It's Playoff Bracket time!

Playoffs start soon, so it's time for us to introduce the third annual Hab It Her Way NHL Playoff Bracket. Yay!

I try to find a theme for the random pictures I use for every matchup. This year, I tried to find common ground between the teams playing each other in the first round. We're not that different, after all.

In the West:

The Canucks and Blackhawks meet early in the playoffs this year. I always love this series, but it'll be particularly tough to root for one team since both Roberto Luongo and Corey Crawford are local-boy goalies.

The Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks are both from California. That's all I got.

Detroit and Phoenix are lucky enough to have wonderful, gentlemanly captains with quite a few seasons' worth of wisdom. That's MISTER Nick Lidstrom and Shane Doan to you!

Anaheim-Nashville might just be the battle of Young Guys That Nobody Wanted As Habs Except Me. Sorry, Kyle Chipchura and Sergei Kostitsyn. (Is there a way to sneak Matt D'Agostini or Greg Stewart into this too?)

In the East:

The Washington Capitals and New York Rangers introduced some spiffy new throwback jerseys this year. That's something I know a little bit about.

Why not choose at least one series and focus on the players I don't like? Congratulations, Philly captain Mike Richards and Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller (if you're not still injured). You know what you did.

What do the Canadiens and Bruins have in common? Well, in case you didn't know, they hate each other.

Two teams. Two bloggers. Two beloved coaches. It's my Dan Bylsma against Czechtacular's Guy Boucher.

Click on the picture above to see the bracket full-size and you should be able to print it out quite easily! I keep track of the scores of each game, higher-seeded team on top, lower-seeded on the bottom. (I cleared that up in the MTL-BOS and LA-SJ series.)

Plus/Minus: I'm happy I'm typing this so I can rest my voice

It is Monday, six days after I cheered like a madwoman, and I still sound like an idiot. (See: Subban, Pernell Karl, and my previous post.)
Great week, right? Habs beat the Blackhawks in a fantastic goalie battle and Original Six matchup, and I got to watch a Montreal-Toronto game at a Habs Tweetup in Toronto.

PLUS

+ PK Subban's slap shot. So amazing that it gets a Plus, because it also got me a sore throat and a little bit dizzy for 15 minutes because of all the jumping and screaming.
+ Carey Price, winner of this season's Molson Cup, has been awesome and played a huge role in getting his team to the playoffs.
+ Congratulations to Roman Hamrlik on being voted this season's "unsung hero." Also, thank you, Roman!
+ Ryan White *almost* got another Gordie Howe hat trick. Had he accomplished the feat in Toronto I would have been dancing in public, and even more hoarse than I already am, so maybe things worked out for the best.
+ Hot on the heels of Jarome Iginla reaching the same plateau, Joe Thornton has 1000 career points.
+ 2 Not to be outdone, Jarome had a hat trick this week. (And so did Aaron Palushaj with the Bulldogs!)
+ 2 for two of the Chicago Blackhawks: holy crap, Corey Crawford is really, really good. And Jonathan Toews played a role in the Habs' win on Tuesday (getting my team into the playoffs) and played a huge role in the Hawks' win on Wednesday (getting his own team one step closer to the playoffs).


MINUS
- Some of the other Canadian teams did something pre-game to recognize that April is autism awareness month. It would have been nice for the Habs to do something.
- Benoit Pouliot: You know I love you and all. Now are you done with all your trips to the penalty box? You're better than that, man!

- The idiot who posted this comment on a story about Jennifer Botterill's retirement. Either he doesn't know what "funny" is, or he really just is that stupid, or he's never met a girl in his life. I'm not sure. Theories welcome.
(And by the way, ringette sucks and being good at it is quite an accomplishment, as that stupid ring thing is much harder to handle than a puck.)

I haven't fixed a schedule yet for playoff Plus/Minuses. Depending on how things go, I may take more time between them and only post a Plus/Minus at the end of each playoff round like I did last year. But more importantly: the playoffs are coming! The playoffs are coming!

Why I could be a Torontonian

I had the pleasure of spending this weekend in Toronto. It didn't rain too much and I got to visit all the restaurants and attractions I wanted to see. I'd never been before, and I hadn't encountered too many Leafs fans, so it was quite the experience. I don't think I have much in common with them.
Except for one thing.

There's a slight chance I hate PK Subban.

WAIT, WHAT???!?

