FROZEN ASSETS

Conference Finals Preview & A Note About Bankroll Management

Welcome, Frozen Assets Fans, to the Conference Finals Preview!

Betting on sports alters your perspective on professional sports. Your favorite team is the team that will most help your bankroll, and that can change yearly, monthly, even daily. You also view the playoffs differently. For example, if you have bets on Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Detroit, or Dallas to win the Conference, then the Stanley Cup will seem anti-climactic.

For those of you with remaining futures bets, you may be asking yourself - when is a good time to hedge my bet? Hedging means betting AGAINST a team you have previously bet on in order to minimize your losses, break even or guarantee a profit.

Let me illustrate with a brief example:

In October you bet $200 on the Red Wings to win the Western Conference at odds of +500 for a profit of $1000 if Detroit wins the Conference. Now, on the eve of the Conference Finals, you decide that you "have not come this far to lose $200". Dallas is +200 to win the Conference. By betting on Dallas, you have the option of minimizing your losses, breaking even, or guaranteeing a profit.

$ bet on Dallas to win Conference.......Profit if Detroit Wins............Profit if Dallas wins

......................$100.........................................$900......................................$0

......................$250.........................................$750.....................................$300

......................$400.........................................$600.....................................$600

......................$1000.......................................$0.........................................$1800

As the table above demonstrates, hedging can offer considerable flexibility in managing your bankroll. The downside to hedging is that, unless both bets were made at the same betting exchange, sportsbooks are taking a piece of both sides of your bet, when ordinarily they only take on one side.

If you have any specific questions on hedging send them to illegalcurve@gmail.com.

Now let's get down to business - what are the best odds on each team to win the series (Conference) and Stanley Cup. As a special bonus to both of my loyal readers, I will include the best odds on each team to win game 1. As a second bonus, so we can all feel stupid, the best odds on team to win the Stanley Cup available over the course of the season.

.....................Series Odds............................Cup Odds...............................Champs*

Detroit (1).......... -208 (Matchbook)...................+150 (Betsson)........................-145

Dallas (5)............+196 (Matchbook)...................+449 (Pinnacle).......................-117

Pittsburgh (1).......-190 (BetED).........................+225 (Betfair)..........................+112

Philadelphia (6)....+200 (Matchbook)..................+720 (Matchbook)...................+173

*Champs - Based on the posted odds what the money line would be on that team, if they won the Conference, to win the Stanley Cup.

........................................Game 1 Odds..........................Best Odds (Approx. Date)

Detroit (1).............................-183 (Matchbook)..................+1015 (Oct. 29) (Olympic)
Dallas (5)..............................+182 (Betfair)........................+4300 (Nov. 29) (Betfair)

Pittsburgh (1)........................-170 (BetED).........................+2600 (Nov. 3) (Betfair)
Philadelphia (5)....................+169 (Matchbook)..................+8000 (Oct. 16) (Betfair)

I hope this info will help you make some $. Maybe even some $$. Any questions? Leave them in the comments section or write me at illegalcurve@gmail.com.

For illegal curve, I'm Ari Baum-Cohen

April 24, 2008: Frozen Assets' Playoff Preview Spectacular - Round 2

April 9, 2008: Frozen Assets' Playoff Preview Spectacular - Round 1

April 3, 2008: Best Stanley Cup Futures Odds? You Can Bet On It

March 27, 2008: What's In a Futures Bet? A Look Behind Stanley Cup Odds

March 20, 2008: All About the NHL Divisions

March 13, 2008: How Secure Are the Top 16?

March 6, 2008: Ten Futures Bets You Should Have Made Over the First Five-Sixths of the Season.

February 14, 2008: Trade Deadline Tips and (As Always) Best Odds On Teams To Win The Cup

February 7, 2008: To Win The Conference or to Win the Cup Revisited

January 31, 2008: Does Parity in the Standings = Parity At the Sportsbooks?

January 17, 2008: Reviewing the Division Predictions

January 10, 2008: 10 Futures Bets You Should Have Made Over the First Half of the Season

January 3, 2008: Glossary of Terms Used on Frozen Assets

December 27, 2007: Ho Ho Horrible Homestands and Road Warriors

December 14, 2007: Western Conference: Starting Odds, Current Odds, Highest Odds

December 7, 2007: Eastern Conference: Starting Odds, Current Odds, Highest Odds

November 29, 2007: How to Find the Sportsbook For You, The NHL's best division - The Central(?)

November 22, 2007: 10 Futures Bets You Should Have Made Over the First Quarter of the Season

November 15, 2007: Explaining the Exchange(2), Random Thoughts on the Futures

November 9, 2007: Exaplaining the Exchange(1), This Weeks Best Bets

November 1, 2007: Profiling the Eastern Conference Teams

October 25, 2007: Profiling the Western Conference Teams

October 18, 2007: To Win the Conference or the Cup? Frozen Assets' European Vacation

October, 11, 2007: Top 5 Hockey Futures Books, Stanley Cup Odds

October 4, 2007: Bad Lines, Soft Lines, and Conference Odds

September 27, 2007: Avoiding Fraudulent Sportsbooks and Preview of Division Betting

September 20, 2007: Introduction to Frozen Assets and Futures Highlights From Last Year

Eastern Conference Final - Morning Papers

This mornings Pens/Flyers papers.

