Great game last night! We couldn't find a babysitter, so I ended up going to the game alone. I tried to sell the extra ticket, but all of my friends had mother's day plans and couldn't free themselves of their obligations. The scalpers appeared to be hiding too. Unfortunate.
It was one of those really neat things, to see a series end in person, but it probably was for the best that Elizabeth wasn't there - she fell asleep at home before the game was over anywhere. Poor thing.
The Devils came out strong in the first and scored early, but once the Canes started taking the game to them, they wilted. After about the ten minute mark of the first period, the Canes had really taken over the game. There was some one-sided officiating going on, but the boys worked through it. The outcome was so certain that the fans started cheering "We want Buffalo" with about ten minutes left in the third (and only a two goal lead). The Canes never let loose of the strangle hold on the Devils, though, so it was all over but the cryin' at that point.
I watched some of the recaps online, including the OLN highlights - there is a link to an Erik Cole interview that's pretty funny for one primary reason: The interviewer asked Erik "Well, you have just over thirteen minutes to go and your teammates have a 1 goal lead. What do you think your chances are of wrapping up the series?" GOAL HORN, Goal Whitney, Canes up 3-1. Cole: "Pretty good I'd say". Hee hee.
A little known fact about my seats is that the seats directly behind us are usually given to the media when they are not working. Last night (and many games in the past, since I recognized the guy and he realized that I didn't have the kids with me) was Jack Boston. I didn't recognize the name, but Kermit beside me did - he's the morning guy at Y102.9, a local station billing itself as "Carolina's Greatest Hits". They also air the Hurricanes games over the radio locally, which is the only reason I know they exist on the dial. I had never heard their morning show, but Jack is a good guy so I may dial in one morning and see what he has to say. I confided that there were other radio personalities in the past who used those seats and they were not all as cordial as Jack and his wife. I cannot remember the chick's name, but I want to say she worked for G105. Anyway, she was a snotty bitch. She could have worked for 96 Rock. I don't know - it's not important. It was several years back, so forgive my lack of name recognition - I've always been better with faces anyway.
A playoff breakdown:
Round 1: Montreal was riding a hot goaltender and quick forwards, exposing a flu-ridden Gerber in the first two games until... Cam Ward stepped in and the Canes realized they were the better team. Montreal fans consoled themselves that the Canes were "lucky", the Habs had won so many cups in the past, and that New Jersey would destroy the Canes. I got a comment here from "Red" in Ottawa saying that very thing. Like I commented to him, it's a good thing the game is played on the ice and not in the forums of public opinion.
Round 2: New Jersey had won 15 straight games and was the hottest team in the league until... their fifteen game winning streak rapidly transformed into a three game losing streak. The more important streak, of course, was that the Devils had lost the last 7 of the last 9 playoff games (counting Sunday) in the RBC Center. Canes win in 5. Devils fans called the Canes divers (despite the fact that the most egregious diver in the series was Marty McFlopsalot in the New Jersey net) and consoled themselves in their past championships and the fact that Buffalo would destroy the Canes in the conference finals.
Round 3: Buffalo. This should be a very exciting series - the series I've really been looking forward to and hoping for this post season. Both teams are very similar in style and it should be a run and gun affair. The team that works harder will win, and both teams work extremely hard.
Post-Game Quotes
Goals of the Game
Flavor of the Game
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