Bryan Murray was smart in breaking up his top line

Gentlemen,

I need to tell you that CBC and H.N.I.C. is such a breath of fresh air. You are all a class act and you make the game enjoyable. VS and NBC that we are forced to watch when you don't broadcast games is horrid. Mr. Cole, Ron M. Don and rest thanks for making hockey for the past 37 years part of my life .. and to other Canadiens across our Northern border sorry we have ruined the game and you have to have Anaheim in your cup. GO SENS !!!

Just a quick question.

Is there a rule that prevents a player in behind the opposing teams net, flipping the puck over top of the net and dropping it right in front of the goalie, or even hitting the goalie in the back and deflecting the puck into the net?

With the puck control these players have, you would think that they would be doing this all the time.

Thanks

Giorgio Frausin

Ron,

Tell Don that the Holiday Inn called they want the curtains and bedspread back that he had made into blazers.

It's plain and simple....you can't blame the refs and you can't even blame the Sens. The Ducks are a better team and that is that. I'm not a Ducks fan but I am a hockey fan and when you look at the support the Ducks are getting from their 2nd 3rd and 4th lines Ottawa can't match it. Razor Ray is a good goal tender but he isn't a great one...YET. Over the next few years he will be a great goalie given his drive and focus. The Ducks have the "winning experience" in their dressing room and 2 out of the top three Norris Trophy nominees. Sorry Sens fans, I would like to see the cup in Canada as much as the next Crazy Canuck,but at least given the amount of Canadian content on the Ducks the cup will spend a huge amount of time touring small town Canada over the next year.

Jack

I would like to say thank you to Don Cherry as he made my little girl, Jaclyns day yesterday on June 01, 2007. We were at the Ottawa airport to drop her father off to return to Afghanistan from his leave. Don was just getting off the escalator as we were getting on. She turned and smiled at me and my husband and said the penny she had found in the parking lot really was lucky, she had seen Don Cherry and now her daddy would come home safe. Thank you for making my daughters day, and making it possible for my husband to return to theatre on a happy note.

Thank you,
Tammy

OK, I know this is a Canadian site, and so I expect this sort of bias. But, give me a break the refs are not favoring the ducks. You guys need to come to terms with the fact that Anaheim played dominant hockey in games 1 and 2. If you can't score on a 5-on-3, you can't expect to win a hockey game. By and By, how many 5-on-3 opps has Anaheim had in this series.... exactly.

don an idea for marketing ,coaches collar ,made of cloth,every time you appear in cities across canada they could be sold in the arenas and raise money for your favourite charity.i'm sure the players would help you by wearing them during interviews ,just imagine a group of kids wearing their coaches collar and flashing your famous thumbs up profile.

Toronto gal long time here in the UK checking out the NHL latest. Great to listen to the voices of Hockey Night in Canada - Don and Ron and all the Stanley Cup talk ... you can't beat it! Come on Ottawa!!!!

To all who love hockey with all of your hearts... Here in Los Angeles there is no buzz around this series and I have friends in Anaheim and there is no buzz at all about it. They are passionless and star struck lets leave it at that.
The NHL needs to wake up and move this team to Winnipeg or Hamilton... this place is a joke and the Sens need to win the cup as it mean nothing here in California!

I called this before the playoffs even started. Bateman (or what ever his name is) doesn't care about the game, all he cares about is the mighty dollar. SELL SELL SELL!!! That's all he cares about. An extended break before the finals and ref's that suddenly allow players to be man handled... sorry I mean ottawa players to be man handled. If this keeps up I wouldn't be supprised if a riot starts in Ottawa after the next game.

No matter how bad we feel as Canadian's about Ducks not being called for what they should be, one obvious fact remains. ALL CANADIAN TEAMS HAVE THE TENDENCY TO COLLAPSE UNDER PRESSURE.

Look at Senz, great team with good defence an amazing Goalie who is playing better than ever.. But... Fact remains when the U.S. Marine corp, stands out in the Hockey ring with U.S. flags somehow the Stanley cup final takes their game away from them.

Ottawa has lost its speed, its tendency to control puck, passing not to mention a new tendency to give away. We have seen it over and over again. Flames collapsed, Oiler's followed them and look at Senz.

They need to pick up their moral and their game. This TEAM CAN DO IT!!... Go Senz Go!..

I am sick of hearing about clutching and grabbing in this series. I have seen none of it. What I have seen are those with the puck getting hit or bumped enough that they cough up the puck. Ottawa players and their fans need to quit blaming everything else but the true culprits. Ottawa is just not used to being hit as hard and as often as they have in this series. They are intimidated and it shows on the ice. In Game 2, Jason Spezza looked like he was going to leave behind bodily fluids when ever the puck got anywhere near him.

