As he watched Marian Hossa's last second attempt to tie the game roll through the crease, Dan Cleary stood at the top of the crease with a stunned look.

The puck rolled across the crease -- it appeared to be a split second late anyway -- and Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood raised his hands to the hockey gods. The Detroit Red Wings had won their fourth Stanley Cup in just 12 years.

Cleary did not appear to be so sure. He looked on with a stunned face, looking at Osgood as if to ask "is it over now?"

It's over now, and in the process, Cleary becomes the first Newfoundlander to have his name on Lord Stanley's mug. Yet that was not the only significant historical event that happened Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

When captain Nicklas Lidstrom accepted the Stanley Cup from commissioner Gary Bettman, it marked the first time a European born and trained captain had done so.

For many years, the perception of Europeans was they are not as tough or dedicated as North Americans. The stereotype was they were more concerned with the World Championships or Olympics than the Stanley Cup.

If that was the case, this a new generation of Europeans. The Wings are a European-laden team, featuring seven Swedes alone. And nobody would accuse these guys of being soft or not caring enough.

Tomas Holmstrom is the ultimate warrior, a clone of Ryan Smyth in many ways. He takes a beating like nobody else in the league while playing in front of the net, rarely gets a break on the calls, yet does it all with a smile on his face.

Henrik Zetterberg is the best two-way forward in the game. He may just be the league's best defensive player, yet he ranks among the best offensive players in the game.

Lidstrom, the silent assassin, is widely recognized as the second-best defenseman ever to play the game, trailing only some guy named Bobby Orr. And nobody can question his leadership qualities.

But it is not just about the Swedes. Pavel Datsyuk is a skilled player on his own, but put him with Zetterberg and the duo becomes unstoppable at both ends of the ice. Kris Draper has provided grit, determination, and solid defensive play for more than a decade.

You can't forget about the man between the pipes, Chris Osgood. Even when he backstopped the Wings to the 1998 Stanley Cup, many felt he was the weak link on a powerhouse team. Nobody is saying that this time. He started the playoffs as the backup to Dominik Hasek, yet by the end, he was a viable Conn Smythe candidate.

The coach, Mike Babcock, pushed all the right buttons. Despite being one year removed from taking an underdog Anaheim squad to the 2003 Stanley Cup, he was fired within days after Brian Burke became the general manager in Anaheim. There was rampant speculation as to the reasoning for the move, but at the core, Burke seemed to think Babcock did not play entertaining hockey.

Three years later, both teams have Stanley Cup championships to their name. Ironically, Burke's Ducks did it with more of a slow it down, defensive mindset. Detroit certainly had a defensive mindset as well, but much of it was based on great individual defensive performances rather than a stifling system.

Babcock's dealings with the media have always been classy, honest, and entertaining. And when he isn't speaking with the reporters, he is often seen talking with legendary coach Scotty Bowman, now a consultant for Detroit.

Babcock has clearly learned from Bowman, as he is becoming the game's new mastermind. It is a different time, and Babcock has a different personality than Bowman. Yet the results remain the same.

General Manager Ken Holland has been among the league's best for years. When money was no object, he lured the game's best stars to Detroit. In the salary cap era, he has seamlessly transitioned to a new economic structure. Regardless of the rules, Holland has been the best at his craft.

And don't forget about super scout Hakan Anderson. The Swedish-based scout is a big reason the Wings found Holmstrom at the 257th overall pick, Zetterberg at 210th, and Kronwall at the 29th pick in three separate years. Enjoy this, Hockeytown. And enjoy this, they are. Thousands of Wings fans took to the streets peacefully Wednesday night in areas such as downtown Detroit, Royal Oak, Birmingham, and Mount Clemens. The parties went late into the night as metro Detroit proved hockey is indeed at the core of the region’s culture.

The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press dedicated the entire front page to the Wings, while much of the inside content was also hockey-related.

This is how it should be. Great hockey, great fan support, and great television ratings. The 4.0 rating/7 share means an average of nearly 7 million U.S.-based viewers were tuned into the game at any one point. For all the media's talk of the NBA's popularity, only one NBA playoff game has had a higher rating so far this year -- and the difference was less than 10%, well within the margin of error when it comes to television ratings.

The future looks bright for the NHL, as well as the Red Wings. Enjoy it, Hockeytown.

 

 

This is why we are hockey fans.

Monday night was a game for the ages, and if you do not believe that, consider the names of Bobby Baun and Babe Ruth were invoked sometime around the second or third overtime.

Pittsburgh defenseman Sergei Gonchar left the game early with an upper-body injury -- and this time, it really looked like the entire upper body -- after crashing hard into the end boards. Late, and I mean late in every sense of the word, in the overtime periods, Gonchar returned to the bench to provide moral support.

