Updates From Toronto

• Elly and I are trash-talking already (part of this might have to do with the fact that I tricked her into going to Philthy McNasty's for drinks tonight) between coffees.

• I might have successfully swayed Sherry, with whom we met up with this evening, to cheer for the Wings - I told her neither Chris Chelios nor Dominik Hasek are playing in Game 1.

• Johan Franzen won't play tomorrow night - he was on TV at the bar I was at, and I won't lie, I got really excited when I thought it was because he'd be back. Fortunately he's practicing, and it won't be long.

• VS contacted me with some information and a video to share (it's their playoff anthem which I still love for the gigantic writhing octopus) and the promise of "some swags". An interesting bit of information from the document they sent:"During the Conference Final round, in which VERSUS aired nine exclusive games, the network witnessed dramatic increases in household ratings (up 71%), total viewership (up 77%) and viewership among Men 18-34 (up 152%), Men 18-49 (up 109%) and Men 25-54 (up 79%), making it the best-rated, most watched Conference Finals since 2002. Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers on May 11 was the most-watched and highest-rated hockey game on cable television in the last five years (1.7 HH rating and 2,345,834 viewers) and VERSUS’ most watched telecast ever." Always good news.

• Tomorrow is the start of everything - until then, GO WINGS!