Rite of Spring 2013 (NHL Playoffs): "You have no fear of the underdog, that's why you will not survive."

[DaRadniz29]

#4 Boston vs #1 Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference Finals. Blackhawks stave off elimination to send it back to Detroit for Game 6. Here's to hoping the Sharks can avoid elimination and send it back to Los Angeles for Game 7 on Tuesday.

Bracket Updated.

Go Sharks!!

[Maz]

I said at the beginning of the season if there's one team that will defeat the Penguins, it's the Bruins. We're in for a hell of a ride. Totally gonna go seven.

[fouhy12]

I said at the beginning of the season if there's one team that will defeat the Penguins, it's the Bruins. We're in for a hell of a ride. Totally gonna go seven.

Looking at this series, I think there is a possibility of it going like Boston- Vancouver did in 2011. On paper, both the Canucks and Penguins are better than the Bruins, but they played more consistently and with more energy than Vancouver. Watching the Bruins play Pittsburgh this year was extremely frustrating, because they should have at least won one of the games. Of course, the scheduling didn't help in those games, as two of them were second game in two days for the Bruins. I fully expect Pittsburgh to win, but Boston should win at least two games.

[CubsFanBudMan]

Listening to Chicago sports radio, three things stand out in recent days about the local hosts and (vocal) Blackhawks fans in general:

1. Everybody wanted the Red Wings because of the rivalry. I guess they forgot that you "throw out the records" when rivals meet.

2. If everyone believes that the Blackhawks are the better team, why act as if it's impossible to win three games in a row in a playoff series? I mean, that hasn't been done since... oh yeah, the "inferior" Red Wings in this very series.

3. Win Game 5 to close the gap to 3-2, and suddenly it's back to "Whew, that was a close one, but the Blackhawks will win the series now." Every loss is doom and gloom and every win is "We're going to win it all!" At least five different hosts on two different stations said that they thought before the game that if they won Game 5 they'd win the series.

(I was on the road for a long time yesterday... 670 and 720 have strong signals.)

[CS85]

Listening to Chicago sports radio

That was your first mistake.

[TorinK29]

Wait, did Thornton actually just score a goal. (I'm on gamecenter updates)

That doesn't seem like his thing...

[Kramerica Industries]

Well, I mean, come on, it was a 5-on-3 goal, after all, so it's not like he was throwing himself into the teeth of the Los Angeles defense.

[Lights Out]

Kings just completely melting down, taking penalty after penalty. They'd better compose themselves at home or else the season is over.

[TorinK29]

Well, I mean, come on, it was a 5-on-3 goal, after all, so it's not like he was throwing himself into the teeth of the Los Angeles defense.

Ok then, that makes sense.

Slow claps, Joe, slow claps...

[dbadefense1990]

Kings just completely melting down, taking penalty after penalty. They'd better compose themselves at home or else the season is over.

Given all the suck LA has done so far, I'm surprised the Sharks haven't jumped up by at least three goals by now.

[Morgan33]

Those Black Sharks jerseys are absolutely awful... the logo is invisible on TV.

[Kramerica Industries]

Game 7 in the beckons after San Jose holds off Los Angeles for another 2-1 victory at the Shark Tank.

[ninersdd]

Game 7 Tuesday in LA!

[Still MIGHTY]

So, NBC got a little ahead of themselves. Their Conference Finals commercial focused explicitly on the Penguins, Bruins, (fine, fine) Red Wings and Kings. Jumping the gun in the West a bit, fellas.

---

Good job Sharks. Now you just have to actually show up in Staples Center, and if you do do that, don't blow it in the final seconds.

Go get a win on Tuesday, and promptly lose in the next round, please. Thanks.

[Lights Out]

What a pitiful performance by the Kings. The way they mailed in the third period was inexcusable. Sadly, I could easily see them losing Game 7 now, and even if they win, I don't think they can beat Chicago or Detroit.

[Kramerica Industries]

So, NBC got a little ahead of themselves. Their Conference Finals commercial focused explicitly on the Penguins, Bruins, (fine, fine) Red Wings and Kings. Jumping the gun in the West a bit, fellas.

---

Good job Sharks. Now you just have to actually show up in Staples Center, and if you do do that, don't blow it in the final seconds.

Go get a win on Tuesday, and promptly lose in the next round, please. Thanks.

Would you be ok with the completely possible scenario of the Sharks losing to the Red Wings?

Something tells me most Western fans would be up in arms with the Red Wings claiming one more Conference Championship on their way on the outs.

[CubsFanBudMan]

Listening to Chicago sports radio

That was your first mistake.

Ha. 670 is usually locked in until the Kars for Kids commercial comes on. Any Kars for Kids commercial. Then I click.

[CS85]

Listening to Chicago sports radio

That was your first mistake.

Ha. 670 is usually locked in until the Kars for Kids commercial comes on. Any Kars for Kids commercial. Then I click.

I listen to it about a couple hours a day a few days a week just to gauge the atmosphere. Typically I glean the same things you did: The Chicago Sports World is either at it's end, about to win a title, or everyone should be fired/traded. Also why haven't the 85 Bears been hired to run the franchise?

[DaRadniz29]

So, NBC got a little ahead of themselves. Their Conference Finals commercial focused explicitly on the Penguins, Bruins, (fine, fine) Red Wings and Kings. Jumping the gun in the West a bit, fellas.

---

Good job Sharks. Now you just have to actually show up in Staples Center, and if you do do that, don't blow it in the final seconds.

Go get a win on Tuesday, and promptly lose in the next round, please. Thanks.

NBC Sports showed a Red Wings/Kings Western Conference Final commercial? When did they do that? And why? I must have missed it.

All in all great effort by the Sharks. Excellent third period. Time to find a way for them to win on the road at the Staples Center on Tuesday.

Bracket updated.

Go Sharks!!

[Still MIGHTY]

So, NBC got a little ahead of themselves. Their Conference Finals commercial focused explicitly on the Penguins, Bruins, (fine, fine) Red Wings and Kings. Jumping the gun in the West a bit, fellas.

---

Good job Sharks. Now you just have to actually show up in Staples Center, and if you do do that, don't blow it in the final seconds.

Go get a win on Tuesday, and promptly lose in the next round, please. Thanks.

Would you be ok with the completely possible scenario of the Sharks losing to the Red Wings?

Something tells me most Western fans would be up in arms with the Red Wings claiming one more Conference Championship on their way on the outs.

I mean, yeah, I'd be fine with it. It's not the most preferable scenario for me, but lesser of two evils.

What's another West title or (god forbid) Cup for the Red Wings when you can deny the Sharks their first of either? It's not like it isn't something we haven't seen. It wouldn't grate on me the same way a Sharks title would. And plus, you can look at them taking it over to the East as evil unseen, right?

So, NBC got a little ahead of themselves. Their Conference Finals commercial focused explicitly on the Penguins, Bruins, (fine, fine) Red Wings and Kings. Jumping the gun in the West a bit, fellas.

---

Good job Sharks. Now you just have to actually show up in Staples Center, and if you do do that, don't blow it in the final seconds.

Go get a win on Tuesday, and promptly lose in the next round, please. Thanks.

NBC Sports showed a Red Wings/Kings Western Conference Final commercial? When did they do that? And why? I must have missed it.

It was between the end of the game and the postgame studio stuff. And it was just a generic "The Conference Finals start next week on NBC Sports" commercial, but they showed no Hawks or Sharks highlights. I think there was Hawks in the background on one of the Wings things, but it was focused on a Wings goal with Hawks in the background.