Pavel Datsyuk - ready to play?

NIKALE PHOTOS

PITTSBURGH—If the smile on his face while skating at Wednesday's practice is any indication, expect to see center Pavel Datsyuk back in the Detroit Red Wings lineup for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals. Datsyuk hasn't played in the playoffs since Game 2 of the Western Conference finals because of a foot injury.

Datsyuk said he felt good Wednesday, but coach Mike Babcock wouldn't go so far as to say Datsyuk would be in the lineup tonight.

"What we'll do is go for the optional skate in the morning and see how he responded today and see how he felt," Babcock said. "He's one of the best players in the world. Obviously, we'd like to have him. But it's one of those injuries."

Datsyuk said it would be a game-time decision, but said he's healthy and feels as good as he did before the injury.

"I feel like again 18 years young," he said. "I have lots of fun, exciting wearing skates … I want to play so bad. I don't want to watch this game again."

Babcock confirmed that veteran center Kris Draper(notes) would return to the lineup regardless of Datsyuk's status. Draper has been out with a groin injury. The return of Draper and Datsyuk would be a boost to the Wings' struggling penalty kill. The Red Wings are killing only 71.4 percent of opposing power plays during the playoffs.

But it's not the percentage that bothers Babcock.

"It's when you give them up," he said. "You know, that's huge. Last night, we needed a kill. Without any question, it was a 2—2 game. We needed the kill."

Zetterberg logs serious minutes

Playing in Pittsburgh makes it more difficult to match Henrik Zetterberg(notes) against Sidney Crosby(notes), so Detroit's shutdown center ended up double-shifting and finished Game 3 with an ice time of 24:19.

It was his highest total of the season in a game that didn't go to overtime.

"Yesterday, when I saw the sheet, I didn't expect it to be that much. I thought it was my usual 20 minutes," Zetterberg said.

Babcock wasn't concerned with the extra time wearing Zetterberg down, although he admitted 24 minutes isn't ideal.

"I didn't think we overplayed him," Babcock said.

If Detroit continues to remain so focused on getting the right players on the ice to stop Crosby, Crosby's teammates have to take advantage.

"It does leave the onus on our other guys to play our game and get to the offensive zone to take some pressure off just one guy scoring," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. "Better play in the offensive zone by everybody would make those matchups better, even better for us."

Same series, different feeling

The Red Wings are up 2-1, just like they were last year at this time. But Maxime Talbot said the Penguins' confidence level is much higher this time.

The first two games were much closer, Talbot said, and he never felt the same level of domination the Red Wings displayed last season.

"But we know how big this Game 4 is now because we lost it last year and it was hard to come back from a 3-1 deficit," Talbot said. "From the experience of last year, I think we feel it's different, and we're up to the challenge a little bit more."

Television Ratings for the Fianals

NEW YORK (AP)—Television ratings for the Stanley Cup finals are off to their best start since 2002.

NBC said Tuesday that Games 1 and 2 averaged a 2.8 rating and 5 share. That’s up 17 percent from last year, when the first games on the network were Games 3 and 4. Versus showed Games 1 and 2 in 2008; the cable channel is broadcasting Games 3 and 4 this year.

The ratings were the highest for the first two games on NBC or ABC since 2002, when the Detroit-Carolina series averaged a 3.4/7.

Detroit beat Pittsburgh on Saturday and Sunday.

The rating is the percentage watching a program among homes with TVs. The share is the percentage tuned into the broadcast among those households with TVs on at the time.

John Tavares - Ready for Draft

PITTSBURGH -- Much has been written in recent months about John Tavares and why he should boycott Long Island should the New York Islanders select the 18-year-old with No. 1 selection in the 2009 Entry Draft, which will be held later this month in Montreal.

Time and time again, Tavares has stated that there will be no such boycott. If the Isles want him, he's theirs.

He reiterated that statement Tuesday morning at Mellon Arena, only hours before watching his first Stanley Cup Final game in person.

"Not many guys get that opportunity to be selected No. 1," Tavares said. "I'd love to go No. 1, but then again I'd love to go to any NHL team. I feel like I can contribute in a good way. If it happens, I'll be honored and very excited. But I'll be just as honored and excited if it doesn't happen."

Tavares recently met with Islanders brass on Long Island and said he came away impressed. While Isles owner Charles Wang still faces an uphill battle for a new/renovated Nassau Coliseum, Tavares was happy to get a first-hand look at some parts of Long Island -- including the rink that opened its doors 18 years before he was born.

