Bleacher Report - Articles by The Captain -Brian Kates

When Does Hockey Season Start Again? Part VI: Just a Couple of Months to Go!

The Captain -Brian Kates — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:35:19 -0400

As Ken Armer wrote in his July 9 article "Ken's Top NHL Writers All-Star Team," hockey fans and writers alike are scrambling for things to write about. I am no different. I have searched sites, blogs, articles, etc. and everyone just seems to be vying their time for the season to start.

Even NHL.com has only been covering the draft (boring to me) or contract extensions or trying to get hockey fans to buy stuff they really don't need. So I will continue with this trend.

What's up this time, Captain...

The Detroit Red Wings have posted their 2008-9 season schedule. That's it. That's all there is.

Anything else?

The Wings have said "Goodbye" to a couple of players. Net minder Dominick Hasek and Forward Dallas Drake have hung up their skates, choosing retirement over playing another season. I don't blame them. They have spent a couple of decades in the NHL and figure it's time to pass the baton to younger players.

When I heard the news about the two of them, I was going to write tribute articles to them. I was going to express how much they contributed to the game, the NHL and the fans, over their playing days.

Well, I was beaten to the punch, over and over again. The B/R (and especially the NHL page) was saturated with stories about them.

I did put in my two-cents about the acquisition of Marian Hossa, but that has been the big Red Wing news since winning the Cup.

We all continue the scramble game...

Some of you have really come up with interesting articles for us hockey fans. I tip my hat to you. Trivia games and articles that have really caused all of us to really use our brains.

The rest of us will just bide our time until the season starts up again. It should be an interesting one, at that. The Wings will play every team in the league this season.

Confession time...

I do keep up with the Wings and after playing for so long when I was younger, I know a lot about the game.

Where I fail is with the other teams in the league. I know the popular players; Joe Thornton from San Jose, Mike Modano of Dallas, Sydney Crosby from Pittsburgh, etc.

This next season, with the help of NHL Center Ice, the NHL Network, and you folks, I should get more into it.

I will also being writing on Michigan Football and their quest for a National Championship under new Head Coach, Rich Rodriguez. And, of course, I will throw in an article or two about the Tulsa Oilers, the local CHL team.

Until then, I will probably read and edit articles from the "Bleacher Creatures" to bide my time.

The Red Wings start their preseason near the end of September against the Montreal Canadiens at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. To me, that sounds like the sweetest time of the year.

So, When Does Hockey Season Start Again? Part V: Detroit's Pre-Season Preview

The Captain -Brian Kates — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:47:07 -0400

Hey, look! It's a light at the end of a tunnel for hockey fans! The 2008 Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings have just posted their pre-season schedule for 2008. It's just what we've been waiting for!

Time to defend the Cup again, boys...

On Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m. EDT (6:30 p.m. CDT), it all starts again. The Wings will face off against the Montreal Canadiens at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

The Habs clinched the Eastern Conference Title in the 2007-08 season and then lost 4-1 in the semifinal round against the Philadelphia Flyers.

During the off-season, Montreal acquired defenceman Shaun Belle and forward Ryan Flinn. With a healthy lineup, including Ben Maxwell and Mathieu Carle, the 24-time Stanley Cup club are looking to another 100-plus point season and possibly going to the finals.

It's off to BeanTown...

Another "Original Six" team, the Boston Bruins are next on the agenda with one game at the Halifax Metro Center in Boston and the next day, again, at the Joe.

The Bruins made it to the 2008 playoffs before being eliminated by the Canadiens in the first round, 4-3. The Bruins have made some changes for the upcoming season.

"In comparison to last year, this was a younger and a bigger group at our camp," said Boston GM Peter Chiarelli. "We added some size and skill to the mix. I was pretty impressed with the players' ability to execute. At this time in the summer, players aren’t always that sharp, but I saw a lot of good passing, skills, and shooting."

Thrashers, Leafs and Sabres, OH MY!!!

The rest of the schedule (shown below) are against teams that didn't make the playoffs and are probably looking for revenge or at least a comeback season.

The Wings will entertain the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Atlanta Thrashers and the Buffalo Sabres to end their pre-season.

Below is the complete schedule which is intended only for the most avid Wings fans.

2008-09 RED WINGS PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

DATE DAY OPPONENT SITE TIME (EDT)

Sept

24       Wed.      MONTREAL             Joe Louis Arena                        7:30

   25       Thur.      at Boston                    Halifax Metro Centre                 TBD

   26       Fri.         BOSTON                  Joe Louis Arena                         7:30

   28       Sun.       ATLANTA                Joe Louis Arena                         5:00

   30       Tue.       at Montreal                Bell Centre                                 TBD

Oct.
    1        Wed.      at Atlanta                  Philips Arena                              7:00

    3        Fri.         TORONTO              Joe Louis Arena                         7:30

    4        Sat.        at Toronto                 Air Canada Centre                     7:00

    5        Sun.       BUFFALO               Joe Louis Arena                          5:00

And it starts all over again...

Finally, the light at the end of the dark summer tunnel. The announcement of the preseason schedule is the real beginning of the season for any hockey buff. And this fan is looking forward to a repeat by the boys from Hockeytown.

So, When Does Hockey Season Start Again? Part IV: So, You Want to Play Hockey?

The Captain -Brian Kates — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:10:08 -0400

Basketball: $15.00. Court to play on: FREE! Baseball and gloves: $30.00. Field to play on: FREE! Soccer ball: $20.00. Find a patch of grass: FREE! Football: $18.00. Field (again): FREE!

And you want to play what...?

You really have to have a love for the game in order to put up with the expense. For the basic equipment; stick, skates, gloves and a helmet; it could easily run you $200-300. Much of this article is going to flashback to my youth growing up near Detroit, Michigan.

The skates...

So your son or daughter is interested in learning to play ice hockey. I emphasize "ice" hockey because you can play "field" or "floor" hockey but they're not the same. I've played all three types and ice hockey is by far the best.

You take your child to the local sports store and because you are a frugal person with your financial picture intact, and you're not sure if they are going to stick with it, you want to look for the best deals. You don't want cheap equipment. That stuff will either break or wear out far before it's time and you will end up paying more.

You also don't want the high end stuff because you would probably have to refinance your house when you're done. You look for good equipment at an inexpensive price. You could get on eBay and look but in my experience you don't always get what you pay for and many times its used equipment.

Skates are about the most important part of the gear catalog. Without good, descent skates, you're worthless on the ice.

You can start with double-runners, two blades on each skate, for balance, but if your child is 5-6 years old they usually don't help. It's like buying training wheels for a bike after they know how to ride.

A good, inexpensive pair can still run you about $70-100.00. And if your child wishes to continue to play, like shoes, you will have to purchase them at least once a year.

My first skates were double-runners and after being ridiculed to scorn by fellow players, I begged my dad to get me another pair of skates. And every year, we would have to go get a new pair until I finally stopped growing.

The sticks...

Back in my day, sticks were just pieces of wood. Nowadays, they have come up with composite sticks. These sticks are made of fiberglass and have more flexibility to them.

You can still find wood sticks and they are around $40.00. Composite sticks will set you back about $100.00 or better and, of course, you have to buy more than one. In case one breaks, you have a back-up. You also need to figure out if you child is a righty or lefty.

When I started, way back when, I chose a left handed stick by accident. Even though, everything else I did was right handed, my thought was, "You hold the stick in the right hand." I didn't really consider how I held a baseball bat.

Eventually, that's what I got used to and I always played better as a lefty. I have used right handed sticks, though. When you're playing with 20-30 guys on the ice, there were always extra sticks available in case you needed one and you would usually grab the first stick you saw.

A helmet...

This piece of equipment is a necessary evil in today's world, kind of like car insurance. It's almost as expensive, too. However, it is the one piece of equipment that you can buy used and its integrity should be well intact.

When I played in the 60's through the 80's, helmets were just coming out and the NHL was just starting to use them. It's funny to watch vintage hockey games and see half the players with them and the other half without.

They start at around $50.00. Then you add a cage or a visor to protect against that wicked slap-shot to the face and you're looking at around $100.00. You can find a used one for about a third to half the price and it should do just as well as new. Just make sure it doesn't have any cracks in the plastic and the strap is intact and working.

Gloves...

Like a helmet, another necessary evil and just as expensive. But you need to protect your hands against flying pucks and errant uses of the stick. These you can also buy used to save some money but you have to make sure that the padding and the inner material isn't torn up.

You have to have a goalie...

This is a whole other subject in the world of hockey. Except for the jerseys and the skates, the equipment for this position is totally different. And without a goalie, you might as well take up figure skating.

When I played those pick-up games, we usually chose the two biggest and worst skaters as netminders. Some of them liked being the goalie because they didn't have to skate from one end of the ice to the other.

However, they use a different type of stick, a mask instead of a helmet and blockers and catchers instead of just regular gloves. With each different piece of equipment, add about 25-50 percent to the cost.

Now, the puck is cheap...

That's the good news about playing hockey and that's about all that can be said about the puck. Except for without it you might as well look into those figure skating classes, again.

Finding a patch of ice...

I grew up near Hockeytown where the snow/ice season started around September/October and lasted until May. Finding a piece of ice to play on was like finding a patch of grass to play football or soccer.

When you live in the northern US, it's easy to come by. We did have ice rinks, but we used those during the summer to practice. Ice rinks have boards, blue and red lines and worst of all, rules and regulations.

If you've ever watched the movie "Mystery, Alaska", you'll know what I'm talking about. We played on open ice with a ridge of snow that separated the free skate from the hockey game. We had 20-30 players per side playing at one time.

When you live in the south, you almost have to find a rink, which comes with another expense. You have to pay for ice time, anywhere from about $6-12.00 per visit.

Oh, you want to play in a league?

So far, we've talked, basically, about pick-up games. What happens if your child not only enjoys playing but then wants to join an organized hockey team? That opens up another world to your pocketbook.

Now, you have to look at pads and uniforms and rink costs and team fees and... Well, you know what I'm talking about. You also need a coach and someone with some kind of medical background on you side because players will get injured. It's inevitable.

My mother's favorite line was, "what happened to you this time?" I was forever coming home limping, bruised or sometimes had a black eye from a stick or puck. And then the next day, I was back at it again. Kind of like the "hair of the dog" so to speak.

But you couldn't keep some of us from playing. We enjoyed it that much. We lived to play and played to live. We pretended being some of the greats of the NHL, like Gordie Howe or "Rocket" Richard.

Heck, we lived in the belly of the "Original Six". If you lived in or around Boston or New York, Montreal or Toronto, Chicago or Detroit, those were the "teams" you watched and tried to emulate. Each one of us was our own game announcer when we played.

I tried organized hockey for a couple of seasons but I didn't like wearing pads and learning a bunch of rules. I just wanted to get out there and play.

You still want to play?

You really have to love the "Coolest Game on Ice." I know, for the most, part the scoring is relatively low and that, in itself, can make it boring to watch.

I remember my son, when he was about 4-5 years old, wanting to watch a hockey game on TV. At first, I didn't understand the attraction. But, by just watching it, there is a lot of action going on; players moving around the ice, the cameraman trying desperately to follow the puck.

The rules of the game can get confusing as opposed to baseball or football. After playing for 20-plus years, I still sometimes don't understand them.

But put all that aside and just observe it as pure sport and you'll see what I'm talking about. And maybe, just maybe, you could be producing the next Wayne Gretzky or Sidney Crosby or Steve Yzerman or Nick Lidstrom or...

Detroit Red Wings: We Got Him! Marian Hossa Hits Hockeytown

The Captain -Brian Kates — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 02:51:37 -0400

Marian Hossa now has a reason to raise his hands in victory. He has just signed with the 2008 Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings.

“Obviously, we’re thrilled,” said Ken Holland, Detroit's general manager. “He’s a premier power forward. Heading into the off-season, he was on our wish list, but to think in reality that we would get a shot at him given our commitments heading into the ’08-09 season—we really wanted to keep a lot of our team together—but in the end Marian made it happen by agreeing to come on a one-year deal.”

