Runner-Runner-Rebuy

I'm so friggen' torn about the NHL playoffs this year. After some good runs the past few years, my beloved Sabres failed to make the cut. If it was the NFL, I would probably stop caring. When the Bills fail to make the playoffs (ummmm, every year) I usually could care less about what is going on. That's mostly because I like the Bills more than I actually like football. And I only follow other NFL teams for fantasy sports reasons. And to watch the Patriots blow it. When the Pats went 19-No, you would have thought the Bills just won the Superbowl the way people were celebrating at my Superbowl party.

But hockey is different. I love it. I watch it every night during playoff season wether the Sabres make it or not. The only thing to worry about is to find a team to root for. For me, that team was the Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin is amazing. I get to see him live a few times a year when the caps come to Buffalo, and let me say, right now, he is the next great one, not Sidney Crosby. Sidney is a great all around player, and could become the next great one I guess, but no one I have ever seen play live comes close to the offensive skills of Alex Ovechkin. I only saw Gretzky play live once he was past his prime. Alex is the real deal, and the run the Caps went on to make the playoffs got me rooting for them.

A first round match up against the Flyers sealed the deal for who I was rooting for. The Broad Street Bullies are one of my most hated teams. A historically nasty team, lacking in talent, generous in cheap shots and dirty play, and fans that boo Santa Claus. There is not really anything to like about any Philadelphia team. I fully expected the Caps to walk through the Flyers. The flyers never go anywhere in the playoffs. Well, it was a great series that went 7 games, with 2 OTs and the Flyers end up victorious. Fuck.

In the meantime, the crappy Boston Bruins take it 7 games against what looked like an unstoppable Montreal Canadians team. Well, as the Sabres know, 1st seed sucks. You end up not coming prepared. The Habs ended up taking the series from the Bruins, but I knew they were not going to get much further. I was really rooting for the Bruins, because I love it when Canadian teams don't win the cup (mostly because of the asshole Leafs fans that invade our arena whenever TO plays the Sabres). Of course I was then hoping the Bruins would get bounced the next round because Fuck Boston and all their recent success.

Que Flyers vs. Habs. This was getting interesting, I really liked what I saw out of the Flyers in round one, and as round two went on, I found myself really rooting for Marty Biron and Daniel Briere, two ex sabers who went the way of free agency. And also two guys who are the nicest, most sincere hockey players that give back to the fans in more ways than saves and goals. I want these guys to win, but at the same time I want the flyers to suck it. They crush the Habs, as expected, and are now in the conference finals against the Penguins.

At first I was really exited for Marty and Danny, we had some great chances to win the Cup with them the past few years in Buffalo, just fell a little short, and these guys deserve it. But then visions of them lifting the Cup in Flyers jerseys came to mind and I got sick to my stomach. Umberger doesn't deserve it. Hatcher, Upshall, and Knuble don't deserve it. Flyers ownership doesn't deserve it. And most of all, Philly fans don't deserve it. To see Marty and Danny lift the cup for the despised Flyers would break me. At least no Canadian teams are left.

Here's how I see the rest of the playoffs working out.

Flyers vs. Pens - Pens take it in 6. Malkin and Crosby are just to strong for the Flyers. If the Flyers focus on Fluery's glove side, they can take it to seven games, but will ultimately be defeated. Pens advance to Cup Finals.

Dallas vs. Detroit - Detroit in 5 provided Osgood stays healthy. If Osgood gives up 2 games in the first 4, Hasek comes back in and his rusty old groin will drop the next two. Osgood however, will stay healthy and Detroit will advance to Cup finals against Pittsburgh.

Cup Finals - Pens vs. Detroit - This will be a great series that will go 7 games with stellar goaltending from Osgood going up against great scorers Malkin and Crosby. I pick Pens in 7.

Conference finals kick off Thursday on NBC and Versus, I'll be rooting for the Pens.