Then came the power play after a high-sticking double minor to Jiri Hudler. Gonchar took to the ice, playing his familiar point position. Watching Gonchar was reminiscient of Bobby Baun, who scored the overtime winner in game six of the 1964 Stanley Cup while playing on a broken ankle. 

In the modern case, Gonchar had an opportunity to shoot early in the power play, but it was clear he could not shoot. No problem, when you have Petr Sykora on the same unit.

While on the bench late in the second overtime, Sykora turned to NBC's Pierre McGuire, pointed to himself and said he would score the winning goal.

There are debates as to whether Babe Ruth ever called his shot, but the lore lives on. Today, Sykora becomes part of that lore.

This would be amazing stuff, incredible theater, if it was any old playoff game. But it was far more than that. The Detroit faithful came to coronate the new Stanley Cup Champions, and it nearly happened. Detroit led three games to one coming in, and Joe Louis Arena rocked like it has not in years.

The first period was an unmitigated disaster for the home side. Plagued by nervousness and giveaways, the Wings found themselves down 2-0 after the opening period, a period that might have been their worst of the playoffs.

Detroit opened it up in the second period, but could only find the back of the net once. Heading into the third period, the Wings found themselves trailing by a goal, so they opened the game up even further.

And it worked. At 6:43, Pavel Datsyuk executed a perfect tip off an amazing fake shot-turned-pass from Henrik Zetterberg to tie the game. And when Wyandotte, Mich., native Brian Rafalski gave the Wings the lead midway through the period, the party had started.

Hometown boy becomes a superstar, returns home a decade later, then scores the Stanley Cup winning goal. It seemed the script was too good to be true.

Apparently, it was.

Nobody in the Joe sat through the period's closing minutes, and the Wings were playing to perfection. Pittsburgh was getting very few chances, there were almost no whistles, and the muggy arena was on the verge of going crazy.

When the public address system played Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" late in the third period, as has become Detroit custom, the crowd continued singing. Considering the song has found new life as the closing song from the final episode of the Sopranos, it only seems fitting Maxime Talbot "whacked" in a loose puck to tie the game with just 35 seconds to go.

It had been roughly 70 years since a team facing elimination tied a Stanley Cup Final game in the closing minute of the game, but that is exactly what happened on this night. A fateful 35 seconds that separated Detroit from hockey glory. The struggles of the auto industry, falling housing prices, and a struggling economy did not matter, as the Wings were about to win their fourth Stanley Cup in just 12 years.

And just like that, it was all taken away. For now, anyway.

Then reality set in. There was still an overtime to be played. And if that failed, there would be two more chances for Detroit to capture hockey's holy grail.

The Wings came out flying in the overtime period, dominating the first overtime stanza. Unfortunately for them, a brick wall named Marc-Andre Fleury was guarding the pipes.

Fleury has been hot and cold through the playoffs, as he has much of his career. To put things in perspective, however, Fleury is just 23 years old. Many of the game's best goaltenders -- names like Dominik Hasek and Johnny Bower -- had not tasted the NHL by that age. For Fleury to be the starter on a Stanley Cup finalist at that age is remarkable.

And remarkable does not begin to describe how he played in overtime. He faced 58 shots in the game -- 24 in the two and a half overtimes -- but stats do not tell the whole story. Particularly in the first overtime, Fleury faced countless top-notch scoring chances, and came up big virtually every time.

By the time the game ended around 1 a.m. Detroit time, the Joe Louis Arena was silent, but far from empty. The city earned the reputation as Hockeytown for a reason -- the fans were still there. Whether or not anyone was there -- at work, that is -- at 8 a.m. Tuesday is another matter entirely.

But they all know where they will be at 8 p.m. Wednesday -- in front of a television, in a bar, or in the Mellon Arena. In a series where each game has been more entertaining than the previous, perhaps there should be a petition to extend this series to a best-of-nine.

Failing that, it would be advisable to tune in Wednesday night. Monday's game five got an impressive 4.3 rating/8 share on NBC, and it would seem almost guaranteed all of those people will tune back in for game six.

Tiger Woods may say nobody cares about hockey anymore, but the numbers indicate otherwise. And after all, when is the last time you saw sports bars packed with fans cheering on their favorite golfers?

I thought so.

And in this series, even in Los Angeles, this has been big enough to be on the 100-inch big screens, as well as every television in the bar. At least, that is the way it was at the packed bar I was at for game four Saturday night.

This series is living up to expectations, and with any luck, fans in non-traditional markets will finally discover what the rest of us have known for years. When played at its best, hockey provides excitement, passion, and intrigue not provided by much else on this planet.

Just as the Detroit Red Wings seem to be continually overlooked as a Stanley Cup contender, Henrik Zetterberg has been continually overlooked as one of the NHL's best players.

There is no question the logjam at the top of the league, especially when it comes to young players, is tighter than at any point in the NHL's history. There is the obvious duo -- Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby -- who are considered the two best forwards in the league by a large percentage of observers.

