If there was ever a day that should have been great for Southern California hockey fans, Thursday was that day.

One night after the Anaheim Ducks knocked off the Calgary Flames in Cowtown to advance to the second round, the discussion should have centered around the play on the ice.

Unfortunately, in today's modern times, that is not possible. A litany of absurd television decisions has caused enough stress among Ducks fans that some are wondering whether winning the first round was a good thing after all.

Most obvious is the ridiculous game times in the second round. With all four lower-seeded teams winning in the opening round, Anaheim has home ice for the second round. It would seem that is a good thing, but when the schedules were released, it is obvious that is not the case.

The Ducks and their fans are rewarded by two of their first three home games starting at noon. Yes -- hockey, the one sport that mercifully has eschewed afternoon games through the game's history -- has given the team with home ice two noon games.

Afternoon games are bad enough as players tend to be out of their normal biorhythm, but a lunch time game is downright absurd. The whole point of a home game is comfort -- players sleep in their own beds and go about their normal game day routines. Starting a game seven and a half hours earlier than a normal game completely eliminates that advantage.

In addition, most crowds are not as enthusiastic during afternoon games. Yes, NFL crowds are rowdy, but that comes from the pre-game libations more than anything. Do not count on the rowdy tailgating to happen for the weekend games in Anaheim, as summer daytime weekend traffic can often be worse than rush hour.

If more than half the seats are filled at game time, it will be a miracle. And if they are not, it is not the fault of the fans. Rather, it is the fault of NBC, the network that has foolishly timed their game times all season long so most of their broadcasts actually start in the morning on the west coast.

To top off the absurdity, consider this is a Western Conference series, and yet it is being played at a time that is more convenient in the Eastern Time zone. For fans in Southern California and Colorado's Front Range, it is more than a bit of an inconvenience. Both regions are places where people take pride in their outdoor activities, and few people are interested in watching television on a warm spring afternoon.

If this is what having an NBC contract means, the NHL needs to terminate the contract with NBC immediately, if not sooner. NBC's picture quality has been the worst seen in decades, a sign they are simply not using a good enough satellite link. Many fans wonder how CBC and OLN can broadcast a game in quality good enough to clearly make out players' numbers from a distant center ice camera, yet on NBC, the picture is so fuzzy it can actually be hard to tell the teams apart.

The NBC fiasco must come to an end. Between inconvenient game times and brutal picture quality, NHL fans would be better served by watching the game on the Center Ice package.

Even if the NBC issue could be resolved -- something that looks unlikely -- the NHL has another television headache on their hands in Southern California. Unable to get all playoff games on their normal station, Fox Sports Prime Ticket, the Ducks put two first round games on KDOC, an independent station from Anaheim. Unfortunately, KDOC is not available on all Southern California cable systems, and even the most powerful antenna can be powerless to pick up the station from some locales. For example, the entire San Diego metropolitan area is shut out, as the station is not offered to cable or satellite customers for the area's 3 million-plus residents.

When the games are on a local station, OLN's broadcast is blacked out. Game seven was one of those games. In other words, San Diego residents were unable to watch game seven, as the broadcast was blacked out on OLN because it was on KDOC. However, San Diego residents do not receive KDOC.

OLN reportedly received more than 300 angry phone calls from San Diego Wednesday night, but nobody seems to know who is to blame for the fiasco.

The NHL has rebounded better than any other league has from a year-long lockout, but these television issues could alienate many fans. The casual fan does not, and should not, accept absurd blackouts and inconvenient game times. The die-hard fan may take time off work and drive a couple of hours to watch a game on television, but that can not be a long-term solution.

The NHL needs to stand up to NBC and inform them hockey is traditionally a night game. Canadian viewers, most of whom greatly dislike afternoon games, deserve better. CBC and TSN do not make incredulous game time demands as NBC does, and for that, Canadian fans and networks get tossed aside as if they were unimportant. This comes despite ratings that indicate a higher total number of people -- not just percent of population -- tend to watch in Canada than in the United States.

In reality, the heart of the game is in Canada, and that may be truer today than ever before. A story three years ago in the American media expressed shock that a playoff game involving the Ottawa Senators received less than half the television ratings of most regular season Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts.

What the American media did not say is the game was an afternoon game. Canadian fans tend to be more steadfast in their dislike of afternoon games than American fans, and rightfully so. Hockey is traditionally a night game, and afternoon games simply do not have the same excitement for many true fans.

