hmph... interesting

there is really no need to talk about what happened last night in game 1 of the stanley cup finals. detroit shuts out pittsburgh... i can't say i'm altogether surprised. i absolutely expect pittsburgh to come back with avengeance in game 2 and score at least one goal. then they'll win one back in the igloo.... but i have to say, i'm starting to think that detroit could win this in 5, instead of 6...

my current first-read is the NYT slapshot blog, daily, (mostly because MG has taken the spring off) and they posted a gary bettman Q&A this morning. here's my favorite soundbyte:

"I don’t know what the technical name is for stuff that comes off an octopus. I assume it’s some sort of gunk. When it sticks on the ice it’s a problem, and when it gets on things - it’s actually in one game got on a goaltender as it was being swung. They were going out the Zamboni entrance. It’s really more about making sure that no player hits something on the ice and blows out his knee. It’s about the conditions that we’re playing under. So I have no illusions. The octupi will fly, but they just can’t be swung because we’ve got to limit the gunk. Not a very artful way of describing it, but I think you get the point."

there's also some really interesting stuff about next year's schedule, which outlines that inter-conference play will be increased, and each team will see each other team at least once per season (home one year, away the next, presumeably).

anyhoo. here's to tomas holmstrom for taking it like a man.
the fact that detroit won last night detracts from my theory that bettman has paid off the refs to make sure crosby hoists a cup.... and also ? i feel kinda bad that the highlight reel of marc-andré fleury's career will always start or finish with him falling onto the ice at the joe.....