OK, not really, since on Tuesday I bought a T-shirt with his name on it and chose to pack it in my suitcase over my Habs jersey or other T-shirts (sorry, Carey), right after the game ended. A game during which I screamed and cheered so much that I got a little hoarse. And then PK got my team into the playoffs and I think I exaggerated a little with the screaming and the jumping and all of those things.

I woke up on Wednesday with a froggy voice. I sounded like crap. I fully expected to have a sore throat (I'd been planning it since September) but I thought it would go away after a couple of days.

It is now Sunday and my throat feels like it's burning. I hate you, PK. I hate you because you are too awesome for words, and that's probably a good thing because I can't speak these days.

Pop Culture Musings

Sorry for the off-topic post, but I have a few random things to say about non-hockey stuff.

I wonder if B.o.B will ever have a hit song on his own. He's always just the rapper when someone needs a verse rapped for them, or he calls up some vocalist to sing a chorus for him. It's never just B.o.B. It's always him and someone else. He's got a lot to prove. Is it because there are lots of rappers who are better than him?
(PS: Dear B.o.B.: "Magic" is totally my jam, you have no idea.)

I've come to the realization that Bradley Cooper's movie career has turned him into the non-Texan Matthew McConaughey. They're basically the same guy now. Think about it: McConaughey could have easily played either Faceman in The A-Team or Sack Lodge in Wedding Crashers, and Cooper desperately tried to catch up to How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days by being in both He's Just Not That Into You and Valentine's Day. (To which I say: really, Bradley Cooper? Both? I really like you, but enough is enough already.) The only McConaughey roles that Bradley Cooper wouldn't have been cast in are the ones that require him to be really, really Texan. The only Bradley Cooper roles that McConaughey wouldn't have been cast in, probably, are his TV roles. (Don't even try to picture it.) To be honest, I'm not even sure what the difference is between Limitless and The Lincoln Lawyer, other than one of them has Ryan Philippe and other one doesn't.

This season of Parks and Recreation has been great. Please go back and watch old episodes, try to manage your way through the first season, then enjoy the second season, and come back and watch the third. Or try just watching the third season because it's so very funny and more accessible than ever. I think I might pick it as my dark horse to win the Emmy this year. It's been better than Modern Family, more rewatchable than Bored To Death, and in some ways more satisfying than 30 Rock (which as you know is my favourite thing in the world). It's finally found its place as heir to The Office. Steve Carell's goodbye episode, by the way, felt a little rushed but is going to be a classic. So well-written. Loved it.

Also, I know I always say this, but why aren't people sick of unscripted TV yet?

We'll be back to your regularly scheduled hockey ramblings before you know it.

It's April 5th already?

I can't believe the season is so close to being over. I've been looking forward to this Blackhawks game since before the season started, and I can't believe that the day has arrived.

No idea why, back in September, I sprang for tickets to this Blackhawks game without a second thought. Why I chose a game that I'd have to pay for right away and wait seven months to see, I have no idea.

Maybe it was because I wanted to see the season finale, come hell or high water or any position in the standings.

Maybe it's because, as one of my friends reminded me last week, Canadiens-Blackhawks is one of those matchups that you can just never pass up.

Maybe it's because I have this weird life goal to see all of the Original Six teams in person, and after tonight I'll have five out of six. (I'm also 5/6 of the way to seeing all of the Canadian teams. I think I just figured out where all my money went.)

Maybe it's because Jonathan Toews is the Internet's favourite hockey player.

("The Circle of Hawks" was made by Kat, lead contributor to Runs On Duncan, which you should already be reading.)

Or maybe it's because I kind of like the Blackhawks. I know, I know, I wrote this post already about the Los Angeles Kings. Don't worry, I don't think I love the Hawks as much as I love the Kings, much less the Habs. There's just something about the Western Conference, and the Original Six, that I really like. I was very happy to see Jonathan Toews win a gold medal, a Conn Smythe trophy, and a Stanley Cup all in the same season. I'm still kind of surprised that he's such a great captain, and that he's been so composed since such a young age. (Pretty sure this has already been said: Jonathan Toews is my Sidney Crosby. Deal with it.) Joel Quenneville knows how to rock a mustache, and the Hawks have my favourite fan video series in "Joey The Junior Reporter."

And while I may not call the Hawks my first or second team, I wouldn't be opposed to receiving the same gift as the main character on Samantha Who?:

The very handsome Eddie Cibrian bought her a Hawks jersey personalized with "Smartass" on the back. I don't own one, but if I did I might have done the unthinkable and worn it to tonight's game. It's probably the only piece of enemy apparel I'd wear to the Bell Centre. Don't worry, I'll never become a real Hawks fan because I'm one of the few people who cannot stand "Chelsea Dagger."

