|
April 5th, 2008
Da Vinci Code, The
The Da Vinci Code was another Black Friday 2007 purchase. I picked this up for about $6, I believe and this is the third of four purchases that day that have been posted online. Look for the last one next week. I actually saw DVC in the theaters, twice. Anyway, check out the review. I am working on Futurama Vol. 4 right now and its taking a while. I had work this week and it was very tiring being back after a week off. It is right in time for the quarter exams so I have been making tests and all. The SJU work keeps piling on and it seems I have no time to review DVD's and even TPL is running later than usual this week (though still look for it on Tuesday). I hope to watch a few more episodes tomorrow but the SJU work takes precendence for now. Well, NHL playoffs are starting soon and almost all the match-ups have been determined. The Rangers need just one more regulation win to get home-ice for the first round and playing a team they have beat 7 times you'd think I'd be confident. Can they really beat a team 8 times though? Especially since they are playing them in the playoffs in the first round. Anyway, look for NHL predictions Monday night. That's all for now! Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
April 6th, 2008
NHL Playoff Preview
Well, it's the most wonderful time of the year...for NHL fans. Yes, the playoffs are now upon us. Being a huge hockey fan this is great news, and being a Ranger fan and having the boys in the playoffs again, this is even better news. Here, I make my bold predictions of how the first round will turn out in the NHL. Let's head out west first. I don't know as much about the West as the East but I'll take a stab at it.
Western Conference
-No. 1 Detroit vs. No. 8 Nashville- This is the first of five divisonal match-up's in the playoffs, which is great for the NHL to build rivalries. The Red Wings defeated Nashville 5 out of the 8 times they played and the Preds never won by more than two. The Wings had a slump a few weeks ago but have looked strong lately. Don't expect this to last too long. Detroit takes out Nashville in five games.
-No. 2 San Jose vs. No. 7 Calgary- Will this be another first round "flame-out" for San Jose? The Flame beat the Sharks 3 out of the 4 times they've played this year but the Sharks have been one of the hottest teams around coming into the playoffs. The Sharks will eat up the Flames and finish them in five games, with Thornton having a monster series.
-No. 3 Minnesota vs. No. 6 Colorado- Another divisional match-up, with Minnesota taking 5 out of the 8 games. In those 8 games, though, the Avs were without Peter Forsberg. With Peter in the lineup and charging their offense to new heights, this looks like the makings of an upset. Colorado wins on home, in 6 games.
-No. 4 Anaheim vs. No. 5 Dallas- The third divisional matchup in the West. Dalls won 5 of the 8 games and it looks like they may hold an advantage. However, the Ducks know how to turn it on in the playoffs and the Ducks shouldn't have a problem handling the Stars when it matters. Ducks win in 5.
Eastern Conference
-No. 1 Montral vs. No. 8 Boston- This will be the most one-sided series in the league. The Canadiens have won 11 straight againt the Bruins and the beantown boys just don't have answer for them. Boston is severely outmatched here and it will be a short one for Boston, as they get swept out and outscored by at least 12 goals.
-No. 2 Pittsburgh vs. No. 7 Ottawa- The question here is about Daniel Alfredsson. Will be able to go? Will the shaky Ottawa goaltending match-up to the firepower of the Pens? Does Ottaway have any hope? Sorry Sens fans, it looks to be another disappointing year. The Sens ended the season terribly and they can't recover. The Pens win in 5.
-No. 3 Washington vs. No. 6 Philadelphia- This will be one to watch. If, and this is a huge if, the Flyers can shutdown Ovechkin they may have a chance. However, the Caps are on such a streak coming into the playoffs that it is going to be very hard to contain them. I really like the Caps here but Philly will put up more of a fight than people think. If any series will go seven games, this is where I'd put my money. Caps win in seven.
-No. 4 New Jersey vs. No. 5 New York Rangers- These are the two best defensive teams in the East and this will be a match-up for the ages. The Rangers hold the edge with 7 victories in 8 games against the Devils but the Devils have home ice. These teams have played four times in the playoffs and the team with the home ice advantage has always won. This will be the time it changes. Lundqvist plays his best against the Devils and the team has something to prove after they were swept two years ago by the Devs. These games will all be close, but the Rangers have a certain something about them this year. Rangers in 5, with Gomez netting a pair of goals in the deciding game against his former team. The rejuvinated play of Jagr plays a role in the Rangers hardfought victory.
So there it is, you have all the top seeds advancing except the Devils and MInnesota. If this were the case your semifinals would look like this:
Western Conference
-No. 1 Detroit vs. No. 6 Colorado- This will be an awesome all-out brawl of a series, harkening back to the Roy/Osgood days. The Wings are just too much and win it in another 5 games.
-No. 2 San Jose vs. No. 4 Anaheim- This will be where San Jose finally gets the monkey off their backs, dispatching the defending champs in seven games.
Eastern Conference
-No. 1 Montreal vs. No. 5 New York Rangers- I don't like this match-up for the Rangers, as Montreal had a huge victory the last time they played coming back from five goals down to win. The Rangers have grown since then and this will be a tough series. The Rangers will come out on top in 6 games.
-No. 2 Pittsburgh vs. No. 3 Washington- This will be the most exciting wide-open series of the entire playoffs. Look for the Pens and Caps to combine for about 50 goals in the seven games they play. This will be vintage 1980's hockey. Pens will win this in seven.