There's Vincent Lecavalier, the elegant and electric Tampa Bay star. On the West Coast, the San Jose Sharks feature Joe Thornton, who combines passing ability with size to provide a formidable combination.

But Zetterberg, as with the Wings as a whole, seems to fly under the radar despite playing in one of the league's strongest markets. As is so often the case, that perception is changing with exposure in the Stanley Cup Finals.

His now-famous work during the Wings' two-man disadvantage late in game four will become legendary. A shot block. Tying up the stick of Crosby at the side of the net, preventing a sure goal. An impressive rush while two men down, killing valuable time. Clearing the zone. Breaking up several passes by playing the passing lanes to perfection.

As great as that shift was, Zetterberg has been outstanding defensively through the entire series. Make that the playoffs. Not to mention the regular season.

In fact, he might be the best defensive forward in the entire league. Not bad for a guy who posted 43 goals and 92 points in 73 regular season games, good for sixth in the NHL.

Sixth in league scoring, and arguably the best defensive forward in the game. It might be a stretch to say Zetterberg is the game's best player, but on the other hand, it would be hard to make a compelling argument otherwise.

For the sake of fairness, let's put it this way -- Zetterberg is the best two-way forward, Ovechkin is the most electrifying and dynamic forward, while Crosby has the best playmaking skills and ice vision.

In any case, it might be time to consider it the league's big three instead of the league's big two.

It wasn't always that way. When Zetterberg landed on this side of the Atlantic in 2002-03, he was a promising young player, but far from dominant. After 44 and 43 point seasons prior to the lockout, his breakout year came in 2005-06 with a retooled post-lockout Red Wings squad. Zetterberg posted 39 goals and 85 points in 77 games, and he had become the focal point in Detroit.

Problem is, not many people outside of Michigan noticed. In some ways, Zetterberg stepped up his game even further the following season, as he developed a knack to take over a game single-handedly when necessary. An injury-shortened season limited him to 63 games and 68 points, but his status as a superstar was solidified.

This season, Zetterberg fulfilled the promise once set by another Swedish player -- Peter Forsberg. In his native Sweden, many dubbed Zetterberg as "Baby Forsberg", but Zetterberg is following a career path that could put him ahead of his famous countryman.

Forsberg was arguably the game's best player for a time in the late 1990s, but injuries kept him from ever fulfilling his massive potential. Zetterberg has been felled with some injuries, keeping him from playing all 82 games in any one season. Yet he has so far avoided the serious recurring problems that limited Forsberg to just one year where he played more than half the season past age 30.

If Zetterberg stays healthy, there is no reason he cannot be a dominant player for another decade. At age 27, he is older than many of the league's young superstars, yet he is just entering his prime. As Phil Esposito stated, he did not hit the prime of his career until his mid-to-late 20s, and it seems Zetterberg is following suit.

There is no question Zetterberg benefits from playing on a line with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom, but it is his defensive prowess that puts him over the top. Datsyuk is a similarly talented two-way player, and the trio gives the Wings a checking line that just happens to be their best offensive line.

Or is that a top line that just also happens to be their best checking line?

Either way, it is a tough matchup for opposing teams. Just ask the Nashville Predators. Or the Colorado Avalanche... the Dallas Stars... the Pittsburgh Penguins.

You get the idea.

Steve Willamson is my newest hockey hero.

The Orlando-based Tampa Bay Lightning fan completed every hockey fan's dream last winter, visiting all 30 NHL arenas in 30 nights.

Including Mellon Arena in Pittsbugh.

Why is that significant, you ask? It appears Williamson is not welcome in Mellon Arena. Neither are residents of New England, the South, the West, or much of the Midwest. Visiting from Canada? Forget about it.

Yes, geographic discrimination is alive and well in Steeltown. You see, when the Penguins put tickets on sale at the start of the season, the following appeared on Tickemaster's website when you clicked on any given game.

"Mellon Arena is located in Pittsburgh, PA. Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of PA, OH, WV, MD, NY, NJ, DE, VA and the District of Columbia. Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside of PA, OH, WV, MD, NY, NJ, DE, VA and the District of Columbia will be canceled without notice and refunds given."

In other words, forget about road trips for visiting fans. That is, unless you're a hometown fan of the Philadelphia Flyers, the New Jersey Devils, the New York Rangers, the New York Islanders, the Buffalo Sabres, a Washington Capitals fan who lives in any D.C. suburb (but not the city itself), or a Detroit Red Wings fan residing a few miles south of the city in Toledo.

Illogical? Yes. Unethical? Yes.

The policy did not come to light until an AOL blog pointed out the policy was in place for the Stanley Cup Finals. Several Penguins fans pointed out the policy was in place all season long, which makes it even worse.