• RJ Umberger has come a long way since his days of being a poor boy from a poor family (he's just a poor boy, from a poor family). Although, I do feel that holding out as a rookie (from two teams) is something that should not be done.
  
• Phil Sheridan compares the two cities, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. "(Philly fans) They are Pittsburgh fans - a lot like us, only more polite."
• Over the past few seasons, the Pens and Flyers have had a rough history. From Riley Cote Jarkko Ruutu taking out Danny Briere's knee, to Darian Hatcher taking out Sidney Crosby's teeth.
• Evegni Malkin is slowly beginning to show his personality, although he remains a bit of an enigma. Remember when he had to be kidnapped to be brought to the Penguins?? It would take me a while too, to adjust to a foreign country. Not everyone is Alex Ovechkin
• The Pens' have a tough matchup facing Marty Biron this round. Maxime Talbot was held out of practice yesterday, and is day-to-day with a broken foot.
• Michel Therien has never had to interview for a coaching job, for the record he has had eight coaching jobs. Joe Starkey goes over Eddie Olczyk's recommendation of Therien back when he was a head coach.
  

News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. The San Jose Sharks players are asking management to keep the team together for another run.
2. Canadiens GM Bob Gainey is looking to add a forward to the mix.
3. Hockey Canada honours the 1976 Canada Cup team, at a ceremony in Canada.
4. Darren Dreger notes that the Dallas Stars will have to physically target the Wings' defense.
5. Adam Proteau comments on Jim Balsillie and Elisha Cuthbert.
6. Ken Campbell says that history dictates we will see a Pittsburgh-Detroit final.
7. Jaromir Jagr hopes to remain a Ranger.
8. The Sabres are for sale, but will not be moved. The Sabres also signed Nathan Gerbe.
9. Jeremy Roenick says that he will return to the Sharks next season.
10. The Capitals will consider signing Sergei Fedorov.
11. Hockey players have become the toast of celebrity gossip. Just ask my wife!
12. Joining tens of other people, Brad Stuart says he enjoys Detroit.
13. John Buccigross discusses hockey guys.
14. John Tavares fires his agent and hires his mother.
15. Al Strachan believes Ron Wilson's days are numbered in San Jose.
16. Jim Matheson answers readers' questions.
17. Craig Conroy faces an uncertain future in Calgary.
18. Confessions of a hockey virgin.
19. Damien Cox says the current Flyers are channeling the Broad Street Bullies.
20. The weekly release from the USHL.
21. The draft order has been set.
22. Norway continues the climb to respectability at the World Championships.
23. The weekly Junior Report.
24. Memorial Cup history, 1940.
25. Stan Fischler predicts a Flyers-Stars Stanley Cup final.

Breaking News

***The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Paul Maurice.***

Western Conference Final Stars-Red Wings Morning Papers

• Phillipe Boucher is recovering from a strained hip and could return this series, but is doubtful for Game 1. Stu Barnes took a hit to the head in Game 3 and is "possible" to play in Game 1. The Stars are planning on playing very tight D versus the Red Wings, not trying to give them too much room to work.
• Chuck Carlton marvels over the greatness of the Red Wings front office. Their payroll is now $20 million less than than their 2003 payroll (pre cap era) and this is their 17th consecutive season making the playoffs (the longest streak in pro sports). GM Ken Holland and a central scouting staff that has been together for over ten years have done a fantastic job, finding gems like Pavel Datsyuk (6th round/1998 draft) and Henrik Zetterberg (7th round/'99 draft)
• Dallas writer Bob Kowalski gives five reasons why Detroit is Hockeytown. (Detroit may be Hockeytown, but Minnesota is the State of Hockey)
• Detroit could face fines if Octupi are littered on the ice. In in game news, Valtteri Filppula is "hopeful" for game 1. If he can't go, Dan Cleary will be moved up a line with Kirk Maltby taking Filipula's spot.

Game 1 takes place on Thursday at 7:30pm Eastern.

The Flyers and Penguins Should Have A Physical Series

Eastern Conference Final - Penguins/Flyers Morning Papers

• Darian Hatcher, among other Flyers, are using these five days off to recover from injuries. It's amazing how these guys get so beat up during the playoffs and manage to play night after night. Phil Sheridan compares Hatchers return to Terrell Owens playing in the Super Bowl...and then some.
• The Flyers have alot of respect for Sidney Crosby (the most obvious statement of the day). Defensively, they are preparing by giving player assignments. Defenseman Kimmo Timmonen and forward Jeff Carter will defend against Evegni Malkin. Mike Richards and Darian Hatcher will defend against Sidney Crosby.
• After playing each other 8 times in the regular season, the Flyers and Peguins should have a tough series. Pittsburgh will throw out George Laraque, Brooks Orpik and Jarkko Ruutu, while Philly will possibly counter with, Riley Cote and Steve Downie. Hey, it could happen.
• In off the ice news: In a process that has seemed to drag on forever, the Penguins have approved the final design over their new arena.
  

