Belated Round 1 Standings

A day or so late, but I'm going to have to beg your pardon on grounds of first round fatigue. Nine straight days of overtime and this playoff commute is really starting to wear on me. But some people have real problems, so before I run off to the airport, I thought I'd throw up a quick first round update.

The standings after Round 1:
Geoff        472
Doug        470
Ken           464
Allison      454
Meredith   450
Cathy        442
Anneli       425
Susan        423

But perhaps more important at this point in the game is who's been eliminated.  It my not be the most exact way to measure it, but if you total up the point values from the teams who've been eliminate, you get a rough idea of the missing point potential, and then it looks like this:

Geoff        36
Doug        40
Allison     44
Ken          46
Meredith  50
Cathy       52
Susan       53
Anneli      80

Geoff managed to lose the ABSOLUTE MINIMUM number of potential points -- the gauntlet has been thrown.  And yes, he's already call me to gloat.

As for Anneli ... well, she made some gutsy picks, and I'm afraid they didn't quiiiiiiiite work out for her.  Now she's got Vancouver playing Nashville at 2 and 1.  Ouch!  Now, that, my friends, is a wicked hematoma to the neck.

The King Is Dead.

Long Live the Sharks!

2011 WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS
SERIES E		#1 vs. #8
Wednesday, April 13		at Vancouver, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 15		at Vancouver, 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 17		at Chicago, 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 19		at Chicago, 5:00 p.m.
*Thursday, April 21		at Vancouver, 7:00 p.m.
*Sunday, April 24		at Chicago, 5:00 p.m.
*Tuesday, April 26		at Vancouver, TBD
SERIES F		#2 vs. #7
Thursday, April 14		at San Jose, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 16		at San Jose, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 19		at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 21		at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
*Saturday, April 23		at San Jose, 7:30 p.m.
*Monday, April 25		at Los Angeles, TBD
*Wednesday, April 27		at San Jose, TBD
SERIES G		#3 vs. #6
Wednesday, April 13		at Detroit, 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 16		at Detroit, 10:00 a.m.
Monday, April 18		at Phoenix, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 20		at Phoenix, 7:30 p.m.
*Friday, April 22		at Detroit, 4:00 p.m.
*Sunday, April 24		at Phoenix, TBD
*Wednesday, April 27		at Detroit, TBD

SERIES H		#4 vs. #5
Wednesday, April 13		at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m.
Friday, April 15		at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 17		at Nashville, TBD
Wednesday, April 20		at Nashville, TBD
*Friday, April 22		at Anaheim, 10:00 p.m.
*Sunday, April 24		at Nashville, TBD
*Tuesday, April 26		at Anaheim, TBD

2011 EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS
SERIES A		#1 vs. #8
Wednesday, April 13		at Washington, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, April 15		at Washington, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 17		at New York, 12:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 20		at New York, 4:00 p.m.
*Saturday, April 23		at Washington, 12:00 p.m.
*Monday, April 25		at New York, TBD
*Wednesday, April 27		at Washington, TBD
SERIES B		#2 vs. #7
Thursday, April 14		at Philadelphia, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 16		at Philadelphia, 2:00 p.m.
Monday, April 18		at Buffalo, 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 20		at Buffalo, 4:30 p.m.
*Friday, April 22		at Philadelphia, 4:30 p.m.
*Sunday, April 24		at Buffalo, 12:00 p.m.
*Tuesday, April 26		at Philadelphia, TBD
SERIES C		#3 vs. #6
Thursday, April 14		at Boston, 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 16		at Boston, 4:00 p.m.
Monday, April 18		at Montreal, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 21		at Montreal, 4:00 p.m.
*Saturday, April 23		at Boston, 4:00 p.m.
*Tuesday, April 26		at Montreal, TBD
*Wednesday, April 27		at Boston, TBD
SERIES D		#4 vs. #5
Wednesday, April 13		at Pittsburgh, 4:00 p.m.
Friday, April 15		at Pittsburgh, 4:00 p.m.
Monday, April 18		at Tampa Bay, 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 20		at Tampa Bay, 4:30 p.m.
*Saturday, April 23		at Pittsburgh, TBD
*Monday, April 25		at Tampa Bay, TBD
*Wednesday, April 27		at Pittsburgh, TBD

ALL TIMES PACIFIC

Round 1

Vancouver Canucks  1 vs 8  Chicago Blackhawks

  San Jose Sharks  2 vs 7  Los Angeles Kings

Detroit Red Wings  3 vs 6  Phoenix Coyotes   .

     Anaheim Ducks  4 vs 5  Nashville Predators

 Washington Capitals  1 vs 8  New York Rangers  .

Philadelphia Flyers  2 vs 7  Buffalo Sabres     .

        Boston Bruins  3 vs 6  Montreal Canadiens

 Pittsburgh Penguins  4 vs 5  Tampa Bay Lightning

Are you ready for this?

Are you ready for the 4th annual playoff pool?

No?  Me neither.  But that's just because the Western Conference match-ups won't be set until tomorrow.

The Eastern Conference has finally sorted itself out.  Here are the first round match-ups in the East:

1  Washington Capitals 

8  New York Rangers

2  Philadelphia Flyers

7  Buffalo Sabres

3  Boston Bruins

6  Montreal Canadiens

4  Pittsburgh Penguins

5  Tampa Bay Lightning

Tomorrow in the West, the first round will be set as early as midday when the Blackhawks finish their game against Detroit, or as late as tomorrow evening at the end of the Dallas Stars game.  The top 4 seeds are set, and still no one knows who they'll face.  Depending on tomorrow's games, the Blackhawks could still finish as high as 5th or miss the playoffs entirely!

Whatever happens, I'll send out the link to enter this year's pool as soon as the first round is set, and close the entries as soon as the first puck drops on Wednesday.

Happy Stanley Cup Season!

The Best Written Dialogue Ever.

Game 19: A Good Game for Shopping

Well, it looks like the Sharks have "reset the bar" again, only a lot lower. And that's not a limbo metaphor, I should clarify. I think it's a high-jump metaphor. Or pole-vault, maybe.

This was a terrible 3-0 loss to Columbus. I don't even want to talk about it. The Sharks are now 8-10-1.

I expect bad things for the Sharks on Wednesday vs. the Blackhawks. They've repeatedly shown that 1. they suck after a break and 2. they suck against the Blackhawks. But hey, things change; the Sharks were an elite-level team last year.

In a totally disheartening loss against the Blue Jackets, I pick three stars:

3rd Star: Mike Commodore.

This guy committed a dozen penalties and only got called for one. Good job, Asshole!

2nd Star: Todd McClellan.

How he retains his composure right now is beyond me. If it were my job, I'd be shitting a brick after they lost two consecutive two-goal leads and then got shut out at home by the Blue Jackets! It's the BJs' first regulation win in San Jose ever! But Todd's still got that calm, assured manner that makes me think we're going to make the play-offs after all. The man should be a dentist.

1st Star: No question, it's Jason Demers' mustache.

It's not the most manly mustache on the team, which has to go to Niclas Wallin or Ryane Clowe, but it works for him. I think he looks a lot cooler with it and I can't say that about most of the players. Plus it fights prostate cancer! So good going, Jason. Way to make "Movember" work for you!

One positive note before I sign off: shopping at the Sharks Store doesn't get any better than after a shut-out loss! Hooray for no waiting in line!