The Stanley Cup Playoffs

It broke my heart too and that's why I posted it. I wonder if CBC is going to do a story on this as a backstory to the Cup finals. The Sens are dedicating the Cup win to Elgin. If they win the Cup they should at least take it to Elgin's parents. Too bad Elgin won't be here, especially if the Sens win the Cup. They would have put Elgin in the Cup and taken pictures of him in the Cup, I am sure if he was around. This story is making me sad again :'(

 

This is one of my favorite pictures of him.

He was simply adorable, like the kind of kid you can't help but but get all giddy and smile when they are around.

 

This just in......three American newspapers covering the Final.

Bill Houston's column in today's Globe.

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070524.wspttruth24/GSStory/GlobeSportsHockey/home

When the Stanley Cup final starts Monday in Anaheim, most of the leading newspapers in the United States will be busy doing something else.

They certainly won't be sending reporters to Canada to cover the games in Ottawa, where connections are difficult and fares expensive.

"It's Disneyland against Parliament," one U.S. sportswriter said about the Senators-Ducks series. "Not only is it impossible to get directly from one place to another, but it takes a great deal of time and money.

"If I'm a sports editor, I say forget about it. I can spend my money on something better."

 

It starts on a holiday, which will be a big travel day for everyone going home. It will not get talked about by the mainstream media until at least Game 3 when NBC has it on for the masses. Ottawa isn't a draw on TV and Anaheim, although it likely gets lumped into the Los Angeles market, might help a little bit, but not as much as the NHL would probably like.

At least there's not a Triple Crown race to worry about this week.

 

Forgot it's a holiday down there on Monday.

Part of the problem as Houston points out is travel: Ottawa may be the capital of our rinky dink country but getting there from say, Dallas, would be a pain. And expensive.

When is the NHL going to learn that Canadian hockey fans do NOT want to watch hockey in June? Even if it's the Final and there's a Canadian team iin?

The whole damn thing should be over by Victoria Day....latest.

 

This postseason has, however, been marked by very few Game 7s. Of course, it would be great if Ottawa didn't have 9 days off before the final and Anaheim 6.

 

How's this for another NHL scheduling error -- Game 1 of the Ducks-Sens series starts at 5 p.m. Monday. The Angels, right across the way, open a homestand Monday with the first game at 6 p.m. Gonna be a fun time for those trying to get to the game and out after the game. I wonder if the Honda Center wasn't available on Sunday for hockey, after all, the NHL teams have had so much off time to prepare!

 

CBC (I'm sure Elliotte would agree) would never agree to the first game of the Final on a Sunday.

 

I checked the Honda Center's Web site. They have Champions on Ice figure skating on Saturday night, nothing on Sunday. JR, I understand about the Hockey Night in Canada thing, but I'm just saying ...

 

I just want to make it official: I drove 100 miles (roundtrip) to pay off my playoff debt to Double J at the best damn burger place in Southern Ontario: Superburger:



Ordinary restaurant and attached to it is an old Toronto Transit streetcar. Kids love eating in that part.


Too bad you didn't join us Huggy.

 

I was listening to Prime Time Sports last night and I did not know the story about Sens defenceman Chris Phillips. I guess both his parents are disabled. He, along with his sister and brother looked after his parents. What a success story that Phillips overcame major adversity to play at the level he is at now.

I thought Elgin's story was emotional, but this news about Phillips and what he has gone through is too.

On another note, a Canadian paper says that Anaheim could be Canada's team with many players on the Ducks from Canada. It is like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes. Do you all agree with this and do you think it is reason enough for the Ducks to be Canada's team?

 

The Ducks have more Canadian players--19 out of 23--than any other NHL team.

Despite my earlier looserfanboy jump on the Senators bandwagon (Hello, Double J !) I'm from Switzerland in the Final.

May the best team win--and oh, make sure it goes seven games.