Eastern Conference Final Preview

Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh.

The battle of Pennsylvania takes centre stage starting Friday night, with the Flyers and Pens meeting in the friendly confines of the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. Due to the fact the Pens were accused of tanking their last regular season game to avoid playing Philly in a first round match-up, this series has the makings of quite the barn burner.

Forwards:
With the emergence of R.J. Umberger as a scoring threat, Philly’s forwards do in fact give the Pens’ forwards a run for their money. Umberger, Danny Briere, and Jeff Carter are three solid centres, and with help from Knuble, Prospal, and Lupul, the Flyers boast quite the offensive bunch that can also play the body. Unfortunately for Philly, the Pens’ forwards that consist of Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Sykora, Staal, and Ryan “Ho”Malone (shout out to Ezzy Ginsburg), are arguably the best top six in the NHL. Although the Flyers' depth upfront may be stronger with role players such as Upshall, Hartnell and Downie, they can’t match-up with the Pens' skilled forwards.
Edge: Penguins

Defence:
Both teams are not the greatest defensively, and have quite a similar makeup overall. Gonchar gets the nod over Timonen due to his powerplay quarterbacking capabilities, and both Hatcher and Hal Gill are slow, terrible, and were washed up back when I upgraded to a Pentium 66 to play NHL 96 on my computer. Orpik and Jason Smith are solid stay at home d-men, with “Gator” getting the edge for his astute defensive play and toothless grin. Coburn beats out the Pens’ Ryan Whitney, and has become a great source of secondary scoring from the back end. Whitney has not lived up to his new contract and high expectations from last year, and has been relegated to the second powerplay group in favour of Malkin manning the point.
Edge: Toss-up; Penguins slightly better offensively, Flyers better defensively

Goal:
This category is also quite close between the two keepers. Fleury has not been tested too extensively thus far in the playoffs, and will likely have to steal a game for the Pens in this round. Biron on the other hand has had two tremendous series thus far, and would be considered an early Conn Smythe candidate, if not for Umberger stepping it up (and the fact that he is a terrible goalie).
Edge: Flyers

City Atmosphere:
I've never been to Pittsburgh before, but I once took a bus down Broad Street for 20 minutes at 11:30pm after a Phillies game and was pleasantly surprised by the friendly nature of all the homeless individuals.
Edge: Philly

Famous Movies Filmed in each City:
Although “Sudden Death” was terrific and featured a cameo by Luc Robitaille, the “Rocky” collection wins hands down, with an honourable mention to “Invincible”. Note: "Groundhog Day" starring Bill Murray doesn’t count since it took place on the outskirts of Pittsburgh.
Edge: Philly

Signature Food Item:
Obviously Philadelphia wins for the Philly Cheese Steak and because I can’t name any signature food for Pittsburgh other than Heinz ketchup.
Edge: Philly

Prediction: Pens in six with Mario ordering two Philly Cheese Steaks during the second intermission of game 3.

Follow-up item:

Thanks to everyone for the feedback on this review. Although my main goal was intended to provide a little Wednesday morning amusement, my omission of Mike Richards from the Flyers’ forward lineup was inexcusable. I guess that’s what happens when you write a preview column at 12:30 am while watching an episode of “E-True Hollywood Story” about the cast of “Growing Pains”. Gotta love Dr. Jason Seaver. That was a major oversight on my behalf, but regardless, I still believe that Pittsburgh’s offensive prowess will be difficult to contain.

I maintain my stance on Hatcher being washed up. Sure, maybe he was solid for the Motor City Mechanics of the UHL during the lockout, but at this point of his career Teri Hatcher can do a better job skating backwards.

Further and more importantly, I stand by my position of the Philly Cheese Steak being the best the food item. I don’t need to visit Pittsburgh to tell you that I’d rather have an Eskimo Pie over a Klondike Bar any day of the week.

Western Conference Final Preview

Dallas vs. Detroit.

Two nights ago, there were 62 shots fired at Marty Turco. And he isn't even in Detroit yet!

All kidding aside, Turco's goaltending is a huge reason why the Dallas Stars are heading to the Motor City for the Western Conference Final against the Red Wings. Captain Brendan Morrow, Mike Ribiero and icon Mike Modano have also played great and helped the Stars get past both the Ducks and Sharks, but if the Conn Smythe trophy gets awarded to a Star, the smart money is on it landing in the hands of Turco.

