It's a test.

As a former goalie myself, I'm of the opinion that seeing a great save is every bit as thrilling as seeing a great goal. That said, I think the bowed nets are an interesting idea. I hope they'll experiment with them at the AHL level for a season or two and study the results. I'd also love to see the rinks expand to international dimensions, but it's doubtful that owners would sacrifice that much premium seating.

Brett Hull is a complete blowhard under normal circumstances, but it was excruciating to watch him amp it up even more while trying to keep up with Grapes.

I love Don Cherry, but the reason he works so well on HNIC is that Ron McLean tempers him a bit. NBC should consider dropping Hull and having Cherry work with Bill Clement, who does a good job as the voice of reason. Wow, I never thought I'd be saying that about one of the Broad Street Bullies.

At the start of the the first year, there are 15 titles to be won during the next 15 years. And there are 30 teams, so the probability of winning a title is 15/30 = 50%.

But at the start of the tenth year, 10 titles remain, with the same 30 teams, so the probability of winning a title is 10/30 = 33.33333%.

By the fifteenth year, only one title remains, and the probability of winning that title is 1 title divided by 30 teams = 3.3333 percent.

If you manipulate this whole string of numbers (year one through year fifteenn), you come up with exactly the same overall result that Poster Anonymous came up with.

My problem was that I did not know what his symbol ^ meant. I now believe it means "to the power of." And, my other problem is that I have learned all my probabilities at the track, rather than at school.

I am not sure which approach is more relevant to the question.

I'll take it. I want to see the cup on Balboa Island. I want to see it glinting brighter and far more honest than the Crystal Cathedral.

More, I want to see the undrafted hopefuls lift the cup. Guys like Andy McDonald, Chris Kunitz and Dustin Penner, lift the cup. Guys who everyone else had given up on as too small, too slow, no hands, too big.

So if the "old guy" wins it, cool. But there are some young guys who deserve it too. There are more stories to this playoff series than just Selanne's token "Old Man" role.

--Alfredsson should be suspended or otherwise punished for last night's shocking shot at Niedermayer. That, however, would require the NHL to apply consistency in its rulings, and that would create an imbalance in the universe from which we would likely not recover.

--I have no allegiance to either team in the SCF, but picked the Ducks as my team to root for largely because I'd love to see Teemu skate the Cup. I don't know that he deserves it, per se, but it's nice to see someone who has played for 14 seasons w/his skill, heart and unbridled enthusiasm for the game finally reach the promised land. I predict he will announce his retirement within a week of finally winning it all.

--I'm firmly in the get-rid-of-fighting camp, but must admit that Grapes had me thinking differently for a minute. Yes, the fights are entertaining and clearly a huge part of the game's history, but anyone who would rather watch two goons square off than a 2-on-1--and thinks that that's what hockey needs to bring more fans out--is missing the beauty of the game.

--Brett Hull is a freakin' blowhard idiot. I believe he was on the ice when Yzerman (who wore a visor ever since that incident) took a shot to the eye a few playoffs back, and he still thinks wearing visors are somehow a bad idea?

--I read today that introducing "bowed nets" is an idea picking up steam at the GM meetings. Personally, I don't think more goals = better hockey. Anyone care to comment on that?

--joeliethegoalie

If I remember correctly, and it was a long time ago when I followed hockey, Ray Borque played for two Stanley Cups with the Bruins losing to dynasties twice, the Oilers and Islanders. I remember being heartbroken both of those times for him and for the team.

After he did win, there were some diehard Borque fans who came out to Boston City Hall for a "parade" just for him.

I'm glad he got his moment with the Stanley Cup, I just wish that he could have done it with the Bruins.

We get this in every sport. Gary Payton or David Robinson in the NBA, Wade Boggs in baseball, John Elway in the NFL. Just listing the first ones that come to mind. There's something about the NHL, though, where it seems to have a little more resonance.

Is this really true? I thought these things were more resonant in, say, basketball, which is star-driven to a greater degree than hockey. So, Karl Malone or Charles Barkley's chase for the ring made for huge stories, as will Kevin Garnett's, should that day come. The bigger the star, the more resonant this particular story.

It's also a big story in football, but only really for QB's, which are a) easily the biggest star position and b) much more presumptively responsible for their team's success. So, when Peyton fails in the playoffs year after year, his personal "quest" pretty much becomes item #1 when he finally gets to the big game.

I agree it's a tired tale, but I generally associate it more with other sports than with hockey, not less (although Ray Bourque springs to mind, there aren't many other players I think of in that frame).

I've been avoiding all other sports outlets for the last 4 days so I can hear all about how awesome (and consequently, not Nowitski-ish) LeBron James is. Will he look that awesome against the Spurs? Or is the fact that no one else on the Cavs is a true scoring threat going to doom them in the end? King, I depend on you for my sports knowledge/opinions, please don't let me down. Tell me what I think!!!

Sarcasm Off

RE: Add to "people who deserve to win it" list in recent years: Jerome Bettis. You know, I hate that storyline too, but it seems to work, at times. Plus its sort of nice to see professional atheletes caring about something other than themselves, at least as a motivational tool (which is all that "win one for the gipper" crap is anyway).