Letterman writer visits The Hockey Emporium

New York Rangers right Wing Brendan Shanahan (center) plays along with Gerry Mulligan (left) and Chris Elliot during a recent segment on The Late Show with David Letterman.

So I've been watching The Late Show with David Letterman with an eye and ear out for an upcoming Chris Elliott segment with the New York Rangers, as I reported in a previous post. I watched and waited, but it didn't come up ... that is, until last week. I was alerted to the fact that it was going to air through a comment on this blog by none other than Late Show writer Tom Ruprecht. I am honored to have been visited by a writer of my favorite show (for, yikes, 23 or so years!) and I thank Tom for the head's up.

You can view the Chris Elliott and the New York Rangers segment here on CBS.com, or if that doesn't work, try here on NHL.com.

Great stuff. Chris and Gerry never disappoint.

Crunch sends Moose back to Canada

The Syracuse Crunch defeated the Manitoba Moose 3-2 tonight in Game Six of their first round series of the AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs. The Crunch won the series four games to two. Trevor Frischmon (pictured above) scored the game winner at 8:35 of overtime. The Crunch always do well when I am living in another city, but I'll take home-team success any way I can get it. And thanks to the internet, I was still able to listen to the play-by-play from the Crunch's radio station, 620 WHEN.

Pointing fingers

Hockey fans in the Raleigh area were greeted by this funny image on the front page of the Raleigh News & Observer's sports section this morning (just ignore the fact that the illustrator drew in a street hockey stick instead of a regular hockey stick). While I enjoyed the illustration, I didn't particularly enjoy the sidebar to this story that appeared inside. It called out several staff and players in the Canes organization, complete with head shots, and gave reasons why we might want to point our fingers at them for the Canes' late season collapse. They suggested trainer Pete Freisen, coach Peter Laviolette, captain Rod Brind'Amour, and center Eric Staal. Hey folks, this is a team game, and sometimes teams lose when they need to win. Had the Canes won one more game and entered the playoffs, none of this finger-pointing would be going on.

Fill out your brackets; Playoffs start in less than 24 hours

Click on the photo above for a larger view. Thanks to my bro for supplying it. Predictions, anyone? Mine for the first round are:

Montreal thrashes Boston, 4-0
Rangers stun Devils, 4-2
Caps embarrass Philly, 4-1
Pens send Sens packing, 4-2

Detroit triumphs over Nashville, 4-1
Stars surprise Ducks, 4-3
Avalanche overcome Wild, 4-2
Sharks survive Flames, 4-3

NHL Playoffs are set

NEW YORK (April 6, 2008) – The National Hockey League today announced dates, times and national broadcast information for the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoff Conference Quarter-final round, which begins Wednesday, April 9.

That night, an Atlantic Division rivalry continues as the New Jersey Devils host the New York Rangers, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Ottawa Senators, the San Jose Sharks host the Calgary Flames and the Colorado Avalanche visit the Minnesota Wild.

Three other series open Thursday, when the defending Stanley Cup champions Anaheim Ducks host the Dallas Stars, the Montreal Canadiens host the Boston Bruins and the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Detroit Red Wings host the Nashville Predators.

On Friday, the League’s top point- and goal-scorer Alex Ovechkin makes his NHL postseason debut as the Washington Capitals host the Philadelphia Flyers.

National network television coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be provided in the United States by NBC and VERSUS and in Canada by CBC, TSN and RDS. 

NHL Radio on Westwood One will distribute live coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to radio stations across North America.  Every game can also be heard on XM Satellite Radio.

VERSUS begins its coverage Wednesday with a doubleheader featuring the Ottawa at Pittsburgh (7 p.m., ET) followed by Calgary at San Jose (10 p.m. ET).

NBC Sports will start its playoff coverage Saturday, April 12, featuring Nashville at Detroit (2 p.m., ET), and will continue coverage Sunday when Philadelphia travels to Washington to play the Capitals (2 p.m., ET).  NBC will continue weekend afternoon coverage throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs in addition to prime-time coverage of the Stanley Cup Final.

CBC’s HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA continues its 56-year tradition of Stanley Cup Playoff coverage with a Wednesday doubleheader featuring Ottawa at Pittsburgh (7 p.m., ET) and Calgary at San Jose (10 p.m., ET).

TSN leads off its coverage Wednesday featuring the New York Rangers at the New Jersey Devils (7 p.m., ET).

RDS will show complete coverage of two series (Montreal vs. Boston and Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa) and will continue showing live Playoff action through the Stanley Cup Final.

