Can the Bolts hold up?

Can the Flyers catch up?

We shall see.............

Several whistles in the first minute, so it's hard to say how the game will go.

Enjoy the Molson; I've got my supply of Negra Modelo tonight.

And Vinnie scores on a turnover! 1-0

I took care of that double post for you.........

Flyers to the PP.

If St. Louis was not the MVP already, he would be after that play- what a steal!

And then Fedotenko scores to tie it again!

As soon as I can come up with some extra cash, I'm going to do exactly that, TAK. All this medical stuff (another bout with the dentist tomorrow) is putting the cramp on my spending style!

Talk about your predicts- I said this TB PP could do it, walked out of the room, got 2 chicken wings, popped them into the micro for just a few seconds, and came back to see the score at 4-3.

4-3 TB, end 2nd.

3rd is for all the marbles, as fas as Philly is concerned.

13:00 to go....

Great game so far.

I won't "root" for either one, but it should make for a great series.

Tell you one thing, though- Tampa Bay looks like a team that just won't be denied (and just like against the Caps last year, Tortorella seems to have an answer for almost everything the other team does).

wow, what a stat.  TB is 19th in payroll.  Calgary is 21st. 

....or maybe it's the other way around.  Either way, it's very impressive.

2:37 left...

TB is looking great.

I love playoff hockey!!!!

OT coming up.....

I can only handle 2 OTs tonight...... any more than that, I'll learn who won in the morning.

Torts starts the checking line....... OT on.

whistles are in the pockets.  I like this.

Game 7, Saturday night.

So, it's Gagne who scored the game winner, 18:18 into the first overtime.

I'll be here for game 7.

TAK, I bought Mellencamp's "Scarecrow" album when it was released (end of 1985, beginning of 1986 - I was 18). I loved it.

Here's my answer about the "clowns" in Tampa and the Devils' "pathetic" lineup in October 2002:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/message?forumid=186043&messageid=1034195580

That season, Tampa won the Southeast Division and got beaten by the Devils in the Conference Semifinals; the Devils finished 2nd in the East and won the Cup.

There is a developing thread on this over on the official boards (more of a taunting, actually . . . someone suggesting that the trade involving Fedotenko is working out well for Tampa). 

I don't read too much into Fedotenko's stats thus far, especially in this series.  Through six games, he's 5-1-6, -4, which impresses me as almost Jagresque . . . he gets his points and is still a minus player, and his team is at .500.  And, Fedotenko is 2-1-3, -1 in the three games Tampa's won; 3-0-3, -4 in the three games they lost.  This suggests to me that he's not a difference-maker.  His getting his points does not seem to have much of a bearing on Tampa's success or failure.  He's got two GWG, but that's a stat that impresses me not at all . . . it's merely a counting rule.  He's got three power play goals, but seems to be a bit of a liability on defense.

On the other hand, there is Pitkanen, who at times has been a "healthy" scratch, but it said to have an "upper body injury" (groin? . . . high ankle sprain? . . . hernia?).  He had a relatively poor effort in Game 1, but has played pretty well when he's taken the ice, otherwise.  And, there's a guy who is as close as there is to being a future top pair, if not franchise defenseman, and he's almost five years younger than Fedotenko.

Philly sent Fedotenko and two second round choices (both 2002 picks) to Tampa for the fourth overall pick in 2002, which Philly used to draft Pitkanen.  I assume Tampa moved one of these picks, since they only had one second rounder in 2002 (the 60th pick -- Adam Henrich -- which given the lateness of the round, I assume was a Philly pick).  I don't know what became of that second 2nd rounder.  But for now, I'd have to say that the deal still weighs very heavily in Philly's favor, even if Tampa wins the series.  I'd rather have a top-pair/franchise blueliner -- perhaps the rarest commodity in the sport -- that a guy who might . . . might be a second line winger.

I think there are certain constants in this series . . . Primeau for Philadelphia, Lecavalier for Tampa, each of whom has assumed a greater leadership burden in addition to playing well . . . and Esche for Philly and Khabibulin for Tampa, each of whom has displayed moments of awe, and others that make a coach grind his teeth.  I don't think goalies will win this series (and that's why I think Calgary is going to look like a smart bet in the final). 

But there are two guys who need to step up their games in Game 7 -- Martin St. Louis (who has one goal in his last ten games, and is frankly having a pretty m