Eastern Conference Finals Get Underway

Chad LaRose - Carolina Hurricanes

So the Conference Finals have gotten underway with Detroit defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 in Game 1 yesterday. The young Hawks hung with the defending champs for the first two periods, but the Wings lit it up in the final period with three goals. Adam Burish and Kris Versteeg netted goals for Chicago. Burish suffered a cut to the neck from a team mates' skate that was eerily reminiscient of Richard Zednick's accident. Thankfully, Burish only got a scrape to the neck even though it was mere inches from being a more serious injury. The Red Wings got on the board courtesy of Dan Cleary (with 2), The Mule Johan Franzen, Mikael Samuelsson and an empty-netter from Henrik Zetterberg. Detroit was successful in keeping the wonderboys Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews from showing off their offensive prowess, holding them scoreless. Game 2 goes down tomorrow night in Hockeytown - HM would love to see the Hawks give 'em a good contest!

And as yucky as it is to watch, I had to tune in to Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Of course, I am totally enthralled with the dynamics of the Staal bros playing against each other. I wonder how much, if any, smack talk goes on between Jordan and Eric. I know if it were my two (wow, don't I wish), they would be relentless! Man, what it must be like to be Momma Staal...

Game 1 got real fiesty real fast. Tuomo Rutuu left the game early with a lower body injury. Carolina's goalie Cam Ward was a wall and the Canes held Sid the Kid to a big fat zero shots on goal throughout the contest. The Pens saw scoring from Miroslav Satan and Evgeni Malkin in the first period. Chad LaRose, he of the most round deer-in-the-headlight eyes I have ever seen - sorry, I digress - lit the lamp for the Canes in the second period. The Canes lost some wind power when Erik Cole went out as a result of a knee-on-knee hit from former short-term Capital and major agitator Matt Cooke. Canes bench boss Paul Maurice later expressed his belief that it was an intentional knee-on-knee.

The ice fowl took the lead again with a late goal from Phillip Boucher. HM had to do some research on this fella as I don't know much about him. Apparently he was signed by Pittsburgh from Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Darryl Sydor back in 2008. The Cardiac Canes weren't done yet and scored late courtesy of Joe Corvo to make it a 3-2 game. The tenacity of this team is admirable - the Canes at least make it interesting to the last whistle! And since I don't have any horses left in the race, Hockey Mom has been practicing "Another Carolina Hurricanes goal! WOO WOO WOO!"