Running the goalie... like a boss?

Boss or not, it was goal and tied the game to 4-4.




Also, scoring like a boss. 18 year old Mikael Granlund

Gagarin Cup likes to stay home in Kazan

Ak-Bars 2 - MVD 0

Game 7 in KHL finals, Kazan had lost 3 games in row losing 2 win lead. Then in game 6 they demolished MVD 7-1 and now this.
Shutout for Vehanen and goal for Kapanen. In other news, Finns kicks ass :P


Finally something good happened during this crappy season.

Princess and half... well, none of the kingdom

Sorry boys, the princess who would get you half kingdom is still getting married this summer.


Before the story, two things:

1. This is related to hockey. Sorta
2. If you love Henrik Lundqvist and/or want to believe in world of true love and no cheating, read no longer.
   

Anyways, one of the biggest stories in Swedish media has lately been the lovelife of their younger princess, Madeleine (pictured above). As you can guess, if it's on the tabloid, it's not pretty. To sum it up, she was planned to get married with her fiance Jonas Bergström this year but first there were rumours of they having problems, then the queen said there will be no weddings. This of course caused more rumours and then some little less pretty Norwegian chick felt that she just has to open her mouth and told some local quality magazine that she slept with mr. Bergström when he was in Åre last year partying with his friends. But she didn't know who he was so it's all good. Well, except the tiny little fact that the ash ruined her plan to fly to Britain to escape the mediashow. Oops.

So, whether or not this was true, the couple split up and the princess is now in New York. Or as the media puts it "Getting comfort from the sexiest hockey player on the Earth, Henrik Lundqvist". Right...

Now I don't really care from who she's getting comfort - though, if you absolutely have to use Rangers player as rebound, might as well call the pro and get some Avery time - but I do have one question about this.

What.
The.
Fuck?

Henrik Lundqvist is not, never was and never will be the sexiest hockey player. Goog god, he's not even the sexiest player in team Sweden.
Unless, of course, the only other remaining players were the like of Daniel "Go ahead and write it, I guarantee i'm hot we will win the Cup" Alfredsson and Jason "Giggles" Spezza.

There's apparently some playoffs thing going on in the NHL but who cares. Burn the cars!

Bronze is the new gold

FINLAND 5 - RUSSIA 1

So, the lil' lions took the bronze home from Minks where the U18 tournament was held. I only saw two games and of course one of them was slightly humilating loss to USA (I'm getting really sick and tired of this).
However, the bronze game was pretty okay. Though, the Russian goalie is just 15 so I hope they have the decency to feel bad for ruining the Friday for the kiddo. It's not very nice to bully smaller like that....

Ihanaa Leijonat, ihanaa...

Ash free playoffs - West

The second part of my magnificent playoff previews that make no sense at all and are shamelessly European and biased.

WEST

San José Sharks (1) vs. Colorado Avalanche (8)

- Wins 1-2 (or 2-1 if you ask Yahoo)

Awesome Swedes

Sharks: 1½. "Douglas Murray" is not very Swedish name...

Avalanche: The mourning corpse of Forsberg

Advantage: Avalanche. Foppa's just that awesome

Crazy Russians

Sharks: Nabby!!1

Avalanche: None

Advantage: Sharks

Flashing Finns

Sharks: Stunningly none. After all, we too like to choke in games that matter.

Avalanche: None. East Europe haters

Advantage: Sharks. Because I can.

Truculent Belarussians

Sharks: None

Avalanche: Salei

Advantage: Avalanche

Linge bleue

Sharks: Huskins. The name amuses me.

Avalanche: Cuminskey. Teehee

Advantage: Sharks

SUM UP

It's time for Avalanche to trundle back home, Sharks 3 - Avalanche 2

Chicago Blackhawks (2) vs. Nashville Predators (7)

- Wins 1-1

Awesome Swedes

Hawks: Hjalmarsson. Mmmm...