Traveling to road games has long been a part of being a hockey fan. Most die-hard fans have great memories of road games -- they are a place to meet fellow fans from your team in a unique setting, a place to meet fans from other teams, and a place to show your overall hockey support.

Not in Pittsburgh. Yes, I know tickets are hard to get -- there is a season ticket waiting list and single-game tickets sell quickly. Yet tickets are still a lot harder to get in Toronto, and the Maple Leafs are far too classy to institute such a policy. Same goes for Montreal, or Detroit during the late 1990s.

This is not the first time this has happened. Ironically, Pittsburgh fans were up in arms when Washington restricted ticket sales to everyone but people from Pennsylvania in the 2001 playoffs. Those same fans need to speak up in this case. Anything less would be hypocritical.

In 2002, the Carolina Hurricanes limited ticket sales to fans in the mid-Atlantic states. Interestingly, the Detroit Red Wings were the opponent in that year's Stanley Cup Finals as well.

The Hockey Gods have a sense of fairness. In both of those cases, the team employing geographic discrimination lost.

And it is not like Pittsburgh has always been a tough ticket. Just two years ago, this team appeared on the verge of bankruptcy -- and perhaps on the verge of heading to Hamilton. Jim Balsillie attempted to purchase the struggling team, a team that failed to fill a smallish, dated arena despite the presence of Sidney Crosby, and many speculate he would have moved the team north to Ontario.

Eventually, a new arena was approved, and the team stayed in Pittsburgh. The crowds increased, season ticket sales were capped, and the Penguins were the hottest thing since the Steelers won the Super Bowl.

Now, the success has gone to their heads. Or perhaps, they remember the many years when the Penguins struggled to draw fans. From their entry in the league in 1967 until Mario Lemieux was drafted in 1984, empty seats were common at the Igloo. When Lemieux retired for the first time in the 1990s, the same thing happened. And it happened again in the early 2000s as the team struggled with mediocrity.

During those times, it was common for visiting fans to take over the Igloo in large numbers, as tickets were easy to get. So perhaps the policy is not just one of arrogance, but also one of insecurity, as the Penguins recall what it is like to be the road team in their own arena.

As a fan who someday hopes to visit all 30 NHL arenas, as well as all junior and minor league arenas, policies like this are infuriating. If this catches on, going to road games will be a thing of the past. So will going to a game as a neutral fan when you are visiting a city on vacation or a business trip.

The NHL needs to act quick and forbid teams from discriminatory policies such as this one. In the meantime, the answer is simple. Every other NHL team needs to put the address of every city, suburb, and municipality within the greater Pittsburgh area in their Ticketmaster database and forbid sales to fans from those cities.

Perhaps then, those Penguins fans would complain to their own team and get the policy changed. After all, it is absurd the Penguins can shut out fans from other teams, yet Penguins fans can still buy road tickets.

In a perfect world, geographic discrimination would never exist on ticket sales. But until that happens, the other 29 teams might have to act in order to force change.

FINAL THOUGHT/BAD PUN OF THE DAY: It will be interesting to see if Johan Franzen comes out especially fired up in game three after Gary Roberts' cheap shot to the head of a player returning from concussion-like symptoms.

If so, to borrow a line from an upcoming Adam Sandler movie.... you don't mess with the Johan.

Seven games, decided by one goal in double overtime. And even then, it could go either way.

Yes, that is the prevailing thought for this year's Stanley Cup Finals between Detroit and Pittsburgh. Through three rounds, the Wings have lost just four games while the Penguins have just two defeats.

Two great teams that would be great teams at any point in the league's history. It is a dream Stanley Cup Finals for the league's marketing types, and a seven game series would only make it better.

Not so quick. History shows us young teams on a roll do not always fare well when playing for hockey's holy grail. Remember the 1983 Edmonton Oilers? They lost just once through the first three rounds, and they were a young team led by superstars such as Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Jari Kurri.

Then they ran into the league's reigning dynasty, the New York Islanders. The Isles may have been considered a bunch of graybeards, but those graybeards swept the youngsters in four games.

The parallels to this series are stunning. Sidney Crosby, annointed as the next Great One, has lived up to the hyperbole. His leadership on and off the ice is remarkable for a 20-year-old. At the media availability day Friday, he spoke like a 25-year veteran.

In other words, he sounded like Chris Chelios.

Just kidding -- but Crosby is a 30-year-old in a 20-year-old's body, and that could present some problems for Detroit. He is not easily rattled on or off the ice, he stays composed yet plays with passion, and he can elude even the best defensemen.

Well, we think the last part is the case. Crosby has not faced Nick Lidstrom, the NHL's best defenseman, for nearly two years. And there is a reason Lidstrom has won enough top defenseman awards to change his first name to Norris.

The "silent assassin" goes about his job more quietly than other high profile defensemen, but few question he is the best. Add Brian Rafalski and Nicklas Kronwall to the defensive corps, and the Wings have the personnel to shut down Pittsburgh.

