Mild Heart Attack Averted

Its quite possible I will suffer some sort "attack" during the playoffs due to high blood pressure, over anxiousness, or just a general nail bitting excitement. While my buddy Geoff ate bon bons watching the Pens skate circles around Ottawa, I was jumping, yelling and screaming at the TV for most of the 60 minutes when the Rangers took on the Devils in round one of the Stanly Cup Playoffs.

For anyone that doesn't or hasn't watched a playoff hockey game, they really need to. Its vastly different from the regular season in more ways than one. 1) Experience really does help and until you see a rookie easily and nervously get thrown off his game, you won't understand why. 2) The intensity level is unmatched.. every shift counts, every check finished and every bit of emotion is worn on the players sleeve. 3) The fans are into it from opening face off until the final buzzer.

For much of the first 2 periods in the Rangers Devils game.. it was even matched. Equal hitting, play going back and forth, momentum swinging in both directions - it was a nerve racking experience. Just the kind of hockey that will give me gray hairs. I was on the edge of my seat most of the time, and thats no joke. In the Third thou.. the Rangers turned it on and dominated.. making "Marty the diver" pay for his weak ass mistakes. Backman, Sjostrom and Staal got to experience the joy of the playoff win. Callahan and Dawes got their first NHL playoff goals... which was extra cool for me to see, because although it was an empty neat goal for Dawes.. it was the veteran Shanahan who passed up the empty neater to pass it to Dawes so he could get his first Play off goal. All Class. But the biggest X Factor.. good ol' scottie gomez.. who haunted his ex-team mates by providing 3 Assists during the game. My boy Avery even chipped one in. All in all.. a great night.

Now, if I can just get thru the next game without falling over from the stress of each period... I just may make it to June to see who wins this damn thing. :op