"Musing On the Muse-Worthy"

Sorry, people. I guess you could consider me the working people's blogger, since work is exactly what has held me from penning more than a single column thus far. Here's number 2.

Lots of musings to dispense as it is the pinnacle of hockey season with the playoffs in full swing. Naturally, when you're locked on to the same channels for two months, you start noticing some things. One is that Versus has some pretty knowledgable analysts sitting at the desks. I like Brian Engblom and I love Keith Jones. I like that they are bringing in goalies as guest analysts, since goalies are often the most quirky members of a hockey team and usually have something to say. I unfortunately cannot heap the same type of praise on NBC. I cannot stand Mike Milbury or Pierre McGuire. I understand the former thinks he's hot stuff by virtue of his flamboyant general-managerial past, but no. Similarly, I understand the latter thinks he's hot stuff by virtue of being on a Canadian sports network covering the premiere Canadian sport, but again, no.

One more note on Versus. I understand that lots of hockey fans are peeved that their sport is not on ESPN when poker and water polo find their way onto the schedule, but keep this in mind- the fact that the NHL is by far the most important thing that network has to offer means that they put everything into their coverage of it. You can't tell me that during the NHL playoffs, there is a better American network to watch on game night than Versus. ESPN should stop pretending to care about hockey and just admit that as long as it isn't on their schedule, they don't.

Some of these first round series have been absolutely terrific. I write this column at a time before half of the series have concluded but there has been some great action thus far. Some quick thoughts:

-Whoever says Nashville fans don't know how to support their team should really watch the highlights of Game 3 and Game 4 against Detroit again. That place was sold out and loud, and Preds fans might not be the most knowledgable, but give them a break. Their team isn't even ten years old yet. I'm sure that forty years ago, there were plenty of folks in Philadelphia, Saint Louis and Los Angeles that had to take Hockey 101. Enthusiasm is just as important as knowledge. Predators fans have the former and I think will continue to know the sport better.

-Alex Ovechkin had to learn that playoff hockey is a different beast from the regular season real quickly, eh?

-After an Ottawa-Anaheim final produced the lowest ratings in forever, I'm pretty sure having either Montreal, Boston, New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia or Washington representing the East in the finals is going to be a marked improvement in terms of how many people will watch. Based on whose still alive, I'm predicting a San Jose - Pittsburgh final. Not necessarily who I am rooting for, though. Who AM I rooting for? I'll never tell.

Next time, I'll have some thoughts on the AHL playoffs, including your Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who look pretty good right now against Hershey. Jinx?? Nah.