It will be an interesting battle indeed, as the Penguins have three solid lines. Common sense dictates the Wings would like to get the Pavel Datsyuk-Henrik Zetterberg-Tomas Holmstrom line out against the third or fourth line, but that might not be the case.

For Detroit, their top scoring line is also their best checking line. Datsyuk and Zetterberg are Selke candidates, and it could be argued they are the two best defensive forwards in the league. Don't let their offensive prowess fool you -- these two come to play at both ends of the ice.

Look for Detroit coach Mike Babcock to send the trio out against the Evgeni Malkin line, as the Malkin line is more defensively deficient than the Crosby line or the Jordan Staal line. Puck possession is the name of the game for Zetterberg and Datsyuk, and that alone could neutralize one of Pittsburgh's top two lines.

From Pittsburgh's point of view, it would seem their best matchup is to keep the Crosby and Malkin lines away from Zetterberg and Datsyuk. The Penguins' top two lines also thrive on puck possession, and they would be best served to play against anyone other than the league's best puck possession unit.

On the blueline, the Wings have the edge. Sergei Gonchar, Ryan Whitney, and Hal Gill lead a very competent defensive corps, but the Wings might have the best blueliners in the league -- a point that would likely be argued by Anaheim fans.

In goal, Chris Osgood has been Sogood since taking the starting reins midway through the opening round against Nashville. Osgood has Stanley Cup experience and he never seems to try to do too much.

On the other side, Marc-Andre Fleury has been spectacular, showing why he has been touted as a top-notch prospect for the past several seasons. Maybe it is the new white pads, but Fleury has been a rock for the Penguins in the playoffs.

PREDICTION: It is too easy to say this could go either way (and it could), so there has to be a limb on which to step out. Detroit's experience is invaluable at this time of year, and if the Penguins falter early, this could be a short series. Yet that seems unlikely -- the young Pens simply seem too composed.  Stanley Cups will find Pittsburgh in coming years, but this year, look for Detroit to win in six.

Hockey fans like to think tradition is important in our sport. While other sports such as basketball and football cater to the flavor of the day, hockey is built on decades of tradition.

We have our own terminologies, many of which have come under assault in recent years. The traditional hockey term of dressing rooms has been replaced by the unoriginal term locker rooms. Center ice has been replaced by the neutral zone. Two-on-ones and three-on-twos have been replaced by the generic term odd-man rushes. And perhaps worst of all, the boards are starting to become known as the wall, especially in non-traditional markets.

It is enough to make a hockey fan scream.

However, if a hockey fan screams and nobody can hear it over the too-loud arena music, does the scream really exist?

Over-the-top game presentation has long been a trademark of the National Basketball Association, and while critics have praised the league for their marketing, NBA ratings and interest are a fraction of what they were a decade ago.

Sadly, this type of game presentation is creeping into our game, and fans must voice their opinion to stop the spread.

Last weekend should have been one of the greatest moments in recent Chicago Blackhawks history. The team is playing well behind rookie sensations Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, and Sunday’s game against Detroit launched a new era of home games being televised on local television.

Yet the big story came in the area of game presentation. Longtime organist Frank Pelico was largely absent from the weekend’s games, his duties being limited to the national anthem and post-game proceedings.

Anyone over the age of 25 who grew up as a hockey fan associates the organ with Chicago hockey. While the pipe organ did not make its way from Chicago Stadium to the United Center, organ music stayed a big part of the Blackhawks. While other teams shunned organ music for recorded music, the Hawks stayed traditional.

Ironically, now that many teams are featuring more organ music than they have in recent years, Pelico finds himself watching games as a spectator. Hawks fans are understandably outraged, flooding message boards, blogs, and the front office with complaints.

Southern California’s two NHL franchises demonstrate the radical differences between various arenas when it comes to game presentation. While the Los Angeles Kings take a traditional approach to game presentation, the Anaheim Ducks feature a nightclub atmosphere – something most people outgrow before they reach 30.

The Kings start with a great introduction on their 2400-inch ICE TV, also known as an on-ice projector. The accompanying music by Hans Zimmer and Linkin Park – played at reasonable volumes – provide the perfect accompaniment to the visuals.

Once the game starts, the game presentation stays top-notch. Organist Dieter Ruehle, who was the organist at the last two Olympics, leads the crowd in traditional yells such as “Go Kings Go.” He does a great job of mixing classics like Kalinka or Hava Nagila with modern adaptations of bands such as U2 or Green Day. Ruehle maintains at least a 50/50 ratio of organ music to recorded music, and both are played at reasonable levels.

Thirty miles southeast at Honda Center, the assault on the senses is impossible to avoid. The introduction music is played way beyond the capabilities of the sound system, making the music painfully loud and virtually impossible to understand. While this is happening, a couple of dozen spotlights move in a fast, haphazard manner across the ice, creating a sense of motion sickness.

