Blades of Glory (NHL Round-up Week Three)

If you're looking for Week 8 NFL Picks, you can find them here. I thought yesterday was Thursday and I forget that tomorrow's Friday, not Saturday...oops...

Anyway.

Eastern Conference

Philadelphia Flyers: Dunno what they're doing, but they're doing something right. Six and two in a probably underrated division is nothing to laugh at, which kind of sucks for us Devils fans...

New York Islanders: Will someone please tell these dudes that just because the Red Sox are in the World Series does not mean it is the 1980s all over again?

Pittsburgh Penguins: More or less where they should be, except they got the wrong teams in front of them and the wrong teams behind.

New Jersey Devils: It's a slow start and Brodeur's high GAA is worrying, though a portion of that, no doubt, is the Devils' lack of defense. However, they finally play their first home game on Saturday, and, my guess is, at .500 or better before I go home for Thanksgiving.

New York Rangers: Pardon me while I point and laugh. Dude, you are tied for fewest amount of wins in the league, and, uh, you lost to Atlanta, an 0-6 team. I thought you were supposed to be good?


Ottawa Senators: 8-1 with the highest PK percentage in the eastern conference? Got my vote for the best team right now. It's gratifying to see a Canadian team do well...but of all the Canadian teams, Ottawa might be the one I least want to do well. Oops.

Boston Bruins: Funny seeing these guys up here, I know, but apparently the Sox and Pats and Celtics have teamed up together to rub off on these guys.

Montreal Canadians: What's this? Another Canadian team above .500? Yay! Maybe the Maurice Richard movie is benefiting team morale?

Toronto Maple Leafs: 37 goals scored? Good. 42 goals given up? Bad. Please understand that the basic rule of hockey is to score more goals than your opponent.

Buffalo Sabres: I know having 80 degree weather in late October in upstate New York is whacked out, but c'mon. You guys play indoors.


Carolina Hurricanes: Maybe the most underrated team in the East. Apparently hockey works better in the South than baseball. Who wudda thunk it?

Tampa Bay Lightning: Get yourself another line and then we'll talk.

Washington Capitals: I ran into a bunch of Caps fans down in Maryland. You're starting to depress them by fading...

Florida Panthers: Like the Jets and Miami, you guys will never have to worry as long as the Thrashers are playing in your division.

Atlanta Thrashers: A couple years ago the Devils beat you lot 9-0. Why am I thinking that we'll see such a score with you lot at the wrong end of it before the season's over this time around?


Western Conference

Detroit Red Wings: Again, did you honestly expect them anywhere else? There's a good reason Detroit's a hockey town.

St. Louis Blues: 91% PK usually does a team good. Too early to tell if the team is for real for real or just off to a quick start, but should be interesting to watch.

Chicago Blackhawks: Odd to see them up here, but well done. Anyway, the 3-3 record at home isn't a good sign; generally you want to make sure you win all of your home games.

Columbus Blue Jackets: You keep playing like junior high kids, I'll start treating you like them. C'mon, just ask your Minnesota brethren: winning can be fun!

Nashville Predators: Whoever thought it'd be a good idea to give Atlanta a run for their money was...uh...wrong. Very, very wrong.


Minnesota Wild: It's really gratifying to see a team do so well in a city where the sport means so much, like when the Yankees win in New York or the Cowboys (ycch!) in Dallas or whathaveyou.

Calgary Flames: Back where they belong.

Colorado Avalanche: Ok, I give you this week cos everyone cares about the Rockies right now, but when the Rockies win it all (or not), try to start winning, okies?

Vancouver Cancucks: You lot are better than this.

Edmonton Oilers: You lot are WAY better than this.


San Jose Sharks: 1-2 at home and 4-1 on the road? Who do you think you are? The Devils circa 1999?

Dallas Stars: Will probably overtake San Jose. Who would have thought hockey would be a hit in Texas?

Anaheim Mighty Ducks: Uh, aren't you lot supposed to, like, be defending the cup? What good are Niedermeyers if you don't defend?

Los Angeles Kings: Well if you try hard enough, maybe you'll be good enough to overtake that other SoCal team?

Phoenix Coyotes: Guess deserts and hockey don't mix.



Back after Game 2 with postgame notes. In the meantime, I've got a costume to finish and a few books to read.