NHL FanHouse

Kid Rock Crashes Wings Beach Party With Lord Stanley

Eric McErlain — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:05:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Wings, NHL Gossip, Stanley Cup

I love hockey news in the Summer. Instead of breaking down the left wing lock we get to trawl in the nation's gossip pages. And this morning, we get to hang in that wonderful sweet spot where hockey, surfing and the world of popular music collide.

In this morning's edition of the New York Daily News, gossip columnists Rush & Molloy pass along news of how noted Red Wings fan Kid Rock crashed a party at uber-surfer Laird Hamilton's place in Malibu. Apparently, a group of unnamed Detroit Red Wings were at Hamilton's compound with Lord Stanley in tow when ... we'll let the gossip mongers take it from here:

Surfing star Laird Hamilton didn't seem to mind that Kid showed up at Hamilton's Malibu beach house with a retinue of leggy, cleavage-bearing, slightly-past-their-prime party favors. But Hamilton's wife, Olympic volleyball champ Gabrielle Reece, did not appreciate the uninvited guests.

"These ladies were skanky," our spy observes. "Gabrielle didn't say anything but you could tell she was fuming."

So how much credence should we place in this report? Well, Hamilton and Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios are old friends. Back during the lockout, there was even talk that the two would drop hockey and surfing for a while in an attempt to qualify for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin representing Greece in the 4-man bobsled.

As for the rest of the Wings, they apparently forgot the Cup on the beach for a while, where the report says some folks mistook it for an ashtray. Given the colorful history of the Cup, color me unconcerned.

Thanks to J.P. for the pointer.

Did You See That?

Fans watch as a ball that popped loose out of New York Yankees' Johnny Damon's glove rests momentarily on the fence before dropping to the ground during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball action Friday, July 4, 2008 at Yankee Stadium in New York. Damon made a leaping attempt on a hit by Red Sox's Kevin Youkilis. Two runs scored on the play. Damon left the game after the play. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Julie Jacobson, AP

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 05: Jockey Craig Durden rolls after falling from Toulouse Lautrec the first time around in the Cleanevent Grand National Steeplechase during the Cleanevent Grand National Steeple Day meeting at Flemington Racecourse on July 5, 2008 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

Mark Dadswell, Getty Images

Chaunte Howard clears the bar during the women's high jump final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore., Friday, July 4, 2008. Howard finished in first place to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Charlie Riedel, AP

Seattle Mariners center fielder Jeremy Reed dives to catch a fly ball from Detroit Tigers' Gary Sheffield in the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 3, 2008, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Elaine Thompson, AP

In this photo provided by Six Flags St. Louis, Robbie Knievel jumps 25 Dodge cars at Six Flags St. Louis, traveling at approximately 85 mph off of a 25-foot ramp and flying some 25-feet into the air on Thursday, July 3, 2008, in St. Louis, Mo. Robbie dedicated the jump to his Dad, Evel Knievel. (AP Photo/Six Flags St. Louis, James Visser)

James Visser, Six Flags St. Louis / AP

San Diego Padres' Michael Barrett, center, is helped by an unidentified trainer, left, and manager Bud Black after Barrett was hit in the bridge of the nose by a foul tip in the third inning of a Major League Baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Denver on Wednesday, July 2, 2008. (David Zalubowski, AP)

David Zalubowski, AP

Serena Williams of the US., reacts after winning her Women's Singles semifinal match against China's Zheng Jie on the Centre Court at Wimbledon, Thursday, July 3 , 2008. (Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP)

Kirsty Wigglesworth, AP

BHP Billiton China President Clinton Dines holds a Beijing Olympic Games gold medal before an official handing over ceremony in Beijing July 3, 2008. The Beijing organisers took possession of the 3,000 medals for next month's Olympics in a ceremony near Tiananmen Square on Thursday, 36 days before the start of the Games. (David Gray, Reuters)

David Gray, Reuters

OMAHA, NE - JULY 02: Brendan Hansen competes in the preliminary heats of the 200 meter breaststroke during the U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials on July 2, 2008 at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska. (Donald Miralle, Getty Images)

Donald Miralle, Getty Images

This handout provided by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. shows the baseball Barry Bonds launched for his record 756th home run, now branded with an asterisk, at the Hall of Fame, Wednesday, July 2, 2008. (National Baseball Hall of Fame/AP)

National Baseball Hall of Fame/AP

Kid Rock Crashes Wings Beach Party With Lord Stanley originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hockey Oldtimer Has Rings Stolen

Eric McErlain — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:24:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Canadiens, NHL Police Blotter, Stanley Cup

If you're a hockey fan, it might make sense to keep your eyes open on eBay over the next few weeks.

Why do I write that? Because it was only a few days ago that Pete Mahovlich, a 4-time Stanley Cup winner with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1970s and a member of the 1972 Summit Series team that defeated the USSR, had a pair of commemorative rings and a watch stolen from his car while he was playing golf in St. Catherine's, Ontario:

Mahovlich said he had taken off the rings and a watch and put them in one of the car's cupholders.

One of the rings was for the eight-game 1972 series, which Canada won four games to three. One game was tied.

Mahovlich scored a goal in Game 2 of the series. Canada won that game 4-1.

The other ring, given to Mahovlich by the Montreal Canadiens Alumni Association, commemorates his four Stanley Cup wins with the team in 1971, 1973, 1976 and 1977.