At the meeting, though, Tavares wasn't assured that he would become an Islander on June 26. Highly touted Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman -- who is also here in Pittsburgh -- visited Long Island Monday. Matt Duchene also recently made a trip.

"I think they're keeping things low-key," said Tavares, who has an Ontario Hockey League record 215 goals. "They're trying to decide exactly what they want to do. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I got to meet a lot of people in the organization and I got to see the rink and a little bit of Long Island. I had breakfast with Doug Weight. It was a good experience for me and a good opportunity to check out Long Island and get to know (GM) Garth (Snow) a little bit, and Mr. Wang. I had a good time and we'll see what happens."

Should the Isles opt for Tavares, he would become part of a rebuilding process that already includes promising forwards Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey, and would almost certainly make the club out of training camp in September. New York had 13 selections in last year's draft and also holds the 26th, 31st and 37th picks later this month. While it's possible Snow could deal some of those selections on draft weekend for an established NHL player, there's little doubt either Tavares or Hedman -- or Duchene, a dark horse in this race -- will be an Islander in just over three weeks' time.

But at least one other GM is still willing to make a deal. Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke clearly would love to have Tavares call the Air Canada Centre home.

"We continue to try to move up," Burke said on Tuesday afternoon. "We haven't success so far. The two times that I have been successful making a deal happened on the (draft) floor. I'm not discouraged yet."

On Tuesday, Tavares made one thing perfectly clear -- he won't be discouraged if the Islanders call his name on June 26 at the Bell Centre. Perhaps it was on his visit when he learned there's much more to Long Island than Uniondale.

"It was a lot of fun," Tavares said of his trip. "I had a really good time and got to know them a lot more and what they're all about and their philosophy and see the way they do things. Long Island's a great city. Obviously, they've got a good organization and really have a good fan base when they have winning teams. They have a lot of tradition there from the Stanley Cups. I really enjoyed my time there."

Where Are They Now: Mike Vernon

Mike Vernon. Calgary Flames. 1989 Stanley Cup

For 21 National Hockey League seasons, Mike Vernon prevented the opposition from putting pucks in the net.

These days, Vernon is still a gatekeeper of sorts. But as vice president of the Bear Mountain Resort in British Columbia, he’s trying to let everyone in.

Visitors to this resort who aren’t hockey fans will see this sharp-dressed 5-foot-9 man walking the grounds and have no clue that he won two Stanley Cups, played for four NHL teams and faced legendary players — such as his long-time rival, Patrick Roy.

The Vernon-Roy rivalry began in 1986 when Vernon’s Calgary Flames lost the Stanley Cup Finals to Roy’s Montreal Canadiens. Three years later, Vernon, still with Calgary, won the first of his two Stanley Cups. That same year, Roy won the Vezina Trophy. Another memorable moment came in the 1996 Western Conference Finals when Roy, now with Colorado, helped the Avalanche eliminate Detroit, whose No. 1 goaltender was Vernon.

But during the 1996-97 season, their rivalry took another twist. On March 26, 1997, Vernon won his 300th game in a 6-5 overtime Detroit victory over Colorado. However, that milestone was overshadowed by a line brawl which featured a center ice fight between Vernon and Roy.

That wasn’t the only time Vernon was victorious over Roy that season. In a Western Conference Finals rematch, Vernon and Red Wings swept Roy and the Avalanche in four games. Vernon would lead Detroit to their first Stanley Cup in 41 years and receive the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs.

“It takes certain ingredients to win the Stanley Cup — a great team and a little luck,” Vernon said about that memorable season, “and we had both. It was a great honor I dreamed about since childhood.”

As for battling against Roy, Vernon left his feelings on the ice.

“He’s a great goaltender and competitor,” Vernon said of his rivalry with Roy. “I think there’s mutual respect there. We both stick up for our teammates. That’s the sport.”

“The sport” also involves change. After that Stanley Cup season, Vernon was traded to the Sharks before the 1997-98 campaign. Vernon, along with Kelly Hrudey, gave the Sharks two credible Stanley Cup Finals-tested veterans in net, a necessary ingredient as the Sharks were building a foundation to compete. Over the next two-plus seasons, Vernon won 52 games and posted nine shutouts. Most importantly, in his first year (1997-98), Vernon won 30 games and helped the Sharks start a run of five consecutive playoff seasons.