Sadly, the presentation gets no better once the game begins. While the music stays too loud and the organist adds too many Disneyland-esque drum rolls in most songs, the spotlights return far too frequently. When the spotlights are thankfully reduced, several migrane-inducing strobe lights are used in conjunction with the music at most whistles. The result is an atmosphere that resembles a WWE event or a teen-oriented nightclub, but certainly not a hockey game.

As someone who has spent most of his life in traditional hockey environments, there is no question which arena is more appealing. And the California market is more savvy than the Ducks seem to give it credit. Many, if not most, hockey fans in the region are transplants from traditional markets. If I had a dollar for every time one of these transplants told me they will not go to Ducks games because of the distracting game presentation, I might have enough money to buy the team and change the game presentation myself.

While no other NHL arena – certainly not the United Center – approaches the distraction level of the Honda Center, the loss of another hockey tradition in the sake of modernization would be a travesty.

Rocky Wirtz has done many things right since assuming leadership in Chicago. He would be wise to do one more thing right – bring back Pelico.

When a team is said to have potential year after year, at a certain point people start believing that potential is unfulfilled.

As the saying goes, potential is often a nice way of saying something simply is not very good right now.

Scratch the potential from Columbus Blue Jackets in that case. If you have not noticed, this team is very good.

How good? A playoff team, for sure, at this rate. Actually, at this rate, this might be much more than a playoff team.

With a 7-3-2 record -- good for 16 points in 12 games -- Columbus occupies a share of fourth place in the Western Conference heading into Friday night's games. Yes, the only team that has never qualified for the playoffs currently sits in a position that would give them home ice advantage in the first round.

To those who have followed the Jackets for several seasons, it comes as both a surprise and as no surprise. In reality, the team is certainly talented enough to be a contender. Rick Nash is one of the game's premier power forwards, and he is surrounded by a host of skilled forwards.

The defensive corps, led by Adam Foote and Rostislav Klesla, is more than adequate. And highly touted goalie Pascal Leclaire has more than lived up to the potential this season, posting four shutouts in October.

Yet little changed from the past two seasons in terms of personnel. Without question, coach Ken Hitchcock has had more time to implement his system, which features accountability at all times in all areas of the ice.

Columbus features a strong forecheck, yet the same five man unit is always backchecking to near-perfection. Even when they give up a large number of shots, as they did Thursday when the Ducks posted 34 shots on goal but scored just once, the chances are limited.

Wednesday at Staples Center, the Kings got their chances, but Leclaire was there to turn all but one away. The next night in Anaheim, the Ducks got plenty of shots, but backup goaltender Fredrik Norrena had to make very few spectacular saves.

When the opposing team creates sustained pressure, the Jackets are able to execute a bend but don't break philosophy to perfection. The goalies play with confidence, knowing the five skaters will be in solid defensive position. By the same token, the forwards and defensemen play with confidence knowing Leclaire or Norrena will come up with the big stop when called upon.

Columbus may limit goals against as well as any team in the league, but nobody would call them a boring team. The Jackets play with an entertaining, physical edge to their game, and two newcomers play a big part in creating that style.

Michael Peca, one of the game's best penalty killers and faceoff men, has brought his gritty game to the Ohio capital. Long considered a skill team lacking the grit to win, Peca is just what the Jackets needed.

Rookie Jared Boll has made far more of an impact than his two goals and roughly seven minutes of ice time per game would suggest. In the two California games, Boll was evident on every shift.

The rough and tumble Boll went from a one-dimensional enforcer to one of the best players on the USHL's Lincoln Stars between his first and second seasons, then continued his junior career with the OHL's Plymouth Whalers.

His career path has continued an impressive progression with Columbus. Against Los Angeles, he drew a penalty on an early shift, then it was his work screening Kings' goalie Jason LaBarbera -- Tomas Holmstrom-style -- that led to the second Columbus goal.

Against Anaheim, he made the most of limited ice time, throwing his weight around and taking on Travis Moen in an entertaining second period scrap.

The energy infused by the likes of Peca and Boll seems to have carried over throughout the lineup, as the Jackets play with a definite edge to their game.

It is probably early to sell playoff tickets in Columbus, but the thought of playoffs has to have front office staff excited. After drawing sell-0uts virtually every night since they entered the league in 2000, crowds have been down this year, frustrated with the lack of playoff berths.

Unless something drastic happens, look for all that to change. These Jackets are for real, and a playoff berth seems much more than likely.

When Brian Burke took over the post as Anaheim general manager in the summer of 2005, the future of then-Ducks coach Mike Babcock immediately came into doubt.

Sure, Babcock took the Ducks to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002-03, the first of his two years in Southern California. Yet from day one, it seemed there would be a clash between Babcock and Burke.