Great commentary Ron and Don,
I would like to suggest that Chris Phillips and Wade Redden start taking the puck from their net and go in and score on the Ducks. Sometimes you have to get the big guys to go in and hammer a few pucks into the net on the Ducks. So lick your wounds and get in there.
Just a thought.
A F Armstrong

The Sens have to be the aggressors at home. I could not beleive how easy it was for the Duck defence to bring the puck out of their own zone unchallenged. The only time the Sens pressed was after they went down a goal, then they played with some urgency and created scoring chances. Like Don says, dump and chase and let Neidemyer feel a little of what the Ottawa defence is enduring.

wah wah wah, you sound like a bunch of cry babies. clutch, hold, referees, bleet whine boohoo.

The facts are the ducks outplayed the senators in every facet of the game. period. the last game was the most lopsided 1 goal game in the playoffs.

the ducks are the real mccoy and the senators are the pretenders.

as for refereeing, the senators have benefitted already from their whining, getting two 5 on 3's which their "super line" couldn't convert. sure the odd penalty is missed on both sides, however questionable and marginal calls have gone against the ducks and almost unfortuantely gave game 1 undeservedly to the sens.

face the facts and stop making excuses, the sens aren't even close to the same level as the ducks.

as the old addages says, offense wins fans, defence wins games.

To Grapes and Ron,

After 4 years in hockey exile I can't explain what a thrill it was to sit in the Blue Bar in Wuxi and see the hockey game on the big screen, albeit delayed. It was an excited crowd of Canadians from all parts of Canada, Europeans, Chinese and Aussies that crowded in to see the replay of the game. Ottawa has to win the next one, we all know that and it is not impossible given the depth of their talent from the goal out. The teams look evenly matched but Ottawa has to get grittier if they are to have any chance, especially the big line of Heatley, Spezza and Alfredsson. My big problem now is how to I explain the rules...and Don's suit to my friends here in China!! Long live hockey and may the best team win! And thanks for bringing a bit of Canada to all of us here in China.

I know it is probably not politically incorrect to be rooting for the Ducks,but I live in Stewart Valley and have been surrounded by Moens all my life. So when a hometown boy is in the Stanley Cup Finals, even though he's playing for an American team, its hard not to cheer him on. This is a close knit community.We rejoice at weddings, gather for reunions and weep tears at funerals together. We did that recently in a space of eight months. A young couple just got married last fall. They were excited to find out they were expecting a baby, but there were complications and the young mom, Erin Kjos died during an ultra sound, but not before they were able to deliver the baby, a little boy, Lukas 2 months premature. Troy, his dad had to bury his wife of eight months and is now faced with raising a new born baby. This little community held a number of functions to raise money to help out and the coming playoff game nights are no exception. We are having pot luck dinners all the game nights and gathering to watch the games together. A plasma T.V. is being raffled as well as a signed Jersey from Travis, which he will present at a later date. I'm not ashamed to say I hope he brings the Stanley Cup with him. All the money from those tickets goes to help Troy and Lucas get by. Its a great community and we love our Duck!!!!!! Can you really blame us?

The Ducks are playing great hockey. They are out-hitting and out-skating the Sens. How many 5 on 3s do you need before you decide it's the Sens and not the refs who are bad.

OMG - I can't believe all of the crying from Sens fans. Don't get mad at the refs just because the Sens couldn't convert on the NUMEROUS two man advantages they've had against the Ducks.

I don't recall the Ducks having had ONE two man advantage in the series... maybe it's time for the refs to give the Ducks one to even things up, eh?

God only knows what the series might be like if the Sens had managed to convert on their two man powerplays. Especially when there's been only a one goal difference in the first two games. So quit whining - why don't you hold your beloved Sens accountable for a change? Sheesh.

Hi Don:Ron

Senators are not relaxed ?

Running or performing at ninety percent effort stimulates relaxatian and results in faster movement,more strength,sharper vision,less fatigue,and an improved sense of well-being.Championship perfomance in what-ever you do,supports the notion that relaxatin is the most widely ignored aspect of athletic training,yet is the most crucial.A relaxed body-mind is a common characteristic of all great athletes in all sports throughout the world.Their optimal performance occurs when their physical,mental and emotional selves are relaxed and working harmoniously together prior to and during a performance.In athletics environment where people take themselves and their sport very seriousily,it is difficult to relax.Anxiety levels rise when people place a price tag on the outcome of an event or game.Yet in the grand scheme of things,no loss or setback will ruin your life Create an environment for yourself where you take your task seriously but not yourself or the outcome.often,times,an astute coach can help you.Now, go out there and have a great time" the young man did just that and,in the process, brought home a wonderful victory.With the pressure off he ran the race of his life. Pass this to the coach and his players. NOT TO WORRIE ABOUT THE GOALIE .He is relaxed and confiedent.

Ottawa is soft!! The Ducks will win this series in five!! I find the Senators fans have to come up with some excuse why they are getting dominated by the better team!!

