sabretooth vs duckling*

In case you didn't know, 'its the season of NHL Stanley Cup playoffs! I usually write a blog post before the bracket time is closing but this year has been a little more stressful and I've not been as planning as I should/want to.

Anyhow, I'm a happy reader and commenter on this blog in Swedish: NHL-bloggen It's been the constant hockey happiness (and some more) since I moved to the States in 2006. It's an awesome place to drop comments about games going on and keeping contact with other hockey fans in Swedish. Usually the commentators during the season are fewer than during playoffs, but there's a group of very nice ones during the regular season. And as with twitter there are quite a few people that I've gotten to know, and even met up with! (There are some expats in the states - awesome opportunity to speak Swedish and watch hockey.)

Well, when I mentioned hockey play offs on twitter the other weekend some Canadian friends of mine piped up (@Enniscath, @Scientistmother, @_Lavaland_ ) and made a little joke about my preference for more than one team (hello @enniscath winner of the bet from two years ago!!). Part of this is probably because it's the second year ever that there are NO Canadian teams in the playoffs. I'm upset and sad about this too. Although, let's get this straight - I'm a Leafs girl through and through. The only reason I have a little piece of my heart for Canucks is that I lived in Vancouver for a while. And that they got the Sedin twins at that time. How can you not adopt a second team by then? As a Swede and a temporary resident, with loves on the east coast so it's not like it's a hard bargain. It's one game a year.... and my heart is always with leafs then.

To loop back to the beginning of this blog post; the bracket and the NHLblog in Swedish. I wrote a little explanation in Swedish on how I chose my bracket and I thought I'd translate it here since it does - at least for me - read a little funny. Of course, I tried the same approach telling my coworkers to pick a bracket even though they know nothing about hockey. "it's easy, just imagine the team animal vs each other. I mean, a PREDATOR (sabretooth) vs a DUCK? Who do you think wins?" (quite possible the duck in tihs example but anyway...)

"I get to look at the shirts in my wardrobe to pick the bracket and see what is left. Joke aside, it's difficult this year since my default setting isn't working this year, not without any Canadian team left. I'm torn about the Pens hype, but I do have a Kessel shirt with Leafs, so maybe that's the way to go?

For the West I'm choosing
Dallas - Minnesota brain says 4-2, heart says 3-4 since I want to use my Wildshirt**
Chicago - St Louis 4-3 would be fun if it wasn't Hawks but I doubt Blues can match the intensity of "winners the last couple of years"
Anaheim - Nashville 3-4 PURE heart. I want Preds to get more playoffs and crush that team I don't like at all. Oh, and then I can use my Preds tank top

Los Angeles - San José - 4-2 Stats tell me that Sharks is the best team on away ice... so maybe I should've dared write 3-4? 

East

Washington - Philadelphia 4-3 Think Flyers can add a few things when they're playing for one thing (their owner passed away Monday) emotions do play a role in the play offs

Pittsburgh - NY Rangers 4-2 KESSEL!!! :) ***

Florida - NY Islanders 4-2 Jagr! (don't have a shirt but hope and wish for Jagr to help the tea with his experience and all

Tampa Bay - Detroit 3-4 I believe in those persistent Wings and think they can go on by pure habit. Oh and yes, I do have a red shirt at home as well :)

All these bets I've made over the years.... 

Leafs (no bet, just loooooooove)

Canucks (no bet, just a little side love)

Habs - old school wager "leafs vs habs" series over a season and I lost....

Preds - it's a small tank top, perfect for Southern weather on a Sunday game in the heat

Detroit RedWings - "you got to pick a US team now that you live in the USA" RedWings had 13 swedes on the roster at that time. Easy choice. hm.

Minnesota Wilds (that was a promise to @mnjohan two years ago - already two years?!)

* Nashville Predators vs Anaheim Ducks - yes, they are named after the Disney movie "Mighty ducks" it was a ploy to get a team there. I just don't like them. But I did love Temu Selänne - the great Finnish Flash.

** back in Minnesota two years ago just in time for the play offs and I was hanging out in a bar, late very late night.... and thought it would be a good choice to pick up a shirt from there.

*** Kessel is the only reason I would root for Pens. Oh wait, maybe the three great Swedes there as well...