Please Sir, Can I Have Some More?

I think we can all agree that other than the Sharks-Wings series, Round 2 was pretty much a dud. Three games into the 3rd round it's been the complete opposite. Round 3 is everything that round 2 wasn't - it's been fast, hard hitting, intense hockey and after last night's game we can add - firewagon hockey.

The first 2 games of the East final in Boston have been excellent - Tampa really jumped on Boston in game one as the Bruins came out flatter than flat. The B's more than made up for it last night thanks to the unlikeliest of heroes - Tyler Seguin. In my round 3 preview I stated, "Rookie Tyler Seguin is set to make his playoff debut tonight...I think he's gonna be overwhelmed." He's now played 2 games now & after last nights heroics he sports 3 goals & 3 assists. His 4 point effort last night really puts an exclamation point on how clueless I've been about the Bruins this post season. To think I left Seguin off the list of eligible Bruin player selections.. Tsk tsk tsk. Shame on me!

I love hard hitting defensive hockey just as much as the next guy - but to see 2 teams play like they did last night enroute to racking up 11 goals in the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals is nothing short of A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!! Tampa has elite offensive talent in St.Louis, Lecavalier & Stamkos & it goes without saying that they can score with the very best teams. Last nights score wouldn't have been suprising if it were the Crosby/Malkin led Penguins, Ovechkin led Captials or hell even the Briere/Richards/Carter led Flyers - but Boston? the Bruins??!? Without their top offensive players like Bergeron & Savard?!? You gotta be shittin me.. WOW!

All this said, Tampa still did the job they wanted to do. They won a game in Boston to steal home ice advantage before heading home for games 3 & 4.

It's gonna be hard to duplicate the excitement of last nights game, but I think the West is more than up for the task. In any playoff series, it normally takes both teams a game or 2 to feel each other out before ratcheting up the intensity & developing that playoff hate for the other team. Not so for the Sharks & Canucks. I don't think I can recall seeing players so cranked up for the opening faceoff of a playoff series as Thornton & Kesler were on Sunday. Headbutting & battling for position before the game even started - not to mention getting booted from taking the opening faceoff. Now THATS playoff intensity folks! Tonight's game promises more of the same, especially if Ryan Clowe & company backs up Clowe's words.

A quick note about this weekend - don't plan on any Saturday or Sunday night games. Saturday's game is 1:30 & Sunday's is @ 3. Why the NHL continues to schedule afternoon games on weekends during the playoffs is beyond me. Saturday night hockey is a Canadian institution - Stop messing with it! I can't wait for the day when Napolean (i.e. Bettman) is tossed on his ass - that day can't come soon enough. Sorry about that - rant over.

Enjoy tonight game folks - it's gonna be a doozy!

Thanks!
-PD