However, to win the playoff MVP, Turco and the Stars will first have to defeat the formidable opponent that is the Detroit Red Wings. And, as is often the case when going up against a Presidents Trophy winning club, that is no easy task. The Wings, as rapper Chamillionaire would say, are ridin' dirty. After a closer-than-it-should-have-been six game opening round series with Nashville, the Wings absolutely steamrolled the Colorado Snowflakes...errrr...Avalanche, in four straight not-so-close contests. This is a Detroit team that looked good enough on paper before the playoffs began; but with the likes of less than household names such as Johan Franzen and Niklas Kronwall stepping up their games in the postseason, the Wings have become a truly formidable force. And while Chris Osgood might not be one of those sexy goaltending names along the lines of Turco, Brodeur, or Luongo, he does have the privilege of being able to shield his ears from any unjustified criticism with his two Stanley Cup rings.

Coincidentally, two is also the number of games the Stars are going to win in this series.

WINGS IN SIX.

News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. Darren Dreger comments on the NHL Eastern and Western Conference Finals, sees a goaltending duel out west.
2. James Duthie discusses the Fabian Brunston phenomenon.
3. Stan Fischler says that Brendan Shanahan's future in New York depends on Jagr.
4. An update on Fernando Pisani from the Hockey News.
5. Video of Dion Phaneuf relaxing and not playing for Team Canada.
6. Dan Daly notes that penalties in OT are no longer taboo.
7. Jim Balsillie is still looking for an NHL team.
8. What changes do the Sharks need to make?
9. Sean Avery discusses his ruptured spleen.
10. Lynn Zinser of the NY Times writes that the Rangers may make a pitch for Marian Hossa.
11. Don Cherry will be making regular appearances on Sportscenter.
12. Hockey's Future has been purchased by Crave Online.
13. David Frost finds another way to get his name in the news.
14. Team Canada will face its first big test today when it faces off with Team USA.
15. The Americans are holding auditions for 2010.
16. The Maple Leaf scouts have gathered in Toronto to decide where to trade their 7th overall pick.
17. The United States will establish a residency program for their women's national team.
18. The Latvian fans have been impressive thus far at the World Hockey Championships.
19. The weekly Hot List from the Hockey News.
20. The final installment of Jamie McClennan's blog from Japan.
21. A successful playoff season has both owners and players happy.
22. Memorial Cup history, 1939.
23. ESPN does an early mock draft of the top 14 selections.
24. The Vancouver Canucks have hired former Phoenix assistant GM Laurence Gilman to their capologist.
25. Allan Muir with his Inside the NHL column.

NHL Morning Papers: Playoff Teams (Tuesday Edition)

Here are the morning papers for the third round playoff teams:

Eastern Conference:

Pittsburgh (2) versus Philadelphia (6):

• Dave Molinari of the Post-Gazette talks about the unexpected contributions of Adam Hall to the success of the Penguins in the playoffs. Hall , who did not crack the playoff roster until Roberts went down with an injury in the first-round, plays a central role in the the Penguins' penalty killing unit that is tops among the four remaining playoff teams.
• Daniel Briere attributes much of his success in the NHL to Huge Girard, the 5-time winner of Canada's Strongest Man competition, writes Phil Sheridan.
• After playing very inconsistent hockey all year, the Flyers feel that their 4-2 win over the Devils to secure a playoff spot in the second last game of the season was the real turning point for them. They are now a very confident team heading into their conference final match up with the Penguins.

Western Conference:

Detroit (1) versus Dallas (5):

• After two tough series and a 7 period marathon game on Sunday night, the Stars were given a well-deserved day off on Monday. However, the players were looking forward to getting back on the ice and are confident that they have what it takes to beat the Wings.
• Despite the fact that Turco has a career record of 2-10-5 against the Wings and has never won a game at Joe Louis Arena, the Wings fully expect Turco to continue to be at the top of his game writes Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.

NHL Morning Papers: Playoff Teams (Monday Edition)

Here are the morning papers for the second round playoff teams:

Pittsburgh Penguins v. New York Rangers (Penguins win series 4-1)

Gene Collier states the not-so-shocking: The addition of sniper Marian Hossa has significantly enhanced the Penguins' already stellar offence. Hossa's overtime goal yesterday carried the Pens into the conference finals where they will face their cross-state rivals from Philly.

Robert Dvorchak ties the Pittsburgh/Philly rivalry in with key battles in American history, Obama vs. Hillary (editor's note: talk about going into overtime!) , and highlights the role of the Shero family (former Flyers GM Fred and his son, current Pens manager Ray) in shaping the two clubs.

In the City that Never Sleeps, Larry Brooks says that it will take a long time for the Rangers to sleep off their early ousting from the playoffs, and that the loss to Pittsburgh may mark the end of the Blueshirts' chances to ice a high-caliber team.

The Newspaper of Record, the New York Times, provides some great shots from yesterday's Rangers/Pens game in a slideshow included in the paper's online edition:

Philadelphia v. Montreal (Flyers win series 4-1)

Phil Sheridan says "there is something happening with these Flyers" and one shouldn't jump too fast to lay down the coin on a Pens victory. (Are you listening, Illegal Curve betting guru Ari Baum Cohen?)

