One of my favorite sporting events is the NHL playoffs. Playing a team in a best of seven series builds bitterness, hatred, rage and all of those other healthy emotions. It also builds rivalries. Some of my fondest memories of youth were of watching the North Stars play the hated Chicago Goonhawks year after year in the post season. There was nothing like watching Bobby Smith, Neal Broten and the boys taken on Al Secord, Dennis Savard and Company. Win or lose, you knew it was going to be a war. I lost touch with the NHL for a few years after the North Stars left Minnesota for the hockey hotbed of Texas (Norm still sucks!). I never really missed the NHL until that time each spring when the playoffs were slated to begin. Then, hockey depression set in. Minnesota eventually was awarded the Wild, and one of my first thoughts was "I can hardly wait until they are in the playoffs!"
Well, as it does with most expansions teams, it took a couple of years for the Wild to qualify for postseason play. I caught playoff fever once again, however, in 2003 when the Minnesota Wild surprised the NHL by upsetting Colorado and Vancouver. They eventually bowed out against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks of Los Angeles, or whatever they happened to be called back then. It was a nice run.
Now, it just so happens that the #7 seed Wild have drawn the #2 seed Anaheim Ducks (no longer Mighty?) again for the first round of the playoffs this year. It's not exactly North Stars - Blackhawks, but it should be an interesting series. This will mark the 4th playoff series out of 4 in Wild history in which they play a team from the Pacific time zone. This means that away games start at 9:30 Central, which is nearly this 40-year old's bedtime. I'll be watching until the end, however, meaning all games are virtually guaranteed to go into double overtime. This also means zombie time at work the next day. I much prefer "happy zombie" after a win rather than "enraged zombie" after a triple overtime 2 AM loss. THE CHECK likes "happy zombie" too.
Well, as it does with most expansions teams, it took a couple of years for the Wild to qualify for postseason play. I caught playoff fever once again, however, in 2003 when the Minnesota Wild surprised the NHL by upsetting Colorado and Vancouver. They eventually bowed out against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks of Los Angeles, or whatever they happened to be called back then. It was a nice run.
Now, it just so happens that the #7 seed Wild have drawn the #2 seed Anaheim Ducks (no longer Mighty?) again for the first round of the playoffs this year. It's not exactly North Stars - Blackhawks, but it should be an interesting series. This will mark the 4th playoff series out of 4 in Wild history in which they play a team from the Pacific time zone. This means that away games start at 9:30 Central, which is nearly this 40-year old's bedtime. I'll be watching until the end, however, meaning all games are virtually guaranteed to go into double overtime. This also means zombie time at work the next day. I much prefer "happy zombie" after a win rather than "enraged zombie" after a triple overtime 2 AM loss. THE CHECK likes "happy zombie" too.
Anyway, there will be no predictions from me. I already tried that with Gophers hockey and the Twins and failed miserably. (Gilby - how about you? You seen to have "the touch.") I believe the Wild-Ducks series will be physical and low-scoring, meaning overtime games are a real possibility. As always, the series will probably be determined by goaltending and "lucky bounces."
Go Wild - and bring on the coffee!
Jeff
5 comments:
'nuff hockey.
Who's this Tony 8489? I'd like to roll the dude. Curry some favor with the yard harlot.
Thanks for sitting on Backstrom's face Kim!
CR
Thomps:
You're like a freakin' prophet on that one. Low scoring, hard hitting and fluke goals... you just hit for the cycle. Only thing you didn't get was Ortiz actually throwing a gem last night at the Dumpty Dome.
I was treated to a blackout of the game due to licensing agreements which place me in the "home market" for Mpls broadcast juggernaut, the 45! Although my DirecTV subscription runs within a hundred dollars of my monthly mortgage payment, I'm not able to view the game.
OK, listening to Herb Carneal and John Gordon on the Good Neighbor during the regular season is one thing, but c'mon. Playoff hockey is not for the radio and certainly no way to take it in.
I've already told my wife that I'm not below loading up the bus and heading West for Game #2. Wild 3-1.
Gilby - you were blacked out of a "road game??" Your direct TV people must expect you to make the drive to Anaheim for the game.
Weak.
And, I agree:
Baseball on the radio = good.
Hockey on the radio = bad.
Jeff
Update from WILD.COM regarding the blackout issue:
DirecTV Issue Addressed
April 12, 2007
During Game One of the Minnesota Wild versus Anaheim Ducks Western Conference Quarterfinal, several areas outside the 50-mile radius of the Twin Cities were blacked out from watching the DirecTV Center Ice package broadcast. This should not have been the case for any Center Ice subscribers outside that 50 mile radius.
According to the National Hockey League, there was an error made in the implementation of the sphere of influence last night that blacked out the game, even in outstate areas, for DirecTV subscribers.
The Minnesota Wild apologizes to those affected by this inadvertent technical error made by the satellite provider. The Wild is working diligently with the NHL, DirecTV and Center Ice representatives to ensure that this does not happen again and that all Center Ice subscribers will be able to watch Game Two on Friday night.
Wow. My BP just dropped down to "borderline high" with this news. I was starting to feel like I lived in Fargo.
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