Amanda Kessel Drinks From Stanley Cup - And We're Okay With It.

Credit: The Score

It's an unwritten rule of honor (or "code") that only those NHL players who actually WIN the Stanley Cup may lift it over their heads or drink beverages from it. I was previously made aware of the "rule" when the Stanley Cup had made it's way through my local area in 2009. But Amanda Kessel's time with the Stanley Cup accompanied her brother Phil, also included a sip from the hallowed trophy even though she didn't play for the Penguins.

I'm curious as to find out just how scandalous this really is around the hockey community. She is a star player for the USA women's national team and a great player in her own right, but does she get to do what only elite players who earn the Cup do?

I think it's the simple reason that she's already a professional player in the NWHL's New York team that isn't designated to play for the Cup championship. Since it's not the same as a male NHL equivalent, Amanda here has been given the pass from criticism. But does this mean I'm allowed to do this because I, too, will never get to know what it's like to play for the Stanley Cup? Do heads-of-State get to lift the Cup over their heads in salute to the team's success?

I suppose it's of little matter regarding scandal when the Cup has been in Mario's pool twice.

Where do you stand on this issue? Does Amanda get a pass because she's allowed to celebrate with her brother? Or should she have stayed away from the Cup leaving only those who have earned the drink as a special privilege?

2015 Stanley Cup Predictions - Round 4

The only thing consistent about these playoffs for me is the unpredictability of these series. I went O-2 last round which I guess CHI/TB fans can thank me later. I don't think I have a prediction jinx like other bloggers and broadcasters do, but it's still good enough to notice that the President's Trophy curse still holds up. The New York Rangers have folded up while blogs are already talking about tearing down and trading players. NHL Radio's "Boomer" Jim Gordon is already speculating that they will have some trouble having given up a lot of draft picks in recent years to build for today.

So, Tampa Bay and Chicago are two hockey franchises that are strong and passionate about their teams. The bigger cities have already tossed around the typical stale taunt of low-ratings turnout, but I'm not concerned how this will play out nationally. The biggest ratings will be at the Cup-clinching games, but they'll still be great now that they're off basic cable and directly on NBC.


Stanley Cup Championship Final

Chicago v. Tampa Bay

I'm not going to bog people down with advance stats or "CORSI", but rather use my own intuition in my final attempt to predict something well enough this season.
The main focal point of this contest rests within the Lightning "win at all costs" offense with the Hawks "domination" of a defense. Keith and Seabrook have things locked down on defense.

Also, the other key matchup is the Corey Crawford vs Ben Bishop goalie comparison. Corey struggled in the first series but rebounded to a 9-4-1 record. Bishop was steadier with a 12-8 record, but gave up 15 goals in the last series.

Look for Brad Richards to make a story for himself on the ice and North American media to talk about him once raising the Cup over his head. He was once a member of the TB Lightning and now he's playing against them as a member of the BlackHawks.
Prediction: BlackHawks in 6

Boston Bruins Win Stanley Cup Championship

The Boston Globe

Congratulations to the Boston Bruins for winning the Stanley Cup, fabled to be one of the hardest trophies to win in all of professional sports. It's eventually a true testament to their win pointing out several key moments in their playoff run. Most notably, it was the controversial hit on Nathan Horton that woke up the then 0-2 Bruins. "Win one for Nate?" could have been the rally cry?

Boston came back from three Game 7's and survived, including the finals, something that is unheard of in today's post-seasons. It's a heavy workload nowadays with the physicality of an intense playoff series going a full 7 games, winning one is a great accomplishment. But to do that 2 more times, against Montreal and Tampa Bay respectively, shows you the resilience of a champion.

Another notable thing from this series that it was announced right before the game that it was going to be ice warrior's Mark Recchi's last appearance in a hockey uniform. He became a valuable teammate on and off the ice while providing a gritty style of hockey earning the nickname "wreckin' ball". It's great to see him win his 4th and final Stanley Cup to go out on a high note.

It was also nice to see the tallest member of the NHL and second European-born captain lift the Cup over his head. Chara, a Slovak, has gotten the Bruins over the hump and into the promised land.

It's been 39 years since the Bruins last won the Stanley Cup. Another championship drought has ended. It's Boston's 6th Stanley Cup championship in their 87 year history. Congratulations to them.

2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Final Round

So, it comes to this... the team that won the Presidents' Trophy, the Vancouver Canucks versus the stigmatic Boston Bruins who were able to figure out a balanced roster with the trades at the deadline.



Vancouver v. Boston

Boston is going to sit-back on this one and play defense around the stunning and attention grabbing style of goalie Tim Thomas. He has the ablitiy to steal a game or two. Look for the Canucks to counter with their own goalie, Roberto Luongo. But at least Tim Thomas doesn't have a threat to be pulled in favor of a back-up like Luongo does. Young Cory Schneider has put himself on the pundits radar by filling in for a weakened and exposed Luongo. I think Boston is overall the better balanced team having acquired a solid centermen corps, talented wingers, tough tree-like defensemen, and a goalie that hustles everywhere!

