Week 29 of NHL 2005-6

A very, very belated NHL tirade this week. Other stories were more pressing and I was just reeling over my team’s humiliating 8-2 spanking from Buffalo. My dude in goal Robert Esche had a horrendous game two when he gave up FIVE goals on 10 shots. When he gave up the third goal 12 minutes into the first period, I had already changed the channel since the real Flyers would be showing up in the second period with at least a three goal deficit. I’m glad I did change the channel when I saw ESPN News reporting the final score with Buffalo’s coach saying the Flyers played “like idiots.” Idiot would be an understatement. 
 
So the Flyers avenged themselves by winning Wednesday night so a Sabres Sweep won’t be happening this time. Nor will I count on a Flyers comeback a la 1977 when Toronto had a 2-0 series lead and someone on the Leafs said they were “done like dinner.” My team is pretty injured, pretty slow and still has confidence problems when Forsberg isn’t playing. The previous prediction of the Flyers being eliminated in this round 4-1 stands, but we’ll see tonight in Philly. Should they suddenly turn it around and win the series, I will be very happy. Their chances in the next round will depend upon how many games this takes since it’s likely the winner will face the Devils, not the Senators. 
 
Since the Flyers aren’t likely to be going to the Stanley Cup (again), who will I back? For the East probably the Devils because they really made the conclusion to the Atlantic Division a nail biter. The Senators deserve my support too. They played a damn good season so I have to respect that. For the West it’s the Red Wings. Hate them or love them, the Wings have some of the best players around, including four members of Sweden’s gold-medal team (Flyers only have one, guess who). They always want to win and from my recent interest in hockey (early 2000s thanks to PS2), they’re frequently the team in the West to always beat. After the Wings, I have a soft spot in my heart for the Sharks.