Same Old SenaTards

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

The Ducks took a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Finals last night with a 1-0 win over the SenaTards on a late goal by Samuel Pahlsson - the checking line did it again last night, they shut down the Tards number one line and they forced the turnover that lead to the game winner. The Tards were never really in the game and were it not for Ray Emery in the first period, they would have been down by two or three goals.

The Ducks took the game to the Tards all night, but fell victim to some poor finishing, along with Emery's goaltending. Still though, they got the goal that counted and that is all that matters. Speaking of Pahlsson's goal, all three members of the Tards top line should be held responsible for the game winning goal:

• from Dany Heatley turning over the puck at the blueline with an ill-advised attempt at a pass to Spezza;
  
  
• to Spezza not trying to get back in the play - watching it as he slowly skated back into his own end;
  
  
• to Daniel (Krusty the Klown) Alfredsson who skated back but then stopped for some reason and watched Pahlsson score the winner - Krusty has been applauded for his physical (read: hits from behind) play during the playoffs...Pahlsson had his eye on Krusty, which would explain why Krusty didn't try to hit him.

The Tards will hide behind the excuse they did after game one - "we didn't play our game". Leaf Nation knows better than to buy that tired old excuse, the Tards DID play their game, a game Leaf Nation (and SenaTards) have become all too familiar with. The Tards started out tenatively to say the least and the Ducks came out flying. The Tards reverted to their old style of playoff hockey, the "play not to lose" style that saw them turn over pucks because they were not willing to take a hit to make a play; the Tards looked lost, like they didn't know what do to once they crossed the blue line.

Their number one line tried a few half hearted attempts to carry the puck over the line, but didn't find things to their liking with Pronger and Niedermeyer teaming up to pound them or take the puck from them - from there, they resorted to dumping the puck in, but didn't seem to interested in really working and being physical to win the puck battles.

Game two was pretty much a repeat of the first game with the Ducks out shooting, out hitting, out working, and creating more scoring chances than the Tards - one more thing, the Tards failed to score on a 5-3 power play opportunity. A very telling stat (if you like that stuff) was that the Tards generated two scoring chances during a stretch that last 37 minutes from the beginning of the second period to late in the third.

On Tuesday, I posted a quoted by Jason Spezza about adversity being the Tards greatest strength (whatever that means), well considering the Tards had not lost the first game in any of their previous three rounds, I'm not sure what adversity he is referring to - unless he is talking about all the pressure heaped on the Tards at the beginning of the season (yeah, pressure). We'll hear about how they want to get back in their own building "to play their game" - they'll talk about how much their fans love them, blah blah blah. They aren't engaging - unless they are adopting the Buffalo "Ruff at home" and "Lindy on the road" style. They might get their fans all excited by winning game three, but Leaf Nation (and Hazel) knows that this is the same old SenaTards - they aren't going to get it done, they're just as likely to lose in four...but at least they have their stock excuses, they've been doing it for years. Next week - we'll talk about the all-time Tards excuse "every hockey team has to lose before they can win, they have to learn from losing and get better".

Tough night last night for both the Red Sox and the Jays - hopefully, Hazel had an eye on the hockey game. At Fenway, Dice K was roughed up for six runs on twevle hits in 5.2 innings; and at the Rogers Centre, the legend of "Rojo" is no more, as the Yankees knocked rookie Jesse Litsch around five runs in 0.2 innings. There's always room on the Red Sox West bandwagon.


HAZEL'S THREE STARS
Anaheim C Samuel Pahlsson scored the game winner against the Tards, that is normally enough to get one of Hazel's stars - but for shutting down Spezza and company for the second straight game, he should get all three today.

Red Sox West P Derek Lowe pitched seven strong innings yesterday, shutting the Nationals out on three hits and two walks while striking out five.

Florida Marlins 2B Dan Uggla hit two home runs and drove in four to lead the Marlins to a 9-0 pasting of the Chicago Cubs.


THURSDAY THREE PLAY
Finally, a 3-0 night last night, your balance sheet would look a lot better if you played them - + $385 for the week. Today's suggestions:

Cincinnati over Houston - Arroyo got shelled in his last outing, we like him to pitch better today in Texas. Lay $100 on the Reds - $130.

Los Angeles Angels over Baltimore - we'll go with former Blue Jays P Kelvim Escobar to get it done over the O's. Lay $100 on the Angels - $215.

Chicago over Toronto - Halladay's back, but its been a long layoff, hunch pick her. Lay $100 on the Sox + $145.

That's it for today gang...have a great one peeps!


HAZEL'S THURSDAY HOROSCOPE
ARIES (March 21-April 19): You have plenty of options but, if you choose to let someone else rule your world or dictate what you do, you will miss out on something great. Someone or something from your past will spark old dreams, hopes and wishes. 5 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Aventura - Cuando Volveras

Cuando volveras
Ay dime mami adonde tu estaras
Cuando volveras
Dime morena ay adonde andaras

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!