The watch that was swiped was originally presented to Mahovlich when he and the rest of the 1972 were inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. Though few fans today probably remember his name, Mahovlich scored more than 30 goals in a season four times, and scored over 100 points in a season twice. And if you've ever had a chance to read The Game by Ken Dryden, you'd know that Mahovlich played a very important role on many of those Cup-winning teams that extended far beyond the ice and the locker room.

Hockey Oldtimer Has Rings Stolen originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lidstrom and Osgood on Last Call

Eric McErlain — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:51:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, General NHL, Wings, NHL Media Watch, NHL Videos, Stanley Cup

No, Last Call with Carson Daly isn't Leno, but when you're on the talk show circuit promoting the hardest working professional sports league in North America, you go when you're invited. I'm guessing this was taped earlier in the week so Nick Lidstrom could get back to Toronto in time for last night's NHL Awards Show.

Lidstrom and Osgood on Last Call originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lidstrom, Osgood on the Tonight Show

Eric McErlain — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 06:14:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, General NHL, NHL Fans, NHL Media Watch, NHL Videos, Stanley Cup

Here's another hidden bonus of having the NHL on NBC: Getting a pair of Red Wings on Jay Leno with the Stanley Cup. It was nice to see that half of Rochester, Michigan was in the audience and that they got a chance to touch the Cup.

Stick Tap: Mirtle.

Lidstrom, Osgood on the Tonight Show originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 06:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Way to Kill a Career #23: Talking Bad About Your Town

Kevin Schultz — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:03:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Penguins, Wings, NHL Videos, Stanley Cup

Meet Katrina Hancock. Aside from having a potentially unfortunate last name (tee-hee!), she is also a reporter for NBC's Detroit affiliate WDIV. Hancock was assigned to cover the Penguins and Wings Stanley Cup Final but at some point she became the interviewee and not the interviewer. KDKA, a Pittsburgh station interviewed her and, well, I don't want to spoil the YouTube. What I will say is that it's a lesson in instantaneous career suicide.

The money quote: "She was the only Detroit journalist to say that Pittsburgh has better fans than Detroit."

Really? The only one? You don't say! I guess the rest of them liked their jobs too much. Seriously, did she want to get fired? If she did, I can commend her for doing it in such a creative way. Otherwise, well, WHAT THE HECK WAS SHE THINKING?

What Hancock said might not have been the best quote of the whole piece, though. The Pittsburgh anchor, Paul Martino, finished his piece by saying "and I had to promise Katrina that we wouldn't be sending that interview back to Detroit." Somehow I imagine it took a Herculean effort on his part to not burst out laughing in the middle of that sentence. You had to figure that he was smart enough to know (unlike Hancock) that even though he wouldn't send it back to Detroit personally, in a digital world things like this do, in fact, get back to Detroit.

Whoops. I guess it is very different when you're on the other side of the microphone.

h/t Awful Announcing and Puck Daddy

Way to Kill a Career #23: Talking Bad About Your Town originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bob Neumeier: 'Mr. Losing Locker Room Reporter Guy'

Eric McErlain — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Penguins, Wings, NHL Media Watch, NHL Videos, Stanley Cup

It's one of the toughest jobs in all of sports broadcasting. While your colleagues are talking with athletes who are overjoyed at reaching the pinnacle of their sport, you're stuck interviewing one of the guys from the losing team. On NBC during the Stanley Cup Finals, that guy was Bob Neumeier.

Which really just gives me an excuse to play this appropriate tribute.

Bob Neumeier: 'Mr. Losing Locker Room Reporter Guy' originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Black Ace and the Cup

Jon — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:53:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Wings, Stanley Cup

Aaron Downey played 56 regular season games this past season. He was healthy-scratched 24 times, scored nary a goal all year, and didn't see a single minute of action in the playoffs. None of that matters much, though -- Aaron Downey will get his name etched onto the holiest of sports grails as a member of the Stanley Cup Champion Red Wings.

You see, "[a] player must have at least 41 games played with the club or one game played in the Stanley Cup Finals" to have his name engraved on the ultimate in beer mugs, so Downey fits the bill. But he's no Jiri Slegr (who played eight regular season games and one playoff game -- which happened to come during the Finals -- for the 2002 Cup Champ Wings); Downey may be a Black Ace, but he's been a key contributor throughout Detroit's dream season, including the playoff run.

After all, someone has to drive the forklift, both literally and figuratively.

While Pavel Dastyuk may have had as many points (three) in a dozen different regular games as Downey had on the entire campaign, Downey dropped the mittens ten times, in part to make sure Datsyuk got the time and space to light up scoreboards like pinball machines.

While Chris Osgood was focused on posting a ridiculous 1.55 goals against average in the playoffs, Downey was busy trying to shift his opponents' focus without even getting in a game.

While Henrik Zetterberg's off-season training regimen looks like you'd expect it to, so too does Downey's.

You get the point. Like Nicklas Lidstrom, Aaron Downey had a role on this Wings team, and, like Lidstrom, Downey played his part perfectly.

"I'm a role player. Part of my job is bringing morale every day. It's unconditional. Don't show up in a bad mood, because that's not part of the deal," Downey said of his off-ice duties and limited ice time.

That's quite the positive attitude for someone who was never drafted and is with his sixth different organization in ten years. Then again, having the chance to get your name on the Stanley Cup for hockey eternity will do that for a guy, won't it?