Pat Hicky agrees with Adam Sander in Happy Gilmore that "The Price is Wrong, Bob!" Or at least, the Price (Carey) was too worn out by the second round and his backup was the equivalent of a"'73 Ford Pinto".

Jack Todd notes that the bubble bursts fast in Montreal, and the city now feels deflated and no longer interested in following the playoffs now that the Habs have been eliminated.

Detroit Red Wings v. Colorado Avalance (Red Wings SWEEP)

Helene St. James says the 2008 Wings are stronger than the 2007 club thanks to improvements made by virtually every player on the team's roster and that the team is "relaxed and rejuvenated" heading into a conference finals matchup with Dallas.

Joe Sharp says that as good as Chris "The Wizard of" Osgood has been for the Wings, the team's playoff MVP so far is clearly Johan "Author of The Corrections" Franzen.

In Colorado, Terry Frei writes that the injury bug that bit the Avs this year was "unprecedented" and that the team will have a long list of personnel decisions to make this off-season, including whether to re-sign goaltender Jose Theodore.

Dallas Stars v. San Jose Sharks (Stars win series 4-2)

Mark Purdy tells us that last night's epic 4OT thriller in Dallas "lasted so long, you half expected Jeremy Roenick to become a great-grandfather before it was done".

Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News says the "new leadership" of the Stars, namely OT hero Brendan Morrow, solidified his status as on the ice last night in the Big D.

Heika's colleague, Tim Colishaw, suggests that, despite another dissapointingly early playoff exit, "the Sharks' heart really should never be questioned again."


For Illegal Curve, I'm Steve Werier.

NHL Morning Papers: Playoff Teams (Sunday Edition)

Here are the morning papers for the second round playoff teams:

Eastern Conference:

Montreal (1) versus Philadelphia (6):

• According to Red Fisher of the Montreal Gazette the Flyers won the series through hard work and key stops from Martin Biron. In Carey Price's opinion that the game was lost after the Flyers' second period rally, particularly by the weird goal scored by Mike Richards. Dave Stubbs with a piece on the Habs' disappointing end to a season that delighted the fans.

• Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer reviews the rise of the Flyers from league doormats to conference finalists. Ray Parrillo discusses what went right in game 5 and praises the Flyers front office for their acquisition of defenseman Braydon Coburn.

Pittsburgh (2) versus New York Rangers (5):

• Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby will be seeking redemption this afternoon for their immature behavior at the end of game 4, writes Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Maxime Talbot's status for game 5 is unknown. Shelly Anderson reports on why the Penguins feel there is no need to panic.

• Larry Brooks of the New York Post describes the challenge that lies ahead for the Rangers. John Dellapina of the New York Daily News notes that the Rangers are staying positive despite being down 3-1. Sean Avery has been released from the hospital.

Western Conference:

Detroit (1) versus Colorado (6):

• Despite a 6-0 record in the playoffs, Chris Osgood is third on Detroit Free Press columnist Drew Sharp's Red Wings MVP list. Steve Schrader profiles the Red Wings' potential conference final opponents.

• Terry Frei of the Denver Post discusses the roster decisions facing by the Avalanche front office. Mark Kiszla wonders if Joel Quenneville is the right coach for the Avs. Adrian Dater reports the Avalanche injury woes were so bad that two players played game 4 with broken feet.

San Jose (2) versus Dallas (5):

• Sharks coach Ron Wilson is confident the Sharks will win the series. Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury news notes that the Sharks have a lot of work to do in order to win their series.

• Mark Heicka of the Dallas Morning news profiles a frustrated Brenden Morrow. Tim Cowlishaw gives his opinion on the rule disallowing goals that are kicked in.

E-mail any thoughts, ideas, suggestions to illegalcurve@gmail.com

A Few Thoughts on Last Night's Game

Here's a few random thoughts from last night's Sharks/Stars telecast on Canada's Sports Leader, TSN. For those of you who missed it, the Sharks, down 3-1 in the series and playing on home ice, rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 in overtime, scoring just 65 seconds into the first extra frame. But if you're reading Illegal Curve, chances are you don't miss games like this!

Awesome Anthem Antics

A good playoff hockey atmosphere in an arena can be recognized long before the puck is dropped. Those of us who were lucky enough to attend White Outs at the Winnipeg Arena hold this truth to be self-evident. Walking in and seeing 15,000 fans decked out in white, and screaming long before the opening face-off was enough to give anyone goosebumps.

In Calgary and Edmonton at playoff time these days, you know you're somewhere special as early as the national anthem. The crowd drowns out the singer (who often simply holds up the mic) during Oh Canada in what can only be described as what is now a compelling patriotic tradition. Somewhat conversely, the Philly fans' booing of the Canadian anthem prior to game 3 of the series with the Habs set the stage for a raucious battle that lived up to the slogans of 'Crush the Canadiens' and 'Vengeance Now' ( though such booing is not to be condoned, especially when it's the anthem of Daniel --errrrr-- "Dany" Briere, Martin Biron, et al......not too smart on the part of the fans!)