Hossa, 29, played an integral part in the Pittsburgh Penguins quest for the Cup against the Wings. He racked up 29 goals and had 37 assists in the 2007-08 regular season, and added 12 goals and 14 assists to his totals during the playoffs. In 701 career games, he has scored 299 goals and had 349 assists with a plus-85 rating.

So, you're looking for a repeat...

“I wanted the best chance to win the Stanley Cup, and I feel like Detroit is the team,” Hossa said Wednesday afternoon. “It wasn’t easy to throw that much money away, but I know I made the right decision. I truly believe that I made the right decision.”

Hossa had many attractive offers on the table before he decided on joining the Wings organization. One offer came from the Edmonton Oilers for a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract.

"Basically, what this comes down to is Marian's commitment to sacrifice money to come here, because he feels we give him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup," Holland said. "It shows how important winning is to him and his desire to play with good players. Marian made this day happen. He's a premier power forward who wanted to make this marriage happen, and we're thrilled to have worked out a one-year contract."

I'm hungry...are you?

That's the difference between hockey players and other professional sports. Baseball, basketball, and football players will go after the money, whereas hockey players want their name inscribed on that Cup. And they will do almost anything to get it.

Players in the NHL will look for that team that they think has the best chance to win Lord Stanley and they will let a guaranteed multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts stay on the table for that chance. Players like Dominic Hasek and Dallas Drake. They become hungry to win the Cup.

“I really think that Dallas Drake was a major factor in us winning the Stanley Cup,” Holland said. “Obviously, with his play on the ice—but for Dallas, he made a lot of sacrifices to come here to give himself an opportunity. When we got close, I thought a lot of our players played for Dallas.”

Drake came to Detroit in the summer of 2007 with one goal in mind—he wanted to win a Stanley Cup. After six seasons with the St. Louis Blues organization, his dream became reality with the Wings.

Hasek took almost the same quest. After nine seasons with the Buffalo Sabres and six Vezina Trophies to his credit, he opted to come to Detroit for the 2001-02 season. With his outstanding goaltending that season, the Wings won their tenth Stanley Cup.

Easy come, easy go...

“It wasn’t easy to throw that much money away, but I know I made the right decision. I truly believe that I made the right decision,” said Hossa.

Along with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Edmonton Oilers were also vying for Hossa's talents. They put together an $80 million deal over nine years. But the Czech star's priorities have changed after 10 seasons.

"Obviously, they're a great organization, with a great history, a great past," said Hossa. "Going to an Original Six team, I've never done that before. Also my friend, Tomas Kopecky, is there. I was in contact with him during the year. We talked about them."

Eenie, meany, minie, moe...

With the acquisition of Hossa, Head Coach Mike Babcock, along with Holland and the rest of the front office have a decision to make—which line do we put him on? The obvious spot is the Pavel Datsyuk/Henrick Zetterberg line.

"Marian is a premier player in this League," Holland said. "We wanted to add another forward who could fit into our top six, and now we have a forward that could fit into our top three. He's strong down low in the offensive zone, is capable of hanging on to the puck, and has a tremendous work ethic. He kills penalties, and will backcheck and play defense. This was certainly a deal we couldn't pass up."

Hossa was a first-round draft pick by the Ottawa Senators in 1997, and was runner-up for the Calder Trophy in 1998 behind Chris Drury. After being traded to the Atlanta Thrashers in 2005, he recorded his best two seasons.

He racked up 92 points (39 goals and 53 assists) beating his best season by 10 points. The next season, he scored 43 goals and had 57 assists for his first 100 point year. With Detroit, he should easily record that many.

A final word, Marian?

"Of all the NHL teams, I always had Pittsburgh and Detroit in mind since they were the two teams I really liked," Hossa said. "At the end of day, I felt strongly about Detroit. I had a great time in Pittsburgh and they have great players, coaches, and fans—and that made this a tough decision. I do feel I have a better chance to win the Cup with Detroit."

Well, welcome to Hockeytown, Mr. Hossa!

So, When Does Hockey Season Start Again? Part III: The Men of Summer (Winter)!

The Captain -Brian Kates — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:48:33 -0400

“He plays to play. He skates to skate. He don’t make a million bucks a year!! He loves the game of hockey!! He loves it.” –Bailey Pruitt, Mystery, Alaska (1999).

They love the game of hockey! The stands are almost empty, except for some wives, a couple of friends and some players waiting for their game to start. They love the game of hockey! They skate, okay, but they love the game! They pass, okay, and they love the game! They shoot, sometimes score, and they love the game of hockey. Then, afterwards, they talk about it because they love the game! And so do I!

Was anyone else freezing their *** off?

I found this totally by accident. I went online one day, after watching Miracle (2004), to look for a 1980 USA jersey. After ordering and re-ordering and emails back and forth, I found out that their pro-shop was right around the corner from where I live.

So, I went there to see the place. I had passed it several times while going somewhere else and finally, I had an excuse.

I met two gentlemen, Tracy and John. That’s when I found out about the league, as these two were part of it. They told me that they play Monday through Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CDT (7:30 EDT) and on Sundays, pretty much, all day starting at 10 a.m. CDT (11 EDT).

Last Sunday evening, I went to watch them play, and for someone who loves hockey like I do, it was great!

Ok, so I didn’t prepare like I should have. Boy, was it cold in there. On a day that was close to 100 degrees in Okieland, I was freezing, and I’m from Detroit.

They had to ask the question…

When I stopped playing 25 years ago, I didn’t think anyone was going to ask me ever again. They asked if I was interested in playing. What a shocker! It almost gave this old man a heart attack.

Now, where I grew up, Hockeytown, there were about two things you could do during the winter. You could clean the house or play hockey at the frozen baseball field. I opted for the latter, of course. No way I was staying home to clean house.

So, I played and played...day in and day out. We started early in the morning and played until we couldn’t see the puck anymore.

Did I freeze? Not like I did the other night in that arena. After one period, I went back outside, in the 90-plus degree weather, and unfroze myself. It took about 10 minutes, and then I was ready for more.

I ended up staying in a sort-of waiting area between the pro shop and the ice rink with the others, who knew better than I, waiting for the game to end.

A Gentleman’s Game

If you think this is like watching the NHL or the IHL or the CHL or whatever pro or semi-pro league you are used to, then you will be disappointed in what happens on the ice. They play by gentleman’s rules.

They don’t check against the boards, at least not on purpose. There are no slap-shots at the goalie when one team is dominating the other. They do have referees, and there are penalties, icings and off-sides called.

Basically, they are nice to each other on the ice and they play just to play. Just to get back on the ice. Just to handle the puck once again. Just to score one more time.

And for some, it’s a chance to relive or reminisce about times past. Some played like me, just for fun. Others may have tried out for a college or pro team. Still others probably played seriously and then had to leave for one reason or another. But they still play the game they love.

But what about the game?

For those who love the Coolest Game On Ice, log onto www.oilersicecenter.com. Find out about the league, public skating, lessons, youth leagues, etc. They have a pro shop with just about anything you need for ice or inline hockey and skating.

If you need to clog your arteries a little more, there is a snack-shack when you get hungry or thirsty. You can call them at 918-252-0011. Maybe you would like to relive your past and join a team. They are always looking for players.

Oh, I almost forgot. The Spirit beat the Road Kill (love the team names) 6-2. Check out the site for more standings and schedules and maybe, just maybe, you can relive a time past from your youth.

Arena Football 2: Do The Tulsa Talons Have What It Takes To Win Again?

The Captain -Brian Kates — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:57:37 -0400

They are 10-1 overall this season and 5-0 in their division. They are the defending ArenaCup Champions. They won 16 straight games over the last two seasons before losing a few weeks ago to the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings. They are the Tulsa Talons of the Arena Football 2 League.

The Talons are also the current Central Division leader in the AF2. With players on offense like quarterback Justin Allgood and wide receiver Jeff Hughly, how can you not be near the top?

The truth of the matter...

Now I'm not going to try to fool you by making it sound like I know what I'm talking about. Personally, I've never been to a Talons game or for that matter, an arena football game. My forte is in hockey: especially 2008 Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings hockey.

In fact, when I first heard of the Talons, I asked if they were the semi-pro basketball team in Tulsa. The answer was an emphatic, "NO! It's arena football!"

Now, I enjoy football. Let me rephrase that. I enjoy GOOD football. And from what I've read about the Talons, they are GOOD football. I mean, c'mon, 10-1 overall, 5-0 in their division and looking to roll through the rest of their season.

Every once in a while, when I have nothing to do (boy, that's rare these days) and I'm flipping through the 10,000 channels on my digital cable box, I will stop and catch part of an arena football game.

The games are few and far between. I finally got tired of missing the games, so I have them scheduled to be recorded on my DVR.

Some of the rules are different than the NFL rules, but the game is basically the same and it looks like fun. I just never realized that Tulsa had a team and not only that, they have a GOOD team (did I mention that already?).

So, for all you hockey, baseball, soccer or whatever-your-game-may-be fans, let's give you a little insight into the world of Arena Football 2 and the Tulsa Talons.

To the wayback machine, Sherman and Mr. Peabody...

Here's the condensed history of Arena Football 2 (aka. af2). af2 is the Arena Football League's minor league, which started playing in 2000. The rules are the same as for their parent league, and af2 plays its season from April to July with their ArenaCup Championship game sometime in August.

There are two conferences, the American (AC) and National (NC). In each conference, there are three divisions: East, Midwest and South in the AC, and Central, Southwest and West in the NC.

Each division contains five or six teams. The af2 teams are located anywhere from New York to California, Washington to Florida. The team from Tulsa is at the top of the Central Division, and they are second overall behind the Spokane Shock, who are 11-0.

Hey, where is this all leading to...?

Just like the NFL, they play once a week, for the most part, with their games either Friday or Saturday night. Each team gets a bye week during the season. This Saturday, Tulsa takes on the Rio Grande Valley Dorados at the Dodge Arena in Hidalgo, Texas. The Dorados are 4-7 overall and 2-4 in the Southwest division.

After that, the Talons schedule keeps them within their conference until they take on the Iowa Barnstormers to end the season. Of the teams remaining on their schedule, the Arkansas Twisters (July 12) seem to be their biggest challenge.

The Twisters are 7-4 overall, 4-3 in the Central division and in second place behind the Talons. The game is at the Tulsa Convention Center. Game time is 7 p.m. CDT (8 p.m. EDT).

I think I'll buy my tickets early, so that I don't miss out this time (I had to work late last Saturday night). Yes, I will have entered into that no-man's land known as the "commitment zone." Shhhhhhhh, don't mention that "C" word!

I'm your Captain, let me give you some advice...

C'mon, it's a Saturday night in Okieland. Every liquor store closes at 9 p.m. Movies, you can go see them anytime. Bars and clubs are too loud and expensive.

So, what better way to spend your Saturday night than cheering the Tulsa Talons on to victory. Tickets prices range from $50 all the way down to $10. From what I understand, there isn't a bad seat in the house.

Tickets are also easy to buy on-line at the Talons website or by calling the ticket office.

I'm game for this! I'm excited! I can't wait! Are you game?

Post 2008 NHL Playoffs: The Trophies Have Been Given...Almost!

The Captain -Brian Kates — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:40:15 -0400

OK, so I was wrong (you know, once I thought I was wrong but I was mistaken). I thought I was done writing about hockey for the summer but look, now they have the awards show.

Yes, Thursday night in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the NHL handed out almost all of their hardware to a select few players who shined this past 2007-8 season.

The following is the trophy, what it means and the 2008 winner. If you see one name pop up more than others, well, he's just that good.

The Hart Trophy:

Given to the NHL's MVP. Winner: Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals.

The Vezina Trophy:

Given to the NHL's top goaltender. Winner: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils.

The Norris Trophy:

Given to the NHL's top defenseman. Winner: Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings.

The Calder Trophy:

Given to the NHL's Rookie of the Year. Winner: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks.

