Put The Broom Back In The Closet, Hershey!

Something I was afraid of, but didn’t happen happened last night. 

The Baby Pens avoided a sweep from the Hershey Bears by winning in overtime, 3-2!

Yee-haw! 

Time for some of that momentum to shift the whole series in the Baby Pens favor in Hershey tomorrow.

🙂

And Then There Were Four

It’s the Frozen Four.  NHL style. 

In the West, there’s #1 seeded Detroit v. #2 seeded Anaheim.  One name: Chris Pronger.  He helped Edmonton get to the Stanley Cup last year and he’ll help Anaheim this year.  I see Anaheim winning in six games.

In the East, there’s #1 seeded Buffalo v. #4 seeded Ottawa.  If this series is like the game from earlier this season, hopefully it lives up to the hype.  Even though I would love to a Canadian team go to the Final and grab the long overdue Cup, I don’t think it’s going to happen.  Buffalo should win this conference final in six games, also.

So, there it is, my prediction of who will meet in the Stanley Cup Finals: Buffalo Sabres v Anaheim Ducks.

Let’s see it happen. 😉

In other belated hockey news, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins eliminated the Norfolk Admirals 4 games to 2 in the first round.  They are now playing against the defending Calder Cup champs, Hershey Bears.  Unfortunately, the Baby Pens are down three games to none and I’m afraid they’ll be swept up by the Bears tonight.   😦

Let’s Get Cup Crazy, Part II

Well, the Big Pens got eliminated last night by the Sens.  I have to admit that the Sens did have a good strategy by focusing on putting Sidney Crosby on ice (yes, pun intended).

As for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, aka Baby Pens, they start their quest for the Calder Cup tonight against the Norfolk Admirals.  Go Baby Pens!

In other NHL news, the Rangers (boo! 😉 ) swept the Thrashers and the Ducks beat the Wild 4 games to 1.  Both, along with the Sens, will be advancing to the next round.

Here’s hoping the Sabres and Sharks win tonight to also advance to the next round.

Let’s Get Cup Crazy!

It’s that time of the year where the Stanley and Calder Cup playoffs are on.

The quest for the NHL’s holy grail started last week and the AHL’s starts this week.  Go Pens!  And I mean on both levels.

Thanks to USAtoday’s Pop Candy for the heads up on the various blogs of celebrities.  Who knew that Amy Grant was a hockey fan?  On a side note, does husband Vince Gill look a little big to you?  I know the lens gives a little weight, but geez.

Oh yeah, Buffy’s boyfriend, Angel, also has a NHL blog.  He’s voting for his hometown Sabres to win the Cup.  I still say the new jerseys look like a sperm with hair.  Hee, hee.

But, one of my favorites is Eddie Cahill‘s blog.  Naturally, he’s a Rangers fan.  Boo! 😉

Back from PA!

I am back from spending time with sis and family over the Easter holiday.  Here’s a few diddies:

• My Brother-in-law.  He’s a great husband and father.  On Tuesday, he’s was showing me where my younger neice goes to pre-school.  My older neice gave him this “but Tita just got here” look.  “I’m just going to show her where your sister goes to school and then I’m bringing her home, okay?!” “Okay,” my neice says quietly. 
• Church.  My sister and family are church visiting, which one of their friends dubbed that to being a “Cheaster.”  That’s when you visit a church on Christmas and Easter.  The church we visited on Easter was Church of Christ.  The service was that of “old school” since I’m now very used to having a semi-contemporary church service.  I am, though, a bit unconfortable to having a women preacher at the pulpit.
• Shopping.  The state of PA has NO SALES TAX on appearal, so that makes me very happy.  Happy to the point where I bought an extra duffle bag to bring my new stuff in. 
• Meet the Robinsons.  The new Disney film is both shown in standard and 3-D.  We saw it in the latter.  I forgot to wear my contacts that day so wearing 3-D glasses over my eyeglasses had to take some adjusting to do.  The film was funny.  But, the best scene was where the dinosaur was chasing Louis and his master said something like, “Why aren’t you chasing the boy?!” The dinosaur says something like (via subtiltes), “I have a big head and tiny arms.  I don’t think this plan was thought through.” 
• Hockey game.  I saw the Baby Pens shutout the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 6-0 on Wednesday night.  Former H-town Aero Petr Ratchuk still plays with puck, but he was +3 for the night.
• Snow.  It snowed while I was up there.  It ranged from light to heavy, but none of it was sticking to the ground.

 Well, that’s all I can recall folks. 

Thus Ends My 13-Game Season

H-town Aeros 3, Worcester Sharks 7

The H-town Aeros lost last night in what was a very sloppy game against the Worcester Sharks.

You know when the game is going to get bad is when the opposing team scores 35 seconds into the 1st period and 23 seconds into the 2nd period.

Yes, the Aeros had their chances, but just couldn’t find a way to use them.  Another thing I noticed was the way they were playing: tired and emitting no emotion that they wanted to play.  And whose bright idea was it to put a not-ready-to-play-at-the-AHL-level goalie?!  I really hope they send him down to Beaumont or even down to Austin before the season ends. 

I do, though, say that the highlight of last night’s game was everybody asking me where Worcester was.  By the way, it’s not in Canada as some guy was arguing with me saying that it was.  “Have you been to Boston?” I asked.  “Yes,” he said.  I then said,  “Well, if you drove 2 hours or so west, you would be in Worcester or as my friend from Massachusetts would  pronounce ‘Wooster’.”  It’s kind of sad and fascinating that people don’t know anything existing past their backyard. 