The only major similarity between this game and the Kings game, both of which I chose to buy tickets for, is that the opposing goalie is a local boy. The Bell Centre was not very nice to Jonathan Bernier. Please, Montreal, do not boo Corey Crawford for no reason.

Even if I do have a reason, I won't boo. I'll be too busy cheering for my Habs in their last regular season game at home. I may or may not sound all hoarse on the radio tonight, but I'll have a good excuse.

Go Habs Go!! 

Plus/Minus: The streak is over

A decent week overall for the Habs, right? I know, it's strange to have seen the team win games (sort of) and score goals this week. What's that about? Do they like us again for real, or are they just being nice to us? Can we finally stop singing "Grenade" and inserting random Hab names into the lyrics?

PLUS

+ Thank you, Roman, for finally ending the scoring drought on Tuesday.
+ MaxPac is skating! Nothing matters quite as much as our #67 being on the road to recovery.
+ Holy crap, Teemu Selanne is nearly twice our age and scored five points in one game.
+ Jarome Iginla scored 1000 career points. I'm so proud. This is just another accomplishment on his way to becoming Prime Minister.
+ Brian Gionta hit the 400-point mark against the Devils. We love you, captain!
+ PK Subban's slapshot.
+ Hey, Carey. Good on you for tying Patrick Roy's peak of 36 wins in one season. (No pressure. I just love my goalie. The rest is just icing on the cake.)
+ It hurts me to say this, but Jeff Skinner and his two goals against the Habs didn't entirely infuriate me. The kid is just so good at hockey.

MINUS

- Bill McCreary has retired. But now who will have a mustache?
- Japan withdraws from all 2011 IIHF tournaments in order to accommodate the players whose families have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami. It makes sense, but it's unfortunate nonetheless. Maybe sports can help, as implied by this fantastic post about baseball. (Yes, baseball. I know. What's up with that? Just read it.)
- Benoit Pouliot. Sigh. He was on fire for a while, but it looks like someone needs to fan those flames again.


- Is Georges Laraque serious? It seems like he only talks about the Canadiens to criticize them, and he's completely oblivious. He acts like he's still a hockey player when the general consensus is that he made his own fate. He may still be on the Habs' payroll, but he doesn't actually play for them. His last season as a Hab doesn't reflect his entire career, I know, but hockey is what made him famous and he either ignores that fact or takes it for granted and doesn't seem to understand that the most respected members of sports media are the ones who are able to show some kind of decorum. I have complete respect for his dedication to certain causes, but it doesn't give him the right to act the way he does. Bono may plan telethons and build drinking wells and meet with heads of state, but he knows that writing songs is what made him famous enough to make a difference. Angelina Jolie may do a lot of work with the United Nations, but she doesn't crap all over every actress in Hollywood just because she's a humanitarian. There's been a lot of talk this season about respect in the NHL. I don't expect it only from rookies. I expect anyone who's ever been close to an NHL team to watch what they say when it comes to coaches and players.

And on a more somber note, we're sending thoughts and prayers to St. Louis Blues prospect Jaden Schwartz and his family, after the loss of his sister Mandi. They refer to it as "battling cancer" because it's a tough fight, and you don't always win, but the support that Mandi had from her teammates, friends, and hockey fans everywhere was amazing. I'm the same age as Mandi and I don't think I'd be able to have as much strength as she had. Rest in peace, Mandi, and be proud that you inspired so many people to donate blood and bone marrow.

Congratulations, Jarome

I'm not sure if I've ever made this clear enough, but Jarome Iginla is probably my absolute favourite NHL player. (I hope I didn't hurt Markov's feelings by saying so. Or Josh's. Or Carey's. Sorry boys.)

I've been a Jarome Iginla fan longer than I've been a hockey fan. I don't know why I picked Jarome out of all the players on Team Canada at the Olympics in 2002 or 2006 (I forget which year). I just loved him. Then I started watching hockey. The first non-Habs game I remember watching on TV was a Calgary Flames game. He's the reason why I love seeing the Flames play at the Bell Centre. Heck, I don't even care about all of Jarome's corporate sponsorships because I just love him that much.

Tonight, my absolute favourite hockey player scored his 1000th NHL point.
I've been waiting for this for a couple of weeks now, and I think he's been eager to get to 1000 because he's been playing something fierce lately. And tonight, I turned on the NHL Network right on time. One thousand points.

Congratulations, Jarome.