The Lady Byng Trophy:

Given to the NHL's most gentlemanly performance. Winner: Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings.

The Frank Selke Trophy:

Given to the NHL's top defensive forward. Winner: Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings

The Jack Adams Award:

Given to the NHL's Coach of the Year. Winner: Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals.

The Masterson Trophy:

Given to the NHL's player with the most perseverance to hockey. Winner: Jason Blake, Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Lester B. Pearson Award:

Given to the NHL's MVP as voted on by the NHLPA. Winner: Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals.

The Art Ross Trophy:

Given to the NHL's player with the most points. Winner: Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals.

The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy:

Given to the NHL's player with the most goals. Winner: Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals.

The William Jennings Trophy:

Given to the NHL's goaltender with the fewest goals scored against them. Winner: Dominik Hasek and Chris Osgood, Detroit Red Wings.

The Clarence S. Campbell Bowl:

Given to the Western Conference Champion. Winner: The Detroit Red Wings.

The Prince of Wales Trophy:

Given to the Eastern Conference Champion. Winner: The Pittsburgh Penguins.

The President's Trophy:

Given to the NHL team with the most points during the regular season. Winner: The Detroit Red Wings.

The Conn Smythe Trophy:

Given to the NHL playoff's MVP. Winner: Henrick Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings.

The Stanley Cup:

Given to the NHL's Playoff Champion. Winner: The Detroit Red Wings.

Lifetime Achievement Award:

Given for the the first time ever. Winner: Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings

Well, there you have it in a nut shell. Congratulations to all the winners. Oh, wait, there is one more that has to be presented.

The Lester Patrick Trophy:

Given to the NHL player/team for their outstanding service to hockey.

Any guesses on who the winner will be? Mine is either "Mr. Hockey", Gordie Howe or the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team.

So, When Does Hockey Season Start Again? Part II: Lights, Camera, Action!

The Captain -Brian Kates — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:39:09 -0400

In my last article, I asked a question: Now that hockey season is over, what are we to do to bide our time until the men on skates take to the ice once again?

Well, I have always loved movies, almost as much as hockey, so I have compiled a list of the five best hockey movies to ever come to the silver screen, complete with my unbiased opinion. Here is the list, starting with number five and working our way to the best hockey movie ever:

5. The Mighty Ducks (1992)

Emilio Estevez and a cast of kids. Personally, I haven't seen this movie in years and I had forgotten about it. The movie is about a lawyer (Estevez) who, after a drunk driving charge, has to coach a peewee hockey team. A predictable movie with an even more predictable ending but for those of us who played as a child, it brings back fond memories of days gone by.

4. Slap-Shot (1977)

Paul Newman, Strother Martin, and Michael Ontkean head this cast of hockey players. Reggie Dunlap (Newman) is the player/coach of the Charlestown Chiefs, a minor league hockey team that is about to be sold.

I went to see this when it first came out (I'm giving away my age) and when you are young and drunk on beer, it is a hysterical movie. Years later, I rented it from a local movie rental place for my son and me to watch. Oops, forgot that there was nudity and a whole bunch of foul language in it.

3. Youngblood (1986)

Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze. Dean Youngblood (Lowe) is an aspiring, young hockey player whose one real problem on the ice is fighting; he doesn't know how to fight. This is another predictable hockey/love story but the hockey scenes in it are good. Another one I saw when it came out on the big screen but I was a young drunk at the time. I was older...

2. Mystery, Alaska (1999)

Russell Crowe and Hank Azaria star in this one about the fictional town of Mystery, Alaska and their love for "The Saturday Game." Every Saturday, the town shuts down and goes to either watch or play hockey. An excellent movie for lovers of the game on ice.

Watch out for the language at some points in the movie. This is one of my favorite movies to watch during the offseason. The hockey scenes were filmed very well and the ending was a surprise to me. I highly recommend this one.

And the number one hockey movie of all time...(drum roll, please)...

1. Miracle (2004)

Kurt Russell and Noah Emmerich. The story of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team that finally defeated the Russians after 20 years of USSR supremacy. This is the quintessential hockey movie for anyone to watch even if, like me, you lived through it.

Herb Brooks (Russell) assembles and coaches a group of college kids to the gold medal in the XIII Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, NY during a turbulent time in American history. People looked at this game as a way to defeat the Russians and put an end to the Cold War. Brooks even gets a telegram from a lady that says, "Beat those commie bastards." That is about as offensive the language gets.

Every time I watch this movie, it's like reliving the game all over again. I cry at the end, I cheer at every goal, and I feel for every player on that team. One thing to note, Buzz Schneider is played by his son Billy Schneider in the movie. If you haven't seen it, you really need to, for nothing other than to give you a good feeling of being an American again.

Th-Th-That's all, folks......

Well, there you have my list. Yours might be different. If I have not listed your favorite, then blame it on a bad memory and nothing else. I love movies, I love hockey, and I love movies about hockey no matter how sappy they get.

And now that the Detroit Red Wings (GO WINGS!) have won the 2008 Stanley Cup Championship, I am going to turn my attention to more local Okieland sporting events. Look for me writing for Tulsa's Talons (Arena 2 Football) and Driller's (baseball).

I will be back for the opening of the 2008-9 NHL season to watch my Wings defend and repeat as champions of the 2009 Stanley Cup and to those of you who have been reading my columns all along...

Have A Great Summer!

2008 Stanley Cup: Detroit Snatches Defeat From The Clutches Of Victory!

The Captain -Brian Kates — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:37:50 -0400

:-(

Oh, it's just too sad to recap.

With the Detroit Red Wings leading 3-2 in the third and less than a minute to go, Maxime Talbot of the Pittsburgh Penguins scored the tying goal, sending the game into overtime.

Then, two and a half overtime periods later, Petr Sykora of the Pens scored, sending Detroit back to Pittsburgh for Game 6.

Game time is 8 p.m. on June 4. Trust me, I'll be watching again, probably this time from behind a pillow.

Here is the high(low)light reel for you.

Now, I think I'll just go cry in my Guinness while I watch "Miracle" and feel good about life again!

:-(

Detroit Red Wings Fans: Are They Everywhere?

The Captain -Brian Kates — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 03:19:09 -0400

A few weeks ago, I was driving back from seeing my daughter sing at a state competition. She has one of the most beautiful voices, and she has won almost every singing competition she has entered. She even sang for the Queen at the Oklahoma Renaissance Faire.

But I'm getting off the subject. On the way back I decided to stop at a Wal-Mart in, of all places, Okmulgee, Oklahoma—a little spit of a town here in Okieland. Oklahoma is full of these small towns whose big claim to fame is that they have a "Super" Wal-Mart.

It's not that this upsets me but it makes me laugh. I came down here from Detroit, a city with a population of two million people as opposed to a whole state of that same population.

You measure distance by how long it takes to get somewhere, not by milage. Getting directions from someone is not, "Right at Main Street, left at Cleveland, etc."

It's more like, "Go down here about a mile and a half and turn left at the first dirt road, and pull into the driveway of the third house. That's my cousin's place and he'll tell you how to get to where you want to be."

Anyway, you get the idea. Lovely people but very backwoods. They're friendly to the 10th degree, and can teach you anything about milking cows.

So there I am at Wal-Mart in...Okmulgee, Okieland. I search the store, buy my stuff, and I'm heading back to my car in the parking lot. I guess I either forgot what I was wearing, or just wasn't really thinking about it, but the most amazing thing happened next.

As I am heading to my car, an old junker of a vehicle passes by me in the parking lot searching for a spot and I hear, "GO RED WINGS!!!!!!!!!"

Being from Hockeytown, I just didn't think about where I was or what I was doing, but my automatic reaction was to yell back, "GO WINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I am in Okmulgee, Oklahoma and some guy, whom I have never seen before, in an old beater car is yelling, "GO RED WINGS!!!" at me.

To fans of the Wings, it's like, say, "Eh, How we doin'?" or "Eh, How's it goin'?" or "Eh, how's it shakin'?" or "Eh, How's it hangin'?" That's how we greet someone in Detroit and we always drop that last "g". We get that from being north of Canada. It's our native tongue.

So then I began to think, which can be pretty dangerous for me. I began thinking, "Are there Detroit Red Wing fans everywhere?" I do know that the economy in Michigan is not the greatest, and many people have left to seek their fortunes elsewhere. I guess Okieland was one of those places.

In the 70s, many people moved here from Pennsylvania, which I found out because the Pittsburgh Steelers have a real big following in Oklahoma. Also, for some reason, the Oakland Raiders have a big following around the country.

So I started watching the stands at different sporting events, and did you know that at every game or race that I have watched, there are Red Wing jerseys scattered throughout the stands? It has become one of the most popular jerseys in America, and around the world.

These fans can love NASCAR, horse racing, soccer, baseball, or wrestling, but they will always show off their Red Wings and they will do it proudly as if to say, "I belong to that exclusive club from Hockeytown."

So the next time you are in Reed City, Michigan or Ofuskee, Oklahoma and someone yells, "GO WINGS!!!" they are really saying "What's happening in your life?"

Just be polite and respond with, "GO WINGS!" and they will know that life for you is just "peachie grand."

2008 Stanley Cup: No Surprise, Detroit Shuts Out Pittsburgh, 4-0, In Game 1

The Captain -Brian Kates — Mon, 26 May 2008 06:37:16 -0400

Surprise, surprise, surprise! Sounds kind of like Gomer Pyle. The Detroit Red Wings took Game 1, 4-0, over the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday night, and took a 1-0 series lead in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals.

Are you surprised? Shocked? Bewildered? Well, you shouldn't be. In watching the Red Wings almost completely dominate the Pens, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

And now for the play-by-play...

Detroit played their usual stifling game after gaining a 2-0 lead early in the third period. But let's not jump ahead of ourselves. The first real surprise of the game came at the end of the first period.

No scoring happened and it seemed like both teams were playing tentative hockey, just testing the waters (ice), as it were. And then came the shocker. When the stats for the first period were annonced, Pittsburgh managed more shots on goal than Detroit.

That could be chalked up to the number of penalties the Wings received. Detroit had four penalties in the first period. The pinnacle one being a goaltender interference call on Tomas Holmstrom.

Nicklas Lidstrom took a slap shot from the left circle. Penguin netminder Marc-Andres Fleury moved out of his crease area and Holmstrom stick went in between his pads. Lidstrom scored but the refs nullified the goal and put Holmstrom in the box. But let's not dwell on the negative.

Mikael Samuelsson of the Wings scored Detroit's first two goal in the series. The first one in the second period on a beautiful wrap-around shot and the second, in the third period on a snap-shot right in front of Fleury, giving Detroit a 2-0 lead. And now for surprise number two.

Lidstrom, in the third period, went to the penalty box for the second time in the game for interference. His first penalty was during the first period when he was called for hooking. Lidstrom is rarely in the box at all during the season, let alone twice in a game. C'mon heart start going again.

Dan Cleary scored Detroit's third goal during a Penguin power play. He grabbed a rebound off the boards to the left of Fleury and backhanded it passed him. Exactly what Detroit needed, another short-handed goal. Surprise! The surprise was that it wasn't Henrik Zetterberg that scored it.

However, Zetterberg did make his mark for the day. With 13 seconds left in the game, he scored a power play goal giving the Red Wings a one game advantage over Pittsburgh.

Chris Osgood was his usual spectacular self in goal for Detroit, recording his second shutout during these playoffs. He stopped 19 of 19 shots by the Pens and the Wings kept them to only seven shots total in the second and third periods. And then there was Niklas Kronwall.

The man is just a thumper on the ice. Some of the hits he leveled on the Penguins could be felt all the way down here in Okieland.

And the surprises are never-ending...

Pavel Datsyuk, the second half of Detroit's "Dynamic Duo," just didn't seem on his game. He seemed to give the puck away a lot and his passes weren't as crisp as they usually are. Let's see how he fairs tonight in Game 2 at 8pm EDT (7 p.m. CDT). Let's all hope that it was just his "glitch for this mission."

