NHL: 2008 - 2009 season is upon us

**Grace** · 05-19-2009, 11:18 PM

Detroit 3
Chicago 2
in OT.

Game winning goal by Mikael Samuelsson - the very same Mikael Samuelsson who scored the game winning goal in the first game with Chicago.

**Grace** · 05-25-2009, 08:30 PM

Couple of interesting articles from ESPN.

First, Joel Quenneville -

TORONTO -- The NHL has fined Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville $10,000 for harsh criticism of officiating in his team's loss to Detroit in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

Quenneville fumed over a roughing call against defenseman Matt Walker during a scrum as the first period ended Sunday. The Red Wings scored on the ensuing power play 1:13 into the second period extending their lead to 3-0, and went on to win 6-1 and take a 3-1 edge in the series.

"I think we witnessed probably the worst call in the history of sports there," Quenneville said after the game. "Nothing play.

"They scored, it's 3-0. They ruined a good hockey game and absolutely destroyed what was going on the ice. ... Never seen anything like it."

The Blackhawks will try to avoid elimination Wednesday in Detroit.

Now regarding the TV schedule for the Cup Finals -

According to multiple sources, if the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings can wrap up their respective Conference final series by Wednesday night, the Stanley Cup finals likely would start on Saturday, May 30 in Detroit. In this scenario, Game 2 would be played on Sunday, May 31.

This is a change from a May 22 press release from the league that indicated that the championship series would begin on Friday, June 5, if both Conference final series didn't end in four-game sweeps.

The Penguins can close out their series with a victory over the Hurricanes in Raleigh on Tuesday night. The defending champion Red Wings, meanwhile, have positioned themselves to advance with a win over the Blackhawks on Wednesday in Detroit.

For the past several days, the league has been working behind the scenes with NBC, which has limited prime time real estate to devote to the Cup finals due to important "sweeps" week programming and the Tonight Show re-launch with new host Conan O'Brien.

The possible change would spare the league an embarrassing, television-created, eight-day hiatus and the competitive nature of the playoffs wouldn't be compromised by an unusually long layoff for both clubs.

**RICHARD** · 05-26-2009, 10:03 PM

Buena Suerte, Pinguinos!

A ganar el Tazon de Stanley?

Si como no!

**Grace** · 05-26-2009, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by RICHARD

Buena Suerte, Pinguinos!

A ganar el Tazon de Stanley?

Si como no!

Translation, please

**RICHARD** · 05-26-2009, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by Grace

Translation, please

Congrats Penguins!
Gonna win the Stanley Cup?

Why not!

**Grace** · 05-26-2009, 10:19 PM

Thank you

**davidpizzica** · 05-26-2009, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by RICHARD

Congrats Penguins!
Gonna win the Stanley Cup?

Why not!

I agree, RICHARD! WHY NOT?!

**cassiesmom** · 05-26-2009, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by RICHARD

Congrats Penguins!
Gonna win the Stanley Cup?

Why not!

No, señor! The Blackhawks are! Or at least I hope they are! GO, Hawks!

**JenBKR** · 05-27-2009, 01:06 PM

If you would have told me that the Pens would be in the Stanley Cup Finals in January, I would have never believed it. The coaching change made a world of difference. I was pretty shocked to see that they swept the Hurricanes though, I really thought that was going to be a long series. The playoffs have been really exciting this year so far. I'm excited to see a re-match of Detroit and Pittsburgh (I know it's not over yet but Detroit will win that series...).

TORONTO -- The NHL has fined Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville $10,000 for harsh criticism of officiating in his team's loss to Detroit in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

We've seen a lot of complaining about officiating in the East too, especially in the Washington series (against the Pens). The Caps' coach complained about it after pretty much every game.