Traditions are important. Around here, we celebrate April May by trying to decide who we'd least hate to see win the Cup.
So it begins... all over again.
16 8 teams enter, all Canucks fans sigh.
The reduced game lineup:
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS VS FLORIDA PANTHERS - 4 PM Pacific - ESPN, CBC, TVAS, SN
The improbable matchup we all knew was coming. CoTU knocked off the 2 timing-Covid-Cup Champs and the 2022 President Cup winning Cats beat the 2023 President Cup winners. Now they get to knock each other out for the prestige of representing the east against another team from the east. Geo-hockey at its finest? We'll see.
Cats win series 4-1
TUESDAY, MAY 2: AT TORONTO, 4 P.M. Pacific - Cats won 4-2
THURSDAY, MAY 4: AT TORONTO, 4 P.M. Pacific - Cats won 3-2
SUNDAY, MAY 7: AT FLORIDA, 3:30 P.M. Pacific - Cats won 3-2
WEDNESDAY, MAY 10: AT FLORIDA, 4 P.M. Pacific - Leafs won 2-1
FRIDAY, MAY 12: AT TORONTO, - Cats won 3-2 in OT
CAROLINA HURRICANES VS. NEW JERSEY DEVILS
The reining almost sorta wannabe Cup champs vs the freshly rebuilt (re-tooled?) Devils. Some say NJ deserve a good caning, others say the Devil is in the puns. Whatever. This is another eastern series that is of little interest to us Nuckleheads - other than the Hughes brothers family dynamics.
Canes win series 4-1
WEDNESDAY, MAY 3: AT CAROLINA, 4 P.M. Pacific - Canes win 5-1
FRIDAY, MAY 5: AT CAROLINA, 5 P.M. Pacific - Canes win 6-1
SUNDAY, MAY 7: AT NEW JERSEY, 12:30 P.M. Pacific - Devils win 8-4
TUESDAY, MAY 9: AT NEW JERSEY, 4 P.M. Pacific - Canes win 6-1
THURSDAY, MAY 11: AT CAROLINA - Canes win 3-2 in OT
DALLAS STARS VS SEATTLE KRAKEN - 6:30 PM Pacific - ESPN, CBC, TVAS, SN
Another upsetting team takes on another annoying team in the great battle of whatever they call it in Texas. Probably BBQ or something. Will this be the most exciting series to watch? No, it will not. Grinders vs Coffee Grinders.
Stars win series 4-3 (just as predicted... not by me, but by some)
TUESDAY, MAY 2: AT DALLAS, 6:30 P.M. Pacific - Spoiler - Krak'd 5-4 in OT
THURSDAY, MAY 4: AT DALLAS, 6:30 P.M. Pacific - Stars win 4-1
SUNDAY, MAY 7: AT SEATTLE, 6:30 P.M. Pacific - Krak'd win 7-2
TUESDAY, MAY 9: AT SEATTLE, 6:30 P.M. Pacific - Stars win 6-4
THURSDAY, MAY 11: AT DALLAS, 6:30 P.M. Pacific - Stars win 5-2
SATURDAY, MAY 13: AT SEATTLE, Krak'd win 6-3
MONDAY, MAY 15: AT DALLAS, 5:00 P.M. Pacific - Stars win 2-1
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. EDMONTON OILERS - MAY 3: AT VEGAS, 6:30 P.M. Pacific ESPN, CBC, TVAS, SN
What's not to like about this series? Other than we may finally get to see whether a decade of tanking can beat buying your way into the league with a sweet, sweet Gary drafting deal. Could be a battle of Special Teams or just a battle of so-so goalies. Guess we have to watch and find out.
Not that much of a battle of special teams... so much as a battle of special goalies
Knighties win series 4-2
WEDNESDAY, MAY 3: AT VEGAS, 6:30 P.M. Pacific - Nighties win 6-4
SATURDAY, MAY 6: AT VEGAS, 4 P.M. Pacific - Oilers win 5-1
MONDAY, MAY 8: AT EDMONTON, 5:30 P.M. Pacific - Nighties win 5-1
WEDNESDAY, MAY 10: AT EDMONTON, 7 P.M. Pacific - Oilers win 4-1
FRIDAY, MAY 12: AT VEGAS, 7 P.M. Pacific - Nighties win 4-3
SUNDAY, MAY 14: AT EDMONTON, 7 P.M. Pacific - Nighties win 5-2
More dull coverage to follow... Enjoy not watching the Nucks get beaten and bruised by goons.