Datsyuk is one of the most amazing players that has ever laced up a pair of skates. Don't believe it? Look at his highlight reels and stats for the past few years. Some of his abilities on the ice defy gravity.

Mr. Datsyuk, a word if you may. No surprises tonight. Just go out there and play your normal spectacular game. The hearts of Hockeytown won't be able to take it again.

Back in the saddle, again...

It's nice to be back and able to write again. There have been so many left turns lately that it's like going in circles all the time. Dizzying, ain't it? Like spinning your wheels in life. However, things will straighten up soon and you probably don't want to or need to hear about it.

As far as Game 1 went, let's just say it was pretty much all Red Wings with a little of the Penguins thrown in there to make it interesting. The more the game progressed, the stronger Detroit looked on the ice. And unless the Wings just have a meltdown, they should be bringing Lord Stanley's Cup back to Hockeytown.

2008 NHL Playoffs: Would the Real Detroit Red Wings Please Stand Up?

The Captain -Brian Kates — Wed, 14 May 2008 23:41:26 -0400

"In the crease!?!" "What the !#@%& are you talking about!?!" "Look at the replay!"

Those exact words could be heard all across Hockeytown, and no one can blame the fans for saying it.

In looking at the review of the "non-goal" from Wednesday night's game, it was clear that Tomas Holmstrom was not only out of the crease, but never even came close to Dallas goaltender Marty Turco. However, the call was still made.

"Goaltender interference," cried the referee, and Detroit fans from far and wide had their underwear in a twist.

But let's take a closer look, go past that one play. Were the Detroit Red Wings really out there to play or what?

Go do that voodoo that you do so well...

Except for most of the first period, Detroit never seemed to be in the game. It almost seemed like the Stars and the Wings switched jerseys just to see what would happen. The 5-2 victorious Red Wings from the other night seemed to be the ones chasing Dallas instead of the other way around.

Call it bad mojo in their Gatorade, or bad Karma, or whatever, Detroit was sluggish before the bad call and afterward. Did anyone notice that, or just the ones who watched how they actually played?

Look at the highlight reel. Out of all the Wings, the one shining star was Chris Osgood. He kept Detroit in the game for as long as he could, but it was just too much for him.

Allowing Dallas to score three goals on Osgood is like Jeff Gordon allowing someone to pass him in a NASCAR race to win a trophy. These things just don't happen easily.

Osgood has been extremely solid for Detroit, winning nine straight playoff games, and to blame him would be tragic. The whole Red Wing team collapsed in on itself last night. Don't believe it? Then let's take a look.

We've got lowlights for you...

For almost two full periods, the two teams battled back and forth from one end of the ice to the other. This should have been an indication to Detroit fans that the Red Wings weren't up to snuff.

Dallas finally broke the scoreless tie with less than 30 seconds left in the second period. Loui Eriksson, who, by the way, was in the crease, scored to make it 1-0.

Then it was Detroit's turn. Coming out for the third period, they seemed to have some life in them and less than a minute into the period, Henrik Zetterberg tied the game at one.

That was it for Detroit. As quickly as they got some life in them, they faded again. The Stars came back, scoring two more times in the third, ending Detroit's nine-game winning streak.

Dallas "stars" Mike Modano scored on a power-play and captain Brenden Morrow scored to put the game away. Even at the end, when Detroit had a five-on-three plus an extra attacker, they just scrambled around and looked disorganized.

On the bright side, the Stars win gave their fans a much needed victory. It allowed them to watch their team be victorious in their last home game. And for "true" Detroit fans, yes it's sad to see the Wings lose, but it goes down easier when its not at home.

We've just had our glitch for this mission...

Except for God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, no one person or team is perfect. Wait, don't forget the Titans. They had a "perfect" season. And just like the crew of Apollo 13, Detroit will survive this loss and come out on top.

The only question remaining is, how many games will it take for Detroit to put the Pittsburgh Penguins away to win the Stanley Cup? The Pens will take on the Philadelphia Flyers tonight at 7:30 EDT (6:30 CDT). Pittsburgh is up 3-0 and should either end the series tonight in Philly or Sunday at home.

Is that too much confidence? No, it's not. That's just how good the Wings are. If you look back to February, the Red Wings had a horrible month, losing more games than they won. They eventually came back and won the President's Trophy and from what is being said through the grapevine, they will win it all.

Five games and out would be good. There's just something to be said about winning in Hockeytown.

And about the "non-goal", "bad call", "lack of review"? Let's just say that no referee is "perfect" either.

2008 NHL Playoffs: Datsyuk's Hat-Trick Leads Detroit To 3-0 Series Lead

The Captain -Brian Kates — Tue, 13 May 2008 00:54:15 -0400

Congrats to the Russian. He did something Monday night that he had never accomplished before in his career: He scored a hat-trick.

Pavel Datsyuk, of the Detroit Red Wings, stepped up his game one more notch and recorded his first career three-goal game, scoring two in the first period and one in the third.

"His lowest level is really high," Henrik Zetterberg said. "He plays real good for us night-in and night-out. You know you can really trust him because he will play good offense and good defense for us every time he is out there."

“Pavel was awesome tonight,” said goalie Chris Osgood, who improved to 9-0 in the playoffs. “We don’t like to rely on him every game, we like to give him a break sometimes. But he was outstanding and he was our best player. He’s great at both ends of the rink.”

So what are you saying?

Datsyuk and his line, consisting of Zetterberg and Tomas Holmstrom, have delivered in these playoff series' considerably. This is very different from what Detroit has done over the past few years.

Having played amazing regular seasons in the past and even winning the President's trophy a few times since 2002, Detroit would then choke during the playoffs and exit during the first or second round. This time is different.

All four Red Wing lines are producing. Seven players for the Wings are in double digits when it comes to points.

The only two without a point are Kirk Maltby, who has only played in three playoff games, and Chris Chelios. But that's what happens to the team thumpers. Last night, Chelios had some solid checks that made the Dallas players see "stars".

And here's Doc with the play-by-play....

So how did Detroit manage to win last night? Well, either click on the link above and watch, or read on, my friend.

Detroit opened the scoring in the first period, courtesy of guess who? (No, not Johan Franzen).

Datsyuk scored his first of three during a four-on-four while Matt Niskanen and Jiri Hudler sat in their respective penalty boxes. A perfect feed from Zetterberg, and Datsyuk backhanded the puck past net-minder Marty Turco.

The Stars then came back. Nicklas Grossman beat Osgood on the left side to tie the game at one. Taking a cross-ice pass from Mike Modano, Grossman put a wrister past Ozzie. The American Airlines Center almost blew its top. The fans and towels were having a heyday.

That lasted for less than a minute, as Datsyuk scored his second goal 37 seconds later. This time he managed to scooch it through Turco's five-hole, silencing the crowd. After the period break, things turned in the Star's favor.

At almost four minutes into the second period, Dallas tied the score. Brad Richards centering pass bounced off a Red Wing skate past Osgood. Once again, the fans and towels went crazy...until...

Hudler caught the Stars by surprise and beat Turco on a breakaway. Detroit then never looked back.

In the third period, Zetterberg added salt to the wound by scoring a short-handed goal and Datsyuk added his third tally of the night off a feed from his partner, Zetterberg, and that was that. Game three in the can.

More Heroes than Zeros.......

There are several Red Wings who are looking at numbers.

5—The number of victories left for Detroit to reclaim the Stanley Cup.

11—The record for consecutive playoff wins by a single goaltender in a single playoff season. Osgood has nine consecutive wins, starting back in round one against the Nashville Predators.

11—The record for consecutive wins by a team during a single playoff season. Detroit is at nine.

3—The most short-handed goals by an individual player during a single playoff season. Franzen has two.

8—The most power-play goals by a individual player during a single playoff season. Franzen, again, is at five.

7—The most game-winning goals by an individual player during a single playoff season. Franzen has five, so far.

Detroit's numbers are looking pretty good.

A Final Word From Our Sponsor....

Detroit is up three games to zero. With the night off, they could possibly catch the Pittsburgh Penguin/Philadelphia Flyer game at 7:30pm EDT (6:30pm CDT). The Penguins are up two games to none and are looking to make it 3-0. However, they are playing at the Wachovia Complex in Philadelphia, and the Flyers will probably be out for blood.

Wednesday night is Game 4 for the Wings and the Stars at the AA Center in Dallas. Game time is 8:00pm EDT (7:00pm CDT). Hey, that's not too far from Okieland. Maybe some of us southern Red Wing fans could take in a game before the season ends.

Nah, with the price of gas these days, it would probably cost too much. Wait, Hockeytown fans not go to a game because of gas prices? That would be a first.

Writer's Note: It's nice to be back with all of you. I thank you for being patient with me during this time in my life. I still have certain things to take care of but I'm working on them. Thanks again...BAK

2008 NHL Playoffs: Bring Out The Brooms, Boys, Detroit Sweeps Colorado!

The Captain -Brian Kates — Fri, 02 May 2008 02:41:36 -0400

I just couldn't...........I just couldn't...........I just couldn't!

First, I just couldn't stay away from the TV on Thursday night. I had to watch Game Four of the Semi-Conference playoffs between the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche.

Then, I just couldn't stay awake until the end; I fell asleep about half way through the third period but I don't think I missed much.

And finally, I just couldn't not write an article about the Wings sweep over the Avs. What a fitting end to a wonderful and busy day.

So much time, so little to do...

My life took another left turn the other day and, according to my friends, three lefts make a (w)right. So I must be going in the (w)right direction now. I really have much bigger priorities than writing about the Wings but I decided to take a break from life and give y'all (boy, Okieland is getting to me) a word about one of the greatest hockey teams to don a pair of skates.

Now, I know some of you, and I won't mention names, have written some not-so-nice comments in my profile about the Wings.

Personally, I think you're just jealous of them.

No other team today can match them. You can say they're getting all the breaks or the refs aren't calling penalties against them or they are scoring "garbage goals."

It really doesn't matter. What matters is that they just dominated and demolished and almost humiliated Colorado in four straight games.

The stars are out tonight...

Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, and Chris Osgood have really come through for the Wings in this series against the Avs.

Zetterberg's goal in the second period will be on highlight reels for years to come.

I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning.

This was a different kind of series than I'm used to. If one team is going to dominate the series, they usually win all the games decisively.

This was not the case.

Games One and Three, the home-openers for both teams, were almost nail-biters.

Detroit would manage to hold on and win both 4-3.

Then there were Games Two and Four—blowout city for the Red Wings.

Colorado didn't have a chance. The Wings jumped out to such a big lead that the Avs just couldn't keep up with them and imploded.

I think Keanu Reeves said it best in the movie "The Replacements."

Gene Hackman, the head coach of the football team, asks his players what they're afraid of and Reeves says quicksand.

"You're playing and you think everything is going fine. Then one thing goes wrong. And then another. And another. You try to fight back, but the harder you fight, the deeper you sink. Until you can't move... you can't breathe... because you're in over your head. Like quicksand."

I believe that's what happened to Colorado in Game Four.

Let's take a look:

The Wings got their first goal from a Mikael Samuelsson slap-shot at the 4:33 mark of the first period. Colorado quickly answered back tying the game at one. They battled back and forth for about 12 minutes and them Detroit broke the game open.

Near the end of the first period and within one minute of each other, both Tomas Holmstrom and Franzen scored giving Detroit a 3-1 lead and they never looked back.

The Red Wings scored four times in the second and shut down the Avs. Two came off the stick of Zetterberg and two from Franzen giving him his second hat trick of the series. Franzen's second goal of the game came in the second period while Detroit was short-handed, no less.

Then, to put salt in the wound, Franzen scored a power-play goal for the hat trick.

He has really shined in these 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Samuelsson finished the scoring for Detroit with his second goal in the third period giving the Red Wings a crowd-silencing 8-2 victory and a ticket to Round Three of the playoffs.

By listening to the announcers by this time, it seemed like it was just another day in the park for the Wings.

The "Wizard" is a wizard who will serve...