Anyways, this is all to say that I loved it when the San Jose fans energetically booed the word "Stars" in the national anthem. In Dallas, the fans scream out that word during the anthem, and the San Jose action provided a nice antidote which was quite amusing. I'm not saying that was the ONE MOMENT (See below) that set the stage for the Sharks victory, but if it was, to quote Chris Rock, then I'd understand.

The Iceman Cometh

As my dad noticed during the game last night (I feel like Bill Simmons writing a sentence like this), Dallas coach Dave Tippett shows absolutely no emotion whatsoever on the bench. None. Zilch. Nada. You know that footage of Don Cherry standing up on the Bruins bench screaming that we see in every HNIC intro? Well you won't see Tippett do something like that. In fact, if he was cyrogenically frozen ala Ted Williams and then placed in a suit behind the Stars' bench, it would probably take a full period to notice anything different with the former LA King turned NHL coach. In other words, his coaching behavior is slightly more cool, calm, and collected than that of Quebec Ramparts bench boss Patrick "Fight, Boy!" Roy.


The Rule of One is One Glen Healy Rule Too Many

Both before and during last night's telecast, Glen Healy pontificated about his "Rule of One" that, in his eyes, characterized the Sharks/Stars series. According to Heals, each of the first five games could be summed up by one key mistake. He then went through game footage, showing the viewers these so-called critical moments. Invariably, each highlight showed either a turnover, a missed checking assignment, or a bad rebound that led to a go-ahead goal seconds later. This footage, to Healy, supported his Rule of One proposition.

OK. Let's think about this for a second. Basically, what Healy was claiming is that in each playoff game, the actions of one team immediately preceding their opponent's go-ahead goal, was of great importance. This isn't exactly rocket science. In fact, it's pretty much indisputably self-evident. It's like looking back at a baseball game and saying the turning point in the game was the one pitch that led to a grand slam. No kidding. But in reality, momentum changes can and are far more nuanced than this, and we should expect more from our colour commentators (including Healy, who as Illegal Curve's own HD Corner often points out, does an overall decent job on air.)

The Rule of 33

Another "rule" that came up time and time again during the telecast was the "Rule of 33". Some researcher at TSN noticed that the last two teams to come down from 3-0 deficits were the '42 Leafs and the '75 Islanders. And if the '08 Sharks could come back against the Stars, this would provide amazing symmetry (since, for those without calculators, 1975 was 33 years ago).

I found this analysis quite funny since it immediately called to mind the "Rule of 77" that was promulgated at the Passover Seder in a Season 5 Episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. In that episode, Len Dunkel (Larrry's hardcore Republican relative through marriage) claims that since George Washington's presidency, great presidents have held office every 77 years. Therefore--according to this theory--only Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and George W. Bush are great presidents.

We'll see how this plays out. But my money's on the Sharks winning in 7 even though to pull it off they will have to be PRETTY, PRETTY, GOOD.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Steve Werier.

NHL Morning Papers: Playoffs? Playoffs? Who’s talking about Playoffs?

***UPDATED AT THE BOTTOM***

Eastern Conference Papers

Montreal vs. Philadelphia

--Prior to the crucial game 5 tonight in Montreal, Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette says that the play of Alex " AK 27" Kovalev is the main determinant if the Habs will send the game back to Philly. (Editors note: If the Habs lose tonight, the cops will need AK 47’s to quell the riot)

--Red Fisher, as he often is, is correct when he says that the Habs goaltending controversy is overblown. (Editors note: The media making a bigger deal out of something than it deserves? Colour me stunned. In related news, Barbaro is still unable to race in today’s KY Derby)

--Tim Panaccio, of the Philadelphia Inquirer says that the Flyers learned a lot from being unable to put away the Capitals in the previous round. They hope that experience will serve them well in defeating Montreal tonight. (Editors note: After playing a whole season in Philly, you would think that killer instinct would be imbedded into them by osmosis.)

New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh

--John Dellapina of the New York Daily News says that the Rangers are a confident bunch heading into game 5 on Sunday in Pittsburgh. (Editors note: Gary Bettman’s reign of terror can best be summed up by the fact that this was the only Rangers article available from New York newspapers. Way to build that exposure Betts, you jackass.)

--Roon Cook, of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette says Marion Hossa isn't pulling his weight. Dave Molinari and Gene Collier respectively, says that prior to game 5, this is the first time young Pens have faced adversity in these playoffs.

Western Conference Papers

San Jose vs. Dallas

--With the minutes left in their season dwindling away, the Sharks found the strength to respond, and send the series back to Dallas for game 6, says Ann Killion of the San Jose Mercury News. (Editors note: why Mercury News?)

--Tim Cowlishaw took a break from screaming at Jay Mariotti on Around the Horn, to say that the Stars found out the hard way that you must play a complete 60 minutes in order to guarantee victory. In his morning after blog, Dan Noxon, discusses his thoughts on the two disallowed goals.

