Four on the Floor | Mar Sees's Blog

So here we are, on the morning of game one in the Stanley Cup Conference Finals. It has been quite the ride, and I must admit that these playoffs have certainly entertained. Hockey heavyweights such as Anaheim, San Jose and Montreal are all pulling out their putters, and surprise warriors like Dallas and Philadelphia are still on the ice. Many expert and historic predictions point to a Cup final involving Pittsburgh and Detroit. I have to agree, but let's not write off their opponents so quickly; and if the Wings and Penguins are smart, they won't either.

Dallas now boasts at least two Conn Smythe finalists in Marty Turco and Brendan Morrow. Both players have basicly carried the Stars past two of the best teams in the league. The question is, have they met their match in the mighty Red Wings? Detroit only faltered slightly against Nashville, and utterly demolished the depleted Avalanche. What does Dallas have to do to stand a chance? Simply, just keep playing. This series, like the East, can go either way, as both teams deserve to be here. The 2008 playoffs have proved that the favored team doesn't always advance, and the Stars definately have just as much chance to battle for Lord Stanley's Cup in a few weeks time as Detroit does.

The talk of the "great rivalry" between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh is really getting tiring. Of course with such a long layoff between series, we've got to find something to talk about. But let's face it, rivalry or not, the winning team gets a chance to sip champagne from the cup, so of course it's going to be a battle! If there wasn't a inter-state rivalry would it be less intense? Certainly not. Both these teams are talented and hungry. Sure, the Flyers are pegged (to their liking) as the underdog, but the Penguins need to see them as equally as talented. If they weren't, Marc-Andre Fleury would be starring down another team's goalie at the opposite end of the ice.

On a different note, I find it quite amusing that despite being dead in the water for over a month, the Toronto Maple Leafs have still found a way to make front page news with the extremely well-timed firing of their head coach. Hopefully the Conference Finals can steal some the Leafs thunder. That almost seems unlikely, doesn't it? See you in the cup finals.

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May 8, 2008 06:36 PM ET

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I'm so sick of hearing anything about the Toronto Maple Leafs that I could puke - and I don't live anywhere near Toronto or root for a Leafs rival. No team in the NHL plays worse, has more issues, and gets more attention for it. You'd think the #$%&ing sky was falling every time the Leafs make headlines, and it's not going to be improving much anytime soon. I'd really rather hear about a team that had a crappy season that is anticipated to make a huge 180 next season with good, rising talent - y'know, the antithesis of the Leafs.

HEY LEAFS! YOU SUCK! Now shut up and let us enjoy the playoffs.