It's good to see your top two lines score during playoffs and your other lines get goals here and there to balance out the team, but when all four lines for Detroit are clicking they just become unstoppable.

The only other thing that would concern you would be your goalie and speaking of which: Would you take a look at the "Wizard of Oz"?

The man has been outstanding for Detroit all season long and he's the backup. Dominick Hasek started in goal for the Wings but after two bad performances. Head Coach Mike Babcock opted to use Osgood and I think he might stick with him throughout the rest of the playoffs and Finals

Osgood has done his job this time around. He has posted a 1.52 goals against average and has won all six games he has started. He's been a wall against both the Nashville Predators and Colorado.

The Avs only other goal of the game came in the third period on a five-on-three power-play. It was about the only time in the game that they seemed to really control the puck. The play-by-play guy woke up again for this one.

And our next victim, ahem, I mean contestant is...

So now Detroit rests and waits.

The Dallas Stars-San Jose Sharks matchup is Friday night at 10 p.m. EDT (9 p.m. CDT). The Stars are on the verge of eliminating the Sharks, leading the series three games to one.

However, they are going back to the Shark Tank in SJ and the momentum is with San Jose. The Sharks could possibly come back from being down 3-0 to win the series.

It's happened before but the results are not pretty.

It can give a team a "high" coming back from being so close to going home and then winning the series but it's like a "sugar high."

It wears off too quickly and then they're good for nothing. Plus, both teams have played their hearts out trying to win and whoever does is pretty much beaten up anyway and sometimes becomes no challenge for the team that's waiting in the "Wings." (LOL)

On the other hand, there's the Wings—waiting.

This could be good or bad for them. They could be well rested for their next series or they could wait so long that they become out of it.

Now, a look ahead for Detroit.

If the Stars win the series, Detroit will probably come up against a most worthy opponent. Out of any other team in the league, Dallas has the best shot at winning the Cup, next to the Wings. They're finishing checks, scoring goals, and most importantly, winning games.

The Sharks would also be a grand opponent but if they manage to pull out a series win over the Stars, they are going to be tired.

Detroit is not a team anyone wants to meet tired.

Personally, I'm still pulling for the Sharks. Not because I think Dallas would or even could beat the Wings or that I don't like them (well, I really don't). It's a little more personal than that.

Since Detroit finished their series quickly and the next one probably won't start until next Thursday, that gives me plenty of time to get things in my life in order so I can sit back and watch the Wings continue their trek to Lord Stanley's Finals.

And to miss any of those games? Well, I just couldn't!

2008 NHL Playoffs: It's So Hard For Me To Say I'm Sorry

The Captain -Brian Kates — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:44:28 -0400

28 April 2008

My Dear San Jose Sweetie,

I feel so bad for you. I just can't imagine it. And on top of all this, how can I be so up while you are so down.

Your San Jose Sharks are down two games to nothing, losing two in the Shark Tank, no less, while my Detroit Red Wings are mowing down the Avalanche from Colorado. It's so hard to say sorry to you.

Would you feel better if Detroit lost one of their remaining games? I would feel better yet if the Sharks would win the rest of theirs.

While I watched them play the Dallas Stars, it seemed to me like they were chasing the Stars around the ice. Almost as if they couldn't keep up with them. That's the difference between the Wings and every other NHL team.

In Saturday's 5-1 Red Wing victory, even late in the third period, they were skating circles around the Avs. They sort of remind me of the 1980 USA Olympic Hockey Team that defeated the Russians 4-3. I know I use them a lot but, to me, they are the greatest hockey team ever assembled by a coach, Herb Brooks.

Even the commentators mentioned the conditioning that the US team had and how they were managing to out-skate the USSR. Detroit is the same way. I would love to sit in on one of their practices to see how much it resembles a Brooks' practice.

Sad to say that Coach Brooks is no longer with us. I just happened by his obit the other day and it sadden me as you must be heart-sick by the Sharks.

They just need to step back and refocus their efforts. Concentrate on playing their own game and stop chasing the Stars. I also noticed that Dallas controlled the puck a lot more than SJ.

They need to clear into the neutral zone more and keep the puck out of their own zone better. Listen to me. I sound like I know what I'm doing. I'm just another "old tiger" whose game days are long gone and can only dream that God has a frozen pond for me when I get there.

My heart truly does goes out to you. And if I could, I would be in SJ in a heartbeat to give you a shoulder to cry on.

Like I said earlier, I am both happy for my Wings and saddened for your Sharks. I still am pulling for them and pray that they make a dramatic comeback to beat the Stars. Remember, whether in a game or series, a 2-0 lead is the most dangerous lead in hockey.

My love goes out to you and yours,

Brian-The Biggest Wings Fan in ALL of Okieland!!!

2008 NHL Playoffs: Getting Pumped-Up For Round 2 Of Lord Stanley!

The Captain -Brian Kates — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:28:09 -0400

Genesis, the beginning of all things. That's what the Bible calls its first book and that's where we are at today, Genesis.

No NHL team has won anything and no one has lost anything. We start, again, from scratch. In this article, I won't make any predictions as to who will win and who will lose save one. The Detroit Red Wings will win the 2008 Stanley Cup and if you've read some of my other stuff, I don't need to tell you why.

It's time for "Match Game '08"

Before I begin, I must reiterate again that I live in Okieland. Clothes line, blue line, standing in (on) line, no one here knows the difference. I did get a chance to catch a Dallas Stars game a few times on Fox Sports SW or a "Game of the Week" on Versus Sports Channel but for someone from Hockeytown...well, let's just say, "That just doesn't cut it." and leave it at that. And when you're "jones'n" for a hockey game, anything, any team, will do, even old highlight reels.

So let's take a look at Who's Who in Round 2:

The Winner and New (still) Champion...

Colorado Avalanche vs. Detroit Red Wings:

What can I say about this but Detroit will win. Of course they will win, they are the 2008 Stanley Cup Champions. From what I've seen so far this year, no other team can match the Wings in skating, passing, creativity, flow or depth. And depth is a must for any team. During Round 1, Detroit's third and fourth lines were scoring. That is quintessential.

The one thing I did notice during the games against the Nashville Predators, is that the Wings top performers, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrick Zetterberg, didn't score on a lot of the opportunities they had. They came close and they had their chances, they just couldn't find the net. Detroit's top lines have to score if they are going to win the Cup.

Of course, there are always lucky bounces that happen during the playoffs that somehow don't normally happen during the regular season. Captain, Nicklas Lidstrom had one in Game 6. Don't forget that in Game 2, the Predators had a lucky bounce, as well.

Dallas Stars vs San Jose Sharks

Except for Red Wing games that were aired on Versus this season, I have watched the Stars games on Fox and Dallas has a pretty good team this season. They beat the defending Cup champions, the Anaheim Ducks, four games to two in Round 1 and everyone knows that you have to "whip the champ to beat them".

On the other side is the Sharks who had an amazing come back in Game 7 against the Calgary Flames at the Shark Tank. Four goals in the second period against the Flames is not an easy task to accomplish, especially against Mikka Kiprusoff and Curtis Joseph, goalies for Calgary.

Both these teams have a lot of momentum on their sides but San Jose has home ice advantage. I believe they will beat Dallas but it will be close.

Philadelphia vs. Monteal and New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh

I'll be totally honest with you. Except during the playoffs, and that was the later games, I haven't seen these teams play much. Remember, Okieland native. So I can't say much about them.

I would like to see either Montreal or New York advance to the finals only because I would love to see an "Original Six" Stanley Cup matchup. On the other hand, I have a friend who likes the Flyers, so for her sake, Philly going on would not upset me in the least and as for the Penguins, they would probably give the Wings a run for their money in the finals.

Let's go to the Faire...

I'm now going to take a left turn but I will bring it back in line soon.

I am part of a cast of a Ren Faire in Muskogee, OK. It is the OK Renaissance Faire and we all have a grand time preparing for it. Why do I bring this up? I'm glad you asked.

When I was young, five through my early 20's, I played hockey and getting ready for Festival days is like getting ready for a hockey game. I can't stand still. I'm moving all over the place keeping my legs and arms warmed up and pumping up for the day the same as I did getting ready on gameday.

Today, I find myself, already, getting pumped up for tonight's Wings/Avs match in the Joe Louis Arena. All the series games should be pretty exciting for all hockey fans even if their teams are not part of it. My hope, my prayer, is that no player gets injured to the point where they can't play anymore, either during the rounds or permanently. That has always been a concern with me.

So get pumped up, hockey fans whether your team is in it or not. Find a team to root for during the playoffs and through the Cup finals. And if you fancy a journey to a time past, come to the Faire. It runs every weekend in May and will be a good time to relax in between games. I'll be there. Just look for a funny looking French man.

2008 NHL Playoffs: What A Night!

The Captain -Brian Kates — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:55:18 -0400

A WARNING TO ADULTS:

Please, send the children out of the room before you read this article. Thank You.

They’re gone? Great! Boy, I’ve got to tell you about last night. The most incredible thing happened to me. This is something I usually only read in those unmentionable books and magazines that men in trench coats go into late at night.

I went on a double-date last night. No, not the conventional kind. Just me and two beauties. Can I tell you about them? Fantastic, well, here it goes.

The first one started at 7:00 last night. She was fiery orange with a touch of white. I started first and then she tied me up. Then, she gained the lead and to return the favor, I tied her up.

On and on, we went, battling each other. Finally, she overcame me but not until we were both drained, falling over and exhausted. The downside, I had another date at 10:00 pm.

This second one was dark, almost from top to bottom. Man, she was beautiful. We started kind of slow at first. Then, all of a sudden, BLAM! She jumped on top of me.

Well, I just wasn’t in the mood to take that, so I tied her up and then jumped on top of her. What happened next was just amazing.

She came back four more times. One right after another. I did manage to get one more myself but it was too little to late. Stick a fork in me, I was done. She sent me packing, almost for the rest of the year.

In my defense, I can say with utmost certainty that I’ll be back and back with a revenge on my mind. It might not be this year but I’ll be back…

Wha’…?….Where am I? What’s happened? Wha’….?.... Oh, not again! I fell asleep on the couch and missed all the games!!! I did this when I was watching the Detroit Red Wing first round series. Well, I guess there’s only one thing left to say…

Gotcha! (LOL!)

No, I didn’t fall asleep. No, I didn’t miss the games.

Here’s the reasons why.

The Philadelphia Flyers and the San Jose Sharks are now advancing to Round Two of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Flyers defeated the Washington Capitals in a pitcher’s duel, overtime win. At 6:06 of the first OT, Joffrey Lupul scored a power-play goal and sent his team on to play against the Montreal Canadiens.

In the second Game Seven Tuesday night, the Shark scored three times in the second period sending Calgary’s net-minder, Miikka Kiprusoff to the bench. His replacement, Curtis Joseph, then allowed a fifth goal and sent the Flame(r)s home for the summer.

The Sharks went on to win 5-3. Now they head off to play against the Dallas Stars Friday night.

Congratulations to the Sharks and the Flyers for advancing on in Lord Stanley’s Playoffs. The complete schedule is listed below and it looks like all of us hockey fans are in for a great Semifinal Conference showdown. Hope I don’t fall asleep during it.

2008 NHL Playoffs: Off to Round Two for the Detroit Red Wings

The Captain -Brian Kates — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:14:26 -0400

Good day, ladies and gentlemen and all the ships at sea.

Flash

The Detroit Red Wings have advanced to Round Two of the Stanley Cup playoffs shutting out the Nashville Predators 3-0 in game six and winning the series four games to two.

I missed it

For those of you who sometimes go to my profile, you may have caught the "Editor's Note" that basically stated that I may not be around my computer this weekend. I did manage to get back for a short time on Saturday night to crank out an article, but I missed (sob, sob) Sunday afternoon's game. Hey, hockey is my game but not my (whole) life. Sometimes, priorities get in the way.

