Flyers: Stanley Cup...Drag Race?

It could happen. Well, maybe (definitely) not, but in my odd little mind I like to imagine that, after the seventh and final game of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series between the Flyers and Sabres went seven overtime periods with neither team able to score, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman decreed that the time had come...for the two teams to lip-sync for their lives before RuPaul!  And then...

"I've made my decision...Philadelphia Flyers...chanté, you stay!"

"Buffalo Sabres...you made a strong run to get into this competition and acquitted yourself well. You may go on to greater things if you believe in yourself and continue to work hard. However, your gas-fracking owner supports evil Republican governors. And that, my dears, is something none of us should abide.

"Now...sashay...away."

(Keep in mind that you get what you pay for here, especially at 2:55 am.)

Birthday/Flyers-Sabres Live Blog

It won't be quite as interesting without the Phillies and Sixers, but I'm going to live-blog the Flyers-Sabres Eastern Conference Game 4 starting at 7:30 pm (that's EDT if anyone in other time zones actually reads this). I'll probably throw in random comments on other stuff as well, including whatever games I find on my TV between periods of the Flyers game.

The benefit of this is that your Twitter and Facebook timelines won't be bombarded by my posts, as everything I say will be right here. Updates will commence around 7:30, just as the telecast begins. Just keep refreshing this page.

Oh, and did I mention that I'll be enhancing my brainpower with rum and diet Pepsi? ;-)

7:33 pm: First drink poured. LET'S GO FLYERS! Here it's on Comcast Sportsnet while Versus is showing Capitals-Rangers Game 4. Not sure what the rest of the nation is seeing on Versus.

7:37: First drink sipped. A bit strong. I can't get too drunk or I'll forget to put the trash out for tomorrow. Come on, game, begin!

7:40: And yes, this is a weird way to spend a birthday. Ooooh -- it's begun!

7:44: Game is on Versus in Washington and New York (so the rest of the nation is seeing Caps-Rangers). Sabres have come out aggressive, as you'd expect since they're behind 2-1 in the series.

2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs - Conference Quarterfinals

Once again, I'll offer predictions for the Stanley Cup playoffs, the finest professional sports postseason there is. The usual caveat -- other than the Flyers, my fountain of knowledge of teams is limited at best, so if you're looking for "expert" analysis you won't find much here. And as I'm writing this two or three of the series-opening games have already started, but I only know one partial score and it's not affecting my pick for that series. I've been watching the Phillies anyway, since the Flyers don't begin until tomorrow night.

By the way, did you know that there are three teams based in California in the playoffs, but only two from our hockey-crazed neighbors to the north? Woe, Canada...

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Washington Capitals vs. (8) New York Rangers - The Rangers made a late run, then kind of backed into the playoffs at the end. Capitals in 5.
(2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (7) Buffalo Sabres - see below. Yes, I'm being a tease again.
(3) Boston Bruins vs. (6) Montreal Canadiens - This should be a war. Bruins in 7.
(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Tampa Bay Lightning - Penguins in 6, although it worries me that they're still playing without Sidney Crosby.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (8) Chicago Blackhawks - This should be great even though the defending Cup champs backed in (even moreso than did the Rangers) on the last day of the season. Canucks in 7.
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Los Angeles Kings - Thanks to some of their employees (on- and off-ice) who used to work here, the Kings are kind of like Flyers West, so I wouldn't be sad to see them make a run, but they have some injury issues (just like Flyers East often has!) and the Sharks are better anyway. Sharks in 6.
(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Phoenix Coyotes - Please, dear (insert your preferred deity/deities here), get that team out of Phoenix once and for all, please? Red Wings in 5.
(4) Anaheim Ducks vs. (5) Nashville Predators - I can honestly say I know very little about either of these teams. However, I read that Flyers color analyst/Versus studio cohost Keith Jones says the Predators are going to be in the Stanley Cup finals, and that just seems ludicrous, so...Ducks in 6.

And now, the moment you've been waiting for...my Flyers-Sabres pick!