I agree with all the comments that the Stanley Cup final officiating is yet to be desired and that the Dirty Ducks are getting away with too many penalties that should be called, such as the interference on the Sens. Hello. The Refs seem to be favoring the Ducks. This makes me ill.......

I totally agree with everyone's comments, especially Chris's (cut and paste).

Chris

London

Now I get it. It took two games, but I see the obvious attempt to keep Hockey alive in the South. The Ducks can obstruct, rough, hold, hit from behind and break every other rule in the book and get away with most of them. Ottawa attempts to make a game out of it by checking, and they are called instantly.
They won't even call a blatant elbow to Comrie when it happens right in front of them.
It's pretty sickening to watch the Ducks walk away with two wins by playing the very type of hockey that the "new" NHL has supposedly removed from the game. Hit's are great, when they're legal. The clutch and grab, and interference that Anaheim has mastered slows the game and should be called.
They call it all year, and then let it happen in the Final? STUPID!

Relax Relax

Good points on Emery. He has become a way better goalie then people give him credit for. Good to see the Kane kid from Buffalo. Sens fans, the Ducks are just bulldozing your club. Some guys besides Fisher and Volchenkov better start responding. Dont confuse tight checking, hard hitting play with clutch and grab slowdown hockey. The Ducks are winning most of the battles just like the Sens did to the Sabres. We'll see how the Sens respond on Sat.
I still think its going to be a long series.

If Brian Murray can't get his team to dump the puck in and score a few goals, they will be swept in four. Truth is that the Ducks are not that great but the Sens are making them look unbeatable.

pronger belongs in jail, not on the ice, having skates on lets him assault freely without penalities, what are we teaching our youth that are watching this series. Congratulations ottawa ,you are in the stanley cup finals, I for one am proud...Go sens GO

Chris and all,
Greetings from L.A.
You share many of the thoughts of my brother and myself, along with those twenty or so other natives in Southern California that really know hockey.
Not the yuppies that have recently jumped on the Ducks bandwagon nor the actors, actresses, models and wannabes that jumped on (and off) the Kings train based on Gretzky's stay in LA.
Don't get me wrong, I hate the Ducks, they have played this way ALL season.
It's too bad really because the Ducks have some talented players (not a ton of heart but a lot of talent), and this could be a good series if the refs took away the clutch, grab and leading with the high elbows.
You hypothesis that this is more about the NHL marketing then letting the teams play is spot on. It happened to a degree the year before the lock-out as some timely bad calls helped send up the TB Lightning. Last year it was a poorly called Stanley Cup finals and again the officiating out west favoured the Ducks (but they were overcome none the less) but the series that was criminally officiated last year was the Buffalo and Carolina series. It was obvious that there was an NHL edict for Carolina to advance (after all they can't sell anymore seats in Buffalo).
Perhaps the league should make the cup a hybrid of the All-Star Game and the Stanley Cup. They can pick a home team in advance that suits them to play the winners of the rounds.

About last nights game I think the Sens were lacking in their passing game.
Dumping the puck in the zone is good at times but not all the time. This part of the game was frustrating me.
The Sens can be a tad more physical while avoiding taking unecessary penalties.
Beware of boarding the Ducks. Notice when they have the puck they tend to turn around and face the boards just to invite the boarding call.
Also, watch for Perry he is just waiting to flop to the ice when touched. He reminds me of Derek Roy a bit. They are both divers and fackers. "Kick butt in Ottawa Sens"

what is the story where all captains of the winning team in the Stanley cup have been canadians. Is this a truth that teams who want to win the Stanley have had Canadian Captains.

Now I get it. It took two games, but I see the obvious attempt to keep Hockey alive in the South. The Ducks can obstruct, rough, hold, hit from behind and break every other rule in the book and get away with most of them. Ottawa attempts to make a game out of it by checking, and they are called instantly.
They won't even call a blatant elbow to Comrie when it happens right in front of them.
It's pretty sickening to watch the Ducks walk away with two wins by playing the very type of hockey that the "new" NHL has supposedly removed from the game. Hit's are great, when they're legal. The clutch and grab, and interference that Anaheim has mastered slows the game and should be called.
They call it all year, and then let it happen in the Final? STUPID!

Don Cherry is so great because he's down to earth,say it like it is and love's hockey and the people who are involved in it.He always brings a smile to my face,and hopefuly either Kyle or Patrick will as well when they're filling the opposition's net for my Blackhawks

It seems to be way to big of a stage for Spezza and Heatly.

The Sens are collapsing under the pressure....

I wouldn't be surprised if the Ducks win in 4.........

THE REFS SUCK
CALL THE GAME
QUIT LETTING THE DUCKS GRAB AND CLUCH
THE SENS DESERVE BETTER
ARE WE SELLING ARE GAME OR SELLING OUT

selling the game to the americans is one thing. but to call the game for the ducks just blows my mind away.
more cluching and grabbing in this series then there was in the old days. are the wistles bran new call the game
these reffs should go back to the little league