PJ Stock

Folks, sorry for the delay of my final blog of the hockey season, but once I left my bubble, I was lost. I had no one to take care of me. I was a free man. I was free all right, free of my laptop that I accidentally left in the bubble.

I hope all of you enjoyed the playoffs as much as I did. It was probably one of the best post-seasons that I've witnessed in the past 15 years.

Heading into hockey’s “Sweet 16" I was really looking forward to San Jose and possibly the Flyers or Bruins hooking up for a pretty physical Stanley Cup final. Boy, was I a tad off. The Flyers were gone in round one while the Bruins were ousted in series numero deux.

It was a playoff year that will be remembered (from my point of view) for some of hockey's greatest memories in recent years.

Sid vs. OV going seven games and both of them scoring hat tricks in the same game. Crosby's fist pump, Varlamov's save, the cheap shots at games-end setting the tone. Then the Hurricanes eliminated by New Jersey - oops, the Canes score two goals on Brodeur in the final minutes to eliminate them in seven.

There were other highlights, too. The Ducks/Wings series. Kronwall's hits, Havlat almost gets decapitated, OV's goal of the year. The Gino and Osgood performances (I questioned him, I admit, but like my picks...I was wrong), Getzlaf-Thornton off the get-go, and then Thornton and the Sharks ousted. And, of course, the Habs meltdown.

Then the finals. I thought Detroit had too much firepower and depth at every position. Up two games to zero I had packed my bags and made my flight reservations home for post Game 5. You figured the Pens would squeeze one out, but that would be it, right? What a series, what a playoff, what a year!

Congrats to the Pens and their fans. Congrats to me for staying employed all year despite my poor blogging abilities. Congrats to all of you for not getting me fired for my poor blogging.

Enjoy the summer. Until next season ... ciao.