The Black Ace and the Cup originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PuckToons: M.A. Fleury Pulls a "Chris Phillips"

Earl Sleek — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Penguins, Wings, Stanley Cup

Every Thursday, Earl Sleek will conspire with his pen and scanner to bring you another installment of PuckToons. Hopefully you will find these amusing, relevant, well-drawn, or you're a person who is tolerant towards mediocrity.

It was quite a finish for this year's Stanley Cup Finals last night, as the Detroit Red Wings ended their dominant season and postseason with a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. I can't help feeling for Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, though, as his attempt to sit on a loose puck in the third period literally backfired into the net on what would prove to be the cup-winning goal.

It may take Penguins fans a while for the sting of that goal to wear off, especially if opposing fans start using the phrase "pulling a Fleury" to describe self-inflicted wounds. Still, at least it isn't exactly an unprecedented embarrassment - if you recall, last year's cup-winning goal occurred when an unpressured Ottawa Senators defenseman Chris Phillips put the puck past his teammate Ray Emery in the second period of Game Five.

Overall, Fleury had a tremendous postseason and shouldn't let this one blunder tarnish his reputation. Still, if he's as lucky as Phillips, someone else will score next year's cup-winning goal into their own net and help hockey fans move past Fleury's rubber-pants play.

PuckToons: M.A. Fleury Pulls a "Chris Phillips" originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live Chat: The Day After The Cup

Mirtle M.D. — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:52:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, General NHL, Penguins, Wings, Stanley Cup

After 1,316 games, regular and postseason, the NHL's 2007-08 campaign came to a close last night in Pittsburgh when the Red Wings carried away their 11th Stanley Cup.

To wrap things up in style, please join myself and FanHouse's all-star cast of bloggers and analysts as we take a final look at the finals, last night's Game 6 and the year that was.

The chat gets underway at 1 p.m. ET.

Topics for discussion:

Does four Cups in 11 years constitute a dynasty in today's NHL?
How likely is it that the Red Wings repeat?
How should the Penguins prepare for next season?
What They're Saying: The Morning After
Hockeytown is Titletown
And a look toward free agency, next week's NHL awards and the 2008 entry draft

Hope to see you there.

Live Chat: The Day After The Cup originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gary Bettman: Be Brief, Be Gone

Eric McErlain — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, NHL Videos, Stanley Cup

Long before I started my side career as a hockey blogger, I spent a number of years as a corporate speech writer. Over the course of that time I had the distinct challenge of writing a commencement speech for one of my clients. And when it comes to commencement, there are really only two commandments for an invited speaker: Be brief and be gone.

While you might be thrilled to have been invited, the day isn't about you, it's about the graduates and their families. So be nice, make sure everyone thanks Mom and Dad for all their support, and get out of there.

Safe to say, this is a lesson that's been completely absorbed by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. One can hardly blame him. After enduing relentless booing whenever he shows up anywhere in public in an official capacity, it seems as if a new technique has emerged to short-circuit hostile crowds.

Witness last night in the aftermath of the Cup Finals when Bettman emerged to award the Conn Smythe Trophy and the Stanley Cup. Listen closely to the Mellon Arena public address announcer as Bettman walks onto the ice.

Am I the only one who thinks it's odd that they didn't announce that Bettman would be presenting the trophy? I'm thinking no. In any case, while I might take issue with many of Bettman's decisions as Commissioner, I'm not exactly on board with the booing. I can't imagine what it's like to live that way.

Gary Bettman: Be Brief, Be Gone originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chelios Wants Another Season in Detroit

Eric McErlain — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:47:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Detroit, General NHL, Blackhawks, Wings, NHL Videos, Stanley Cup

As I was watching Chris Chelios skating the Stanley Cup around the ice at Mellon Arena last night, I couldn't help but wonder: Was this the last we'd see of the 46-year old defenseman? After playing in 15 of Detroit's first 16 playoff games, Chelios was injured at the tail end of the Western Conference Finals with Dallas, and was a healthy scratch for all six games against Pittsburgh.

Well, wonder no more.

Perhaps Red Wings owner Mike Illitch was just caught up in the excitement, but as far as he's concerned, he's open to having Chelios back for another season, and maybe more:

"Certainly I would love to have him back,'' Holland said. "He's still a good player and he loves hockey. He loves to compete and you can't have enough of those guys in the locker room.''

[...]

"What can you say about a guy who's going to go to the Hall of Fame? One of the greatest American players, if not the greatest American player, ever. He's pulling for the team, it wasn't about him, it was about the team.''

As for Chelios, he told multiple outlets that he wanted to be back next year as well.

Back during the 1998-99 season when Chelios was dealt at the deadline to Detroit from the Chicago Blackhawks, I can recall thinking that it seemed like a fitting coda to the Chicago native's career. I figured he'd have at least one, maybe two genuine shots at the Cup and then call it a day. But now, here we are more than eight seasons later, and Chelios is still chewing up ice time. The funny thing is, as of next season, Chelios will have played as many years in a Red Wings uniform as he did in Chicago, the franchise so many fans associate him with.

Then again, Chelios never won a Cup in Chicago, and now he's won twice in Detroit. And the fact is you can't fault the man's enthusiasm. After all, he was a healthy scratch last night, yet he still came on the ice after the game wearing a full uniform to celebrate with his teammates.

So when will Chris Chelios retire? Probably when they pry the skates off his cold, dead feet. Don't hold your breath waiting.

Chelios Wants Another Season in Detroit originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What They're Saying: The Morning After

Kevin Schultz — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, General NHL, Penguins, Wings, Stanley Cup

Each day throughout the Stanley Cup Finals, I'll be taking a look around the blogosphere at what various bloggers are saying about the series. Today, this is that post.

