"First Ding Today..." Michael Ryder's Day With Stanley Cup

Is this technically a Cup Fail since stuff like this is kinda expected...???

((HT: mokyboy11))


Every player gets their day with the Cup and for the Bruins' Michael Ryder, it fell down and went boom...

This happened on the roof of a posh St. John's restaurant, at a media event attended by dignitaries including Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Kathy Dunderdale.

Ryder, who was about to leave St. John's to bring the Cup to his hometown of Bonavista, posed for photographs.

"It won't blow away," he quipped.

Boston Bruins Celebrate First Stanley Cup Since 1972

As they would say in Boston, "It's wicked awesome."

The Boston Bruins can stake their claim of championships in the city of Boston. Since the turn of the century the Patriots have three Super Bowl titles, the Red Sox two World Series titles and the Celtics have an NBA championship.

Heck even in the same sport Boston College and Boston University won NCAA Frozen Four championships, the Eagles two in 2008 and 2010 and the Terriers in 2009.

Here's the game story of Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. (Thanks CSN New England)



Great production, well done.

Here's a one - on - one with Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas, who won the 2011 Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup Finals MVP. (Thanks CSN New England)



In the locker room Bruins head coach Claude Julien receives a champagne shower from captain Zdeno Chara. (Thanks CSN New England)



One - on - one with Mark Recchi who won his third Stanley Cup. (Thanks CSN New England)



Finally here's a really cool video of Boston's Stanley Cup run. (Thanks CSN New England)

And So It Goes... Bruins Win First Cup Since 1972...Vancouver Riots In Anger...

((HT: NHL on CBC))

The Vancouver Canucks have a lot of blame to go around...

The power play had none. The injuries weakened their scoring punch and depth. The Sedin's game was on a milk carton, and Roberto Luongo seemed out to lunch at the worst time...

However, Tim Thomas played out of his Dominik Hasek-loving mind and the Bruins got points from the most unlikely places- and that's what it takes...

When you mention guys like Marchand, Bergeron, and Peverley, you know what's up... and the Canucks left their fans to set cars on fire in town to let out their frustrations.

Flame out... now, the HQ sees the irony there...

Here's your highlights- if you dig Boston...


The HQ would also like to salute Mark Recchi and Rich Peverley for their time in Atlanta and now get their names etched on the Cup. And don't think Blake Wheeler is kicking himself after getting traded for Peverley at the Deadline, either...

Recchi retires a three-time champ... and the HQ also was getting a good laugh out of the fact that the only thing that got a larger boo than a Bruin was Gary Bettman...

Next up... the Draft...

But, first... the riots...
((HT: CBC/youtube))

Canucks Raymond Has Fractured Vertebrae

((HT: NHL on NBC/youtube))

It took all of the first shift in last night's game six for the Vancouver Canucks to have another injury saddle their roster for Wednesday's Game 7...

The Bruins Johnny Boychuk DDT'ed Mason Raymond into the boards during the early stages of last night's game and the early diagnosis is a fractured vertebrae that will keep him out of action from four to six months...

Raymond was on the ice for several minutes before being helped off the ice. He was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation, and there is no word on whether or not Raymond is well or stable enough to travel back to Vancouver at present.

Raymond, who played alongside Ryan Kesler and Chris Higgins on the Canucks' second line, was replaced by Jannik Hansen last night...

More juggling for Alain Vigneault for the new lines... which will be revealed tomorrow morning- and again tomorrow night...

Here's the call from last night...

Vancouver One Win Away...

((HT: NHL on CBC))

All it took was Max LaPierre solving Tim Thomas and Roberto Luongo saving 31 Boston Briuins shots for the Canucks to be one win from their first Stanley Cup trophy in the 40 years of the team's existence...

The Bruins have outscored the Canucks 12-1 in Boston, but have been outscored 5-2 in Vancouver. Game 6 is Monday in Boston...

Here's the highlights of a tight game from beginning to end...

Bees Even Up Series With Canucks

((HT: NHL/CBC))

It took the Bruins all of 48 hours to even up the Stanley Cup Final and chase Roberto Luongo with the Game 4 4-0 win in Boston...

All Thrashers fans have to do is look at Rich Peverley and Mark Recchi and think even deeper about what might have been...

Here's the beginning of the end where Alex Burrows, aka Public Enemy Number One, and Bruins goalie Tim Thomas go at it and start going at it even more with less than two minutes left...


The HQ will be more than happy to quote our ol' buddy JR...
Business is about to pick up...

Late Goal By Torres Gives Vancouver Game One

((HT: NHL on NBC/CBC))

We enjoyed the abject chipiness of Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals...

The HQ knows what this would mean to the province of BC to win three more games, but they went bananas after Tico Torres ((as explained by Ryan Kesler)) scored late...

Very late... last minute late...
And it was awesome...

Here's the highlights... there are a lot of them, just one goal...



And post-game sound with Bruins Goaltender Tim Thomas, who had 33 saves in Game one against the Canucks.