Babcock's Ducks teams played a stereotypical trap. They were passive forecheckers, clogged the middle of the ice, and played a lot of 1-0 and 2-1 games. Meanwhile in Vancouver, Burke had built a strong team around aggressive forechecking, a wide-open offensive style, and all-around physical play.

So it did not come as a surprise when Burke's first move was to dismiss Babcock as Anaheim's bench boss. Yet at the same time, it would be tough for Babcock to not hold some bitterness, especially considering his relative success in a short period of time in the land of sun and fun.

In the end, both sides have done alright. The Ducks hired Randy Carlyle to replace Babcock, and he has taken the squad to the Western Conference Finals each of his first two years behind the bench. Meanwhile, Babcock accepted one of the league's most prestigious jobs, becoming coach of the storied Detroit Red Wings.

Few are making a big deal of the Babcock-Burke issue, but it could just stoke the fire of what should already be an evenly-matched conference finals. For his part, Babcock has built a Detroit team that has some similarities, but some critical differences, from his teams in Anaheim.

Like his Ducks teams, Babcock's Red Wings are defensively oriented. The Wings give up few shots and even fewer scoring chances. Part of that is a trapping system at center ice, similar to what the Ducks employed in the early part of the decade. But aside from that, Detroit features an outstanding blueline. The loss of Mathieu Schneider to a broken wrist will hurt, but Nicklas Lidstrom remains one of the best rearguards of all time.

And that Chris Chelios youngster is not bad either. Chelios is the only NHLer old enough to remember the Original Six era -- he was five when the league expanded to 12 teams in 1967 -- but his play has been ageless this season. Chelios' first name has been changed by the media to "45-year-old," yet he has played some of his best hockey in the past six or seven years during this year's playoffs.

Against most teams, Detroit would have the edge on the blueline. Anaheim is clearly not most teams. With Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer on the blueline, the Ducks feature at least one Norris Trophy winner on the ice at virtually all times.

Many observers have commented Pronger and Niedermayer have not played their best game through much of the playoffs, yet Pronger finds himself leading all NHL defensemen with 11 points through 10 games. Niedermayer has seemed a step slower than last year at times -- perhaps the lingering effects of a mid-season foot injury -- but he remains among the game's elite.

The often-forgotten third link to the blueline is sophomore Francois Beauchemin. Normally paired with Niedermayer, Beauchemin is physical, intelligent, can move the puck, and has a great point shot on the power play.

Both teams have good puck moving defensemen, and they will need to be at their best. Anaheim and Detroit both like to clog the neutral zone, but the key difference between Babcock's Detroit squad and his 2003 Anaheim team is giving up shots on goal. Detroit routinely limits teams to the low 20s -- or less. His Ducks squads, on the other hand, were typically outshot on their way to the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, but they were able to rely on goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere to steal the victory.

Some things never change. Giguere has been outstanding through the playoffs, leading the league with a 1.28 goals against and a .952 save percentage. On the other end, Dominik Hasek has an equally impressive 1.51 goals against and a .930 save percentage.

In other words, getting the first goal will be important. With Giguere and Hasek between the pipes and both teams showing a penchant for clogging center ice once they get the lead, low scoring games will be the rule.

Both teams have plenty of firepower, as Anaheim features the CAT line of Chris Kunitz, Andy McDonald, and Teemu Selanne along with the PPG line of Dustin Penner, Corey Perry, and Ryan Getzlaf. These two lines get most of the goals and press, but the checking line of Sammy Pahlsson, Rob Nidermayer, and Travis Moen ranks among the league's best.

On the other side, the Wings have elite forwards in Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, but it is a less heralded yet gritty player who may be the key to Detroit's success. The Wings struggled when Tomas Holmstrom was out of the lineup with an eye injury early in the second round, but nobody in the game is better at screening goalies and cleaning up garbage in front of the net.

Penner is Anaheim's answer to Holmstrom, but he is still learning the role. If Holmstrom is able to withstand the pounding by Pronger and Beauchemin, he could make life difficult for Giguere.

The most interesting part of the matchup might be style of play. Although Detroit is a high-octane, puck possession team, much of their success comes between the bluelines, where they can stifle the opposition's attack. Anaheim started the season with quick ups -- in other words, getting the puck to the forwards as fast as possible and catching the opposition on their heels.

As the season has progressed, Anaheim's attack has become more deliberate, and that could be a problem against Detroit. If the Wings are given time to set up, they are incredibly effective at center ice.

When that happens, the offensive team is often forced to play a dump and chase -- or chip and support in modern terms -- to create any offense. Anaheim will need to bring their best forechecking game in that case, and the return of Todd Marchant could be a huge factor.