-Conference Finals-
-No. 1 Detroit vs. No. 2 San Jose- I'll keep it quick as this is all speculation from this point out. Red Wings in 7.
-No. 1 Pittsburgh vs. No. 5 Rangers- The NYR have had tremendous success against the Pens and look for it to continue. Rangers in five.
-Stanley Cup Finals-
-No. 1 Detroit vs. No. 5 Rangers- Okay so this probably won't happen, but Lundqvist is hot and you can ride a hot goalie for 16 wins. The Rangers will finally get revenge for their loss in the 1950 finals. Rangers in 6, winning at home.
So the first round seems legitimate and the rest is pure speculation, but that is how I see this playoff year turning out.
April 9th, 2008
Game 1: Rangers 4 Devils 1
I read the Daily News this morning and it had a preview of the Rangers and Devils. They predicted the Rangers would win in 6 but in the goalie department they referred to Lundqvist's puck-handling skills as toxic while praising that of Brodeur's. Of course, Brodeur's vaunted skills did not help him when Callahan scored while shorthanded about midway through the third to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead. Cally went behind the net as the puck was in front and Brodeur stalled in moving the puck. Callahan knocked it in off of Brodeur and that was the momentum the Rangers needed. They were badly outplayed at the end of the second and beginning of the third but that goal gave them their lift. Avery added a goal off a Gomez rebound with about 3 minutes left and a Dawes empty netter sealed the deal. The Devils really had chances to win. They scored a powerplay goal not long after Shanahan scored for the Rangers as their power play just expired. They had the momentum, and they hit three posts, but Henrik stood on his head and made some tremendous saves. The Rangers have a huge 1-0 lead in the series and the way they won shows they could have the building blocks to go far.
-My Three Stars of the Game-
3. Ryan Callahan - He scored the big one
2. Scott Gomez - Three assists in his first ever playoff game against his former team
1. Henrik Lundqvist - 28 saves, many of them big, and he kept the Rangers in it for a long stretch in the second and third period.
I think Game 2 will see the Rangers come out with some fire. The Devils may be a little let down after this difficult loss. We'll find out on Friday. Let's Go Rangers!
April 11th, 2008
Game 2: Rangers 2 Devils 1
Just when you think the games can't get any tighter or closer or more physical you have this game. The Devils controlled play through the first two periods but it would be the Rangers who skate away with a victory, again. Jagr scored after Colin White bumped his own goaltender and Jagr bounced a puck in off Brodeur's back. Avery made it 2-0 just 23 seconds later and from there the heat was one. Both teams exchanged chances and as time wore down the Devils would get closer and closer. It was only Lundqvist that stood between the Devils and the net. The Devs would pull Brodeur with about two minutes left and they finally figured out Henrik and cut the lead in half with about 90 seconds left. The Devils had the momentus until they took a penalty. They were shorthanded, their backs against the wall, when the referees betrayed them. Blair Betts hooked a Devil and it wasn't called (their second blatant non-call of the night, the first was not calling a hook on Jagr in the second) and then got called for icing, while they were on the penalty kill! If I was a Devils fan I would be pissed, but I am not, and the Rangers have won two in a row at the Rock and look to complete the sweep at MSG. I don't know if the Devils will channel the negative energy from the end of this game or if they are just crushed now. As it stands, Hank has outplayed Brodeur and that has made the difference.
-My Three Stars of the Game-
3. Jaromir Jagr - He opened the scoring
2. Sean Avery - Game-winning goal and he played some great defense, too.
1. Henrik Lundqvist - What else can be said? He's allowed only two goals in two games on the road.
The other games have been much higher scoring than this series and I watched some of the Flyers/Caps game and that was a damn shootout! Still, this has been one of the most exciting series' with probably the most physical play and a true battle of two teams that just hate each other. Let's Go Rangers!
April 13th, 2008
Ghostbusters
I completely forgot to post a DVD review last night so here it is, the first, the original, the Ghostbusters. Of course, the followup will appear next week. This was the final of the Black Friday 2007 purchases I made, as it was a double-disc set that cost only $5! You can't beat that anywhere. I am stiiiiillllll working on Futurama Vol. 4, as school is really piling on (both work and graduate classes, which I both call, "school"). I am almost done with Disc three and I hope that everything eases up and I can finish it by the end of the month. After that I have only a few DVD's left in my collection. I have a $25 Amazon gift card coming my way (thank you Visa Amazon credit card) and I will get some more material. That's all for now. I will discuss the Ranger game tomorrow when I have had time to relax.
April 14th, 2008
Game 3: Devils 4 Rangers 3 (OT)
I was so pissed after watching this game. Not because the Rangers lost (well that was part of the problem) but with the unbelievable one-sidedness of the penalty calls called against the Rangers. The Devils had 8 power plays and were getting every call. The Rangers didn't help by playing like crap and turning the puck over at every turn. Still, they battled back from 1-0 down and 3-2 down only to lose a heartbreaker in overtime with a puck bouncing off their own player. The Rangers really need to come out on Wednesday with their guns blazing. The only reassuring thing for me is that Brodeur seems a bit shaky, he is not the same that I have seen him. Both goalies were solid tonight and it really wasn't their faults on any of the goals. Dubinsky played a great game and was rewarded with a minus in OT. The Rangers still are in control of the series and I knew they had to lose sometime for my prediction to come true. Let's Go Rangers!
|