Colorado vs. Detroit

--Jackass “columnist” Woody Paige says the Avs downfall was due to their lack of Swedes. (Editors not: If this was an attempt at comedy, Woody failed miserably. And I know comedy.) Terry Frei tries to make up for Woody’s xenophobia by writing a column (rightfully) praising the career of Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom.

--Kevin Allen, of USA Today gives his thoughts on the Red Wings performance thus far. George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press documents the level of trust between Ken Holland and Chris Osgood. He also lets us know that the Wings are already preparing to re-load as in-demand Swede Fabian Brunnstrom was in town visiting yesterday.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Drew Mindell (AKA the Cold Hard Ranter)

***Update: In my haste to get the papers published this morning, I may have failed to check out each and every newspaper that services the tri-state area, for relevant New York Ranger articles. I would like to apologize to the fine folks at the Record of Bergen County, the Westchester/Rockland Journal News, and the Village Voice (if they have a sports section) for not checking their fine broadsheets for relevant articles. Thanks to commentator Mark, for pointing out my failing. I maintain that Bettman is a d-bag, so I won't be apologizing for saying so.***

As always, if you have any thoughts, questions or ideas like the aforementioned Mark, please post them in the Comments!

News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. Looking way back to 1994, here is an SI article noting that the NHL is taking over the NBA in terms of popularity.
2. Pierre Lebrun hopes Joe Sakic comes back to the Avalanche.
3. Team Finland coach Doug Sheddon questions Joni Pitkanen's injury.
4. A preview of Group C from the World Championships.
5. Rockford goalie Corey Crawford is making a case for being the Blackhawks backup next season.
6. Anze Kopitar is big in Slovenia.
7. Ted Nolan still hopes to be coaching the Islanders next year.
8. Team Canada, playing in the World Championships in Canada, will try to stay humble before their opener, in Canada.
9. Fabian Brunstrom continues his North American tour.
10. Slovenia looking to have fun at the World Championships.
11. Will the home ice curse haunt Team Canada, playing in the World Championships in Canada?
12. Barry Smith details his experiences coaching in Russia.
13. The Czechs have opted out of the IIHF Transfer Agreement.
14. Adam Proteau notes that veteran players are changing their games for the playoffs.
15. Is Pennsylvania the new State of Hockey? Cue hate mail from angry Minnesotans in 3, 2, 1...
16. Martin Biron seeks vengeance.
17. Bob McKenzie says that you cannot dispute Jaromir Jagr's desire to play.
18. The World Championships will be the biggest event ever staged in Halifax.
19. Memorial Cup history, 1938.
20. Michael Farber on why he loves the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
21. Eric Duhatschek thinks that the playoff goaltenders are tired.
22. The Lightning are using their website to hype their first overall pick, who would appear to be Steven Stamkos.
23. Spector comments on the future of the Avalanche.
24. Elliotte Friedman thinks Carbonneau showed guts in starting Halak in Game 4.
25. A look at the off-season game plan for the New York Islanders.

The Morning Papers: Playoffs!

Eastern Conference Papers

Montreal vs. Philadelphia

-Heading into Game 5, Guy Carbonneau is quiet on who will start in net and remains optimistic that the Habs can make a comeback. To that end, he has gave the team the day off yesterday to prepare. It may not matter, however, as Canadiens' fans have already given up hope. The team itself is pondering what went wrong?

-Jim Dowd, one of the older Flyers, isn't ready to call it a career. Danny Briere, the Invisible Superstar, says that Philadelphia's depth and adaptability are what is winning games. No mention of Martin Biron, who won't take credit anyways.The Flyers hope to have the killer instinct tonight and avoid a repeat of Round 1, where they let the Caps back into the series.

Rangers vs. Penguins

-Rangers stars Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Lundqvist lead the team, whose backs were to the wall, to victory.Lundqvist, who stopped Evgeni Malkin on a penalty shot, was instrumental in the win. A live blog of the game can be found here. Meanwhile, injured Ranger Sean Avery has stabilized and is accepting visitors. No word on an appearance by Martin Brodeur, though Avery is said to be screening his guests.

-Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin ignited a storm by allegedly slew-footing Paul Mara. Gene Collier of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the numbers dictate that the Pens will just get better. Maxime Talbot tested his broken foot, but doesn't think he will be back. Jarko Ruutu thinks the Penguins will answer back in Game 6.

Western Conference Papers

Detroit vs. Colorado

-The Red Wings Top 6 forwards were too much for the Avalanche, who fell behind early and couldn't recover. Johan Franzen led the way with a hat trick, and he already has 11 in the playoffs. The Detroit Free Press recaps the game here.

-With the Avalanche now out of the playoffs, the Forsberg questions begin. Mark Kizsla of the Denver Post thinks its time for him to go, for good. The Avalanche have several unrestricted free agents to make decisions on. Adrian Dater offers a post-mortem on the Avs.

