I live! .... and am now about to be overly earnest and kind of incoherent about hockey.
Guys! The playoffs are finally HERE! *Dances around happily* I watched, well basically everything I could before I finally gave in due to fatigue (yes, I am aware that some of you stay up until like 3:30am just to see the early games, whereas I passed out before 1am, what can I say?)
However! My thoughts! Let me show you them!
Hawks vs Canucks: When I went to bed last night the Nucks were up 2-0 halfway through the second, and James Duthie and the panel were wondering if Tazer was out of line for screaming at Soupy during the game. When I woke up this morning nothing had changed. That is all I wish to say on the matter.
Wings vs Yotes: This is the only one I didn't watch any of, but the hockey media was kind enough to keep me up to speed. When it was announced that the Yotes were winning after the first intermission, Leafs fan sister and I boggled at each other, but when it was announced that the Wings were up 3-1 after the second we breathed a sigh of relief as the world was once again how it should be. Sorry Yotes, I just don't see you getting past round one.
Preds vs Ducks: The first had ended when I went to bed, and the Preds were up 1-0 on rocket from Shea Weber (who I'm thinking started growing his playoff beard a little early this year because he looks like a mountain man already). I really, really want to see the Preds pull this one out. I don't know if they will, this is one of three match-ups that I think could go either way, but I'd love it if Teemu would stop drinking from the fountain of youth while Perry and Baldzlaf stayed quiet for the next three games. The Preds won this one pretty soundly, so they might have a shot.
Incidentally, and yes this is random, but does anyone know if the Kostitsyn brothers are twins or not? I've always thought they were, but when Sergei got nailed last night, one of the announcers (dunno his name, but he sounds like Bob and Doug McKenzie, I kid you not) mentioned something about his 'older' brother starting his playoff run in Boston. Is this right? I know I could just look it up, but it's nagging at me all of a sudden and I feel like, if I'm going to seriously pull for them in this round, I should know more about them than 'Shea Weber is really awesome', 'Pekka Rinne is really tall', and 'I always forget that Mr. Carrie Underwood is on this team until he does something noteworthy'.
Caps vs Rangers: Okay, I was pulling for the Rangers really hard in this one and I'm still pulling for them overall, but I was absolutely fine with how this one ended. Sasha, poor freaking Sasha who's been so looked down upon and run over because of what happened during the playoffs last year, just coming in with a beauty of a goal to put this one away for his team, oh my heart. The way the Caps just mobbed him, and Ovie hugging him so hard he fell to the ice, and his huge, beaming smile. Fuck it, that one's all yours Sash, and I'm happy for you.
Someone I'm not happy for though? Marc Staal. The announcers and what not spent the whole game talking about how badass he was playing, but then he was getting chewed out by all because of that last goal. I was most unimpressed. I dunno where my sudden Marc fondness has come from, but if Jordy's the Staal I think is the most awesome and Eric is the Staal I think is the hottest then Marc is the one I think most needs a hug. Poor guy.
Pens vs Bolts: Another series that I still think could go either way, my boys sure as hell came out swinging. The first period was a bit 'meh' and they relied too much on Flower (who quite literally somersaulted to their aid at one point), but then they tightened things up and owned that game. The power play is still a joke, but at least the Bolts are one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to shorthanded goals, so we can avoid that mess, and the PK is still bomb.
But yeah, Flower was on top of his game, Jordy was an absolute beast, and Brooksie boggled my mind by notching two assists while he shut down Stamkos, that's my Candyman.
However, I feel as if I should mention one other thing. Apparently, if one informs Alexei Kovalev via their tv that he's a useless twit who spends all of his time falling down, generally being slow and only being in place to receive a pass by accident he will then go out and pot the game winning goal ........ by falling down, being slow to get up and only being in place to receive a pass by accident. Idek, but if it works it works.