2008 EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS - ROUND #1
SERIES A		TIME	#1 vs. #8	Network
Thurs, April 10, 2008		7:00 PM	Boston at Montreal	CBC, RDS
Sat., April 12, 2008		7:00 PM	Boston at Montreal	CBC, RDS, VERSUS
Sun., April 13, 2008		7:00 PM	Montreal at Boston	CBC, RDS
Tues., April 15, 2008		7:00 PM	Montreal at Boston	CBC, RDS
Thurs, April 17, 2008		7:00 PM	Boston at Montreal	CBC, RDS
Sat., April 19, 2008		TBD	Montreal at Boston	CBC, RDS
Mon., April 21, 2008		TBD	Boston at Montreal	CBC, RDS
SERIES B		TIME	#2 vs. #7	Network
Wed., April 9, 2008		7:00 PM	Ottawa at Pittsburgh	VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Fri., April 11, 2008		7:00 PM	Ottawa at Pittsburgh	CBC, RDS
Mon., April 14, 2008		7:00 PM	Pittsburgh at Ottawa	CBC, RDS
Wed., April 16, 2008		7:00 PM	Pittsburgh at Ottawa	CBC, RDS
Sat., April 19, 2008		7:00 PM	Ottawa at Pittsburgh	VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Sun., April 20, 2008		TBD	Pittsburgh at Ottawa	CBC, RDS
Tues., April 22, 2008		TBD	Ottawa at Pittsburgh	CBC, RDS
SERIES C		TIME	#3 vs. #6	Network
Fri., April 11, 2008		7:00 PM	Philadelphia at Washington	VERSUS, TSN
Sun., April 13, 2008		2:00 PM	Philadelphia at Washington	NBC, TSN
Tues., April 15, 2008		7:00 PM	Washington at Philadelphia	VERSUS, TSN
Thurs, April 17, 2008		7:00 PM	Washington at Philadelphia	VERSUS, TSN
Sat., April 19, 2008		1:00 PM	Philadelphia at Washington	NBC, TSN
Mon., April 21, 2008		TBD	Washington at Philadelphia	VERSUS, TSN
Tues., April 22, 2008		TBD	Philadelphia at Washington	TSN
SERIES D		TIME	#4 vs. #5	Network
Wed., April 9, 2008		7:00 PM	NY Rangers at New Jersey	TSN
Fri., April 11, 2008		7:00 PM	NY Rangers at New Jersey	TSN
Sun., April 13, 2008		7:00 PM	New Jersey at NY Rangers	VERSUS, TSN
Wed., April 16, 2008		7:00 PM	New Jersey at NY Rangers	VERSUS, TSN
Fri., April 18, 2008		7:30 PM	NY Rangers at New Jersey	TSN
Sun., April 20, 2008		TBD	New Jersey at NY Rangers	VERSUS, TSN
Tues., April 22, 2008		TBD	NY Rangers at New Jersey	TSN
2008 WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS - ROUND #1
SERIES E		TIME	#1 vs. #8	Network
Thurs, April 10, 2008		7:00 PM	Nashville at Detroit	VERSUS
Sat., April 12, 2008		2:00 PM	Nashville at Detroit	NBC
Mon., April 14, 2008		TBD	Detroit at Nashville	VERSUS
Wed, April 16, 2008		TBD	Detroit at Nashville	VERSUS (JIP)
Fri., April 18, 2008		7:30 PM	Nashville at Detroit	VERSUS
Sun., April 20, 2008		3:00 PM	Detroit at Nashville	NBC
Tues., April 22, 2008		TBD	Nashville at Detroit
SERIES F		TIME	#2 vs. #7	Network
Wed., April 9, 2008		10:00 PM	Calgary at San Jose	VERSUS, CBC
Thurs, April 10, 2008		10:00 PM	Calgary at San Jose	CBC
Sun., April 13, 2008		10:00 PM	San Jose at Calgary	CBC, VERSUS
Tues., April 15, 2008		10:00 PM	San Jose at Calgary	CBC
Thurs, April 17, 2008		10:00 PM	Calgary at San Jose	VERSUS, CBC
Sun., April 20, 2008		TBD	San Jose at Calgary	CBC, VERSUS
Tues., April 22, 2008		TBD	Calgary at San Jose	CBC
SERIES G		TIME	#3 vs. #6	Network
Wed., April 9, 2008		9:00 PM	Colorado at Minnesota
Fri. April 11, 2008		9:00 PM	Colorado at Minnesota	VERSUS (JIP)
Mon., April 14, 2008		10:00 PM	Minnesota at Colorado	VERSUS
Tues., April 15, 2008		10:00 PM	Minnesota at Colorado	VERSUS
Thurs., April 17, 2008		9:00 PM	Colorado at Minnesota
Sat., April 19, 2008		TBD	Minnesota at Colorado	VERSUS
Tues., April 22, 2008		TBD	Colorado at Minnesota
SERIES H		TIME	#4 vs. #5	Network
Thurs, April 10, 2008		10:00 PM	Dallas at Anaheim	VERSUS, TSN
Sat., April 12, 2008		10:00 PM	Dallas at Anaheim	VERSUS, TSN
Tues., April 15, 2008		8:30 PM	Anaheim at Dallas	TSN
Thurs., April 17, 2008		8:00 PM	Anaheim at Dallas	TSN
Fri., April 18, 2008		10:30 PM	Dallas at Anaheim	VERSUS, TSN
Sun., April 20, 2008		TBD	Anaheim at Dallas	TSN
Tues., April 22, 2008		TBD	Dallas at Anaheim	TSN