Dallas vs. San Jose

-The Stars are looking for captain Brendan Morrow to lead them past the Sharks, hopefully tonight. Meanwhile, coach Dave Tippett has the Stars believing they can beat anybody. The Stars hope to continue their success at corralling rebounds.

-Ron Wilson is finding creative ways to motivate his team. Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News thinks the Sharks can make a come back. To do so, they will play every game like its Game 7, with desperation working in their favor.

News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. Roy MacGregor writes on the importance of goaltending in the playoffs.
2. AO is about to sign new deals with Ferrari and Verizon.
3. The LA Kings say they are losing more money in the salary cap era. Ahem, you're doing it wrong then.
4. Bob McKenzie says that despite the ink the goalies are getting, the Canadiens PP is the real problem.
5. James Duthie wants early whistles to be reviewed.
6. Pierre Lebrun wonders why Pennsylvania fans have made the playoffs into a Canada-USA us versus them affair. Barack Obama must have failed to mention the xenophobia in his guns and religion speech.
7. Mike Brophy comments on the Sharks' inconsistency.
8. Despite the loss, Dave Hodge liked the idea of starting Jaroslav Halak.
9. If the Sharks end up losing to Dallas, will it cost Ron Wilson his job? Scott Burnside comments on the situation here.
10. Georges Laraque is a nice guy.
11. INCH gives us 10 possible Hobey Baker candidates for 2009. As an aside, if you haven't looked into the trophy's namesake, do so here.
12. Rory Boylen attributes the Flyers' success to their willingness to win the physical battles.
13. The individual award winners from the WHL.
14. Memorial Cup history, 1937.
15. A run down of when and where the Stanley Cup was lost or stolen.
16. Teemu Selanne will join the Finns for the World Cup, Joni Pitkanen will not.
17. Brian Gray discusses what it takes to injure a spleen.
18. I suppose this is news in Toronto...Mats Sundin is getting married.
19. A preview of Group B at the World Championships.
20. Team Canada, playing at the Worlds in Canada, will play Canadian hockey.
21. David Staples calls on Team Canada 2010 to adopt the 1972 jerseys.
22. All you ever wanted to know about Paul Holmgren.
23. Another installment on the Roseau Rams.
24. Scott Morrison thinks that the Habs have to go back to Carey Price.
25. An update on some signings in the UK Elite League.

NHL Morning Papers: Playoffs!

Eastern Conference: Montreal vs. Philadelphia

The Canadiens goaltending experiment failed them, as they dropped a 4-2 decision to the Flyers. The Habs now face elimination, having been stymied by Martin Biron. Coach Carbonneau has been tabbed as a Jack Adams nominee.

Daniel Briere feels that he redeemed himself with last night's game winner. Phil Sheridan writes about RJ Umberger, who started the year on the 4th line and worked his way up to become an important cog in the Flyers attack. Despite their series lead, the Flyers are struggling to kill penalties.
New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

As the Rangers stare into the abyss of elimination, one wonders if Jaromir Jagr and Brendan Shanahan are about to play their final games as Rangers. With the loss of Sean Avery to a ruptured spleen, the Rangers look to rally. Speaking of Jaromir Jagr, he is only concerned about winning.

The Penguins have a sweep in mind, but are saying nice things about Sean Avery now that he is out for the season. Penguins beat writer Rob Rossi answers fans' questions. In injury news, the Penguins might be without Maxime Talbot and Rob Scuderi for tonight's game.

Western Conference Detroit vs. Colorado

Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press writes on the impact of Europeans in the playoffs, especially with the Red Wings. Chris Chelios honors former Blackhawk Keith Magnuson by wearing Magnuson's # 3 on his helmet. Wings coach Mike Babcock has been named as a Jack Adams Finalist. Helene St. James notes that the acquisition of Brad Stuart has paid big dividends for the the Wings.

With the Avs facing elimination, the Denver Post ponders a future without Joe Sakic. Dave Krieger writes that while the Avs' goaltending has been fine, it has to be unbelievable if the Avs are to have a chance. Despite their lack of success versus the Wings, the Avs see a bright spot in the play of David Jones. Jose Theodore is playing for pride now, while the Avs may be without Forsberg, Smyth and Stastny tonight.

Dallas vs. San Jose

The Stars couldn't muster any more luck last night, as they got into penalty trouble and fell to the Sharks. The Star-Telegram wonders if the bad vibes from the Mavs loss hurt the Stars. The San Jose Mercury News points out that mistakes by Stars veterans Mike Modano and Sergei Zubov dearly cost Dallas. Brandon George writes that the penalties taken by the Stars wore their defenders down.

The Mercury News notes that the Sharks were able to dig deep and play desperate hockey. David Pollak observes that Ron Wilson's lineup changes seemed to help the Sharks. Mark Purdy also comments on the Sharks desperate play. For the 2nd game in a row, Patrick Marleau scored a short-handed goal.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Kyle Kosior.

If you have any thoughts, questions or ideas, please post them in the Comments!