In an ideal world, Canadian telecasts would be available to American viewers, and contracts such as the deal with NBC would not be needed. Since that is unlikely to happen, it is time for the NHL to stand up for the fans in arenas and all fans who dislike afternoon games.

Tell NBC the games are in the evening, and that is final. The amount of casual fans picked up by having a game on NBC -- as if anyone does not have cable or satellite these days anyway -- is far less than the number of fans who are being alienated by inconvenient game times.

They may be rookies in the NHL, but Ryan Getzlaf and Dion Phaneuf are anything but strangers.

The past four years, Getzlaf and Phaneuf had a strong individual rivalry as two of the top players in the Western Hockey League. Ironically, it was Getzlaf, now with Anaheim, who was the hero of the Saddledome when he played for the Calgary Hitmen. Phaneuf, on the other hand, was cast as the villain from the Red Deer Rebels.

Of course, things have changed now, as Phaneuf has become Calgary's beloved rookie sensation. If you need an example, just look at the group of Calgary fans outside the Pond two hours before Thursday's game singing "Phaneuf, Phaneuf, Phaneuf is on fire."

In game four, however, it was Getzlaf who was on fire. The Ducks rookie, who has turned in a pretty impressive inaugural campaign of his own, was the key to Anaheim evening up the opening round series with a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory.

Although Phaneuf eventually got the upper hand in the battle during Tuesday's game three, Getzlaf and Phaneuf set the tone for the resumption of the personal rivalry when they dropped the gloves early in the second period of that game. While both are physical players, neither is known as a pugilist, but that did not keep the two standout rookies from squaring off. Then again, familiarity breeds contempt, and this is the third time in four years the two have seen each other in the playoffs.

The fight was essentially a draw, but Getzlaf could claim a small victory. A delayed penalty was coming up to Anaheim's Corey Perry, and Getzlaf was able to eliminate Phaneuf's potent point shot from the power play.

Of course, Phaneuf got the last laugh, as the Flames went on to win the game 5-2, largely behind the strength of their power play. Calgary was 3 for 7 with the man advantage, with a fourth goal coming a split second after an Anaheim penalty expired.

Early in game four's second period, it started to become apparent Getzlaf would have the edge on this night. Less than four minutes into the period, Getzlaf used his speed to create a breakaway, and he made no mistake, beating Mikka Kiprusoff to the glove side.

The goal energized the Ducks and the crowd, which was significantly louder than game three. Criticized by some for being passive Tuesday night, the Anaheim crowd was intense from the opening faceoff Thursday, with almost-constant yells such as "Let's Go Ducks" and "Kiiii-pppper" raining down from the seats.

Perhaps feeding off the frenetic energy from the crowd, Getzlaf and the Ducks made it 2-0 on a power play less than four minutes later. Although Getzlaf did not figure on the scoring, it was again Getzlaf's speed and agility that set up the chance, as he blew by veteran Tony Amonte to bring the puck into the offensive zone. A couple of passes and a rebound later, Teemu Selanne found himself at the right post and looking at a wide-open net. Selanne's goal made it 2-0, and the Ducks were rolling.

In the third period, Jarome Iginla put the Flames on his back in a way only Iginla can. Just 11 seconds into the third stanza, Iginla took a perfect cross-ice pass from Daymond Langkow and beat J.S. Giguere from the right wing. A little over three minutes later, Iginla struck again.

Iginla took advantage of a rare situation when Scott Niedermayer and Francois Beauchemin found themselves out of position -- or more accurately, in the same position. With the Ducks scrambling in their own zone, Niedermayer and Beauchemin would up side-by-side on the right wing boards, leaving surprised Ducks fans wondering who would clear the slot.

The answer was nobody, as a rebound came to Iginla and suddenly, the lead had evaporated.

The Ducks withstood the fire storm from the Flames over the next few minutes, and by the end of the period, Anaheim had regained much of the momentum. The turning point came with 30 seconds left in regulation when Calgary's Stephane Yelle was whistled for high-sticking.

As overtime started, the Ducks found themselves with a 1:30 power play on a fresh sheet of ice. When Calgary cleared the zone late in the penalty, Anaheim put stay-at-home defensemen Ruslan Salei and Sean O'Donnell on the ice in anticipation of the coming 5-on-5 play.

However, there was time for one last rush, and the Ducks took advantage. As Chris Kunitz had the puck low on the right side, the red sea seemed to open up. O'Donnell, the veteran with just three playoff goals prior to Thursday, stepped into the open passing lane, and Kunitz found him promptly. O'Donnell, in his words, shot the puck as hard as he could. The shot beat Kiprusoff five-hole, setting off a roar as loud as any in the history of the Pond.