When the 1999-00 season began, Vernon and Steve Shields were San Jose’s goaltenders. But on Dec. 30, 1999, Vernon was traded to Florida. Two days later, a rookie named Evgeni Nabokov made his debut in relief of Shields at Nashville.

While the trade would eventually create an opportunity for a future Calder Memorial Trophy winner and two-time NHL All-Star, Vernon was shocked when he got the news. “(Head Coach Darryl Sutter) told me to get ready to play the second half of the season. I was well rested and ready to play,” Vernon said. “I was completely thrown for a loop because I felt like we finally had all the pieces to challenge for the Stanley Cup. I was very disappointed.”

Vernon would finish the season with the Panthers before concluding his career by returning to his native Calgary for his last two seasons with the Flames. When he retired, Vernon had 385 wins, 27 shutouts and a 2.98 goals-against average. He’s still Calgary’s all-time leader in games played (526) and wins (262).

Vernon may have been disappointed about not staying in San Jose, but there’s no hard feelings. “The Sharks have great ownership,” Vernon said. “It was great to play for an organization that wanted to win and was willing to take risks to put a winning product on the ice. My wife and I enjoyed living there. It’s one of the best places to live.”

Lately, there’s been some rumblings in the hockey community about Vernon making the Hockey Hall of Fame. “If they (the nominators) believe I’m worthy, great,” he said. “But regardless, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. The Hockey Hall of Fame is out of my control.”

What’s in his control these days is the success of Bear Mountain, located in Victoria, which is southwest of Vancouver on Vancouver Island. Vernon was introduced to the resort business by Len Barrie, one of his former Florida teammates. Barrie, now one of the owners of the Tampa Bay Lightning, went into real estate development after retirement and became CEO and president of the resort. Vernon got involved with Bear Mountain a few years ago when Barrie asked him to look at the resort in its planning phase.

“Things are going well, but it’s a big project. The first 15 years are the most important for development and sustainability,” Vernon said. “Len and I used to travel around a lot to play golf all over the United States. We noticed there weren’t any golf resorts in Canada. We wanted to bring this concept to the west coast of Victoria because it has the best weather and caters to a huge tourist population.”

Bear Mountain has a golf course, housing, conference rooms, workout facilities and a little village with shops, markets and pubs. Facility guests can partake in numerous activities such as hiking, biking, kayaking and salmon fishing.

Vernon’s involvement with Bear Mountain coincides with his passion for golf. “Golf is just a good game,” he said. “I played as a kid. During the summer, I’d go workout for hockey and then head to the golf course. In fact, I owned a small course outside of Calgary.”

While Vernon is busy with the resort and being with his family, which includes four children, he’s still involved in hockey. He helps coach his children’s teams and is also Tampa Bay’s special assistant to the executive vice president of hockey operations. Vernon assists in hockey-related matters and provides guidance to the team’s goaltenders.

But despite all of the demands in his life, Vernon said family is No. 1. “It’s the time in my life where I need to focus on being a father and husband,” he said. “I want to be able to provide for them but also be there to experience as much as possible with them. My hope for the future is to live as normal a life as possible and spend time with my family and friends.”

Sarnia Bluewater Sharks Wins the Tournament

Sarnia 95 Bluewater Sharks

I have spent another terrific weekend watching my son playing for Sarnia Bluewater Sharks 95 "AAA" team. Even more important - we have won 2009 St. Thomas Annual Classic Tournament.

Thank you, Peter

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - Hundreds of mourners packed a Toronto-area church Friday for the funeral service of former NHL player Peter Zezel.

Zezel, who played several seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, died Tuesday at the age of 44 after suffering from a rare blood disorder for the last 10 years.

Some of those in attendance included former Leafs teammates Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark, and former team GM Cliff Fletcher.

Outside the mass at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, Clark called Zezel an "ambassador for the game, an ambassador for how to love life and have fun."

The Toronto native played in the NHL for 15 seasons, including three-plus seasons with the Leafs in the early 1990s.

Over his 873-game NHL career, Zezel scored 219 goals and collected 389 assists for 608 points.


I happened to know him. Well, not too close... Peter was really nice person.

Tickets price - Detroit vs. Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Penguins at Detroit Red Wings
Sat, May 30 2009 8:00 PM
Joe Louis Arena - Detroit, MI

294 tickets available from $161 to $1343 each.

