldn't it be fun to walk the streets of Winnipeg these days with a Teemu Selanne jersey---a Teemu Selanne Anaheim jersey that is. I would think Selanne feels as strange about this series as Steve Yzerman does with the Tampa-Detroit series. Its got to be weird for Stevie Y to go into Joe Louis Arena cheering against the Wings.

--There is no doubt PK Subban should have been suspended for his slash of Mark Stone in Game 1 of the Ottawa-Montreal series. As expected, those who cheer for 'Les Bleu, Blanc et Rouge" think that is ridiculous and that Subban shouldn't have been penalized in the first place while accusing many of crying. Lets remember this when Milan Lucic does something to a Montreal player in the future or perhaps Chris Neil in this series. Subban told reporters Thursday he has been slashed harder than what he hit Stone. Methinks Subban has challenged Senator players with that statement. Here's hoping Adam Byblow doesn't ref the game. What??

--Why was the SJHL final a 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 series instead of the traditional 2-2-1-1-1? Don't tell me its a distance issue. Congratulations to the Melfort Mustangs for winning the title on Thursday night. I always enjoyed the people of Melfort and the love they had for the Mustangs when I visited there while working for the league.

--The Toronto Raptors finished the 2013-2014 season with a record of 48-34 and there was tremendous optimism about the team and where it was going. The team finished the 2014-15 regular season with a record of 49-33 and there is tremendous pessimism about the team and where its going. Isn't Toronto sports fun?

--If the San Diego Chargers trade Phillip Rivers before or at the NFL draft they are crazy!

--I know I am not the only one who after hearing all the news of the Rider mini-camp in Florida wishing training camp was a week or so away.  SIGHHHHH!!!

--Winnipeg Sun reporter Kirk Penton who is likely the best beat reporter in the entire CF of L gave his mock draft this week and he has the Riders taking a member of the Rams with their first pick this year, but that pick is defensive back Tevaughn Campbell and not Addison Richards. Sorry Kirk, I hope you have the right team but if any Ram is going in the first round its the receiver and not the defensive back, but I think Campbell will be getting a call in the late 2nd or early 3rd round.

--Baseball just does it right by having Jackie Robinson day every year with all players wearing "42". What an outstanding tribute to a man who changed sports for the good.

--That's all I got. Have yourselves a great weekend!