Friday, May 4, 2012

Biggest surprises in the 2012 playoffs (so far)

A collection of objects that went through Ilya Bryzgalov's five-hole this month.
The 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs turned four weeks old this past Wednesday, and by now, most people's brackets have been ruined.  Things haven't exactly gone as 'experts' thought they would to this point, but there have been more surprises than just which teams are still playing.  Here's what I mean.

  • Jeremy Roenick called out several Russian players in the playoffs this season.  None of them were his ex-teammates in San Jose.
     
  • After beating the Bruins in Game 7, Caps GM George McPhee said he might break the team's tradition of trading away their best goalie after flopping in the playoffs.
     
  • Jamie Langenbrunner's team is on the brink of being bounced out of the playoffs in the second round.  The real surprise is that Jamie Langenbrunner's team hasn't been bounced out already.
     
  • It's surprising that with all the bad shots Michael Yormark took at Devils fans that none of them went through Ilya Bryzgalov's five-hole.
     
  • Tyler Seguin's popularity among females is gaining on Justin Bieber's.
  • Marian Gaborik is in full playoff mode when he faces the Capitals in double-overtime, but he forgets it's the playoffs when it gets to triple-overtime.
     
  • Coyotes fans get knocked a lot for there not being more of them, but hey, Jobing.com has been louder than the Bell Centre over the last four weeks.  Well, except for Marc Bergevin's presser...
     
  • The L.A. Kings' Twitter account has been funny and entertaining, yet wasn't shut down by the NHL for being funny and entertaining.
     
  • The New York Rangers are the best trapping team in the NHL.  Yeah, you read that correctly.
     
  • Brendan Shanahan chokes at his new job in the playoffs more than the Vancouver Canucks at their's.
     
  • If Barry Trotz coached the Rangers or Capitals, he'd have suspended his entire team for playing hockey until 12:15 AM.
     
  • Brian Elliott was traded back to the Ottawa Senators before the series against the Kings.  Something like that.
     
  • Dustin Penner is playing like he's an Edmonton again.  Then again, it's the playoffs, so forget I said that.
     
  • Ryan McDonagh played more in the Rangers' triple-overtime game in D.C. than Stu Bickel has in his 10 games this postseason.  No, really.