It was not technically a power play goal, but the Flames were essentially shorthanded as Yelle was scrambling to get to the defensive zone when O'Donnell took the shot. Since the teams switch ends for overtime in the playoffs, it was a second period-style situation where a player has the extra distance to skate from the penalty box to get back into the defensive zone. Strangely enough, that might have been the difference on this night.

In every way, Anaheim showed up Thursday. Anthem singer Lindsay Ridgeway was not significantly better than Lisa Tucker on Tuesday, but in every other way, it was a great night for the home side. The fans brought an intensity rarely seen in laid-back Southern California, and the players brought an intensity normally seen from a team that is anything but laid-back.

Nothing will be laid-back -- on or off the ice -- Saturday in Calgary or Monday in Anaheim. And in the Stanley Cup playoffs, nobody would have it any other way.

It has often been said the turning point of a hockey game was the national anthem.

Typically, the statement is made in jest following a one-sided game, but Tuesday night in Anaheim, the statement seems oddly appropriate.

After Amanda Guerrero did a great job of O Canada, American Idol finalist Lisa Tucker gave a painfully slow and modified version of the Star Spangled Banner. To summarize, the singing of the Canadian anthem was great, the singing of the American anthem was subpar.

The Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks seemed to follow suit, with each team living up -- or down -- to the level of the anthem representing the country where they play their home games. The Flames outplayed the Ducks in every aspect of the game to take a 2-1 lead in the opening round series, and the 5-2 final score was very indicative of the play.

From the opening faceoff, the Flames looked like they wanted this one more than the Ducks. Calgary got to seemingly every loose puck, outworked the Ducks along the boards, and controlled the tempo of the game.

The Flames backed off on their aggressive two-man forecheck employed in the first two games, instead opting to create more traffic at center ice in an attempt to slow down the speedy Ducks. Still, Anaheim did not put forth their best effort, and nowhere was that more obvious than on special teams.

The Anaheim penalty kill was, to be generous, brutal. Calgary was officially 3 for 7 on the power play, but Darren McCarty's third period goal came a split second after Jeff Friesen's high sticking minor expired.

Perhaps more disturbing than the numbers was the way the Ducks' penalty kill looked. It stands to reason four players in perpetual motion are more effective than five players standing around, which is why a good penalty kill will regularly shut down an ineffective power play. When Calgary had the man advantage, however, it was more like five players in perpetual motion against four players standing around.

The stationary Ducks penalty kill was evident early, as it took Calgary just 1:06 in total man advantage time before their power play unit was 2 for 2. From there, things did not get much better for the Ducks, as their passive play while shorthanded gave the team little chance in this game.

Despite being 2 for 9 with the man advantage, the power play unit also struggled at times. Both goals were scored by blueliner Francois Beauchemin on beautiful shots, but when the normal top power play unit was on the ice, they were ineffective.

Beauchemin, who has been playing the point on the second power play unit, scored his first goal with the second unit. On the second goal, normal point man Ryan Getzlaf was in the penalty box after a scrap with Dion Phaneuf, and Beauchemin filled in quite nicely.

Off the ice, many Ducks fans lamented the lack of energy from the crowd, but that might be a bit deceiving. The crowd was strangely silent during the pre-game, opting to watch the video screen highlights in silence instead of creating an energetic atmosphere, but once the Ducks hit the ice, the crowd was in the game.

The crowd responded with several "Let's Go Ducks" chants in the first period, but appeared to sit in a stunned silence once Calgary took charge in the second period. Considering the nature of the game, it was not surprising the Pond got quieter as the game went along.

Away from the ice, the atmosphere was decidedly different than in Cowtown. Calgary has the Red Mile; Anaheim has JT Schmid's, an upscale brewpub across the street from the Pond. There is no Green Mile, but JT Schmid's does have a nice green neon sign in the parking lot.

The crowd inside JT Schmid's Tuesday looked a lot like the Red Mile crowd. Dozens of red-clad Flames fans packed the bar, and the occasional yell of "Go Flames Go" echoed as fans watched the overtime of the Detroit-Edmonton game. Ducks fans also showed up in significant numbers, presumably to drown their sorrows after a disappointing game.

Regardless of the atmosphere, if the Ducks do not come out with a more inspired performance Thursday night, their backs will be firmly against the wall. The thought of being down 3-1 and having to win the final three games -- including two in the Saddledome -- is enough to intimidate any team.

