"The Stack" is back today with a shortened version, but we have plenty of things to talk about including the NHL playoffs (NFL schedule breakdown tomorrow, sorry about that) so let's get right to it and see what made "the stack" for today, Wednesday, April 18:

1. Florida rallies back to down Devils, take 2-1 series lead

New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur was 37-0 when holding a three goal lead in the playoffs.  Make it 37-1 now.  The Devils held a 3-0 lead less than seven minutes into the first period and it looked it would be an onslaught.  But the Panthers grinded back, tying the game at 3-3 in the second period and forcing the Devils to pull Brodeur.  In came Johan Hedberg who gave up the game-winning goal to Brian Campbell in the second period and the Panthers hung on in the third to get the 4-3 win.  It should also be noted that the Panthers pulled their starting goalie Jose Theodore after he gave up three goals on six shots and backup Scott Clemmensen played brilliantly, stopping all nineteen shots he faced.  The Panthers were also a perfect three for three on the power play.  If I'm a Devils fan, I'm nervous.  The Devils are the far more talented team, and they are not showing it.  Expect them to come out hungry and desperate in game four.

2. Predators win again at Detroit, take 3-1 series lead

This is not your older brother's Nashville Predators.  For the first time in franchise history, the Predators hold a 3-1 lead in a playoff series following their 3-1 over the Detroit Red Wings last night in Detroit.  It was scoreless in the third until Gabriel Bourque scored his third goal of the series and first since game one that gave the Predators a 1-0 lead before Jiri Hudler tied the game up for the Red Wings.  Just over three minutes later, Kevin Klein scored the game-winner for the Predators.  The Red Wings played some bad defense, something we are unaccustomed to seeing them play in the playoffs.  Their season is on the line now as they head to Nashville for game five.  The Red Wings will come out like gangbusters, but the Predators will be ready.  It's going to be a fun game five.

3. Coyotes topple Blackhawks in overtime to take 2-1 series

For the first time since 2008, a first round playoff series has gone to overtime for three straight games to open a series and the Phoenix Coyotes have come out on top two times to the Chicago Blackhawks one.  Mikkel Boedker got one past Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford thirteen minutes into overtime to give the Coyotes a 3-2 win.  How Boedker got the puck by Crawford remains a mystery to me.  The puck had no room to get across the line.  This game broke out in the third when the teams played four-on-four hockey and three goals were scored, two of them by the Coyotes.  The Blackhawks are the more talented team.  But the Coyotes have executed better.  The Blackhawks and their fans aren't too happy with Coyotes LW Raffi Torres who launched himself into Marian Hossa, forcing him to leave on a stretcher.  No penalty was called.  Expect the league office to look into this and suspend Torres for game four perhaps.  The Blackhawks need to win game four, but three overtime games will take a tole on them, especially coming out on the losing end of two of them.  And the NHL needs Chicago to win this series even if they don't come out publicly to say it.  Chicago is a huge media market and the ratings would be far better if they made it over the NHL-owned Coyotes.  Game four will be fun.

4. Vikings stadium bill doesn't pass

The roller coaster ride that is the Minnesota Vikings stadium quest took another downward spiral Monday night when a House Panel voted 9-6 against the stadium bill, crippling any chance that a stadium bill gets passed during the legislative session with just a couple of weeks to go.  The government says it's not fair to the people and "why should we fund a stadium for a billionaire?"  It's an understandible position, but not when a new ballpark has already been built for the Minnesota Twins and a new football stadium has been built for the University of Minnesota.  Take a look at all of the new stadiums that have gone up in Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Dallas.  All used tax payer dollars to a certain extent.  Vikings owner Zygi Wilf has already pledged $427 million, the third largest single owner contribution towards a stadium ever.  

Why is the state of Minnesota so stupid.  If you go to the Minneapolis Star Tribune website and read the story on the bill be voted against and read the comments, you'll see how many people love that this didn't pass.  You know how pissed off people will be when the Vikings and if they choose to leave, I understand.  They're dealing with a lot of imcompetent people excluding Governor Mark Dayton and the people behind the staduim bill.  The leaders of Minnesota are stupid.  Flat out stupid.  I don't hide the fact that I am passionate about this stadium issue.  I love the Vikings.  The people who lead the state are ****.  Thoughts?  I'll have more to say on this in a few days.  I know some people don't like it when I talk about the stadium, but this has got to stop.  The people of Minnesota, most of them anyway, are fools and the people they've elected are morons.

Coming up Thursday: NFL schedule breakdown and NHL playoff reaction

Comments and suggestions on what to write about are always welcomed and appreciated.