Detroit Red Wings at Pittsburgh Penguins
Tue, Jun 02 2009 8:00 PM
Mellon Arena - Pittsburgh, PA

314 tickets available from $255 to $3745 each

I don't know about you but I am impressed with $3745 one-ticket-price. Who told our economy is down and Pittsburgh is dying city?

Ultimate Glory--Stanley Cup Preview

Detroit vs. Pittsburgh. Playoffs Finals...but 2008

lovecrosby87

The stage is set. The ice is solid. The players are ready to fight for Lord Stanley. For the second straight year, the Detroit Red Wings will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. My two favourite teams. Never would I have thought I would get to see my two favourite teams square off two years in a row…in fact, if you asked me this back in November, i would have laughed and said the Pens will be lucky if they even make the playoffs. Both teams are ready to go and no one wants to go home a loser.

Stanley Cup Finals

Detroit Red Wings versus Pittsburgh Penguins— Reigning Champs versus Reigning Runner-ups. At this point last year, the Wings held a 2 game lead over the “Final Freshmen” Penguins. The Penguins are determined to not let that happen again. Both teams have improved considerably since the last time they fought for Lord Stanley’s glory. Most notably, the Wings acquired Marian Hossa from..the Penguins. Hossa infamously said “I want to go on a team that has a chance of winning the Cup.” The Penguins were struck by his relatively harsh words and are determined to make him realize that the Penguins can win a Cup…without his help. Ty Conklin is also playing for the Wings this year..although, unless Osgood is injured, it is doubtful he will see any action versus his former team. Assuming Datsyk and Lidsrom are healthy, the Wings will be hard to beat. Every single line can score…even the defense. Also, it is very tough to get the puck to the net, if all deffensemen are healthy.

The Penguins have improved as well. With the acquistion of Kunitz and Guerin, the Pens now have a seasoned verteran who knows how to win the Cup..and a tough and gritty player who is not afraid to hit anyone..who also has a Stanley Cup to his name. Crosby is playing the best hockey he has ever played. He already has scored more goals than he did in last years playoffs…and there is still one round left. Malkin has also been on a tear, since being criticized for his lack of production in the first round. Staal has also improved his game since last year. This yound 20 year old is very tough to get by…he isn’t afraid to hit, has a plus rating, and when needed, he can score. He is blossoming into the ultimate defensive forward.

The Wings desperatly want to win back to back Stanley Cups. Another Cup win would be perfect for the struggling city of Detroit. On the other side, Crosby is so determined to win a Cup after suffering defeat last year..it is scary. You can bet, that if the game (or series) is on the line..Crosby will make magic happen.

This series is going to come down to defense and goaltending. Both teams can score. The Wings have strong defence but will it be strong enough to shut down the Crosby-Malkin duo (and with the help of Guerin it is that much tougher to shut out Sid)…something no team has been able to do successfully this playoffs? Penguins don’t have as good defense as the Wings…but there defensive pairings are still solid. If Datsyuk is healthy (and hey, even if he isn’t), the Wings can score from every angle and maintain puck control throughout the game.

Goaltending will be the critical factor in this series. Fleury saved the Pens quite a few times in last years Finals. So far this playoffs, he has been very good, with a few soft moments. Osgood has been the same way for the Wings. Fleury is the better goalie in the long run but Osgood has a mission to prove to his critics that he is not the Wing’s weakest link. Fleury doesn’t tend to crack under pressure or after letting in a weak goal. If Fleury stands on his head this round, the Pens are going to be damn near impossible to beat. However, Osgood is a playoff goalie. Put him in a Cup sitation, and he morphs into something incredible. If he stays healthy (along with the Wings D)…look out.

If the Pens can win at least one of the first two games then they will be very hard to beat. If the Wings take a two game lead and then win one in Pittsburgh like they did last year, then the Cup is as good as theirs.

Prediction—6 games..it doesn’t matter to me who wins! I cannot believe I am watching my two favourite teams battle for the Stanley Cup for the second straight year! It was a great birthday present last year to cheer them on in game 3…and it was a great birthday present to wake up this morning knowing one of my teams will be hoisting Lord Stanley this year. Here’s to the 2008-2009 Finals. Here’s to the Ultimate Prize. Here’s to…THE STANLEY CUP.