On the other hand, a Ducks win reduces the series to a best-of-three, and anything can happen in that situation. For that to happen, the Ducks will have to adjust for game four as well as the Flames did in game three.

Either that, or they just need to figure out how to overcome a poor anthem singer.

Prior to Sunday's game two against Calgary, Anaheim Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said he needed a 10% improved performance from each player to even the series.

Carlyle did not necessarily get the 10% improvement, but he got something even more important.

Breaks.

In Friday's game one, the Ducks dominated play through the second period, third period, and overtime, but lost when Calgary took advantage of a break. When Andy McDonald found himself too deep to Giguere's left in an attempt to take away the passing lane of Kristian Huselius, positioned behind the net in Wayne Gretzky's office, Amonte found an open Darren McCarty for the game winner.

Sunday, it was the Ducks who took advantage of the breaks, picking up a 4-3 victory. Two of the goals were scored on two-on-ones, while another was a shorthanded breakaway.

In the process, the normally air-tight defense of the Calgary Flames came unglued, and the Ducks took advantage.

The first goal came when Chris Kunitz, positioned at the right post, took advantage of a rebound that landed at his feet to put the Ducks up 1-0. The sequence started when Calgary's Tony Amonte's attempt to clear the puck to center failed, a sign of things to come.

Anaheim went up 2-0 later less than four minutes when Scott Niedermayer did his best Bobby Orr impression. Picking up the puck in front of his own net, Niedermayer skated towards the right wing and blew past the Calgary point men for a shorthanded breakaway. Niedermayer scored five-hole on Mikka Kiprusoff, and the Ducks were rolling.

Slightly more than five minutes into the second period, Joffrey Lupul found a way to redeem himself for an ill-timed roughing penalty a little over two minutes earlier. With Craig McDonald, a forward who was a healthy scratch in the first game, playing the point, the puck hopped outside of the zone. McDonald, playing the right point, went for the puck instead of the hard-charging Lupul, and a two-on-one ensued. Teemu Selanne made a typically picture-perfect pass to Lupul, and another five-hole goal seemed to put the game out of reach.

Roughly four minutes later, the Ducks found themselves on a power play with a chance to put the game out of reach. It did not work out that way. A pinching Niedermayer is not normally a concern, as the speedy blueliner is as good as anyone in getting back in the play, but that was not the case this time. Instead, Ryan Getzlaf, a rookie forward who plays the point on Anaheim's top power play unit, found himself one-on-one with Jarome Iginla. Iginla made no mistake, using Getzlaf as a screen and putting the puck home from the right wing to get Calgary on the board.

From there, the Flames were energized. Less than three minutes later, Huselius netted a power play goal, handcuffing Ducks' defenseman Sean O'Donnell before sliding a backhander into the far corner of the net.

Suddenly, it was the Ducks who seemed to have made the mistakes, but Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who missed game one with the ever-popular lower body injury, stood tall in goal. Midway through the third period, the plucky Ducks took advantage of yet another break.

Normally rock-solid rookie defenseman Dion Phaneuf has struggled at times in this series, stepped up to make a hit in the offensive zone, but the hit led to a two-on-one for Todd Marchant and Samuel Pahlsson. Pahlsson put in a beautiful one-timer on the rush for the eventual game-winner, and the Ducks had scored yet again on an odd-man rush.

The Ducks know the Flames will likely make less mistakes Tuesday in Anaheim, yet through the first two games, Calgary seems ill-equipped to counter Anaheim's speed. The Ducks went 8-1 in the 2003 playoffs in front of rowdy sell-out crowds, and they hope the same home ice advantage exists this year.

In a series as tight as this one, however, the winner will likely be the team that takes advantage of their breaks. Friday, that team was Calgary. Sunday, it was Anaheim.

Game three is Tuesday night, and it can not get here soon enough.

They may not have the prestige of the real NHL awards, or the music awards show that inspired the name. However, that will not stop the inaugural Grimmy Awards from taking place.

With that in mind, here are this year's winners......

Hart Trophy (MVP): Joe Thornton, San Jose

Technically, the Hart Trophy is awarded to the player who is most valuable to his team, and there is no question Thornton fits the bill. The Sharks appeared all but out of playoff contention when he arrived, but with the addition of Thornton, San Jose moved all the way to fifth in the Western Conference.

Thornton won the Art Ross Trophy with 125 points, including a league-high 96 assists, but his impact does not stop there. Jonathan Cheechoo had just 7 goals when Thornton arrived, but scored 49 the rest of the way to lead the NHL with 56 goals. Of those 49 goals after the trade, 39 were assisted by Thornton.