Game two is Saturday... and the larger issue for Vancouver is the physical state of defenseman Dan Hamhuis- who is, officially, day-to-day...

Aren't we all...

FOSG Scott Burnside and Pierre LeBrun discuss Game One...
((HT: ESPN))

Stanley Has Bees and Canucks Now...

((HT: NHL.com/CBC))

Bob Cole was on the mic- as it should be for games of this kind of importance...

It is a total of 76 years of futility that will be addressed when Vancouver and Boston meet in the Stanley Cup Final.

A a rule, the HQ will tell you that Game Sevens in the playoffs are not to be missed...

WE did miss this one, however, since we had tickets to both Rodgers and Hammerstein and "The Hangover, Part 2." Yes, we're also aware that it is an interesting combination of events...

By the way, "Hangover...?" Funny, but very dark...

Oh, the game...

Nathan Horton proved why he was a great pick-up for the Bruins at the deadline...

Here's the highlights...


Game One is Wednesday...

Too Many Power Play Goals For Sharks To Comeback

((HT: NHL on NBC/nhl.com))

Usually, when you score three goals in a little less than two minutes, odds are you've got the game locked up...

Game 4 was locked up by Vancouver- especially when Sami Salo scored two goals within 16 seconds of each other. The Sedins had 7 assists between them...

Before today, Salo had only scored once in the playoffs. But the defenseman had the hot hand, and he was fed...

Really... who had Salo in the pool...???

Here's Strades, Panger, and Engie...


Here's Sharks head coach Todd McLellan's post game presser. (Thanks CSN California)



The Canucks can wrap this one up on home ice Tuesday night...
And don't think the arena will be rocking...

Canucks Fan Eager For A Visual

Ben Eager had a busy night...

20 minutes in penalties, a cheap shot on a Sedin, scoring a goal down 7-2 where he ran his mouth on Roberto Luongo, and victim of a flashing...

Our friends at The Score TV network have the short version...
Which is, of course, NSFW... that's how they roll...


Eager is one of those guys who can be a plus on your team in the right situation, and a minus at the absolute worst time...

Like last night...
He's probably a healthy scratch the rest of the way...

Friday NHL Recap: Sharks Avoid Collapse, Hold Off Wings

((HT: NHL/Versus))

Patrick Marleau kinda answered his critics with a goal- even if the effort was all Dan Boyle and Devin Setoguchi, and the San Jose Sharks avoided a Game 7 collapse beating Detroit 3-2 in the last Western Conference Semi-Final game.

San Jose now gets top seed Vancouver in the WCF that starts this weekend.

Here's your highlights- unless, of course, you're a Red Wings fan...

NHL Playoffs: Night 1- Pens, Wings, and Caps

((HT: NHL/Versus/CSNWashington))

Alexander Semin kept the Caps-Rangers game from heading into a second overtime...
Good enough for a 1-0 series lead...


CSNWashington's Alan May had a good outburst in studio...


After a slow start, the Red Wings took care of the soon-to-be-moving Phoenix Coyotes 4-2. Johan Franzen was his normally-active self...


Marc-Andre Fleury was in equally good form for the Pens game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brooks Orpik had a multiple-point game as the Pens got the shutout...


Highlights from Vancouver and Anaheim when they become available...

Blackhawks Take Game 5, 7-4 In Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks power-forward Dustin Byfuglien, bumped from the top line as was Patrick Kane, had two goals and two assists to lead the home team to a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, giving the Blackhawks a 3-2 lead in the Stanley Cup Finals.

"I think he got rid of us and started performing. That's all he needed," said Kane, who also had a goal and assist. "He was a force and had some big hits, one on [Chris] Pronger I think everyone remembers."

Game 6 is Wednesday back in Philly...

Doc Emrick and Eddie Olczyk have the call...
((HT: NHL on NBC))

Stanley Cup Finals Tied At 2 Games A Piece

((HT: NHL.com/Versus))

The Chicago Blackhawks had not lost back-to-back games in the 2010 playoffs. But first-period goals from Mike Richards, defenseman Matt Carle and Claude Giroux, coupled with goalie Michael Leighton's best performance of the Final, gave Chicago its second road loss -- in as many games -- of the postseason.

Here's your highlights...

Giroux OT Winner Closes Cup Series To 2-1

Claude Giroux scored on a deflection at 5:59 of the first overtime to give Philadelphia a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Flyers now trail the series 2-1 and can even things up in Friday’s Game 4.

Chicago entered the game with a seven-game road winning streak. Philadelphia had won five in a row at home and lost only once in eight playoff games at home this postseason.

Here's the game-winner for the Flyers...
Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson on the call...
((HT: CBC/NHL/Fel0096))

Daniel Carcillo is a big hitter....oh...Chicago wins Game 2 as well

((ht: fanhouse))

The Chicago Blackhawks beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on Memorial Day night to take a 2-0 lead in the battle for Lord Stanley's Cup.