Why Does This Not Surprise Me?

I went to last night’s hockey game (H-town Aeros vs.  Rochester Americans) after a month long void.  It started out sloppy even though I was impressed by one of our players’ hard-checking of opponents.  We finally scored with under 4 minutes left in the 1st period.  Aeros 1, Rochester 0.

The 2nd period scoring started fast with the Americks scoring at approximately the 3 minute mark.  Then a miracle happened: the Aeros scored twice within 20 seconds.  Then they scored again within a minute!  So with the score 4-1 I’m thinking, “Sweet!”  But, then all hell broke loose.  Rochester scores twice before the period ends.  Aeros 4, Americans 3. 

3rd period, aka the continuation of hell breaking loose.  The Americks score at the 14 second mark after some sloppy puck handling by one of my favorite players.  It’s now tied at 4.  Now I’m thinking, “Okay.  Y’all have less than 20 minutes to regroup and win.”  But, alas, no.  Rochester scores again around 11 minutes after and ices it with another with 3 minutes left in game.  Aeros 4, Americans 6.  That’s when I got up and growled (doing a great imitation of Dad), “Ahh!  I’m going home!”

In all my years of being an Aeros fan and watching their games, I have NEVER walked out and left the game early. 

It was a sad and heartbreaking night.

Suhhhweeet!

Pittsburgh Penguins stay in Pittsburgh, PA!

According to reports on tsn.ca, the Pens have reached an agreement with the city for the financing of new a $290 million facility.  (Thanks to Capt’n Bosh of playoffbeard.com for the heads up.)

3 DVD Weekend Shopping Spree

Emergency! Season 3

Another season of my favorite LA paramedics.  Their hair is a little longer and the script and acting is still campy as ever.  But, that’s what I loved about the show.

Musicares Present A Tribute to Brian Wilson

I would have given it 5 stars, but when you have established artists screwing up lyrics (Michael McDonald, “Don’t Worry, Baby”) and basically singing without any heart (Shelby Lynne, “Surfer Girl”), it just ruins the rating. 

Anyway, there very good renditions of Mr. Wilson’s songs.   Jeff Beck’s (“Surf’s Up,” “Surfin’ USA”) and John Legend’s( I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times) were great examples of that.

But, the two that stood out in mind was Jamie Cullum along with Fred Martin & the Levite Camp’s “Sail On Sailor” and, believe or not, the Backstreet Boys’ “When I Grow Up to be a Man.”  The latter should’ve had help from Mike Love as their bass vocalist, though. 😉

Peter Pan 2-Disc Platinum Edition

I’ve always loved Disney’s version of Peter Pan. 

But, still, the part with Tiger Lily bores me. 

Oh well.

The movie is fully restored and has the usual extras piled on the second DVD (behind the scenes going-ons and a couple of music videos — Paige O’Hara, who, if I remember correctly was the singing voice of Belle in Beauty and the Beast and some teen group.  Sorry, I forgot the latter’s name.  Must be getting old. 😉 )

Hockey Meme and Unbelievable Skills

I’d like to thank msnbc.com for “referring” this guy’s (or gal’s) blog to me…and others, of course.  🙂

Team:  a mix of the 1994 NY Rangers and 2006 Edmonton Oilers

Uniform Number: 96

Position: Right Wing and Defensemen

Nickname: The Stealth Bomber

Dream Linemates:  Mark Messier and Craig McTavish (yeah, their out of position, but it’s my dream 😉 )

Rounding Out the Powerplay: Georges LaRaque and Raffi Torres (plus Dwayne Roloson as my goalie)

Job: Um, my nickname’s the Stealth Bomber!  I can see you, but you can’t see me.  Plus, a booming 101 mph slapshot doesn’t hurt either.

Signature Move: Hard skate right hand side, in front of net, shoot right top shelf.

Strengths:  Very conditioned.  Can stay on ice for more than a minute shift.

Weaknesses: What are those?

Injury Problems: None.

Equipment: All Itech.  Except the skates–Bauer.

Nemesis: The refs, of course. 😉

Scandal Involvement: None.

Who I’d Face in the Stanley Cup Finals?: Once again a mixture of sorts.  The 2004 Tampa Bay Lighting and the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes.

What I’d Do With the Stanley Cup After Our Victory?:  Easy since I do have at the most 24 hours to spend with it.  First, take the Cup to the children’s ward at the various hospitals.  Then to my old workplace.  Then have the Cup at my place.

Would the Media Love or Hate Me?:  Love me, of course. 

**********************

This hockey player has mad skills.  He plays for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.  Not to sound mean, but I hope he’s still there when I get to see them play in April.

The Aeros Really Sucked Ice Last Night

I was really disappointed on how our hockey team played last night.  How you play that bad in front of the biggest crowds (i.e., bobblehead night) this season?!

No enthusiasm.  No nothing.

They were tarred (Texan speak for “way beyond tired.”) and tarred (without the feathers).  The only line that came to play was the (affectionately called) L(undbohm)O(lson)W(ard) line. 

There were so many chances to score off the rebound! 

My next attendance will in 2 weeks, boys.  Shape up!  The next bus to Beaumont is that weekend!