Predators: Hörnqvist

Advantage: Hawks

Crazy Russians

Hawks: None

Predators: Distant memories of Radulov

Advantage: Predators

Flashing Finns

Hawks: Niemi

Predators: Rinne

Advantage: Predators. Rinne (slope) >>> Niemi (peninsula)

Cab driver beaters

Hawks: 1

Predators: Zero

Advantage: Predators

Linge bleue

Hawks: Hjalmarsson, Sopel, Seabrook

Predators: Hamhuis

Advantage: Hawks. Sigh

SUM UP

Hawks 2 - Predators 3

Vancouver Canucks (3) vs. Los Angeles Kings (6)

- Wins 1-1

Awesome Swedes

Canucks: The Sedins, Edler, Mikael "They can fuck themselves" Samuelsson

Kings: Ersberg, Modin

Advantage: As much as Samuelsson and the Sedins amuse me, I have to say Kings

Crazy Russians

Canucks: Ghost of Bure

Kings: Frolov

Advantage: Bure still with the team, I'd say Canucks. Now I must choose Kings.

Flashing Finns

Canucks: Salo. Though to be fair, he's more of a breaking Finn

Kings: None

Advantage: Canucks

Dashing Slovenians

Canucks: None

Kings: Raccoon Jesus

Advantage: KINGS!

Linge bleue

Canucks: Salo, Baumgartner

Kings: Jack Johnson

Advantage: Canucks

SUM UP

Canucks 2 - Kings 3. Kopitar is awesome.

Phoenix Coyotes (4) vs. Detroit Red Wings (5)

- Wins 2-1

Awesome Swedes

Coyotes: None

Wings: Lidström, Kronwall, Ericsson, Zetterberg, Holmström, Franzen, ghost of Lilja

Advantage: Wings. By total knock out.

Crazy Russians

Coyotes: BRYZGALOV! WHY YOU HEF TO MAD? Also, Viktor Tikhonov.

Wings: Datsyuk

Advantage: I totally luv Datsyuk, but Coyotes gets this one.

Flashing Finns

Coyotes: Lepistö, Korpikoski and Nokelainen

Wings: Filppula

Advantage: Tied

Things to throw to ice

Coyotes: Snakes

Wings: Octopus

Advantage: Coyotes for not throwing actual coyotes

Linge bleue

Coyotes: Lepistö

Wings: Lidström, Kronwall, Ericsson

Advantage: Wings

SUM UP

Coyotes 2 - Wings 2. Drop both Sharks and Avalanche and let these two team continue. Pretty please?


Please come back?

Ash free playoffs

Okay, I'm a bit late for this since the playoffs already started but whatevs. I'm a busy lady.
Anyways, here's my take on who should go to the 2nd round who needs to start finding new ways to come back to Europe. Rowing over the Atlant could be a nice work out, right?

EAST

Washington Capitals (1) vs. Montréal Canadiens (8)

- Wins 1-1

Awesome Swedes

Capitals: Bäckström. Nuff said

Canadiens: Zéro

Advantage: Capitals

Crazy (partying) Russians

Capitals: 3½ (Ovechkin, Semin, Varlamov & the ghost of Fedorov)

Canadiens: Markov

Advantage: As much as I luv Markov, Capitals have the lead here.

Flashing Finns

Capitals: Zero.

Canadiens: Zéro.

Advantage: Capitals, since the Habs were meanies to Koivu. Suck it.

Amusing Belarussians

Capitals: None.

Canadiens: 2 (The Tits bros)

Advantage: Hobbits

Ligne bleue

Capitals: Green

Canadiens: Markov. Nuff said

Advantage: Habs

SUM UP

Capitals 3 - Hobitants 2, Caps to round deux

New Jersey Devils (2) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (7)

-Wins 1-2

Awesome Swedes

Devils: Ghost of Bergfors

Flyers: Johan Backlund

Advantage: Flyers

Crazy (partying) Russians

Devils: Kovalchuk. Sniff

Flyers: None. Racists...

Advantage: No one

Flashing Finns

Devils: None

Flyers: TIMONEN!!!!

Advantage: Flyers

Captain Elbows

Devils: None

Flyers: One

Advantage: Devils

Ligne bleue

Devils: Mottau. /Giggles

Flyers: TIMONEN!!!

Advantage: Flyers

SUM UP

Devils 1 - Flyers 3. Go meteor!

Buffalo Sabres (3) vs. Boston Bruins (6)

- Wins 1-1

Awesome Swedes

Sabres: Tallinder

Bruins: None

Advantage: Sabres?

