Cocky Awards; Stanley Cup games 3-4

Man, with so much cockiness flying around, it's hard to pick just one person from each game! Last year's finals saw some words exchanged, but this series is hard to match from the sheer egos sitting on the ice.

Game 3: What a game! Of course, I missed quite a bit due to a birthday party, but alls well that ends well (are you listening, Ottawa?). The winner for this game? Undoubtedly Chris Pronger, not for his blatant elbow to the head, but for the lack of penalty following it.

Game 4: Oh, where to start on this game. Could it be Ryan Getzlaf, for his sneering grin and cheesy game play, Chris Pronger, for being...Chris Pronger? Perhaps Corey Perry and Dustin Penner for throwing their weight around? McDonald for scoring those clutch goals? A one Mr. Heatley for finally being in the right place at the right time?

No. No ego on the ice could compare to the two that were above it. In his scheduled scarring of the American public, Don Cherry came on NBC (in a tasteful suit, imagine that) to sit beside Brett Hull in possibly the loudest, and most ego-ridden broadcast to hit the hockey airwaves since they announced that desert climates were about to receive the gift of men on skates. I think what put the icing on the cake was Cherry calling out Hull with a well-placed jab about his foot in the crease. Please check it out here. Classic.

Onto game 5 tomorrow! While I'd like to see the Sens win (courtesy of Vermette's hair), I won't argue that the Sens suddenly finding themselves in the place of certain other teams that they beat out to get to where they are, oh, like the Penguins, doesn't give me a bit of warm fuzzies. Seriously though, get with it, Ottawa. Where was all that divine inspired play that we saw in the first rounds? Don't fall prey to the evil forces afoot!

Go Vermette's hair!

Wow, what a week

I'll admit it: I didn't watch hardly any hockey this week.

Sure, I work two jobs, had a date, and got to see Spiderman 3 (good, but it could have been better. Did we really need a whole dance number?), but that isn't any excuse - there was playoff hockey to be had!

Obviously the hockey gods thought the same thing and have punished me as only the hockey gods can: Ottawa's going to the finals.

Now, I'm not a huge fan of the Senators for several reasons, but they don't have the eons of deep-rooted angst that some other teams bring, so I am willing to look at their play with a slightly more objective eye. I can admit they're good, they were during the regular season, but as I've said before, their play in the post season has been nothing short of inspired. I didn't expect Buffalo to fall, but they went down like every other team that played the Sens in the playoffs have: 4 to 1. Is this a pattern? Have the gods themselves descended from on high to bless the Senators with the Stanley Cup or are they planning to let them make it to the big game and then let them fall to the Ducks (or Wings)? Only time will tell, but I don't think I can deny it any longer: the Ottawa Senators are poised, and looking good, to win the Cup.

What happened to the Senators to spark this remarkable blossoming into a beautiful playoff flower? Great coaching? A superb captain? Solid lines? Rocking goaltending?

No, it was obviously a deal with the hockey devils (not New Jersey).

Word up, bitches.

Hey, if there can be hockey gods, why not hockey devils (not Jersey)? It's obviously the only explanation for Ottawa's breakout, the fact that they have killed off their opponents 4 to 1 every time, and their handsome forwards (I'd add a picture of Fisher in here, who also seems to be blessed with unnatural good looks (and pretty eyes, if you ask Cherry), but I can't find a good picture of him. Check out his Wiki page for some interesting trivia, though. Nsync stickers?). Good-looking forwards are obviously a sign of demonic powers at work (except in Pittsburgh), although it didn't work out so well for Vancouver (sacrifice more goats next time).

How did this happen? How did the poor, naive Senators fall prey to the evil wiles of the Puck of Doom? Is Bryan Murray really an agent of the Rubber Biscuit of Darkness? There were surely shady dealings in the back alleys of Scotiabank, right between the hot dog vendor and the Labatt's stand. The rest of the hockey world can only watch, hoping and praying that the Senators can pull through and redeem themselves, once more to be in favor with the Puck Almighty.

Layeth the holy smackdown in the finals, ye little Senators

Today will be game five for the Ducks and the Wings, and the world will soon know who is going to help lead the Senators on their quest to show their devotion to the Divine Puck. All we can do is watch and take solace in the fact that the team that kicked the crap out of the Penguins is going all the way, quite possibly to hoist that big hunk of silver in a week or so (this is known as Edmonton Logic).

Godspeed, little Senators.

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In actual hockey news, the Ducks and Wings play today at 3pm and I am happy to say that I will be able to watch it. At this point, I want the Ducks to win just so I can make a little hockey puck devil with a duck head on it.

-NHL.com was nice enough to bless us with a trip down memory lane with the peanut butter story. What inspired the writers there to dig out a bit of Penguins' playoff trivia during this run?

-Buffalo fans can be obnoxious (as can we all), but to take one out? Ouch. The hockey devils made them do it (not New Jersey).

-Just a little snippet in the continuing saga of the Penguins ticket prices. The business people in the organization must be thrilled with tickets up 60%. Fans don't mind paying a little more to help support the team and the players, but I just hope they remember the regular people in their price hikes.


Cocky nominations to come later today!