Just to recap, for those other unfortunates that missed it or couldn't watch it, here's what happened:

Head Coach of the Red Wings, Mike Babcock, and his associates made a smart move by pulling first string goaltender, Dominick Hasek, for Chris Osgood. What a move and what a performance. Osgood allowed only one goal in his two playoff matches with the Preds, shutting them out in his second appearance in these 2008 Cup playoffs.

Momentum, momentum, momentum...

I said it before and I'll say it again.

Momentum (almost) alone can lead a team to victory, even in Detroit's 3-2 loss on Wednesday night. They came back Friday night, in Hockeytown, and won 2-0, and then shut the Predators down Sunday afternoon.

Nicklas Lidstrom, of all players, the captain and true leader of the Red Wings opened the scoring in the second period with, of all things, a short handed goal. With fellow defenseman, Chris Chelios in the penalty box for slashing, Lidstrom got one past Predator's goalie, Dan Ellis—from the neutral zone to open the scoring in the second period. It was an "OMG!!!" moment for everyone watching.

"I'm just trying to float one in there," Lidstrom said. "I took some off the shot just to see if I could land in front of him, just go for a bounce or just create something in front of him."

"It just took a wicked bounce to the top corner," Ellis said. "It's a situation you really can't do much about it. I thought I was close enough to stop it from going anywhere."

That's exactly what Detroit needed to get them going.

Jiri Hudler added an insurance goal at 3:52 in the third period and then to put the icing on the cake, Brian Rafalski scored the empty-netter to end the game and advance the Wings onto Round Two.

Is anyone besides me still a little nervous?

In the 2007 playoffs, Detroit made it to the Conference Finals before losing to, of all teams, the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks then went on to win Lord Stanley.

Well, Anaheim lost to the Dallas Stars over the weekend.

The Wings exited the 2006 playoffs in the first round being defeated by the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers didn't even make the playoffs this year.

2004-2005 was the season that no respectable hockey player or fan talks about.

Detroit lost again in first round in 2004 to, guess who, the Nashville Predators after they won the President's Trophy for the most points during the regular season.

2003 found the Red Wings exiting again in the first round against the Ducks who went on to lose against the New Jersey Devils in the Cup Finals.

And in 2002, oh yeah, we won the Cup!

My condolences to the losers...

Now, I must congratulate the winner of the Conference Quarter Final Round.

Congratulations to...

The Colorado Avalanche who beat the Minnesota Wild, 4-2.

The Dallas Stars took out, defending Cup Champs, the Ducks, 4-2.

The New York Rangers defeated the New Jersey Devils, 4-1.

The Pittsburgh Penguins shut out the Ottawa Senators, 4-0.

And still to be determined...

The Habs/Bruins series is tied at three games a piece. They will meet again Monday night at 7:00pm (6pm central time) in Montreal.

Also tonight, Flyers/Capitals series continues in Philadelphia. The Flyers lead the series 3-2.

Tuesday night will be the end of the Sharks/Flames series in San Jose. Calgary won game six over the weekend knotting the series at three games a piece. Game time will be 10 p.m. (9 p.m. central).

And, Johnny, our next contestant is...

With the loss suffered by San Jose on Sunday, Detroit's next opponent is either Colorado or Calgary.

If the Flames manage to pull off a victory in Shark Tank, it'll be a Flames/Wings Round Two. If the Sharks win tomorrow night, it's an Avalanche/Wings renewal of a possible rivalry.

I know where I will be Tuesday night; in front of the TV at 9 p.m.

When Round Two will begin for Detroit, only God knows.

The two things I do know are this: If the Flames win or the Sharks win, it'll be a good series for the Wings. And also, if Detroit hosts Colorado, there won't be a Chris Osgood-Patrick Roy war at center ice.

2008 NHL Playoffs: Wish I Could Have Seen Dallas Whip Anaheim Tonight

The Captain -Brian Kates — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:17:44 -0400

I come home today from work, and check out what Stanley Cup playoff games are on TV tonight. I check the NHL website; they're advertising the Washington Capitals vs. the Philadelphia Flyers at 7 p.m. and the Calgary Flames against the San Jose Sharks as the late game.

I also notice that the Dallas Stars are playing against the Anaheim Ducks tonight. I go to my TV page on the internet, scroll down to the Fox Sports Southwest (Fox SW) channel and...and...and they have a baseball game on the air?

Sure enough, it's the Texas Rangers vs. the Toronto Blue Jays. Immediately I think, "Go Blue Jays" because I was born in Toronto. But then my brain reboots and I think, where is the Stars game? Why is Fox SW opting for a baseball game instead of showing the most exciting playoffs in all of sports?

I began to think. Why wouldn't they program the Stars game into their schedule? Could it be a contract thing? Don't ask me, I don't know nothing about no contracts. I'm the other side of the radio and TV industry. That jargon that they use is way over my head.

I thought more about it.

Maybe Fox SW doesn't like the Stars? Well, that can't be true. The show some of their games throughout the regular season. You know, when I lived in Ann Arbor, MI, there were two stations that played Red Wing games. I got to watch each and every game from the comfort of my own living room.

It was not uncommon to find me on the couch, bag of chips in one hand and a Coke in the other, during the NHL season, hollering, rooting, and cheering the Wings onto victory. Enjoying every moment of it.

Here in Okieland, well, you know what I've said about that.

I am just stumped by this. Maybe someone from Fox SW could send us all a letter or an email to explain this. We don't get enough hockey here anyways. Now you have to take away the playoffs? If Dallas goes on to the finals, are you not going to show those games either?

OK, did I make them mad or something?

Well, I did manage to find out that Dallas beat the Ducks 3-1, taking a three games to one lead over Anaheim. Congratulations to you, Dallas, I wish I could have seen it happen.

2008 NHL Playoffs: Detroit Loses Game 4, Are You Scared?

The Captain -Brian Kates — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:09:51 -0400

OK, kiddies, take a deep breath, now let it out. And another, and another...in through your nose, out through your mouth. Feel better? Good. Because Detroit is not done...... yet.

So stop sobbing in your Molson (no that's Canadian beer), Miller, Bud, Coors or whatever you guys drink in Detroit these days and pull yourself together.

Now that I think of it, most of the people here in Okieland think Michigan belongs to Canada so if you are drinking Molson or Labatt's, eh, that's ok with me, eh? Sorry, I digress, let's get back and focus on what we're doing here.

I am here to ease your mind and to let you know that all is not lost for the Wings. The Red Wings have the momentum on their side. You say, "Wait a minute, they lost two games in Nashville, how can you say they have the momentum now?"

Well, I'll tell you how. Detroit scored the last goal of the game, correct? Scoring is a momentum shifter in any game that you play. Football, baseball, basketball, hockey, tennis, whatever the game. When you score the momentum shifts even if you are down by more than the one point or goal that you need to tie or get ahead of the other team.

The other reason why the Red Wings have the momentum is that they are going back to Hockeytown for Game 5 against the Nashville Predators. Home field advantage is always a momentum shifter.

If you don't believe me, look at what the Preds have done. Down by two in Game Three, they came back and beat Detroit 5-3. If they had played that game in the Joe Louis Arena, would the outcome have been the same? Highly unlikely.

During the regular season, the Wings were 29-9-3 at home, the top in the NHL and during the playoffs they're undefeated. Nashville went 23-14-4 at home and are also undefeated in the playoffs this time around.

Nashville is no slouch of a team by any means. They wouldn't have made the playoffs if they were. And Detroit needs to stop thinking that they are playing a "throw away game in Rochester" as Herb Brooks said it in the movie "Miracle".

So we're back in Detroit on Friday night. Game time is 7:30 p.m. (6:30 Central time). I say that to reinforce it in my head. Yesterday, I looked at when game time was on the Wings website and it said 9:00 pm. I usually will adjust that time to Central time and possibly write it down so I won't forget and miss the first period of the game.

For some odd reason, I didn't do that with last night's game and did miss the first period. Hey, maybe that's why the Red Wings lost. No, then I would be a superstitious sort. No way, that's ever happened to me (HA-HA!)

2008 NHL Playoffs: Nashville Cuts Detroit's Lead By One

The Captain -Brian Kates — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:08:04 -0400

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen." No, wait, "Flash in the Pan, Wings". Or, how about, "The 'Dead' Wings are alive and well". I can hear all the critics and naysayers and fair-weather fans around the country talking now. I have one thing to say to all of them, "It's ONE game!"

Ask yourself this. In 1997, how many playoff games did the Detroit Red Wings lose? I'll tell you. Four total games during the playoffs and the finals. You think that's bad? What about in 1998? Six games. And in 2002? Oh my, they lost seven games.

Instead why don't you ask yourself, "Does Detroit have what it takes to come back?" My answer is yes, of course they do. They have been in worse positions than this and have shaken it off and gone on to win it all.

This is not going to be a recap of the game per se, except to say that the Wings, again, jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Two quick goals later, Nashville tied it at two. Detroit went ahead 3-2 in the third period and then Nashville ran away with it and won 5-3. There's your recap, eh?

This is more of an analysis of what happened and why Detroit lost. Maybe then you will not be so critical of NHL's best hockey team in the 2007-8 season. Even the New York Yankees lost games when they were in their heyday with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig and Lefty Gomez.

Let's take a look at what happened:

The 2-0 Lead

The most dangerous lead in hockey is a 2-0 lead. When your team is ahead 2-0, and it doesn't matter what team you play for, everyone on the team falls into a false sense of security. They become comfortable with that lead and the longer it lasts, the more comfortable they become. Why?

Your goaltender is working on a shut-out and your team has an insurance goal. If the other team scores, so what, you still are winning 2-1. So what's the difference between a 2-0 lead and a 3-1 or 4-2 lead? Here's the difference.

Your goalie is working on a shut-out with a 2-0 lead. And...? That makes a HUGE difference. Goaltenders, surprisingly, are sometimes better when they are scored on than when they are working on a shut-out. Some are more relaxed, some more alert.

When a goalie has a shut-out going, the longer it goes, the more nervous they become. It's kind of like a pitcher that has a no-hitter going, as the game wears on, they become more pensive. So why not just let the other team score and get down to business? C'mon, it's their job to keep the puck out of the net.

The Time Out That Should Have Been Called

Again, Detroit jumps out to a 2-0 lead and gets comfortable with it. Then, Nashville scores two goals tying the game. Head Coach, Mike Babcock, doesn't call a time out and it was probably because there was less than five minutes left in the period. Why waste a time out when you're about to go into the locker room.

There, in the 20-minute intermission, he can settle his team, get them focused again and let them take it in the third period. And that's what looked like what was going to happen

Pavel Datsyuk scored 40-seconds into the third period giving Detroit a 3-2 lead. But that didn't shake the Predators. With less than four minutes to play, they scored, tying the game and then seconds later, scored again giving them the lead for the first time in these playoff games.

Time out, time out, time out! That's what Babcock should have done. Called time, regrouped his troops and send them back into play but he didn't. He waited until there was about one minute left, called time, sent them back and by that time, it was too late.

Martin Erat got a hold of the puck and scored on Detroit's empty net. End of game. Sorry, the time out should have been called much sooner to allow Babcock's players to regain their focus and composure.

And the reason why Nashville wasn't shaken after the quick goal in the third period? One simple answer. They are the underdogs. If they manage to beat the Red Wings look at what they have accomplished and if they lose, well, and this is not a slam by any means, everyone will say that they didn't expect them to beat Detroit.

The Bottom Line

This is not the end for Detroit. The way I figure it, they win the next game in Nashville. Then head back to Detroit, up three games to one, and beat them in Hockeytown on their own ice in front of the home town crowd. Kind of a fitting end to this first round. Maybe Mr. Babcock will listen to me next time like he did in Game 2 and call a time out when I tell him to. I think the wind must have been blowing in the wrong direction for him to hear me.

2008 NHL Playoffs: Won’t You Come Home, B. Shanny?

The Captain -Brian Kates — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:36:00 -0400

(Title Tune: Won't You Come Home, Bill Baily?)

