Because I think he owns your soul after you made a pact with the devil.

It is 7:35 in the morning and I already want to go home. I want to get home and watch what could be the last game against Detroit, a series that has stressed my nails to the point where they might just give up and not grow back. I used to have a problem with biting my nails, I fixed that, but now it feels like I fell of the wagon and just can’t help it. Pretty soon I will on the street corner begging to bite someones nails, or is that too much? The point is, work sucks, especially on a day where motivation to do anything is almost twelve hours away.

So, given the outcome of game five, lets flip a coin and see who wins. The team I think will show up this evening will be the team that knows it can close out a series tonight. The Ducks should come out flying, pounding and relentless in front of the net. They have a goalie that is dominating and stealing them games and some veterans that are getting them the goals they need to squeak by. The PPG line needs a big game, they need to be that second option that this team needs desperately to take the pressure off of Selanne, McDonald and Marchant. If you don’t have to play against Lidstrom, you need to produce a little bit more and they are all capable of that.

I would like to see more of that in your face forecheck, in your face play in front of the net and more shots from anywhere on the ice. Shots deflect off of sticks from players just skating through slot not paying attention to the puck, off of skates angled perfectly, screened goalies. SHOOT! Play good defense, stand Detroit up at the line, draw the offside or the nuetral zone turnover because you were on them and were covering lanes. Who is going to stand up and yell at the other guys to pick up their game, to give “10%” more and get to that deflection or gain posession in the corners.

Another reason they need to give it their all, they don’t want to go back to Detroit. If that happens, I don’t even know if I would watch game seven, because they will almost certainly not pull that one out. I know they won twice in Detroit this series, both in OT, but that luck might run out. The other reason I can think to make sure you win tonight, because if the previous sentence stays true and you lose game seven, your season is OVER. That means that all the hype was just that, hype. Sure you might come back next season and rip everyone a new one, but I don’t think I can watch baseball for a few months knowing the Ducks blew it. I can’t even watch baseball, so give me something!

Plus, I am thinking a roster shakeup will come to town, win or lose. Joe D, Huskins, Parros, May, Thornton and O’Donnell will all probably be looking for new jobs. I don’t know what the contracts are on some of them, but I know O’Donnell is not signed through next year and he will probably not be resigned. Burke wants some young talent to come up and learn from horse one and two, like Beauchemin has. Oh, that goalie, what’s his name again? Whatever it is, he probably wont be back either. Giguere is going to command so much money it isn’t even funny. Conn Smythe in 2003, if they advance here he could do it again. He is money in the playoffs, everything about him screams playoff thief or crunch time performer. I think they trade Bryzgalov, they might be able to negotiate something, but that leaves little room for tinkering at the end of the season. So win it for this team that may not be here next season.

Quote of the Day:

“If I was Detroit, I would not be worried about being down 3-2, because they dominated, they can go in and win (Game 6) and come home and win Game 7.” - Brett Hull

“That’s why he’s [Brett Hull] on TV because he’s going to make statements like that, we didn’t play our best game but at the end of the day you have to be able to win the hockey game.” Chris Pronger

Exactly Brett, don’t be such a dick. It really is that simple huh? Didn’t Detroit do just that in games four and five? I would be worried, they haven’t exactly won since game three. You can’t borrow goals from previous games. Maybe you should come out retirement for a game, Rocky, show Chris Pronger who’s boss. Ferraro was pretty whiney on that telecast as well on Sunday, but at least he wasn’t a douche popsicle.