Crunch set franchise mark with 10th straight win

The Syracuse Crunch are headed to the playoffs, and are currently enjoying a ten-game winning streak. Read about their dramatic 4-3 win over the Rochester Americans last night here. I will be doing a lot of logging on to B2 Networks to catch their upcoming games via the internet.

In the NHL, with Washington's 3-1 win over Florida tonight, the Carolina Hurricanes are officially eliminated from playoff contention. How does a team lead their division for all but two weeks of the year and then not make the playoffs?

Blackhawks Announce All Games To Be Televised

Chicago rookie Patrick Kane (88) celebrates his overtime game-winning goal with Niklas Hjalmarsson (41) and James Wisniewski (43), as the Blackhawks rallied to beat the St. Louis Blues 4-3 on Sunday, March 23, 2008 in Chicago. Kane also assisted on a goal by Dustin Byfuglien in the third period, tying the Blackhawks' rookie record for assists in a season with his 47th, joining coach Denis Savard (1980-81) and Steve Larmer (1982-83).

Blackhawks Announce All Games To Be Televised
Chicago Blackhawks Press Release
Apr 1, 2008, 3:00 PM EDT

For the first time in history, the Chicago Blackhawks will televise their entire 82-game regular season schedule and playoff games on both cable and free television.

In conjunction with their current agreement with Comcast SportsNet, the Blackhawks today announced a 3-year agreement with WGN Television that, along with the National Hockey League's network partners, VERSUS and NBC, will air all Blackhawks games – both home and away – for the next three seasons.

"Our fans want to be able to follow our team on a consistent basis from opening night through the playoffs," said Blackhawks Chairman W. Rockwell"Rocky" Wirtz. "That's why we are taking this step forward. Bringing Chicago Blackhawks hockey to our fans on both cable and free television will help us to continue the momentum and enthusiasm we have established this year. The combination of Comcast SportsNet and WGN-TV will give the Blackhawks two vehicles to expose both our young players and our seasoned veterans."

The agreement, negotiated by Chicago Blackhawks president John McDonough, is yet another step by the organization to generate more enthusiasm about the team's rich tradition and a promising future.

After assuming the role of chairman last fall, Mr. Wirtz moved swiftly to place a series of home games on television. He also appointed Mr. McDonough as the team's new president.
Under McDonough, the team brought back Blackhawk legends Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Tony Esposito to serve as ambassadors. Also, the team will hold its inaugural fan convention this summer.

"I am extremely happy for our fans on this proud day in Blackhawks history," said Blackhawks President John McDonough. "We are very fortunate to have great partners in Comcast SportsNet and WGN-TV as they help in our efforts to aggressively market this franchise."

WGN Television has committed to televising up to 20 games per season in HD. Comcast SportsNet will televise the remaining games in HD, less those chosen by the national television networks.

WGN Television had been the home of the Blackhawks during the 1960's and early 1970's. In fact, the last time the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, WGN-TV televised the clinching game back on April 16, 1961.

"WGN-TV and the Chicago Blackhawks both have a long, proud tradition as important parts of the Chicago professional sports landscape," said Tom Ehlmann, Vice President & General Manager of WGN Television. "We are excited to be reunited as partners once again with the Blackhawks, and thrilled to be able to televise these games to the loyal fans of this great franchise."

"I'm very proud of the years of comprehensive coverage our network has provided Chicago Blackhawks fans," said James J. Corno, President of Comcast SportsNet Chicago. "Today's announcement speaks volumes about the direction that Rocky and John are taking this team. This is truly a historic day in Chicago sports television history and we couldn't be happier about our expanded number of games, along with WGN joining us as the other local TV home for Blackhawks hockey."

The history of Blackhawks hockey on local regional sports television dates back to 1984 when Blackhawks games were televised on SportsVision. SportsVision later became SportsChannel which became Fox SportsNet and is currently Comcast SportsNet.