Robertus and the Canadian Hat Trick

Finally planting derrier back on the burgundy couch, halfway through the Devils/Hurricanes game three, Carolina leading two games to none, the current game tied two a piece. It is far too late to prognosticate, with three series tilted two nil, and Anaheim up by a hat trick.

Last night, a little past half eleven, future Trivial Pursuit answer Joffrey Lupul to give Anaheim a seemingly insurmountable lead over Patrice "Breeze By" Brisebois and the Colorado Avalanche. The once proud Avs find themselves in a situation reminiscent of 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and 1975 New York Islanders or, because I prefer memories gained in my lifetime, the 2004 Bahston Red Sox. The next game will determine whether the Avs have a David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, or Dave Roberts.

As Carolina/New Jersey slips into intermission, I turn to my favorite internet find, NHL Radio. In a marketing move that can only be called brilliant, the National Hockey League offers streaming of the local radio broadcasts for both teams in every game. Unlike certain other major sports league, these broadcasts are completely free to the internet-savvy, but largely hockey ignorant, public. It is the opinion of this nonpaying customer that the NHL would do well to advertise this feature of NHL.com, that the internet-savvy public can learn about their excellent game.

And so the puck drops on another period, and I become mezmerized by the silver metal box on the television stand.

-R.

Post Scriptum! The Senators have tied their game at one apeice, as Spencer quietly has a coronary in his Ottawa flat.

Robertus, Round Two

And so the sun begins to descend on another glorious spring day spent at work, but not working, and I find myself sitting under blinding fluorescent lights with three hours before the puck drops on the second round of the NHL Playoffs.

Ottawa (1) vs. Buffalo (4)

When I first sat down to write my first round preview I distinctly remember praying please, God, please don’t let the Sabers play the Senators in the second round. I attempted to avoid this ill fate by selecting both the Senators and the Sabers to advance, thus making it a logistical impossibility. Alas, the hockey gods, it seems, have a sick, sad sense of humor.

Both the Senators and Sabers dominated their first round opponents (the Sens dispatching the Lightning in five, the Sabers obliterating the Flyers in Game Six), both play a blistering, all-out offensive style of hockey, both front relatively untested goaltenders, both bench bosses are brilliant. The Senators have the better roster on paper, though there are “better rosters” playing golf on this glorious spring day (more on the West later). A grand total of three points separated the teams at the end of the regular season. Were this an election, the polls would be too close to call. It is, as they say, a toss up.

Robertus Predicts! That said, we earn our keep by calling elections otherwise too close to call. Spencer spends his column trashing the Sabers and then calling for a six-game series, but I’m not sure it will be as one-sided as he suggests.

Senators in Seven.

Coming Soon! Robertus picks the rest, plus Robertus at the Bat!