Well, the finals have come to an end and so will What They're Saying. It was nice having you along for the ride and thanks for tuning in every morning. Special thanks goes out to all the bloggers out there who graciously let me pull quotes from them everyday. And, of course, a congratulations goes out to the Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings. Without further ado, here's the pulse of the blogosphere on the morning after their Cup victory. It's a special extended edition.

Headline of the day goes to Melt Your Face Off: Do You Believe in Probable Outcomes? YES!!!!

When you're a fan of a sports team, you live and die with them every single day of the season. You feel the bumps and bruises during the year in your own individual way.

You get excited when training camp starts to creep up.

You maneuver your life schedule around game days.

You memorize every player's number, their nicknames, places of birth, and jersey size.

You put off work to scan message boards and websites to gather the latest news and rumors.

When the playoffs come around, all bets are off. Loved ones are ignored. You have trouble concentrating at work on game days. You live and die with every shift. The Cup changes everything.

You live with the ups and die with the downs. Your heart sinks with every goal against and accelerates with every goal for.

You're a hockey fan and you love your team.

Fans in both Detroit and Pittsburgh are at opposite ends of the spectrum of emotion right now. One is on top of the world right now. The other, silenced and stunned after watching their team leave everything they had on the ice.

- Going Five Hole

On behalf of NHL fans who have no rooting interest in the Stanley Cup Finals, I'd like to offer a sincere thank you to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On Monday for NHL FanHouse I wrote that the Penguins had to play Game 5 of the Finals as if they were never going to pass that way again.

That's what they did. Granted, they blew a two-goal lead and trailed 3-2 entering the final seconds of the third period as Detroit fans chanted, "We want the Cup." That proved to be an opportunity to demonstrate the Penguins' depth of character.

...

The better news? NHL bashers have gone silent. And for that, we have the Penguins to thank. Two separate programs that usually do their level best to bash the NHL -- Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption -- decided to take a pass. Instead of slandering hockey, both shows demonstrated rare balance and took the NHL seriously.
They had little choice. When a hockey game goes past midnight ET and more than 6 million people in the U.S. watch a portion of it, sports talk shows must acknowledge the NHL is a major league. Having listened to so many critics use the NHL as a punching bag, these Finals are a welcome respite.

- Eric McErlain

The better team won. Let's just get the clear from the start here. The Detroit Red Wings are your 2008 Stanley Cup Champions thanks to their 3-2 Game 6 win in Pittsburgh. The Penguins gave it all they had, but they were flat for most of the game and two (really) bad goals did them in. They made a game out of it with Marian Hossa's late deflection goal, but it was all for naught as Chris Osgood made one final glove save to seal the deal for Detroit.

Detroit was the better team in this series, but the Pens did themselves in by playing so poorly in the two opening games in Detroit. As good as this Penguins team was, they were not going to be able to take four out of five from this Red Wings team. Hats off to the Wings, they earned it.

- Taking One for the Team

I've been celebrating if you can't tell and the Wings are Stanley Cup frickin champs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll have more post game analysis when I get off of work and am of sound mind. Haha. But go Wings!!!!!!!!

- Behind the Jersey

Yes.

11.

Congratulations Wing fans.

- Abel to Yzerman

What started out as a lopsided series finished with two barn burners. Kudos to the Penguins for reinvigorating the Finals with their late-game intensity tonight and Monday night-both games had thrilling white-knuckle endings (though tonight came with an earlier bedtime than Game 5).
And of course, congratulations to the Red Wings for a dominant performance, and to Nicklas Lidstrom as the first European-born team captain to win the Cup.

- On Frozen Blog

What They're Saying: The Morning After originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 08:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: Hockeytown is Titletown

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Penguins, Wings, Stanley Cup

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

The Stanley Cup has escaped the clutches of its caretakers, preferring to rest in the hands of sweaty, bearded men (except for Chris Osgood, who doesn't do beards, apparently) wearing white and red.

Detroit overcame Pittsburgh's home ice advantage and skated Stanley after a 3-2 win in Game Six Wednesday night. The Wings have now won an incredible 13 straight Game Sixes when leading series 3-2. 10 of those 13 have been on the road.

That stat should tell you all you need to know about Detroit's dominance, both in these playoffs and in this league over the last 11 playoff seasons. They have four Cups in that span, which is probably as close to a dynasty as you're going to see in this era of salary caps and parity and all that stuff.

Game Six didn't start well for the Penguins. An early Detroit power play was converted when Brian Rafalski's left point shot went in off Pittsburgh defenseman Hal Gill. Rafalski was open after the Penguins collapsed on Henrik Zetterberg in the right circle. Zetterberg dished the puck back to Rafalski for the shot. The period was closely contended, but Detroit had a 1-0 lead after one.

It was enough to silence the Pittsburgh fans a little bit, but in all honesty, the Penguins played well enough to make one think they still had a shot. Even after falling behind, they didn't lose their compusure, as they had in the first two games of the series.

(Coming up: More on Game Six, the officials remain in the spotlight after the drama of Game Five, links you can enjoy, and a YouTube of some sort)

Detroit really put a defensive clamp on the Penguins in the second period. They were all over Pittsburgh's skill players, and with the ice being awful in Pittsburgh, life wasn't easy for the likes of Crosby, Hossa, and Malkin.