Crazy (partying) Russians

Sabres: None

Bruins: None, but they have cute Czech

Advantage: Bruins

Flashing Finns

Sabres: 1½ (Lydman & the ghost of Numminen)

Bruins: RASK!

Advantage: If Numminen still was playing, I'd choose Sabres for this one but since he's not, Bruins get the point here.

Goalies looking like serial killers

Sabres: One

Bruins: None

Advantage: Sabres

Ligne bleue

Sabres: Lydman

Bruins: CHARA!

Advantage: Bruins. Sorry Lydman.

SUM UP

With the help from bible creatures in form of satan, Boston will handle this series, Sabres 2 - Bruins 3

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs. Ottawa Senators (5)

- Wins 2-1

Awesome Swedes

Penguins: Zero

Senators:1 (Erik Karlsson). They also has this Alfie guy

Advantage: Despite Alfie, Sens win this one

Crazy (partying) Russians

Penguins: Malkin & Gonchar

Senators: Volchenkov. Oh, and Kovalev. Ugh...

Advantage: Birds

Flashing Finns

Penguins: Zero

Senators: RUUTU!!!!!!!!!

Advantage: Senators

Amusing Ukrainians

Penguins: Poni!

Senators: None

Advantage: Penguins

Ligne bleue

Penguins: Gonchar & Free Candy

Senators: Volchenkov& Karlsson

Advantage: Senators! Mmmm....

SUM UP

Penguins 2 - Senators 3


Gagarin Cup highlights. With awesome Finns!

No free wins

Shit happens when you're cocky.

I want the Caps to win but life has taught me to never ever underestimate the power of underdogs. Especially, angered and mocked underdogs.

Ever since it was sure Capitals will face Canadiens in the first round, everyone has been all "Oh, that will be like sooo massacre. Caps will slaughter the hobbits in three games." In 3 because in their pretty little world Habs will be waving white flags after the 3rd game.

Well guess what einsteins? This is hockey. You actually need to play (at least) 60 minutes and score more goals than your opponent no matter how much better your team looks on paper or how many goals your forwards scored during the regular season. Because those goals don't count anymore. In fact, none of the regular season stats count anymore. It's a new game and anything can happen. From the puck dropping to the last whistle both teams have chance to win. This means that before last night's game Habs got exact same odds to win the series than Capitals. After the game? They have better chances. And that's how it works whether it fits your imaginary world or not.

Meanwhile in Russia Ak-Bars started the KHL finals slightly better by beating MVD. Niko Kapanen was all awesome and scoring.

Give me those old jerseys back. Pretty please?


UPDATE

Kazan won also the second match leading now 2-0 (4 wins needed) and Kapanen got multiply points.

One more reason to love hockey

The players

I don't know any other sport where the players are as "fan-friendly" as in hockey. Most players take the time and sign the autographs for the funs, gives pucks to them etc. And one of the most classiest players is definitely Teemu Selänne. Not only is he probably the best Finnish player ever and has a magnificent career, he's apparently also very charmy person as the following story -borrowed from here - proves.

The only thing that made Selanne smile after Friday's loss was the mention of Spencer David, the 8-year-old boy of Finnish descent who initially caught his eye at the Winter Olympics, when he held a sign written in Finnish that read: "Mr. Selanne, congratulations on your new Olympic record. May I please have a puck?"

Andrew David, Spencer's father, said Teemu spotted the sign, chuckled and came back and tossed a puck to his son. Selanne also smiled at Spencer during the bronze medal game in Vancouver when he held up a sign thanking Teemu for the puck.

Last week, when the David family was in Anaheim on vacation, they attended the Ducks-Stars game when Selanne was honored for his 600th career goal. And again, Spencer caught Selanne's eye with this sign: "Mr. Selanne, thank you for the Olympic memories."

This time, Andrew recalled, Teemu tapped his stick at the sign, smiled and returned with another puck.

It's something Selanne routinely has done during his record-breaking career in Anaheim. "It's funny; sometimes you hear a mom say, 'You threw a puck to my daughter three years ago,'" Selanne said, smiling. "It's not a big deal for me, but it's cool when somebody appreciates it so much."

How can you not love a sport with players like that?