But, of course, the threat of the President's Trophy curse still looms over it's current recipient.

Prediction: Vancouver in 6

Stanley Cup costs 20 Cents In Chicago

So, after a near 50 year old drought, the Stanley Cup has come back to the Windy City. Blackhawks fans didn't get to see their home team lift up the cup on their own home ice, but it was the orange outraged and dissapointed fans forced to watch the end to the NHL season like that.

Game 6 was a battle of survival as both teams traded goals up until the very last 2 minutes. The Flyers, who became the epitome of their local folk hero Rocky Balboa and refused to go down for the count, made it to OT on a redirect goal by the often villainized Scott Hartnall. And Speaking of villains, I bet it was quite the underscored note that it was Hossa in the screen to watch the game tying goal. Oh, no, here we go again with the Hossa curse.

There was no long marathon of overtime in this game. It would have certainly made everything even more dramatic had the wait for the true sudden death, but it only needed an extra frame and a Sharp-angled shot (pun intended) to zip by a inexperienced journeyman Mike Leighton. I have already read around the internet that the shot by "20 cent" Pat Kane was similar to the goal that Crosby scored in the gold medal Olympic game. Does this mean that we will see pros and young players practicing that shot in the low wing area?

The NBC broadcast also let air a emotional stirring and controversial scene when both Dan Patrick and Mike Milbury consoled a weeping Jeremy Roenick who explained that he was glad for the Hawks, but also sad that he will never get to feel their joy. It must have been surreal for Roenick to watch it all unfold as he worked for both teams.

[Via: Rogers Sportsnet]

My Day With The Stanley Cup

Once I saw the invitation to the Heinz History Center in downtown Pittsburgh, I feared that this was going to be my last best opportunity to finally touch and view the most hallowed trophy in all of professional sports. It was a chilly spring day at the Heinz History Center, I arrived immediately in a mental conflict trying to decide just what jersey I should wear. After having missed several other opportunities to see the Stanley Cup, I wanted this one to be a great experience because not only would I have to report back to everybody on my blog, but have also a memory to last a lifetime.

Since the appearance was advertised, I was afraid that I was going to be standing in line all day. My brother and I went in through the front door, but no farther. I couldn't see hockey's greatest prize from the doorway, but gathered from all the other people talking that it was already on display. We had to wait in the lobby before we even got to the doors of the History Center Museum that housed not only the Cup but much other items that carried so much history for the whole region. My brother and I waited in line making acquaintances with the other people in line. I could barely see the whole display for what took us an hour and 10 minutes to reach the true destination.

After being thwarted from flirting with the pretty young cashier, my brother and I again navigated the terrain of museum cases and impatient Penguins fans. It was like an appetizer before the main course. All of the distinguished and polished trophies that contained almost a century of history surrounded me. But as I browsed the awards, all I could think about was how my arms would be surrounding Lord Stanley's cup.

There were two competing lines for Lord Stanley's final attentiveness. Those people who own a yearly pass were given an express lane and those who paid admission for the day slowly crept their way around the guardrails. My nervousness had risen closer I got to the end of the line. It felt as if I were about to meet a celebrity. What would I do? If my time with the Stanley Cup would be a short one, how would I pose? I could see it from a short distance before my turn in line came. I took in it's mighty majesty understanding that the trophy's history was instilled within every name that was ever etched upon it's shiny metallic rings. That was the appeal that always draws people in. Over 100 years, hockey athletes gave their passion and surrendered their physical bodies to hoist it over just once.

When my time came, I approached it respectfully. I handed off my camera to one of the gate attendees and my brother told them instructions on how to use our digital cameras. It was like a settling feeling of a goal achieved. I was finally in the presence of one of the most recognizable trophies in the world. So, I just did what I felt and greeted it like it was an old friend. I wrapped my arms around it's base and gave it a kiss.

The time spent with the Stanley Cup was longer than anticipated, but it was not without a feeling of being rushed knowing that the line of more people waiting to do the same thing I had just done. I was able to take a few pictures by myself and then posed with a few photos with my brother. One of them is the picture in this blog.

The pictures were all taken and my brother and I were escorted back through the well-designed backdrop display. But just as I was about to leave I suddenly realized that I never bothered to look at the parts of the Cup that had the hometown Penguins names. I circled back franticly, only to get a glimpsing check of where the previous 1990s team's place.

I left the Heinz museum feeling exhausted, but still gripping onto the memories that I had just created and captured with my camera in my hands. The next step was to blog about it.

Crosby Boasts the Bling!

[Warning: All Crosby-haters look away now!]As the saying goes, "to the victor goes the spoils" so too go the rewards of winning an NHL championship. As the new NHL season is about to begin, the Pittsburgh Penguins have one last chance to revel in their Stanley Cup success today as they were all given their championship rings.

Bill Guerin, who has done this two times before already sounded like it was his first time all over again.

"The ring is the icing on the cake," he said. "It is hardware, but it's not hard to wear. Just like everything else with the Pittsburgh Penguins, it's first class."