As Pittsburgh began to play more and more tentatively, perhaps realizing that every mistake they made left them more susceptible to a goal than they could afford, the Wings took advantage of a rare Marc-Andre Fleury mistake (at least, as the last couple games went) to double their lead. Fleury made the initial save on a shot by Mikael Samuelsson, but Valtteri Filppula was there to take advantage of a bad rebound by Fleury. He backhanded a soft shot past Fleury before he could get back in position, and the Wings had a 2-0 lead.

Pittsburgh found an answer on the power play. Evgeni Malkin (!) wristed a beautiful shot past Osgood from the left wing to cut the lead in half. It set us up for a dramatic third period, with the Stanley Cup again on the line for Detroit.

Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, this wasn't Fleury's night. Having already given up one bad goal in the second, Fleury's lack of puck control and puck sense cost the Pens big-time in the third. Zetterberg took a quick wrister from the left circle, and Fleury closed the pads on the low shot. He didn't stop the puck, which trickled through and stopped in the blue paint. Fleury realized he didn't have it, flopped back to lay on it, and inadvertently knocked it into his own net, giving Detroit a seemingly insurmountable 3-1 lead.

A late power-play goal by Pittsburgh cut the lead to 3-2, but the Pens got no closer, and their inability to generate even-strength chances in the third period was striking. A frantic final two minutes, keyed by the power play and subsequent quick goal, just wasn't enough for the Penguins. Their fans were total class afterward, giving their team multiple standing ovations, and chanting the name of their goaltender.

Detroit was the best defensive team in the league during the regular season, and it definitely showed when their four series were decided. Nashville was gallant in their effort, but couldn't generate much of anything in the fifth or sixth games. Colorado did nothing in four games. Dallas couldn't launch any kind of comeback in their sixth game against Detroit. The Red Wings, an amazingly skilled offensive bunch, showed their two-way skill all year long. Pavel Datsyuk and Zetterberg made it clear that there is a good reason for both to be Selke Trophy finalists.

Late in the third, Stanley safely exited the box and was given a quick shine for his appearance later in the evening. There was no Pittsburgh comeback on this night.

Your Conn Smythe winner (playoff MVP) is Zetterberg. It's fitting that he got the game-winner, as he was clearly Detroit's best player in these playoffs. The near-singlehanded penalty kill in Game Four will be the great image of this series. It was also the turning point for the Red Wings.

Congratulations, Detroit. I still don't like it when people say "Hockeytown", but right now, you are. Enjoy and savor, because your team is the best in the sport. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if they were again next season, given how well-coached they are and how awesome their top players are.

Finally, I want to tip my cap to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Many wrote them off, especially after the way the series started. However, the heart and grit they showed was enough to keep them in this. They weren't as talented, or skilled, or physical, or well-coached as Detroit. But they showed they undoubtedly, unarguably, belonged on the same ice as the best team in the sport. You don't often get to do much better than that.

For Fleury, there will be better nights. Hopefully, the last two goals allowed in this long journey won't haunt a tremendously talented young goaltender for years to come.

The officials continue in the spotlight. After two goaltender interference penalties were called against Detroit during overtime Monday night, it was obvious that the NHL would have to field questions and criticisms about their officials. Again.

Offering a defense of the controversial calls (sort of) was Mike Brophy of The Hockey News:

NHL referees are damned if they do and damned if they don't. While they don't like the idea of calling goalie interference in overtime, let alone twice in extra time, they also don't relish the idea of a goalie being hit by an opponent and the winning goal being scored while the fallen goaltender is unable to do his job. It is a discretionary call.

"We don't want the Stanley Cup-winning goal being scored with the goalie on his back after being crashed into," said NHL executive Kris King.

The more controversial of the two was on Dan Cleary, who courageously drove to the net looking to win it for his team and become the first player from Newfoundland to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup. You would be hard-pressed to find anybody in the rink who thought his motive was to wipe out Fleury, but the call was made nonetheless.

Frankly, I would have been happier if the referee stopped play to see if Fleury was OK and didn't penalize Cleary.

Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau was on NHL Live (XM Radio or on the NHL Network) Tuesday, and what he said basically boils down to "Don't blame the refs; blame the rule". He made it sound as if the league has virtually no choice but to address the issue this summer.

Random YouTube. Hockey is officially over. However, it's now summer. Just for fun, let Will Smith tell you about it.

In case you missed it, FanHouse hosted a live chat Wednesday afternoon with Carolina defenseman Bret Hedican. He was super. I fully recommend taking a few minutes to look it over if you couldn't make it here for the chat.

Got a Tip ... or a link you'd like to share with us? Just use this form to let us know.

Thank yous. Eric McErlain e-mailed me in early March, inviting me to join the NHL crew here at FanHouse. I can't thank him enough for reaching out to me and allowing me to be a part of this. Thanks also to the rest of the NHL writers, who welcomed me with open arms (not literally).

Thanks also to Mrs. Ciskie. My beautiful wife endures a lot so I can do work that I enjoy, whether that be here at FanHouse or at my "real job". I thank her, even though "thank you" doesn't do justice to her understanding, patience, and general coolness.

I also want to thank all our readers. Without your clicks, we wouldn't be here. I hope you visit often during the off-season.

