This is it

As Game 7 is finally upon us, NBC has managed to give me a serious scheduling conflict- Game 7 or the first full episode of my summertime favorite So You Think You Can Dance. This is a major issue in my book, since Game 7 should have been over a week ago, if only they hadn't decided to take trips to Europe in between each game. There was no reason for this. Nothing was on TV last night, or pretty much any night they deemed inappropriate for hockey. I think they do this to test me and see where my loyalty lies.

While waiting for what has seemed like the longest final round in the history of all sports to end, there has been plenty of time to analyze all sorts of fun trends in this series. Like the city of Boston actually being the Canucks kryptonite. Have you ever seen a team fall apart like they do there, yet put on a goal-tending clinic next game in their home confines? It is like watching the entire team play Jekyll and Hyde depending on which country they are in.

How about Loungo letting in more goals by the B's when on the road than his team can muster in this entire series, yet shutting the door to the Bruins goal factory when home? I also like the cool trend of the Olympic-Stanley Cup connection. Every time Canada has hosted an Olympics, the Canadian team in the finals the following year has won the Cup. No pressure or anything Vancouver, except that everyone in town would like to have the worlds largest party for hockey a year after winning the Gold.

Concussion and Injury Report

Nathan Horton is flying cross country, enjoying sunshine and noisy, wild arenas all while suffering from a "severe" concussion. I have no words for this. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Nil.

Mason Raymond is out for months on end with a vertebrae compression fracture. I'm no doctor but that just sounds horrible and painful. For the record, his injurer Johnny Boychuk has inflicted suspension, fines or talks from the NHL. Aaron Rome will be watching Boychuk from the press box try to destroy his time one last night, while concussed Horton parties in some capacity in Vancouver tonight. I'm so confused as usual.

Player Signings

Craig Adams has been locked up by the Pens for two more years. This was a no-brainer for all parties involved. Now what to do about Max Talbot, Pascal Dupuis and Mike Rupp. Even with the cap going up, there's not room for all of them, and there's lots of guys who got a taste of the NHL this season from Wilkes-Barre hoping to make the team out of camp. Can't also forget those young guys are cheap labor compared to the vets. Will Talbot and Dupuis stay for lesser money and a shorter term than what want or will they cash out when they can?

I have just managed to do something crazy to my browser so I am ending this now before I delete this without meaning too The font size has become miniscule and my toolbar is MIA. Eeek.

Tomorrow we shall have a new Stanley Cup Champ and that will begin a new round of party pictures. Recently the cup has swam in Mario Lemieux's pool and was party animal Patrick Kane's wingman last summer. Can't wait to see where it goes next!