And I agree with that statement about the classiness, but what about the gaudiness of the size. The ring in the picture looks like the ring is half the size of Crosby's fist.

I would also want to know what the players really do with these rings? Do they put it in some safety deposit box or will they have to hire armed guards around it 24/7? After the rounds that the Steelers championship team made with the local media, I am sure that the standard question Crosby and company will get first will be to ask to see the cup ring.

Crosby showed off the white and yellow gold band decorated with 167 diamonds, which was enough ice to replicate the surface at Mellon Arena.

With all those diamonds, the players could wear them during the game and reflect the light in such a way that the goalie or defender is stunned.

[Via: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

COHF Meets Tyler Kennedy

Despite not being able to get much footage of actually meeting Tyler, I try to explain my experience while waiting in line to the Mall @ Robinson.
Find more videos like this on Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic
Notified by e-mail, I was certainly glad that I got to purchase a DVD and get it autographed by a Stanley Cup winner.

Pittsburgh Penguins are Stanley Cup Champions!

If you scroll down a bit, you will notice that I called it correctly that the Penguins would not only win, but win the series in 7 games. So, congratulations Pittsburgh Penguins! You all have done your city proud! The game itself was a bit anti-climactic to where the skill players for the Penguins and Red Wings weren't locked in a scoring battle, but grinding out a defensive struggle. When there was hardly little to cheer at the end of the first period, the score read a double goose egg at 0-0. I was preparing myself for a let-down, but still I permitted the thoughts to having a good feeling of being in great shape. Both teams played defensively.

I watched the NBC version and still felt like I should pay attention to their production of the game as well. Even if "Mad Mike" Milbury is remembered for dissolving the success of both the Bruins and Islanders, I still find him a truly entertaining personality between periods. Unfortunately, NBC does have to keep looking for more hosts that have more bravado than Darren Pang and Pierre McGuire. Can anyone really tell those two apart? Do they really need two dwarfish bald men?

The second period was the most exciting and the most controversial. Max Talbot, or as his closest friends call him "Superstar", let one rip past Osgood's 5 hole after a bad turn over pass in the corner. It wasn't Crosby or any of the other Penguin star players, but Max Talbot getting the opening goal. Clutch performances have been coming from unlikely sources. Not only did he get one goal, but he also grabbed destiny by the horns and scored the second goal. Then came the one moment that everyone in Pittsburgh held their breath. Sid Crosby got his leg caught between the boards and Johan Franzen. Crosby had already missed some time from a lower body injury that wiped out most of his second part of the season. Penguins fans got the scare of their lives when Crosby hobbled to the bench then to the locker room. Did this cost the Penguins the cup?

At the second period intermission, I was hoping that Marc-Andre Fleury would be able to withstand the pressure knowing he has never truly held together under situations like these. But that would only be on the back burner of concerns once the reports of how hurt Sid Crosby was.

Third period was more of the first, but with the added unknown factor of just how effective was a Sid Crosby on one leg. The Red Wings made a gutsy effort, even getting the lead cut in half by Jonathan Ericsson. But the final few minutes even produced a gigantic rush of desperation. With the goalie pulled, Fleury managed to make not one but two huge saves and hold on for the win.

“It’s a dream come true,” Crosby said. “It’s everything you imagined and more. I would’ve loved to do it in four. It would have been a lot easier on the nerves.”

The post-game celebration was tremendous. Hossa looked the most dejected out of any Red Wing that the camera panned over to. Of course, the Detroit fans booed the Commish, and no doubt seethed anger to see hockey's youngest and triumphant captain hoist the Cup above his head. Malkin deserved the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP. Too bad his parents were not in the building. Malkin raised the trophy as if it were weightless, but I had visions of what happened to the CHL's Memorial trophy just a year ago.

... and on one additional note, Mario Lemieux is getting noticeably older. His playoff beard and hair is actually starting to get some big streaks of gray.

[Via: Yahoo! Sports]

P.S. Happy Birthday, Kris.

Hockey Fanatic Stanley Cup Endorsement 2008

I am starting to notice a trend here when I get to these Stanley Cup endorsement blogs. However, in order to be sure, I will wait until this off season to figure out if I am right.

My pick this year to win the Stanley Cup is... The Minnesota Wild.

You probably are surprised by this, as am I, but I will lay it out for you here as to why they are my dark horse team to make it all the way to the finals.

First off, they have loaded up for muscle just like the Anaheim Ducks did last season. If defense wins championships, then the Wild were built to rule the world. Jacques Lemaire runs a very defensive oriented system. If the Wild can control the tempo of the game, then Minnesota will sneak on through to the Conference finals.

Secondly, I am kinda biased towards the slovenský vyrovnanie. Gaborik, Demitra, and Radivojevic. It's hard for me not to cheer for them when they aren't playing against my hometown team.

It looks to be a tough road to hoe as the Wild will have to survive the rival Stars, Sharks, and Wings in the western conference. All of those teams are fresh off a hot season. Especially the "refuse to lose" Sharks.