The Ice Sheet: Hockeytown is Titletown originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Accomplishments, Expectations, and the 2007-2008 Pittsburgh Penguins

Pat Lackey — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:10:00 EST

Filed under: Pittsburgh, General NHL, Penguins, Eastern, Stanley Cup

Losing is something that I thought I could handle. When I'm not writing here at FanHouse, I spend a lot of time writing a Pittsburgh Pirates blog. When I was a freshman and a junior in college at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, I routinely plunked down my money to watch awful hockey teams lose games. Still, despite absorbing literally thousands of losses as a sports fan, I find myself staring blankly at a computer screen right now trying to describe what happened to my Pittsburgh Penguins tonight and every time I think about what just happened, part of me goes numb.

There's something special that happens when a community attaches itself to a team. Pittsburgh loves its Steelers, but that's exactly what Pittsburgh loves. The Steelers. Football players and their personalities blend into faceless robots on the field. The Steelers have a mystique and an aura that Pittsburgh will always love, no matter who pulls on black and gold jerseys. Hockey is different. It's a team sport that's defined by individuals and it was the players, not the team, that Pittsburgh attached itself to this year.

This Penguin team was special to watch because we watched them gel and grow before our eyes this year. On October 5th in Raleigh, they were a team that was strongly dependent on Sidney Crosby, waiting for their star to step up and make something happen. They looked like a team that was at least a year away from truly contending. On June 4th in Pittsburgh, they were a complete hockey team that had exceeded expectations, fell just short in crunch-time and watched the Red Wings hoist the Stanley Cup with a million "what-ifs" dancing in their heads.

What if Crosby's last second shot trickled in? What if Fleury fell on Zetterberg's puck instead of pushing it into his own net? What if Zetterberg didn't jam Crosby's stick in that 5-on-3 in Game Four? What if it didn't take two games for the Penguins to get the gleam of the Cup out of their eyes and play real hockey? I could go on forever, but what-ifs are meaningless. The Red Wings are the champs and they deserve it.

What really stings, though, is the way that the series was lost. Evgeni Malkin carried the team through 2+ rounds of these playoffs, but suddenly the well went dry. I've heard a lot of reasons why (OK, I've heard two, either bruised ribs or the flu), but none of them matter. As much as he helped the Penguins early, he hurt them late and that's the truth. What's maddening is to see people insinuate that he just didn't care or that he was too soft to compete in the Finals. Anyone that watched closely could see Geno die a little with each turnover and in return, jump through the roof when Petr Sykora turned his pass into a dramatic over-time winner in Game 5. When Crosby crumpled with a hit in Game Six, Malkin darted into the offensive zone, made a quick move, and threw a shot on net. Evgeni Malkin cares as much about the Stanley Cup and the Pittsburgh Penguins as anyone in the world, and it was heartbreaking to see him crumpled on the ice after the series was lost. Without Geno, there is no trip to the Stanley Cup Finals for the Penguins.

The same goes for Marc-Andre Fleury. After a poor performance against Ottawa last year, it seemed that he'd put his playoff demons behind him and backstopped the Penguins into the finals with great play through the Eastern Conference Playoffs. When all seemed lost in the Finals, he made 55 saves, many of the spectacular variety, to single-handedly pull the Penguins through an ugly third period and first overtime and to a victory. To see the goal that lost the Cup come on a badly flubbed play by him is like a knife to the gut. Fleury deserves better than that and he deserves better than all of the second-guessing he's going to get at the first sign of adversity next year. Without Fleury, there is no trip to the Stanley Cup Finals for the Penguins.

I could write a similar paragraph for every single member of the team. This was a special team in the hearts of Pittsburgh, one that slowly grew on us through the season as the calendar turned. What's particularly painful about this loss is that while Malkin, Fleury, and Crosby will probably get another shot at Stanley in black and gold, not everyone on this team will. Ryan Malone and Brooks Orpik are two players from the dark days of the franchise that worked harder than anyone to go from scrubs on one of the worst teams in the league to key members of a team that was inches away from who knows what. Marian Hossa is a true professional who came to Pittsburgh and worked harder than anyone on both sides of the ice to destroy his reputation as a choker and push the Penguins to another level. These guys might get another shot at a Cup, but it won't be with Pittsburgh, and it's sad to watch them go.

As hard as it is to say with the numbness still lingering, this was a great season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Mellon Arena rocked all year like it hasn't since Mario's return in 2000 and 2001. And while some players will be gone next year, other players grew by leaps and bounds this year. Sidney Crosby became a true captain, Evgeni Malkin evolved into a real super star, and Marc-Andre Fleury finally started to tap into his vast potential. It would be truly surprising if none of them get another shot at a Cup with the Penguins. Unfortunately, none of that matters right now, because all I see when I close my eyes is Crosby's desperate backhander skipping over Osgood's glove and defiantly choosing not to cross the goal line as the final horn blows, despite countless of people trying to will it over.

No one can ever be truly immune to losing.

Accomplishments, Expectations, and the 2007-2008 Pittsburgh Penguins originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Detroit Red Wings Win the Stanley Cup

Pat Lackey — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:42:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Penguins, Wings, Stanley Cup

After 104 games (for the Red Wings, 102 for the Penguins), the NHL season has come to a close. With a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Detroit Red Wings are hoisting the Stanley Cup tonight.

For every hockey fan that wanted an exciting game, they certainly got their fill tonight. The Wings jumped to a 2-0 lead on goals by Brian Rafalski and Valtteri Filppula, the Pens fought back with a big goal by Evgeni Malkin to close out the second period. With the Pens' buzzing early in the third, Marc-Andre Fleury let a puck trickle through his legs, then knocked it into the net. The goal was credited to Henrik Zetterberg and it proved to be just barely too much for the Penguins. Marian Hossa added a goal minute and a half to go, then Sidney Crosby snuck one past Chris Osgood that trickled in the crease and very nearly crossed the line with about 0.2 seconds on the clock.