On the other side, Anaheim can trap and slow down the game with the best of them, and Detroit prefers to carry the puck into the offensive zone. All season, the Ducks have been called a team who will play any style the opposition wants. If the other team wants to clog center ice, they will dump and chase. If the opposition wants to open the game up, the Ducks utilize their considerable team speed.

In this case, Detroit will try to force Anaheim into a dump and chase style while maintaining a puck possession game themselves. The concept did not work so well for Minnesota in the first round, but Detroit's lineup features considerably more playoff experience than Minnesota's.

PREDICTION: Too close to call, but it would not be a prediction without... well, a prediction. Ducks in seven.

Western Conference

#2 Anaheim vs #3 Vancouver

Why Vancouver will win: Roberto Luongo is a candidate for the Hart Trophy, and he was arguably stronger yet in the first round against Dallas. There may be no tougher goalie to face in a best-of-seven series right now. Vancouver’s defense seems to know exactly when to pinch and when to retreat, and they receive decent offensive punch from the blueline.

Why Vancouver will struggle: Beyond Markus Naslund and the Sedin twins – who were quiet for the middle five games of the opening round -- the Canucks lack scoring depth up front. Against Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer, this could be a fatal flaw.

Why Anaheim will win: Niederpronger – also known as Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger – plays nearly 60 minutes a game. If the Canucks get past the rearguards, there’s always J.S Giguere or Ilya Bryzgalov as the last line of defense.

Why Anaheim will struggle: Luongo. It seems cliché, but Luongo can win a series on his own.

Conclusion: Look for a very low scoring series, as Anaheim’s blueline and Vancouver’s Luongo will make sure that is the case. In the end, the Ducks should be able to pound Vancouver at both ends of the ice, and that can be the difference in a long series.

Prediction: Ducks in six.

#1 Detroit vs #5 San Jose

Why San Jose will win: The Sharks have the West’s best depth at forward with Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Jonathan Cheechoo, Joe Pavelski, Bill Guerin…. you get the idea. The two-headed goaltending tandem known as Naboskala – Evgeni Nabokov and Vesa Toskala – ensure San Jose will have solid netminding, even in the case of an injury.

Why San Jose will struggle: Bill Guerin is the only Shark with his name on the Stanley Cup. On the other hand, Detroit features a plethora of past champions.

Why Detroit will win: The Red Wings were the league’s best regular season team and they dominated Calgary in the first round. The Wings have great depth up front and on the blueline, while Dominik Hasek has turned back the clock between the pipes.

Why Detroit will struggle: San Jose is a much younger, bigger, and more physical team. There is always a chance the Wings will start to show their age – but do not bet on it.

Conclusion: Perhaps the most intriguing series of the second round, this one could go either way. Detroit must find a way to shut down San Jose’s top two lines in order to advance to the conference finals.

Prediction: Sharks in seven.

Eastern Conference

#1 Buffalo vs #6 New York Rangers

Why the Rangers will win: Since acquiring Sean Avery before the trade deadline, the Rangers have been the NHL’s hottest team. Brendan Shanahan provides playoff grit and experience, while Jaromir Jagr is still one of the game’s elite players. Henrik Lundqvist has regained his rookie season form in goal, and the rearguards in front of him have turned around their mediocre early season performance.

Why the Rangers will struggle: Compared to the Sabres, the Rangers have a notable lack of depth. If Jagr or Shanahan struggles, who will pick up the slack?

Why Buffalo will win: No team rolls four lines better than the Sabres, yet they still have impressive top-end talent with the likes of Daniel Briere, Chris Drury, and Thomas Vanek. Ryan Miller has emerged as one of the league’s best netminders the past two seasons.

Why Buffalo will struggle: The Sabres might not have an answer for the ever-annoying Sean Avery, although they can limit Avery’s effectiveness by taking early leads.

Conclusion: Unlike last year, the Rangers peaked at the right time this season. Many observers are writing them off against the mighty Sabres, but that is a little premature. Look for a close, entertaining series between these two teams.

Prediction: Sabres in seven.

#2 New Jersey vs #4 Ottawa

Why Ottawa will win: From the start of the season, this Senators squad looked more like a playoff team than years past. The top line of Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson is as good as any in the league, while players like Mike Fisher, Chris Neil, and Anton Volchenkov provide depth and grit.

Why Ottawa will struggle: The Senators must overcome a history of falling short in spring. The image may have been true in the past, but it is likely overblown this season considering the makeup of this squad.

Why New Jersey will win: Martin Brodeur. The legendary goalie continues his remarkable career, and he can single-handedly win a series.

Why New Jersey will struggle: The Devils looked sluggish at times in the first round against a schizophrenic Tampa Bay squad. They will need a more consistent effort to knock off the Sens.

Conclusion: Ottawa’s offensive attack against New Jersey’s air-tight defensive system provides an interesting clash in styles, but the Senators have too many offensive weapons for the Devils to shut them down completely.

Prediction: Senators in six.