Nevermind, just found it...

"If both Conference Final series have been decided by Tuesday, May 26, the Western Conference winner would host Game 1 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final on Thursday, May 28. Otherwise, Game 1 will be played on Friday, June 5. "

They just threw that in there in case of two sweeps. However, the earliest this round can conclude is Wednesday (Detroit over Chicago in 5), so we *ARE* looking at NINE DAYS before the finals begin.

5/25/2009 6:36:28 PM

Goddamn I hate this stupid fucking piece-of-shit league.

Quote :

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

They're gonna have three days off and then have to play a back-to-back?

Bullshit.

5/25/2009 6:37:07 PM

Reference for above: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=423523

And btw, I meant 9 days from Wednesday. As mentioned in my previous post, if the Hurricanes pull one out of their ass (like Buffalo did 2 years ago against Ottawa), it'll draw the series through Friday in Pittsburgh.

5/25/2009 6:38:29 PM

vinylbandit,

negative, as I mentioned, the conference finals will not conclude by Tuesday night (26 May).

As a result, we have to wait until Friday June 5.

And its not the league, its NBC - they want to televise Games 1-4 (saving a sweep, leaving the potential deciding games to versus). Which doesn't make any sense ever. but hey, neither does having 30 teams spread across unmarketable cities (COUGH Phoenix COUGH).

5/25/2009 6:41:08 PM

Vulcan,

Do you have a link for that quote? I'm curious what "According to multiple sources" means.

I'm going on what the last official press release was by the NHL. No Tuesday, then we wait until 5 June.

5/25/2009 6:43:18 PM

That came from EJ Hradek: http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs/2009/news?id=4203658

Quote :

"According to multiple sources, if the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings can wrap up their respective Conference final series by Wednesday night, the Stanley Cup finals likely would start on Saturday, May 30 in Detroit. In this scenario, Game 2 would be played on Sunday, May 31. This is a change from a May 22 press release from the league that indicated that the championship series would begin on Friday, June 5, if both Conference final series didn't end in four-game sweeps. The Penguins can close out their series with a victory over the Hurricanes in Raleigh on Tuesday night. The defending champion Red Wings, meanwhile, have positioned themselves to advance with a win over the Blackhawks on Wednesday in Detroit. For the past several days, the league has been working behind the scenes with NBC, which has limited prime time real estate to devote to the Cup finals due to important "sweeps" week programming and the Tonight Show re-launch with new host Conan O'Brien. The possible change would spare the league an embarrassing, television-created, eight-day hiatus and the competitive nature of the playoffs wouldn't be compromised by an unusually long layoff for both clubs."

None of this matters if Carolina or Chicago wins a game.

5/25/2009 6:52:07 PM

are the Oilers TRYING to get the #1 pick in 2010?


http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=279979

Quote :

"Sources tell TSN Pat Quinn will be announced as the new head coach at a news conference later today with former Rangers coach Tom Renney being named an associate head coach."

5/26/2009 1:43:50 PM

Personally I like the move. Pat Quinn has done great things with Hockey Canada recently and I think Tom Renney just had to take the fall for the Rangers when in reality it was all Glen Sather's stupid spending. It'll be interesting to see what happens with the Oilers as the Sophomore Slump was alive and well in Edmonton this year so it'll be interesting to see what happens next season. I think if the Oilers somehow got a goalie to split time with Roloson (whom they'd have to resign) then they'd be a lot better off, but they can't run the 3 goalie system they were. I think they need to let their younger goalies develop and sign Clemmenson then they'd probably be a decent enough team. They have all the pieces especially with the likes of Hemsky and Souray on their squad and hopefully Quinn and Sather can get them to play to their true potential and not get hurt all the time.

5/26/2009 4:09:52 PM

good first period, 21 shots. gotta get some past huet.

5/27/2009 8:18:43 PM

Kane's goal was awesome

5/27/2009 9:49:00 PM

WOW What a SAVE

5/27/2009 9:58:19 PM

that patrick kane goal was absolutely amazing

5/27/2009 10:04:22 PM

WHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOAL!!!!

5/27/2009 10:19:52 PM

Saturday night Game 1 the rematch

Let's go Wings

I guess

5/27/2009 10:20:09 PM

Ladies and gentlemen... your rematch is here... Hossa is coming for them



[Edited on May 27, 2009 at 10:22 PM. Reason : yessssssssss!!!]

5/27/2009 10:21:42 PM

ugh

5/27/2009 10:21:55 PM

AMERICA, I GIVE YOU YOUR DEEEETROIT RED WINGS!!!!!!!

5/27/2009 10:23:04 PM

darren helm had one of the greatest shifts i have ever seen when we were shorthanded.... great he got the game winning goal

5/27/2009 10:23:10 PM

I don't think I will watch much of this rematch. Pittsburgh will go down again just like last year. I am sick and fucking tired of the Red Wings. Fuck the Sharks for choking again in the playoffs.

5/27/2009 10:23:32 PM

Quote :

"I am sick and fucking tired of the Red Wings."

Deal with it, folks. This is what we do.

5/27/2009 10:25:32 PM

don't watch it then... i dont think you should... its a bad idea

5/27/2009 10:26:18 PM

MAN, this takes me back to fifth grade...when they canceled classes for a week.

Another back-to-back would make my life complete.

5/27/2009 10:29:25 PM

I guess being from Detroit all you have to deal with are the Wings since that city is a shit hole that is in financial ruins.