15 April 2008

Mr. Brendan Shanahan
c/o The New York Rangers
Madison Square Garden
New York, NY 10121

Dear Mr. Shanahan,

How are you doing today? I just happened to catch the third and overtime periods of the loss to the New Jersey Devils, the other night, and I’m sorry you lost. I was rooting for you and the Rangers. Maybe, if you came back to Detroit that wouldn’t happen so much.

Sorry for the slam, it wasn’t intended. You see, I am a hockey fan from Hockeytown and I have been transplanted into, of all places, Oklahoma. These people don’t know the difference between a clothes line and a blue line.

One of my friends asked me if I wanted to go skating sometime and I said, “You mean roller blade?” Then he informed me that Tulsa, OK, the buckle of the Bible belt, had an ice rink. I almost fell over.

You know curiosity makes me almost want to go and see it. Maybe, it’ll be good for a laugh or something. I was raised (almost) with a pair of ice hockey skates on my feet, right on the outskirts of Detroit.

I used to root for the Red Wings when they called them the “Dead” Wings. Hockey has always been my game. We used to play all winter long and Michigan winters can be long.

But enough about me. Let’s talk about you. While you were with Detroit, your stats were pretty good. Usually, you had between 50-80 total points. Not too shabby in my book.

You had stints with the St. Louis Blues and the New Jersey Devils but in looking at those stats, you improved a lot with the Wings. You might attribute that to the coaching of Scotty Bowman, one of my favorite coaches. Now with the Rangers, you seem to have dropped some, even though your total points land in the 40-60 range.

You can say that your older now and not in as good a shape as you were with Detroit or that you peaked in Hockeytown and now your planning on retiring soon and just want to play maybe a season or two more. I don’t blame you. I look forward to retirement as well.

Ask yourself something, though. Do you want to win another Stanley Cup? Do you want to skate around the rink one more time holding that most sacred trophy in all of sports, once again? Kind of thrilling just thinking about it, eh?

Now I’m not saying that the Rangers aren’t going to win the Cup this year (well, they’re not because the Wings are going all the way), they are a fine hockey club. Maybe, this year they will meet the Wings in the finals. Personally, I’d like to see that, an “Original Six” SC Final.

What I am saying is that I think (my opinion) that you would have a better shot with Detroit than with New York. I could be wrong, though, I have been wrong before.

Think about it. I know that some fans in Hockeytown still wear Red Wing jerseys with the name “Shanahan” on the back and even though they are cheering their hearts out, there is a sadness in their eyes that their favorite player has added a color to his uniform (red, white, blue as opposed to red and white).

Oh, it would be nice for Detroit to acquire Mike Modano from the Dallas Stars or Joe Thornton from the San Jose Sharks but they would be adding to the depth of the Wings. To me, you are like a missing piece of a puzzle that Detroit and Hockeytown, itself, needs to complete it.

Consider it, think about it, talk it over with your family and friends. I know it is a big decision but I think it would be well worth it. Won’t you come home, B. Shany?

Sincerely Yours from (my heart is in) Hockeytown,

Brian Kates (Columnist)

The Bleacher Report

PS. I know that I’m dating myself with “Won’t you come home, Bill Bailey” but check it out on YouTube if you don’t know it…… BAK

2008 NHL Playoffs: Dominik Hasek Comes Through in Game 2

The Captain -Brian Kates — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:33:23 -0400

Boy, that was a close one.

The Detroit Red Wings jumped out to a 2-0 lead before two quick goals by the Nashville Predators tied the game at two. If that wasn't bad enough, two shots banged off the posts behind goaltender Dominik Hasek, and the Wings were rattled.

Head Coach Mike Babcock sensed his team was on a downward spiral, and called a quick timeout. After he regrouped his team and sent them back on the ice, Kris Draper scored, and the Red Wings went on to win game two of their playoff run for the 2008 Stanley Cup.

Now the details. The Predators entered this game against Detroit looking like they were out for blood. They came out fast and hard, with lots of checking on the boards, and tried to out-skate Detroit.

That took its toll on Nashville. By the middle of the first period, they would dump and chase the puck into the Wings' zone. Not the best move against NHL's best team.

Dump-and-chase hockey is a strategy all teams use and for different reasons. It can be very effective, though, only if you have a fast team; one that can out-skate your opponent throughout the game, and there are three basic ways a team would use the dump-and-chase tactic.

No. 1: A player, usually the right or left post man, will slap the puck around the boards as hard as he can, with the intention of getting the puck to the opposite post and the setup man, then the rest of the team follows in to set up the play to try and score.

No. 2: The player with the puck brings it up ice to the opposing team's blue line and shoots it in, while the rest of his team crashes the net with one of them chasing it down deep in hopes of getting a centering pass in front of the net.

This method can be effective especially late in a game when the team is down by one or two goals and they want a quick score.

No. 3: The team is tired.

As stated before, Nashville started the first period fast and hard, tried to out-skate Detroit for maybe a quick score or two to get the Wings off their game and a possible Predator win in Detroit.

However, it seemed like they quickly ran out of gas too early in the first period and began the dump-and-chase to conserve energy. In any case, it didn't work for Nashville this time.

Detroit began the scoring a little over two minutes into the first period when Darren McCarty tipped in a pass from Dallas Drake that scooted past Nashville goaltender Dan Ellis.

For Detroit fans, it was probably the sweetest goal of the night.

McCarty has worked his fanny off these last few months, probably more like the entire season, to gain the respect he once held in Hockeytown. When he scored, the fans looked like they went crazy. Nice job, Mr. McCarty, very glad to see you back in Hockeytown.

The teams went into the locker room for the first intermission with Detroit up 1-0. Nicklas Lidstrom scored less than a minute into the second period, giving the Red Wings a 2-0 lead.

Then it was Nashville's turn.

Less than two minutes later, the Preds dumped the puck into the Detroit zone. Hasek went behind the net to stop it and the puck took an odd bounce back right in front of the Detroit goal. Before Hasek could get back to his net, Alexander Radulov shot the puck into the goal for an easy score.

Eleven seconds later, Jordin Tootoo stole the puck from Andreas Lilja and scored though Hasek's five-hole.

Then, shortly after that, two quick shots by Ryan Suter and Radek Bonk rang the post behind Detroit's veteran goaltender, and Nashville looked like they were going to take game two.

Detroit was visibly shaken for the next couple of minutes, until Coach Babcock called a time out. Detroit came to their bench, relaxed, regrouped, and Draper scored a New York second later.

Their fourth goal came in the third period by Tomas Holmstrom from a pass by Pavel Datsyuk, icing the game for good.

Detroit now heads to Nashville for a Monday night game against the Preds; game time is 7:30 pm (6:30 central time).

And thanks to Mike Babcock for listening to me.

After Nashville's second goal, I was yelling at him, from my couch, to call a timeout. I know it's a long distance from Tulsa to Detroit, but thanks for finally hearing me.

Conn Smythe Winner (part 2): A Shirt, a Shirt, My Kingdom for a Shirt!

The Captain -Brian Kates — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 06:52:49 -0400

Alright, first I have to apologize to all of you waiting with bated breath for my pick for the 2008 Conn Smythe Trophy winner. Sorry (not really), that I didn't post yesterday when I said I would, but life took a left turn instead of going straight forward and since I'm not getting paid for this, I chose to deal with life as opposed to satisfying your curiosity.

Now on to more pressing matters, like who will win the sacred trophy, and I am not making fun of it, so don't get offended. To me, the Conn Smythe is almost as important as Lord Stanley's Cup.

Who will win this year? I will tell you...at the end of this article. But first I will break it down. I believe it will be one of the Red Wings because, as I have stated before, they are going to win it all. They might not win every trophy available to hockey players or teams, there are a lot of talented players out there and they are not all from Detroit, but the Red Wings will win the Cup.

That drastically narrows the field from 16 playoff teams to just one. I don't believe that any opposing team's player will win because the Red Wings are that good. Someone would have to turn in just a stellar performance and against Detroit, in Hockeytown, c'mon.

Now the breakdown from the Red Wing Locker Room.

Nicklas Lidstrom, The Captain

An obvious choice, and an excellent one. In my book, he is the best all-around player in the NHL today. Yes, there are better players who score more goals, or check harder, or whatever else they do, but Nicklas Lidstrom is the most gifted player in the league. Strong on defense, scores when they need one, and keeps his nose clean on and off the ice. He could very easily win the trophy because all he has to do is play his normal game and he is a shoe-in.

Dominik Hasek/Chris Osgood

The first one-two punch. When one is off, the other one steps in without missing a beat. Let's take them one by one, though.

Hasek is Detroit's primary goalie and trust me when I say this, he still has it. Yes, there are times when he's off his game and watching the finale game of the season, against the Chicago Blackhawks, it seemed like every time he got up, it looked like he was in pain or achy. But standing on your head to stop a goal from one of the leagues leading scorers is what he does. Like what Herb Brooks said about Jim Craig, goalie of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team, "Have you ever seen him when his game is on?"

And when he's not so on, Chris Osgood steps up. This year, Osgood, with a 2.09 goals against average, is the best in the league. What more can you say about him but he has been consistent all season long for Detroit. If Hasek's game goes to pot, there is no better back-up than Osgood.

Pavel Datsyuk/Henrik Zetterberg

Another one-two combination for the Wings. Both players are capable of scoring goals from almost anywhere on the ice, and given half a chance, they will score with every shot on goal. The talent that these two young players have, is amazing to me. I thought Steve Yzerman and Igor Larinov were spectacles to watch until I saw Datsyuk contort like a gymnast to get around a defenseman and remain in control of the puck the whole time. Zetterberg isn't as fancy but he has unbelievable power, especially on his one-timers. Have you ever seen one? I'll tell you what, it happens so fast that I have to wait for the replay to catch it.

The Grind Line

Alright, so I'm sort of dating myself a little. This line consisting of Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, and Darren McCarty, was deadly during Detroit's Cup runs in 1997, 1998, and 2002. Any one of these players could have a breakout playoff run and take the Conn Smythe. And they don't call them the "Grind Line" for nothing. These guys will simply "grind" the other team down.

The Rest of the Team

The same goes for the rest of the team. Any one of them has the talent and capability of winning the Conn Smythe. Chris Chelios, even as the oldest player in the league (no offence, Chris) could turn in a spectacular defensive performance followed by scoring a bunch of goals. He's done it before.

Then there's Johan Franzen taking over for the injured Tomas Holmstrom. Many people didn't even realize Holmstrom was hurt until they looked at the back of Franzen's jersey and read his name.

Then there's Holmstrom, himself, blocking the goalie's vision for a tip-in. Then there's Dallas Drake, another defenseman, with soft hands and a thumper attitude on the ice. Then there's Brian Rafalski on defense. Then there's the younger, up and coming players like Juri Hudler, Niklas Kronwall, Brett Lebda, Andreas Lilja, Mark Hartigan, Vallteri Fillpula, Mikael Samuelsson...I'm running out of "then there's", but I think you get the picture.

And the Winner is...

Alright, kiddies, now that I've got you all worked up with this Red Wing hoopla, I shall now cast my vote for the winner. Drum roll, please...And my pick for the 2008 Conn Smythe Trophy, the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs is...wait a second, all I get is a T-shirt out of this? I don't get some kind of sports writing contract or some money if I win the grand prize? With the lineup of players that I just described to you, trying to pick a winner would be like, like...pin-pointing the exact day and hour of Jesus' return to take us home. I can't pick a winner for just a t-shirt.

Alright, I'll really pick one this time, promise...

If I have to pick just ONE, it would have to be (oh my, this is harder than I thought)...Nicklas Lidstrom and it would be for the reasons I stated above. He's just plain consistent with his playing ability, character and attitude both on and off the ice. Now, it is Saturday afternoon, 2:00 (1:00 central time) and I'm going to go watch Detroit win their second Stanley Cup playoff game against Nashville at The Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. And if you enjoy this game half as much as I do, well, that just means I enjoyed it twice as much as you did.

2008 NHL Playoffs: It's Showtime for the Detroit Red Wings!

The Captain -Brian Kates — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:55:20 -0400

"Ladies and Gentlemen! May I have your attention in the center rink? Introducing the 2008 Stanley Cup Champions, Your Detroit Red Wings!"