Still, almost counts for nothing and there's really no question that Detroit has been the best team during both the regular season and the playoffs. Nicklas Lidstrom becomes the first European captain to hold the Cup, Henrik Zetterberg wins the Conn Smythe, and it's hard to argue that they don't deserve it. Congrats to the Wings, the 2008 Stanley Cup Champions.

The Detroit Red Wings Win the Stanley Cup originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stanley Cup Finals: Game Six Live Blog

Eric McErlain — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Penguins, Wings, NHL Live Blogging, Stanley Cup

Welcome back to the Igloo. Can the Penguins extend the season one more game, or do the Red Wings tighten things down and collect Lord Stanley?

Join us beginning at 7:30 p.m. U.S. EDT to find out. See you then.

Stanley Cup Finals: Game Six Live Blog originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Who the Hell is Darren Helm?

Jes Golbez — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: General NHL, Wings, Stanley Cup

With 30 teams and 700 players in the league, you'll have to forgive me if I don't know the names of every single player on every single roster.

That said, I ought to know something about who is on the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. Besides being awesome teams, the players that fill out the lower reaches of each roster tend to be much better than the chaff that popular such bottom-feeders as the Tampa Bay Lightning.

To my own shame, I had never heard of Red Wings forward Darren Helm until late into these Stanley Cup playoffs, and now this so-called "no-name" has made quite an impact in these finals.

Just who is this guy? Let The Windsor Star help fill us in.

Two months ago, Darren Helm was still a project in the eyes of the Detroit Red Wings. Now, he's a player.

Helm had his finest game as an NHLer Monday in the Wings' 4-3 triple overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins ... Helm scored a goal, led all players with six hits, was a plus-one and a noticeable presence in each of his 21 shifts centering Detroit's fourth line.

"I definitely realize how hard it is for a lot of players to get this chance," said Helm, who earned a late season callup after a fine rookie campaign for the Wings' AHL farm team in Grand Rapids.

You'd figure Helm would be a journeyman type, wouldn't you? He looks gruff, plays a physical game, and looks like he's been through more than a few battles.

Well, it turns out that this Helm fellow is just 21 years of age, and is still in his first year of pro hockey. Yoikes!

Darren Helm facts:

Selected by Detroit Red Wings round 5 #132 overall 2005 NHL Entry Draft. The Wings know how to scour the late rounds for gems, don't they?

Put up about a point-a-game during his final two years of junior. Impressive, but not the type of numbers that exactly scream "Top Prospect!"

Played for Canada's squad at the 2007 World Junior Championships.

Played 67 games with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins, putting up a respectable, but not jaw dropping, 31 points.

Played just seven regular season games with the Wings, before playing 17 (so far) playoff games for the Wings. Talk about being thrown into the stampede.

What impresses me most about Helm is that the fact that his penalty totals are so low for the type of game he plays. Thus far, Helm has just two penalty minutes in his 17 playoff games, and has a career average of just about .5 PIM's per game. For a player to deliver that much physical presence and stay out of the penalty box is an asset to any team.

Who the Hell is Darren Helm? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Wings are Like Totally Awesome, Dude!

Kevin Schultz — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:03:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, General NHL, Wings, Stanley Cup

Chad Kroeger here just livin' the life. What's goin' on dudes and dudettes?

Did you see that hockey game the other night? Yeah, you did? Totally gnarly, man. I mean, my Red Wings lost and I'm pretty bummed about that. Gotta hand it to the Penguins, though. They really fought hard. They played some good hockey. I've been a fan for so long dude you have NO idea. I'm so glad that they finally have a chance to win another Stanley Cup. It's been forever since they've won a Cup. 1955 I think. Wow. That's almost as bad as being a Cubs fan.

I'll be honest though, dudes. I didn't get to see all of the game. I left after the first overtime cause I had to get up early this mornin' and do TOTALLY GNARLY and BAD *** stuff! WOOOOOO!!! Kidding. Kidding. You thought I was a lameo didn't you, bro? Nah. My boy Kid Rock and I were out hittin' the clubs all night looking for hot babes. There weren't enough at the game, know what I'm sayin'? It was great. I got six different phone numbers. It's amazing how easy this is once you're a big famous rock star like me. You should try it. It's great.

But hey, I figure I should get back to bein' totally awesome now. It's what I do, bro. It's what I was put on this earth to do.

But before I go I just need to say one thing. Go Wings! WOO! Craig Ozgood is THE MAN! Can't stop the Big Red Machine!

Peace out, bros.

If you couldn't tell, that's not actually Chad Kroeger of Nickelback fame. It's actually just me, Kevin Schultz, pretending to be. But doesn't it all seem plausible nonetheless?

The Wings are Like Totally Awesome, Dude! originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game Six Pre-Game Live Chat With Bret Hedican

Eric McErlain — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:15:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Penguins, Wings, NHL Fans, NHL Live Blogging, Stanley Cup

Be sure to stop by at 1:00 p.m. this afternoon as we host another live chat session. I'll be co-hosting along with Ted Starkey, NHL Editor for AOL Sports as we talk to Bret Hedican, currently a defenseman with the Carolina Hurricanes. It's sure to be interesting, as Hedican won a Cup himself just two seasons ago with Carolina, and he's been in the headlines thanks to his wife, Olympic Gold Medal winner Kristi Yamaguchi, the current champion at Dancing With the Stars. See you at 1:00 p.m.