Jumbo Joe's presence also allowed Patrick Marleau to anchor a solid second line, giving the Sharks unparalled depth on the top two lines. Without Thornton, the Sharks likely would not have been a playoff team. With Thornton, they are a serious Stanley Cup contender.

Calder (Rookie of the Year): Alex Ovechkin, Washington

It would not be unfair to say the 2005-06 rookie class was the best in NHL history. In that case, why is Ovechkin such an obvious pick for the Calder?

It is not simply his 106 points, third in the NHL. His 52 goals, many of which were spectacular, are nice as well. And a positive plus-minus of +2 on a struggling Washington team is mind-boggling.

Rather, it is the entire package. Ovechkin is a throwback to the old days, and in a very positive way. He shoots like Bobby Hull. He takes shots like Phil Esposito. He plays a physical game like Gordie Howe. He skates like Bobby Orr.

Yes, Ovechkin is that good, and he plays the game with unparalled passion. Ovechkin never turns down an interview, which is very impressive for a 20-year-0ld who spoke almost no English a year ago.

Sidney Crosby, Dion Phaneuf, and Henrik Lundqvist are all deserving candidates, and in most years, any one of them would win in a landslide. However, Ovechkin is still the obvious choice this year.

Norris (Top Defenseman): Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim

It has often been said defensemen are doing their job when you do not notice them. The theory is -- if you notice a defenseman, it is because they have made a mistake.

When you watch a defenseman night after night, you start to notice the positives just as much as the negatives. With Niedermayer (13-50--63), there are virtually no negatives -- just positives.

Niedermayer is as good of a skater as there is in the NHL, which allows him to join the offensive rush and still be the first man back on defense. His anticipation is unparalled, and he may be the league's best at creating turnovers by entering passing lanes.

Jack Adams (Coach of the Year): Peter Laviolette, Carolina

When the NHL announced several rule changes and increased enforcement of existing rules at the end of the lockout, many wondered which teams would benefit most from the changes.

It did not take long for Carolina to establish themselves as one of the key beneficiaries, and Laviolette is the primary reason. He installed an up-tempo, attacking system that becomes nearly trap-proof without clutching and grabbing. The Canes come at you in waves, and the post-rule change traps are largely defenseless.

The Hurricanes cruised to a 52-22-8 record, good for 112 points, while winning the Southeast Division by 20 points.

Selke (Top Defensive Forward): Samuel Pahlsson, Anaheim

If there was a major award for most underrated player, Pahlsson would certainly be a candidate for that award as well. Playing on the west coast in a non-traditional market, Pahlsson plays much of his games after the east coast media has gone to sleep.

Opponents do not want to go to sleep when Pahlsson is on the ice, however. He is the Ducks' stopper at forward, shadowing the opposition's top unit on a nightly basis. Pahlsson's meager offensive totals (11-10--21) probably keep him from any chance of winning the actual Selke Trophy -- even though the award is supposed to recognize defense -- but his play makes him a deserving candidate.

The 6'0", 212-pound also brings a strong physical element, ranking second on the Ducks with 149 hits. His play at the Olympics, while not part of the NHL, was a key factor in Sweden's gold medal finish.

Vezina (Top Goaltender) -- Mikka Kiprusoff, Calgary

Ten shutouts. A save percentage of .923. A goals-against average of 2.07. And a 42-20-11 record, just for good measure.

No matter how you look at the numbers, Kiprusoff is the clear winner. His solid play in goal allowed Calgary to win the tough Northwest Division despite ranking 28th in goals scored.

Kiprusoff proved the 2004 playoff run was no fluke, and he has left opposing shooters shaking their heads all season. He is as athletic as any goaltender, and his lateral movement is among the best in the NHL.

Executive of the Year: Brian Burke, Anaheim

When Burke came to Anaheim, he inherited an underachieving team with modest expectations. In less than one year, he changed the complexion of the team with several big deals, and also instituted a culture of winning.

Gone are Sergei Fedorov, Keith Carney, Petr Sykora, and Steve Rucchin. Additions like Scott Niedermayer, Francois Beauchemin, and a slew of talented rookie forwards such as Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Chris Kunitz have done far more than just fill the gap.

Off the ice, Burke has done just as well. The Pond, often a third empty at the start of the year, is now regularly sold out. Burke has improved concessions, responded to fan complaints, and energized the game presentation in Anaheim.

On the ice and off the ice, Burke is the best thing to happen to the Ducks in years.