The cheers are deafening, the clapping thunderous as the Red Wings take to the ice led by Captain Nicklas Lidstrom and starting goaltender Dominik Hasek.

They come out onto the ice like a king walking into his court—heads high, almost marching in unison onto the frozen pond of the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Hockeytown's favorite son.

They stare at their opponents, not with contempt, but with a glint in their eyes. And then, all at once, they toss their sticks toward the other team, in the fashion of the heyday New York Yankees, daring them to, "Go ahead, try and beat us."

They skate toward their home team bench, fans still cheering just as loudly, streamers pouring from the rafters, confetti covering the ice. In strides, their head coach, Mike Babcock, followed closely by his assistant coaches, take their positions behind the bench.

The crowd goes totally wild. The sound of the organist and the announcer are drowned out by the applause and cheers. He is barely heard as he announces the Champion's starting line-up:

"Starting at center, No. 13, Pavel Datsyuk.

On left wing, No. 96, Tomas Holmstrom.

On right wing, No. 40, Henrik Zetterberg.

On left defense, No. 5, the Captain, Nicklas Lidstom.

On right defense, No. 24, Chris Chelios.

And your goaltender, No. 39, Dominik Hasek!"

Again, the crowd cannot be silenced as one by one the named players enter the ice from the bench. Thunderous applause comes from every corner of The Joe. Hearts are racing as the Wings meet their opponents at center ice, along with the referee, for the opening face-off.

Just before the puck drops, a hush falls over the crowd, so silent a pin can be from heard across the arena. The anticipation is endless. Everyone waiting breathlessly and then...

I awake from a sound sleep, take a shower, and head off to work, all the time knowing that tonight that's what's going to take place during the first Red Wing playoff game in my living room.

NHL Playoff Profile: Nicklas Lidstrom, Simply the Best

The Captain -Brian Kates — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:57:03 -0400

He's quiet, reserved and hardly gets a penalty during a game. In fact, you hardly know he's on the ice until the announcer says, "No. 5 has it at the blue line, he shoots.......HE SCORES!!!

That's Nicklas Lidstrom, the Detroit Red Wings Captain and top defenseman.

Lidstom, 37, has been with Red Wings since joining the NHL in 1991. This season, he is fifth in assists in the NHL with 60 and has a plus/minus of +40, second behind teammate, Pavel Datsyuk. But his stats don't end there.

The Stats

In 1252 NHL games, Lidstrom has scored 212 goals and had 726 assists for a total of 938 points. His plus/minus is +378 and has 106 power-play goals, 10 short-handed goals and 29 game winners.

Entering his 16th year in the NHL, he has won the Norris Trophy five times and the Conn Smythe Trophy at the end of the 2001-2 season. He has played in more games than any other player. He has had nine All-Star game appearances and has won the the Lord Stanley's Cup three times, in 1997, 1998 and 2002. Lidstrom has also won a gold medal with the Swedish Olympic team in 2006. Only missing 22 games during his career, he has the highest percentage, 98.2%, among players who have 1000 or more games under their belts.

The Captain

During October 2006, Lidstrom was named the Captain of the Red Wings after the retirement of Steve Yzerman. Yzerman's reign, as Captain in Detroit, lasted 20 years, the longest in NHL history, and Lidstrom, following in the footsteps of his former captain, is a solid leader on the ice. Not making a big deal out of much and setting an example for the rest of his team and the league to follow.

The Player

Since his start in the NHL in 1991, Lidstrom has amassed some amazing statics, starting with his rookie season. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie team. He also holds records in assists and total points in a single Red Wing season (64 and 80, respectively, in the 2005-6 season) and is tied for the most assists (4) by a defenseman in a single Red Wing game. Like the Bible can't contain all the works that Jesus performed during his life on Earth, this article can't come close to what Lidstrom has accomplished in the NHL. He is a giant when it comes to hockey.

The Man

Standing 6'1" and weighing in at 189 lbs, this Swedish-born player is by any means the largest, most intimidating player to don a Red Wing jersey. But in terms, of attitude and character on and off the ice, Lidstrom is larger than life. Quietly and efficiently, he goes to work, does his job extremely effectively and keeps his nose clean. In all the games that I have watched him play, I don't think I have ever witnessed him even throwing a punch, let alone get into a fight. While his teammates are scrapping and pushing the opposing players around, he just hangs on to the nearest one to keep him out of the way.

The Bottom Line

Nicklas Lidstrom doesn't get the fanfare that Yzerman or Howe did, his numbers and stats, while terrific, are not usually chart toppers, but he is, bar none, the best defensive player the game of hockey has ever seen. Performing his job, leading his team on and off the ice, and never throwing a cheap shot on an opposing player in his stellar career, this is the type of player every team in the NHL should dream about having. Good thing he's in Detroit. He's just simply the best.

NHL Profile: Pavel Datsyuk

The Captain -Brian Kates — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:05:32 -0400

Take the longevity of Gordie Howe, the intelligence of Igor Larionov and the talent of Steve Yzerman and what do you get?

Pavel Datsyuk, the Detroit Red Wing's star center.

Datsyuk has posted 97 points, fourth in the NHL, in Detroit's 2007-8 regular season campaign, scoring 31 goals with 66 assists. His plus/minus is an NHL leading +41 for the year, so far, and now it's for the playoffs.

This speedster on the ice, make defensemen spin their heads with his back and forth moves and moving the puck around goalies to score. Sometimes, you can't even tell he still has the puck with his skating and puck handling abilities. Just like Detroit's "Professor".

The past

Retired Red Winger, Larionov aka. "The Professor", came to Detroit during the 1995-96 season. They called him "The Professor" because nobody could pass a puck with such accuracy as him. Like the Russian hockey teams during the 1960's and '70's, he would look for a patch of open ice instead of a skater and the puck would magically find the player for a score or clearing pass.

That style of play is also evident in Datsyuk. When he passes, another Red Wing is usually at the end of that pass and it's always right on the tape. With every season in Detroit, he has improve on an already impressive record.

A Bit of History

Datsyuk, 29, was born in Sverdlovsk, Russia. Professionally, he's played for Yekaterinburg and Kazan as well as the Russian National Team during the 1990's and into 2000-1. He came to Detroit during the 2001-2 season, playing in 70 games and scoring 11 times with 24 assists and it's only gone up from there. During the 2001-2 playoffs, he played in 21 of 23 games and scored the game winner against the St. Louis Blues for his first playoff goal. The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup that year for Datsuk's first ring in his first NHL season.

Since that time, he has wowed Detroit fans with his amazing skating and abilities on the ice. Will he be a Red Wing Captain one day? One can only hope. Will the Detroit front office do whatever it takes to keep him in Detroit like they did with Yzerman? It looks like it, after signing him to a seven-year deal with them in the spring of 2007, the longest in Red Wing history.

Biography

Datsyuk resides with his wife and daughter in Detroit during the NHL season and returns to his hometown in Russia during the off season. His hometown has been honored by a Stanley Cup visit in the summer of 2002.

More stuff

Datsyuk has been an All-Star twice, 2004 and 2006. He has won the Lady Bing Trophy twice in 2006 and 2007. He has one Stanley Cup to his credit, so far. He has also played several seasons in Russia for their National, Olymic and World Cup teams, scoring 23 goals with 39 assists. In 445 NHL games, he has scored 139 goals with 286 assists for a total of 425 points and a plus/minus of +125.

The final word

Unfortunately, this reporter has only been able to catch Datsyuk's playing abilities during post-game highlights on ESPN or other sporting news services. But I am awed by his talents. I look forward to seeing what he does during this year's playoffs.

NHL Playoffs: How About an Original Six Cup Final?

The Captain -Brian Kates — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 03:36:45 -0400

The Detroit Red Wings in the West, the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins in the East. The last four remaining teams of the “Original Six” to go after Lord Stanley’s Cup this season.

The “Original Six”, comprised of the four teams named above as well as the Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs. All were founded in the early 1900s to 1926. Other teams played a part in the founding of the NHL but had to disband because of the Great Depression and World War II. From the 1942-43 season to the expansion in 1967, this was it for hockey fans for 25 years.

Out of the six, four teams made it to the playoffs. The winner of the two series would then play a best-of-seven series to determine the Stanley Cup Champion. Montreal made it to every series and Detroit and Toronto only missed out three times.

Could this be the year that the “Original Six” comes back to life?

The last time two of the originals met for the Cup finals was in the 1978-79 season when the Canadiens beat the Rangers 4-1 under the leadership of Scotty Bowman. Bowman has won a record nine Stanley Cups as coach of the Canadiens, Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. He has also won the Jack Adams award for coaching twice in his stellar career.

So, let’s give it up to the “Original Six”. Like The Beatles were to the world of Rock ‘N’ Roll music, without the undying devotion to hockey, the NHL might not be around today, if it had not been for the "Original Six".

NHL Playoffs: Experience vs. Youth? I'll Take the Old Guys

The Captain -Brian Kates — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:25:16 -0400

The old dog vs. the young lion, youth and strength vs. age and experience, David vs. Goliath. It doesn't matter how you say it, it is the age old question of which one will come out on top. This reporter tends to lean to the experienced side more (maybe it's because I'm an old person now), which is why I think the Detroit Red Wings have an edge on any other team to bring the Stanley Cup back to Hockeytown.

Detroit, with an average age of over 31, is probably one of the oldest teams in the NHL and look at where they are sitting. On their way to another President's Trophy, all their lines clicking and scoring and (as I've stated before) an almost unending bench full of depth and talent.

Now, I'm a hockey fan, especially of the Wings, but I am not fanatical enough to go through each teams roster to find out the average age of each team in the NHL. And I'm not going to; too many things on my plate to do that. What I have seen, during games that I am able to watch here in Okieland, is that most of the teams have much younger players on their top lines, on defense and in goal.

Detroit's top line of Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Tomas Holmstrom have about the same average age as the rest of the league. Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski on defense are 37 and 34, respectively. Chris Osgood and Dominik Hasek, in goal, are 35 and 43, respectively. And then there's granddad, Chris Chelios on defense at the ripe old age of 46. I believe he is trying to beat Gordie Howe in being the oldest player to play on ice.

With all this in mind, look at how the Red Wings have done. They had a bad month in February losing eight games. But one month out of eight is not anything for Detroit to worry about. I was a little concerned but they had such a lead by that time that it didn't matter how they did.

In a nutshell, they kind of remind me of the New York Yankees during their heyday. They would throw their gloves onto the field and say, "Go ahead, try and beat us." I'm waiting for the Wings to do that at Joe Louis Arena some day.

NHL Playoffs: Injuries Could Hamper Red Wings Chances......Not!

The Captain -Brian Kates — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 03:08:21 -0400

Injuries have always played a big role in a team's trophy accomplishments and the Detroit Red Wings are not immune to the plague.

Here is a list, in a nutshell, of injuries Detroit has suffered over the last month or so:

RW Mikael Samuelsson is out with a groin injury and is listed as questionable.

G Dominik Hasek is day-to-day with the flu.

RW Dallas Drake remains out with a bruised sternum.

D Brad Stuart is out with a non-displaced fractured finger suffered against Columbus on March 19.

RW Darren McCarty is day-to-day with a rib injury suffered in Grand Rapids.

LW Tomas Holmstrom is out with strained abdominal muscles.

This is a pretty hefty list of injuries for any team to take. However, Detroit is not like any other team. The depth of the Wings is almost unending. Chris Osgood, hungry for another Cup victory, has replaced Hasek as Detroit's number one netminder and Johan Franzen has become a piece of furniture in front of opposing goalies taking Holmstrom's spot.

As for Samuelsson, Drake, Stuart, and McCarty, other players have stepped up their games to cover for them until they return, hopefully by playoff time.

For this reporter, it is nice to see "D-Mac" come back to complete the "Grind Line" of Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, and McCarty, the most intimidating thumpers in the NHL—bar none.