Game Six Pre-Game Live Chat With Bret Hedican originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: Is America Waking Up to the Stanley Cup?

Eric McErlain — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:55:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, Pittsburgh, General NHL, Penguins, Wings, NHL Videos, Stanley Cup

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

I think it's time for hockey fans everywhere, and that includes the fans of the Detroit Red Wings, to stand up and give a sincere round of applause to the Pittsburgh Penguins for putting in a performance on Monday night/Tuesday morning that has helped the NHL -- if only for a moment -- grab a significant chunk of the American sports spotlight.

All over the place yesterday, folks couldn't stop talking about Pittsburgh's heart-stopping 4-3 triple overtime win on Monday night, a win that breathed new life into the Penguins, the series and maybe even the NHL.

Yesterday for the first time I could remember, Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon spent a few moments on Pardon the Interruption talking about hockey, and talking about the Finals in terms that fans of the game wouldn't find insulting. To say it was a breath of fresh air would be an incredible understatement. And after doing nothing but bashing hockey for years, why did these guys decided to cut the sport an even break.

I hate to be cynical about it, but do you think the television numbers might have something to do with it? All Spring long, the news from Versus and NBC has just gotten better and better: After taking a battering since the lockout -- a battering exacerbated by a dedicated knot of sports editor and writers who would like to see the league fail -- the NHL is starting to show some life on television once again.

Every game of the Finals, even the ones that were carried on Versus, experienced huge gains over 2007. And on Saturday night in the face of competition from the EliteXC on CBS, the NHL still managed to hold its ground. While the debut of MMA on network television might have averaged a larger total audience over the course of the evening, hockey won the night in the critical 18-39 and 18-54 male demos.

That all helped to set the stage for Monday night for what looked like a possible Cup clincher. Instead, the Penguins simply refused to die -- and 6.2 million Americans were more than happy to watch them stave off defeat.

Now, are these numbers a perfect gauge of America's real interest in hockey? As my colleague Bruce Ciskie, a veteran of the radio business, has pointed out, there are all sorts of flaws in the Nielsen ratings system. But there should be little doubt that when the numbers turn in the right direction, a whole lot of other dominoes start falling in the same direction too.

So thank you, Sid, Geno, Petr, Gary, Marian, Marc-Andre, Ryan, Rob and all the rest. Thank you for holding off the dawn and living to fight another day. When you did, you forced a whole lot of folks normally too busy to notice to realize just how great a game it is that you play. And whether or not you come back to win the series or even just force a Game Seven, hockey fans owe you a lot today.

And About That Pizza ... As our buddy G-Dub mentioned yesterday, the Penguins were fueled during overtime on Monday with Domino's PIzza, while the opposition in the Red Wings locker room was eating Little Ceaser's, which of course is owned by team owner Mike Illitch. As you might suspect, some enterprising folks from Pittsburgh are already taking advantage, producing this amusing little video:

Got a Tip ... or a link you'd like to share with us? Just use this form to let us know.

Latest NHL Photos

Pittsburgh Penguins hockey player Adam Hall is interviewed Thursday, May 29, 2008 at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. The Red Wings lead the Stanley Cup Finals best-of-seven series 2-1 after the Pittsburgh Penguins won game three Wednesday night. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Detroit Red Wings' Johan Franzen, of Sweden, skates during practice at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Sunday, May 25, 2008. The Red Wings shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup hockey finals Saturday, and will face them again on Monday night in game two of the best of seven series. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Detroit Red Wings' coach Mike Babcock, center left, leads the team through practice at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Sunday, May 25, 2008. The Red Wings shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup hockey finals Saturday, and will face them again on Monday night in game two of the best of seven series. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Veteran Detroit Red Wings' and Stanley Cup final goalie Dominik Hasek, of the Czech Republic, skates towards the goal during practice at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Sunday, May 25, 2008. The Red Wings shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0 in game one of the Stanley Cup hockey finals Saturday, and will face them again on Monday night in game two of the best of seven series. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Detroit Red Wings' Darren McCarty stretches during practice at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Sunday, May 25, 2008. The Red Wings shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup hockey finals Saturday, and will face them again on Monday night in game two of the best of seven series. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Detroit Red Wings' Dan Cleary, left, brings the puck in on backup goalie Dominik Hasek, of the Czech Republic, during practice at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Sunday, May 25, 2008. The Red Wings shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup hockey finals Saturday, and will face them again on Monday night in game two of the best of seven series. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Detroit Red Wings Johan Franzen (L) takes a shot on goalie Dominik Hasek during the team's practice for the NHL Stanley Cup Finals in Detroit May 25, 2008. REUTERS/Shaun Best (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

Detroit Red Wings Kirk Maltby (L) playfully jostles with Darren Helm during the team's practice for the NHL Stanley Cup Finals in Detroit May 25, 2008. REUTERS/Shaun Best (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

Detroit Red Wings goalie Dominik Hasek takes a break during the team's practice for the NHL Stanley Cup hockey finals in Detroit, May 25, 2008. REUTERS/Shaun Best (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

Detroit Red Wings Chris Chelios takes a rest during the team's practice for the NHL Stanley Cup Finals in Detroit May 25, 2008. REUTERS/Shaun Best (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

The Ice Sheet: Is America Waking Up to the Stanley Cup? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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