5/27/2009 10:31:26 PM

hey man whatever you say you are right... go golf

5/27/2009 10:34:31 PM

^^ HAY GUYS LOOK AT ME I SPEW IRRELEVANCE IN SPORTS TALK RAWR

(still rather live there than NC)

[Edited on May 27, 2009 at 10:43 PM. Reason : ]

5/27/2009 10:40:49 PM

i predict high scoring games... our defense is much weaker this year and malkin and crosby are lights out right now


but... hossa has added a dimension and even before he came along we were/and are going to get our goals

5/27/2009 10:47:01 PM

^^ whats stopping you from going back. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

The NHL got the final they wanted

Storied Franchise vs. arguably the most marketable player. Its win-win for the NHL

Plus the little side story about how the Cup would bring hope to the downtrodden in either city which are both being devastated by the recession.

[Edited on May 27, 2009 at 10:51 PM. Reason : .]

5/27/2009 10:51:04 PM

I would find Hossa losing the Cup to the team he left in order to try to win one hilarious, but the Crosby is Jesus, not just Jesus-like but actually is the flesh of God himself talk if the Penguins were to win the cup would be on for not just the offseason, but continuous. I really don't give a shit who wins to be honest.

5/27/2009 10:54:45 PM

that really would suck hossa losing to the penguins

if he feels that pressure he will be as good as useless out there

oh and wolfey has some serious issues ragging on the economy and whatnot

[Edited on May 27, 2009 at 11:30 PM. Reason : hossa]

5/27/2009 11:29:07 PM

This series comes down to one thing and one thing only: Chris Osgood.

He steps it up, the Wings win. He plays like he has been, it's a toss-up.

5/28/2009 3:27:01 AM

After much deliberation I have decided to go with the lesser of two evils and cheer for Team Hoveround to win the Cup.

5/28/2009 6:53:49 AM

This will definitely not be a repeat of last year's fiasco.

1) The Guins are 1 year older, Crosby and Malkin are playing excellent hockey
2) Lidstrom and Datsyuk are injured, those are 2 world class players
3) I agree with ^^, Osgood is the wild card. I think the Guins will light him up

Here's to a 7 game series and the Flames getting Brent Sutter (had to throw that in there)...

5/28/2009 7:57:35 AM

this was special to watch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZGoRGmu8us

and of course...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY8veYHH5eA

5/28/2009 8:29:16 AM

http://www.fromtherink.com/2009/5/28/891701/score-one-for-the-khl-ad-dept

5/29/2009 1:46:51 AM

Pittsburgh is my 2nd fave team, but I am mad at them, and it will likely take me all summer to get over my bad blood resulting from the ECF. But with that said, I CANNOT cheer for those cocksmokers from Detroit. I have a hatred for detroit which I cannot explain, it makes my stomach clinch. so

GO PENS, RAPE THOSE GERIATRIC ASSGOBLINS

5/29/2009 2:04:38 AM

^ Just wondering where that hatred/insecurity comes from?

5/29/2009 7:06:23 AM

^^please don't cheer for detroit, our bandwagon is full, thanks

5/29/2009 8:13:20 AM

GO PENS

DEFEAT THE STROMS AND SSONS

5/29/2009 9:48:26 AM

Pens in 5.

5/29/2009 5:41:05 PM

Pens in 6

5/29/2009 5:45:17 PM

I don't like the instant death overtime, I think they should play a full period and whoever gets the most goals wins

or maybe a 10 minute period instead of the full 20

5/29/2009 5:45:31 PM

wrong. sudden death playoff overtime is one of the best things about hockey.

5/29/2009 5:47:50 PM

thats your opinion and I think it stinks

agree to disagree

5/29/2009 5:49:28 PM

well what's your rationale? then maybe i'll agree to disagree.

i like the added intensity the golden goal gives the game. the pressure on the players and coaches is increased and one small mistake can cost you the game. i fear that if you play a set time period, both teams play to not lose, rather than to win.

5/29/2009 5:57:05 PM

I think overtime should just be a shortened version of the actual game itself

Basketball is...you get 5 minutes with all the same rules as the preceding 40 or 48

Baseball is...each inning functions exactly as the ninth does

Football is not...I hate both the NFL and College OTs...I like the first to 5 points rule that I made up (A touchdown wins, so does two field goals, but one field goal alone cannot beat you...5 points instead of 6 to maintain the value of a safety)

Hockey....I like a 10 minute extra session because you have a chance to give up a goal and still bounce back...you retain the basic end game elements like pulling the goalie, rushing the net, etc that you do if you are trailing in the end of regulation. An the team with the lead gets to play defensive hockey, playing to control the puck.

The teams will play similarly to sudden death until one of them scores; after that, it becomes protecting the lead vs. going all out to tie it up...a better representation of the 60 minute grind that regulation is, instead of the gimmicky nature of the current set up.

5/29/2009 6:04:20 PM

i see your point, and now i agree to disagree.

i actually like that hockey is completely different, honestly. but i see your argument.

EDIT: and for the record, i hate the sudden death in NFL overtime.

[Edited on May 29, 2009 at 6:12 PM. Reason : k]

5/29/2009 6:12:01 PM

Quote :

"sudden death playoff overtime is one of the best things about hockey."

5/29/2009 6:12:58 PM

Quote :

"An the team with the lead gets to play defensive hockey, playing to control the puck. "

This is the best way to give up a cheap goal late in a game.

5/29/2009 9:11:27 PM

christ where are the Nuggets tonight?

5/29/2009 11:10:57 PM

not in the NHL.

5/29/2009 11:21:27 PM