Oh, and just a coupla points regarding predictions:
1. I don't mind folks disagreeing with me, but please, spare me the profanity-laced tirades if I didn't pick your team. I'm not disrespecting the Flyers and Stars, their fans or respective cities, ok, and if you feel otherwise you really, REALLY need to lighten up.
2. Like most commentators - media, blogger or fan - I do predictions for fun, not as a life and death scenario where the value of my "cred" is based on how they pan out. The late, great Canadiens coach Toe Blake dismissed predictions as "for gypsies" which is an opinion I share. The fact TSN employs a #### to spin a wheel to make predictions after their hockey minds sagely make theirs tells you all you need to know about how seriously they take them. In other words, they make them for fun!
3. I do appreciate hearing from hockey fans but disparaging my predictions doesn't hold much weight if you wait to do it midway or 3/4 of the way through a series when the outcome is pretty much a foregone conclusion. That only makes you a troll and no one likes trolls. Have the guts to make your calls before the series start or don't waste my time or those of other commentators.
4. I don't mind if my picks are wrong because I really do enjoy upsets. OK, not if my favorite team is at the receiving end but hey, that's playoff hockey for you. If every series went as predicted it would be boring as hell. Upsets add ####e and make things interesting.
Fresh from NHL headquarters: 2008 EASTERN CONFERENCE
FINAL
SERIES M
#2 Pittsburgh vs. #6 Philadelphia Friday, May 9, 2008
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh Sunday,
May 11, 2008 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia Thursday, May 15, 2008 Pittsburgh at
Philadelphia *Sunday, May 18, 2008
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh *Tuesday, May 20, 2008 Pittsburgh at
Philadelphia *Thursday, May
22, 2008 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
2008 WESTERN CONFERENCE
FINAL
SERIES N
#1 Detroit vs. #5 Dallas Thursday, May 8, 2008 Dallas at Detroit
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Dallas at Detroit Monday, May 12, 2008 Detroit at
Dallas Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Detroit at Dallas *Saturday, May 17,
2008 Dallas at Detroit *Monday, May 19, 2008 Detroit at Dallas
*Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Dallas at Detroit
Hot off the presses. The ECF is set, the WCF has to be determined.
2007 EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL
Date Time
(ET) #1 Buffalo vs. #4 Ottawa Thursday, May
10 7:00 p.m. Ottawa at Buffalo Saturday,
May 12 8:00 p.m. Ottawa
at Buffalo Monday, May 14 7:00 p.m.
Buffalo at Ottawa Wednesday, May 16 7:00
p.m. Buffalo at Ottawa * Saturday, May 19
2:00 p.m. Ottawa at Buffalo * Monday, May
21 7:00 p.m. Buffalo at Ottawa *
Wednesday, May 23 7:00 p.m. Ottawa
at Buffalo
2007 WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL (If #1 Detroit vs. #2
Anaheim)
Date Time (ET) #1 Detroit vs. #2
Anaheim Friday, May 11 7:30 p.m. Anaheim
at Detroit Sunday, May 13 7:30 p.m.
Anaheim at Detroit Tuesday, May 15 9:00
p.m. Detroit at Anaheim Thursday, May 17
9:00 p.m. Detroit at Anaheim * Sunday, May
20 3:00 p.m. Anaheim at Detroit *
Tuesday, May 22 9:00 p.m. Detroit
at Anaheim * Thursday, May 24 7:30 p.m.
Anaheim at Detroit
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
