This year's Stanley Cup finals should be absolutely exciting since the Avalanche are front runners to win the Cup.  

Wait.  Oh yeah, I remember.  The Avs were demolished by the hated Wings in the second round.  I'm still bitter.  Oh well.  Better luck next year.  Moving on...

Maggie the Monkey picked the Penguins to win the series.  Since a monkey is the prognosticator of all prognosticators, it doesn't matter what the other talking heads say.  The last time Pittsburgh and Detroit  met was October 7, 2006 and the Wings won that game 2-0.  One game, nearly two years ago, does not create a basis of comparison  for  these teams.  Their respective 2008 playoff records provide a couple of clues about the teams, though.  Detroit had a rough ride in the first round against the scrappy Nashville Predators and Hasek laying an egg.  The Pens swept the series in the first round.  Colorado was swept in the second round by the Wings (that was very painful to write) while the Pens knocked out the NY Rangers in five.  The Pens also prevailed in 5 to wrap up the Eastern Conference finals while the Wings  went six in  the west.  The Wings playoff record tells me they  are  more beatable  than the Pens.   The  Hinny and Chelios are out and Gary Roberts is pissed at being benched for game one.

ESPN's cites the number 5 reason to watch the Finals is "The opportunity to relive the joy of rooting against a seemingly indestructible foe dressed in red".   The article also cites 44 other lame reasons to watch the SCF but what do you expect?  It's ESPN. They do point out one truth, though.  The fate of the world is in Sid the Kid's hands.  It's time to take down the Evil Empire because who wants to live in a world where the Wings win the Cup?  Not this Avalanche fan, that's for sure.

On the cephalopod issue, Puck Daddy offers this quote from The Commish:

"Actually, there's a very good reason for it. We haven't fined or given a delay of game penalty for the throwing of the octopus because we understand and respect the tradition. Having said that, when you swing the octopus around - and I don't know the exact term for it -- but octopus 'gunk' gets on the ice and occasionally has gotten on the players -- the goaltenders -- as it goes by. Occasionally, when it freezes on the ice, it creates a potentially hazardous situation for the players. It's not about interfering with a tradition; it's about making sure nobody gets it in their eyes, like a goaltender nearby, or that nobody blows out a knee getting caught on some frozen gunk."  

He also states, "Somehow, blowing out a knee on octopus goo has escaped us on injury reports for the last 17 years."

I hate the Wings and I think this is a disgusting act but I do not support hating hockey tradition, no matter what team the tradition comes from.  Get a *&^^ing clue, Mr.  Your the headmaster of the great game.

Game 1 starts at 6:00 MDT on Versus.

Game 1 Notes:

                                    FAIL

The score should have been 5-0 but thanks to another "reputation" call on Holmstrom waiving off the first Detroit goal, the score was 4-0.  Ouch.