The game was markedly different from Game 1's shootout, with both teams showing a much stronger defense and an overwhelming propensity for big hits.

Perhaps the biggest hit in the game...came in the first period when Flyers enforcer Daniel Carcillo tried...key word being tried...to drop the big one on Chicago's Tomas Kopecky. He missed.

Check out the video of what happened, it was much better then any game highlights we could show you.

Thanks You Tube:

Game 1 Goes To Hawks By 1, 6-5

If NBC was worried about offensive output being a problem as a correlation to ratings, Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals gave the Peacock a bit of a breather where that's concerned.

Flyers goalie Michael Leighton had the three shutouts in the Eastern Conference Final. In Game 1, he gave up 5 goals on 20 shots in just over 35 minutes before he was replaced by Brian Boucher.

The game had four lead changes and 5 tying goals as the Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup Finals game since Game 5 of the 1973 series 6-5 over Philadelphia.

Let's take the evening chronologically...
Here's the anthem no one heard... thanks to nhl.com


The Hawks' Tomas Kopecky was in the lineup only because of an injury.

A healthy scratch for the last five games, Kopecky was playing because Andrew Ladd's shoulder injury meant he had to sit. He took Ladd's spot on the third line with Kris Versteeg and Dave Bolland. They combined for the game-winner with 11:35 left in regulation.

Here's the highlights, thanks to the NHL on NBC...


And here's Marian Hossa and Troy Brouwer, thanks to our friends at the NHL...


How did the Hawks' Kris Versteeg sum up the night...???
"It was a lot of fun. And, I almost had a heart attack."

Game 2 is Monday night in Chicago...

Flyers Join Chicago For Stanley Cup Finals

Much to the delight of OSG Insider Gil Tyree, his Code Orange worked tonight in Philadelphia...

The Flyers took out a tired Montreal Canadiens squad 4-2 to win their Eastern Conference final 4 games to 1.

Ending a 13-year drought, the Flyers go to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1997. The seventh-seeded Flyers travel to Chicago for Saturday's opening game of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final. The Blackhawks were the No. 2 seed in the West

Here's your highlights, thanks to our friends at CSNPhilly.com


And what is a celebration without fan reaction...???
((HT: Crossingbroad.com via Deadspin))



Michael Barkann did the best job of selecting fan sound, ever...
Thanks to Bill Clement for pointing that out, too...
Epic...

Blackhawks Sweep Sharks For Stanley Cup Berth

Dustin Byfuglien's second game-winning goal in a row has the Chicago Blackhawks in their first Stanley Cup Final since 1992.

Byfuglien's power-play goal with 5:55 remaining capped a two-goal rally and gave the Blackhawks a 4-2 victory against the San Jose Sharks in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Sunday afternoon.

The victory capped a four-game sweep and gives Chicago a chance to play for its first championship since 1961.

Here's the Brent Seabrook goal that started the momentum swing for Chicago...
((HT: CBC/NHL/Fel0096))


And here's the Dustin Byfuglien goal that put Chicago ahead for good...
((HT: NBC/NHL))


The Blackhawks host the Eastern Conference champ, either Philly or Montreal, when their series concludes...

Sid The Kid's 22nd Birthday Bash

((HT: Halifax Chronicle-Herald/Jackson))

Sidney Crosby’s smile and the Stanley Cup sparkled under a sun-soaked parade through Cole Harbour Friday afternoon, thrilling thousands of fans who came to see the hometown boy return a champion.

“I got cold shivers,” said Lois Doyle of Lake Echo. “It was awesome. We’re very proud of him.”

Crosby and the most famous trophy in North American sports ((pictured, thanks Christian Laforce/Chronicle-Herald)) rode on a naval fire service truck on Sidney Crosby Day in Halifax Regional Municipality.

Ms. Doyle, husband Dwayne, and sons Ryan, 14, and Christian, 11, arrived near Cole Harbour Place at 10:30 a.m. for the parade that didn’t start for four hours.

They said seeing Crosby and the Cup was the highlight of the summer.

“We’re sure glad that we were able to come out and be here and support,” said Mr. Doyle, who happened to be home between shifts as a crane operator in Fort McMurray, Alta.

“He deserves the support.”

Friday also happened to be Crosby’s 22nd birthday. He became the youngest player to be the captain of a Stanley Cup champion when his Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings in seven games this spring.

Jillian Andrews, 17, said the day was a celebration.

“I’m happy. I’m proud,” she said, sitting on a lawn chair by the sidewalk.
“Definitely proud just to live here with someone who’s accomplished so much.”

She held two foil Happy Birthday balloons for the birthday boy.

Signs with birthday wishes dotted the crowd on Forest Hills Parkway and Cole Harbour Road, while others had messages like “We love Sid.”

Businesses lining the parade route also posted congratulations and best wishes for the young superstar.

Here's the live coverage of the day so far, thanks to our friends at the CBC
Brian Dubreuil had the noon live shot from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia