Faceoff: A Deep Dive into the Stanley Cup Playoff Preview

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Recorded April 16th, 2025

When one passionate hockey fan converts another, magic happens. In this special edition of Bald Guys on the Bench, Scott welcomes longtime friend TP—the hockey guru who transformed him from a skeptic into a devoted Vegas Golden Knights fan—for a comprehensive Stanley Cup playoff preview that dives deep into every matchup.

The conversation weaves through compelling narratives across both conferences, from the "Battle of Ontario" between the Leafs and Senators to the unprecedented fourth consecutive Kings-Oilers first-round matchup. TP brings expert analysis on why Connor Hellebuck stands as the league's premier goaltender, while Scott reflects on his evolution from hockey novice to dedicated fan who paces nervously before Stanley Cup finals games.

What makes this episode special is how it captures hockey's unique culture—a world where bitter rivals fight fiercely on ice yet celebrate in each other's weddings off it. The hosts break down why playoff hockey delivers intensity unlike any other sport, where hot goaltenders change everything and underdogs regularly topple favorites.

Whether you're a seasoned hockey enthusiast or curious newcomer, this episode offers valuable insights into what makes the Stanley Cup playoffs the most unpredictable and thrilling postseason in sports. Will the Capitals give Ovechkin another Cup run? Can the defending champion Knights repeat? The predictions and analysis provide the perfect primer for two months of playoff hockey drama.

#baldguysonthebench #graboneandcrackone #nhl #stanleycup #playoffhockey

Episode Transcript

Announcer (00:07):
Welcome to another episode of the Bald Guys on the
Bench podcast, with your hostsGraham Cohen and Scott Wasco.

Scott (00:21):
What's up everyone, and welcome to another episode of
the bald guys on the bench.
You know we promised you thisepisode a couple weeks ago.
It's going to be a littledifferent tonight.
It's only one bald guy and oneguy we always talk about on the
episodes, and that's none otherthan TP.
Tp.
Welcome to the show.

(00:43):
What's up?

TP (00:44):
What's up, man, I'm glad to glad to be here.
It's bummer that, uh, graham'snot here, but yeah, I'm still
excited to be on.
I know I've been trying to geton and glad you can have me, man
, so it's been a long timecoming dude nhl stanley cup
playoff preview show.

Scott (01:00):
The only show in the history of the ball guys that is
only going to be about hockey.
My bad, I take that back.
The night the vegas goldknights won the stanley cup.
We did do a little emergencyshow yeah, oh yeah, 20 minutes,
and that was all about hockeyand I probably over served
myself that night, but that'sanother story.

(01:21):
Uh, tp, you've been a listenerto the show.
What do we do?
How do we kick things off?

TP (01:28):
Well, it always ends up with you guys grabbing one and
cracking one, so let's go.

Scott (01:32):
Let's do it so the first show without Graham grabbing one
and cracking one man how doesthat feel for you?
Weird it's weird, but you knowwhat it's hockey.
But you know what it's hockey.
Graham doesn't know hockey so Istill bummed.
He's not here, but he doesn'tknow if a hockey puck's stuffed

(01:53):
or inflated.

TP (01:55):
I tried to grow a little beard, but it's not gray so I
couldn't really fully fill in.

Scott (02:02):
So for all those people out there that have heard me
talk about TP, let's get to knowTP.
Tp was a assistant pro at oneof my golf courses back in the
day when he was dumb and was inthe golf business.
Now I decided to get out andmake real money.
But this is back in the day andTP was always, always that

(02:25):
hockey guy.
And you know tp.
Tell them you always wanted meto watch hockey yeah, me.

TP (02:32):
And I remember you know who we called nasty nate, right,
just nate.
He was in the shop.
He was another kings fan, sothat made it easy.
But yeah, we were always himand I were talking hockey and
you would just walk out of youroffice like I have no idea what
you guys are talking about.
I don't get hockey, I don'tunderstand it, you know, and
just said you just need to watchit, you need to have a team and
it'll be something.
Definitely that once you gethooked, it's kind of like

(02:54):
hitting that first perfect golfshot.
Once you get hooked, I mean youcan't stop watching, yeah, you
know.
Or especially when you go toyour first live game.

Scott (03:00):
So, and I had been to games and you know I would watch
the west final of the eastfinals.
But when you don't have a dogin the fight it's not as intense
as everybody's like.
Nothing more intense thanStanley Cup playoff hockey well,
told you many times, yeah, andI never got it.
You know, never got it.

(03:20):
You know, never got it.
But TP was actually with ourboy, jerry, playing off.
You know, remember when we usedto tee off at goose Creek when
you couldn't even see anything.
You sweep in.
I love it.
It's black and the Knightsannounced their logo and all
that stuff and I'm like Jerry,I'm going to be a Knights fan.

(03:43):
So I can say I've been a fan ofthis hockey team since before
they played a game and Jerry'slike I'm in.

TP (03:48):
I think you guys ordered a hat on the spot or ordered
something on the spot.

Scott (03:51):
On the spot dude.
Yeah, jerry even bought a book.
He's going to be pissed that Isay this.
Hockey rules for dummies.
Not even making it up, ithappened.
Obviously, I always say thisthe first year of the Vegas
Golden Knights was absolutelyridiculous.

(04:13):
Make it all the way to theStanley Cup Finals win game one
Magical.
It was the perfect, yeah, itwas the perfect scenario for me
for my first year as a hockeyfan.
I mean obviously spoiled,rotten, but it definitely made
it easier.
But I jumped all in.
You remember it was like what'sa hockey?
Now I've got the hockey package.

(04:35):
Now I'm going to Vegas forgames.
We're going to playoff games.
And I'll never forget what youtold me once the regular season
was over and my Knights wereplaying your Kings in the first
round and that sucked too, bythe way, my first year as a fan
and I'm going against my boythat got me in the hockey's team
.
It was like, can't we play someother team and sweep them?

(04:59):
Not TP's Kings.

TP (05:01):
Yeah, you had to mention the sweep, but you know what you
know.
I had to, but you know what?
You know I had to, but you knowwhat?
That's how poetic it is right,like it's, just like that.
So we actually got to go to agame together because who knows
what would have happened in thesecond round.
And they haven't, kings haven'thad I mean, we'll talk about it
later as good of a team as theydo now.
Yeah, probably, since Iremember it, it was that double

(05:21):
overtime night you have to like11 o'clock on the West.

Scott (05:27):
Yeah, dude, I just remember.
I can go take a leak during afootball game.
I can't take a leak in hockey.
Like, come on, can we call atimeout every once in a while?

TP (05:37):
I tried to find the text yesterday and I couldn't.
It was so far back.
But yeah, you're just like he'slike.
I couldn't, it was so far back,but yeah, you're just like,
damn this hockey.
It's been 20 minutes.

Scott (05:46):
I can't even go take a piss.
The best thing about my housein California remember we had
the TV outside for hockey.
At least I can go take a leakin the corner in the backyard or
something and I can still hear,but I mean speaking of going to
take a leak game four againstthe Kings.
We're going not to take a leak,but we're going from the

(06:09):
scariest seats I've ever sat inin my entire life to going up to
the suite with Navarro andthose guys we missed the only
goal of the game.

TP (06:17):
I mean I was fine missing it , it wasn't our goal.

Scott (06:19):
But yeah, exactly I missed all the main action, but
anyhow, tp is not on here totalk about the past.
We're on here to talk aboutwhat starts on Saturday.
Yep, the All-In-A-Cup playoffs,oh yeah, but we've got some
matchups.
It's going to be tough.
I mean, I don't know when doyou want to start off, man, you

(06:42):
want to.
I mean how they do the playoffseeding.
I mean, I know you hate that.

TP (06:48):
I can't stand that.
It's one of the worst things insports.
I mean, I get they've changedit around since the COVID year,
which was horrible.
I mean you have all the Canadateams.
I mean how are the Knightsplaying the Canadians in a
conference final Like that?
Shouldn't be that.
Which congrats to the Canadians.
They just clinched their firstplayoff spot since then.

Scott (07:10):
Last one in right.

TP (07:12):
Yeah, last one in.
I think there's five teamsCanadian teams out of the seven
that are in.
It keeps getting closer everyyear.
The Canadians were the lastCanadian team to win against the
Kings, which sucked in fivegames, Wow 31 years ago, right
Something like that 31, 32.
I mean, damn this McSorleystick.

(07:32):
How?

Announcer (07:34):
is that even?

TP (07:34):
possible.
You have Gretzky on the team.
They're up 1-0.
They go to game two.
Marty McSorley gets called fora stick that's too curved and
ever since they just unraveledand they lose the series so, so
I mean, I mean, if that, I mean,I guess the kings had to
sacrifice for the rest of thenhl so that we can continue to
bark on the canadians for notthe canadian teams for not

(07:56):
winning, right, you know?

Scott (07:58):
it's so weird to me.
Yeah, uh, I don't know, but Imean I, I don't, I don't want to
get into it.
They're not winning this yeareither.

TP (08:07):
I'm making that statement right now canadian team is not
winning neither team's gettingto the fine, neither no canadian
team's getting to a finalseither.
So so I'm fine with that.
Hopefully there's some earlyexits.
But but yeah, the seating, Imean you have the top three
teams in each division.
Each division has four or eightteams, right, and then you have
two wild cards, so you have awild card team played first in a

(08:29):
division, right, so that'swhere, like, the knights are
playing the wild, and then youhave second and third play each
other, which that's how you getfour years in a row of the kings
playing the oilers.
Like it's getting old and Iprobably.
I probably have a differenttune if we would have won one of
those series.
But no, it sucks.
It's only the second time inNHL history where there's, since

(08:51):
the original six, since they'vehad the expansion, where
they've had teams play eachother four years in a row in the
playoffs In the first round.
It's so weird.

Scott (09:02):
The way it's worked out, right, I mean, and they've been
serious too.
Y'all have been battling.
It's not like it's been.
I mean, yeah, it's beenone-sided in the victories of
the series, yeah, but not in theway the game's played, no, and
it's so brutal because I mean,look at last year, I'm just

(09:24):
going to throw last year.
Who did the Knights beat?
The year they won the Cup inthe Western Conference Finals.

TP (09:31):
In the Finals, dallas, I believe.

Scott (09:33):
Dallas.
Who's our first-round opponent?
Last year, dallas, I mean.
And we get knocked out, yeah,did we lose to a bad team?
No, no, I mean, come a bad team?
No, no, I mean, come on, it'sridiculous.
Yeah, but you know, obviouslythey don't do the reseeding.
No, they used to.

TP (09:55):
I know why they just always this is back before I was a fan.
Yeah, I mean I've seen stuffhere and there and when they've
done the reseeding I think theywanted more, Honestly, with the
NHL stuff.
They probably wanted moreMcDavid or not McDavid, more
Crosby versus Ovechkin in theplayoffs, yeah, and stuff like

(10:15):
that.
But who knows, Hockey doesweird stuff, I mean imagine the
Blues win the series.

Scott (10:25):
Okay, they're the second, they're wildcard number two.

TP (10:28):
Yeah.

Scott (10:29):
And the Knights beat the Wild.
Now the Knights are going tohave to play the Kings in round
two.
Yeah, and either the Stars orAvalanche get to play wildcard.
Two Blues, yep, I'm sorry what.

TP (10:43):
Exactly.
Well, nfl is the only four ofthe four major sports.
Right, true, reseating, so theygot that.
That's one thing that they gotright.
But I mean, yeah, baseball'sweird.
I mean we're not getting intoall that stuff, but yeah no but
they used to do it.
So when the kings won theirfirst cup and was it 2012 they
had to beat numbers one, two andthree they were all right, so

(11:04):
they beat yeah they beat the,the connect.
I loved it.
They beat the connects, thenthey beat the blues and then I
think they beat the.
I think the sharks were numberthree.
I can't.
Honestly, it was such awhirlwind of a run and I was
just like on such a high like Ican't remember who they beat in
the western conference final, soI can slap myself there we go.
I should know it, Dude.

Scott (11:24):
I just remember what I remember about that run.
Okay, I just started atChampions Club and I was playing
in the four-ball championshipat some course past LA.
Do you remember TravisInchcliffe from Palo Mesa?
Oh yeah, travis and I played inthis four-ball championship and

(11:45):
we're on the way home and itwas when y'all won the Western
Conference Finals to go to theStanley Cup.
It was insane.
I remember listening to it onthe radio and driving through LA
on the way home.

TP (11:59):
So sorry to interrupt, but this is going to be a weird one.
This is why no one remembersthey beat the Coyotes.
What I know, I just put it up4-1.
That's why I can't rememberthey beat the Phoenix Coyotes In
the finals Western Conferencefinals Wow, I know.
That's why no one remembers.
Wow, this is where Graham wouldbe like who they were.

(12:22):
A three seed, yeah, yeah, 42,27, and 13.
Yeah, go, go figure.

Scott (12:29):
I had to look that up because it was bugging me
Unbelievable, I know.

TP (12:31):
Good work on that yeah, literally yeah yeah.

Scott (12:35):
I wonder if they even sold out, sold out home playoff
games for the finals there wasprobably more 100.

TP (12:41):
Duh, that arena is terrible.
By the way that they played in,I think it was like a.
It was a college arena,basically wow, yeah, anyhow.

Scott (12:51):
Uh, awards for the season before we get into the matchups
.
What do you?
What are you thinking?

TP (12:57):
I mean, you tell me well, they got some of the you know
the important.

Scott (13:01):
I mean it's really there's so many awards like
we're not gonna get into it, butthere's, there's some of the
important ones I mean, and thereason I say, the reason I say
you tell me, is I've beenblowing you up on this show as
they're, you know, hockey gurus,so that's why it's like you
tell me there's a lot ofpressure right now I feel, like
mackaroy on the 72nd over thatfive foot putt right now.

(13:21):
So, uh, hopefully, hopefully,hopefully I don't at least
you're not feeling like you'reon the 13th hole with 77 yards
and a little flip wedge in meyeah, thanks.

Announcer (13:30):
Thanks for coming and we've always said he's a bad
wedge player, but good, good forhim.

TP (13:34):
Congrats to him anyways, but yeah, I mean I mean the
important ones that peopleusually talk about, like, for
example, the easy one to knownow it's already been decided is
the ross trophy.
So that's the nhl point leader.
So I mean that's nikitakucherov from tampa bay.
He's every year, he's up thereI don't know every year with
stam coast?
no, stam coast.
They got gedsel on there and heplays on the line.
Sometimes no matter who theyput with that guy.

(13:56):
You can put a ham sandwich withhim and he'll still probably
get 100 points.
That guy's absolutely,absolutely nuts.
He led the league.
He led the league in assists.
I was looking up 84 assiststhis year.
That's insane.
He didn't hit the 40 goal mark,so 121 points.
If one of the other guys werebehind McKinnon, I think was

(14:19):
second 116, but he alreadyplayed his 82nd game on Sunday
and they're already done so.

Scott (14:22):
No, one else is going to catch him?

TP (14:23):
Yeah, no one else is going to catch him, so he's done.
Yeah, Nope, yeah, no one elseis going to catch him, so
congrats again on that.
I mean the other ones.
You've got the Rookie of theYear, which they call the Calder
Trophy.
Dude, most people.
If you don't follow hockey,really, I mean the guy that's

(14:47):
the heavy favorite.
I on FanDuel or DraftKings.

Scott (14:48):
At minus 3,000 is Lane Hudson.

TP (14:50):
Wow, minus 3,000?

Scott (14:51):
Yeah, Defensive player as a defensive player, yeah for
the Canadians.

TP (14:55):
The kid is amazing.
So I mean he had 65 points, heplayed 81.
Well, this was going in today,so I don't know what he did
today.
I know they won and got in.
I didn't see see so in the 81.

Scott (15:10):
He played every game, but 65 points I mean for a
defenseman as a rookie is solidas a rookie, yeah, wow, yeah.

TP (15:12):
I can't remember how many bedard had two years ago as, but
it was right around there andhe's a, he's a center right, so
I mean, but then you had macklincelebrating right behind him.
Um, from the, from the sharkswho's?
I think that kid's going to bean absolute stud, like I could
actually see him and it, likeyou know, see the timelines and
how things happen.
He could be changing thefranchise yeah, he could, but he

(15:33):
could be, I hope not.
I mean, I'm not, don't like thesharks but I think he could be a
better player than bedard.
Yeah, okay, but I mean bedard,they're coining as a next crosby
and stuff.
But that's kind of one of mybold predictions is Celebrini
could have a better career buthe's plus 650.
But I think the Canadiansmaking the playoffs, I think
that's going to seal the deal.

Scott (15:54):
It should right.
Yeah, because I mean who's thebest goalie in the game?

TP (15:59):
Connor Hellebuck.
Without a doubt right now, ifyou look at all the numbers and
everything, Is he the bestgoalie in the game overall, or
is he?
He's big, he can stop allangles If you do the eye test
and watch him, he's goteverything.

(16:19):
We've got to see him win aseries and move on the Jets.
That's one thing we'll talkabout with the Jets, yeah.

Scott (16:25):
What about your boy dude?

TP (16:27):
Darcy Kemper is a stud.
He didn't play as many games sohe didn't show that, but I mean
the year he had, I mean it's.
Yeah, he's right up there.
I'd put him he's probablynumber.

Scott (16:48):
I got andre vasilevsky with tampa bay.

TP (16:49):
Yeah, I mean he didn't have the numbers and stuff there, but
he's always a study.
He's won two cups, but hedidn't he miss a lot of this or
that was last year, yeah.
But I mean yeah, but no oneplayed as many games as connor
hellebuck.
The guy played 60.
I think I said saw 62 years ormaybe you know.
I think he played.
I think he played tonight, soit would have been 63, yeah, so
I mean that's almost 80 of ofthe games.
That's just insane, Like I meanin nowadays games how athletic
they need him.
But I mean good on him.
I mean the guy's leading theleague in goals against average.

(17:11):
He tied for first with DarcyKemper in goals against average
at 2.02.

Scott (17:15):
So I mean if you're only giving up two goals a game.

TP (17:19):
you're doing a lot, You're a brick wall.

Scott (17:20):
Yeah, and you know You're a brick wall.

TP (17:23):
Yeah.

Scott (17:24):
And the crazy thing about hockey and this is what's
amazing to me you can be thebest in the regular season, you
can be this guy that you'retalking about in his stats, but
you know the one thing I'velearned get hot at the right
time, yeah, and there's nobetter example than 2012 when

(17:55):
y'all won yep yeah, how hot didthat kid get dude quickie was
unreal that dude I mean wasinsane, yeah and he turned that
into a full careerright, yeah, he did the
winningest american goalie inhistory now he won two cups with
you guys yeah and then won onewith us, yep when, and the guy

(18:16):
was insane from connecticut Iknow that, yeah, there you go
hey, you get a lot of my statboom you can rest easy the rest
of the night now, but yeah youget a lot of those guys.

Announcer (18:28):
There we go, let's go .

TP (18:28):
Yeah, if they're not Canadian, you get a lot of guys
from the northeast and from theMidwest, the Boston area, so,
like Connecticut, minnesota, youknow all that stuff.

Scott (18:37):
Minnesota, yeah, minnesota.

TP (18:40):
Yeah, but another key of the crazy run was the Blues.
When they won their cup theywere like last or second to last
in the division and come backon a crazy run, make the
playoffs.
I think they might even wontheir division they switched to
the young goalie too.
Yeah.

Scott (18:55):
What's his name?

TP (18:57):
Biddington.

Scott (18:57):
Biddington.
And then they started singingthat damn song in the locker
room when they won yeah, whatthe hell song was that?
Yeah song in the locker roomwhen they won yeah, what the
hell song was that?
Yeah, glory, it was gloria.

TP (19:08):
Oh, that's what they cut oh my god, yeah, but yeah, I mean
good on them, but that's likethat's what it takes it.
You know it's, it's.
Uh, you know masters is atradition in a tournament like
any other, hockey has a playoff,unlike any other.
The stanley cup.
You know it's truly differentstressful, stressful shit.

Scott (19:26):
Yeah, never thought, never thought in my life I'd be
pacing three hours beforestanley cup finals game five,
when the knights are up three toone.
Oh, longest day of my life, butuh, something I've learned
since TP introduced me to thegame of hockey and we've talked

(19:49):
about it on the show before ishow amazing the game is and how
respect is earned for the game.
And there was no better storythan last night with the Wild
them needing one point to clinchthe last playoff spot in the

(20:11):
West, and I think they were downone goal with like 30 seconds
left and they scored a tie andsend the game into overtime.
So they get their one point,clinch the playoff spot, and
what does the Wild coach do?
Throw them flurry.

TP (20:26):
Yeah, that was really cool.
And did you see the save thathe made on that breakaway Dude?

Scott (20:31):
I'm like, oh my god, the classic flurry poke check.
This guy just came off thebench and you're throwing him in
in overtime and he gets the dub.
Did you see the wild playersjust ambush him after the game
was over, when they won?

TP (20:51):
I love that about hockey you get so much.
Almost every time there's anindividual achievement, it's
still celebrated with the team.

Announcer (20:59):
It was sick.

TP (20:59):
Like when you saw Ovechkin break the record, immediately
just the whole team bobs him.
He slides on the ground, getsup, goes to the team, does all
that stuff right.
A lot of other sports,unfortunately, a lot of players,
or I should say a lot of otherplayers.
You don't see that in othersports.
I mean, that's one reason why Ilove hockey so much.

Scott (21:16):
Didn't you send me some kind of meme with Ovechkin after
he scored the goal and histeammates ambushed him?
And then an NBA player thatbroke some record and he was all
by himself.

TP (21:30):
Yeah, the guy that broke the all-time points record yeah,
and he just runs off and walksoff by himself.
Yeah.

Scott (21:38):
I don't know.

TP (21:40):
Yeah, the traditions and stuff like that.

Scott (21:43):
In hockey, dude, these guys go out on the ice, beat the
shit out of each other.
Yeah, they're fighting andthey're in each other's weddings
.
I mean Stone and the Chuckbrothers, dude.
Yeah, I mean, stone was intheir weddings, they were in his

(22:04):
wedding.
I mean it's awesome, let's gobeat the shit out of each other
and let's go drink a beer.
Yeah, the end.

TP (22:11):
Yeah, exactly.
I mean it's cool, it'sdifferent, and they're just like
yeah, it just got chippy.
That's like their answer.
Yeah.

Scott (22:17):
So as we start off, let's get into the playoff matchup
preview.

TP (22:23):
Yeah, you know let's get into the.
You know the playoff matchuppreview.
But one thing cause we talkedabout Connor Hellebuck and he's
probably going to win the topgoalie.
It's like, literally, if youlook on on the betting, it's not
Hellebuck one and like DarcyKemper two or whatever it's.
When you look at the odds, it'sHellebuck versus the field,
like when it used to be Tigerversus the field.
That's what it is for thetrophy.

(22:48):
Right right.
What's the field?
What's the field number?
I can't remember.
I think it was like he was likeminus 110 or something and
they're like plus 130.
It was something like,something like that.
It wasn't.
I mean, it was basically.
I mean it's yeah, it's notcrazy, but and then he's
actually the favorite to win themvp, the heart trophy, right
now for a goalie.
Does anybody ever won?

Scott (22:59):
has anybody ever won, both as a goalie?

TP (23:01):
yeah, I want to say dominic hasheuk did.
I want to say he might havebeen the last one.
I have to look, I mean I'mprobably wrong, like it's that
the history of these trophieslike it gets me sometimes but
yeah, but I mean, yeah, he's thelast goal in my head.
Yeah, he's the last goalie, Ican think that probably that
would have been deserving him.
Or bro doer, some guy like that, like they were just absolutely
insane, so, um, but yeah,something like that, because I

(23:25):
know dry sidles up there,kucherov's up there, um, you
know.
But after that it just fallsoff like mckinnon's like fourth
or fifth, but he's like plus sixthousand or seven, he's not,
he's not gonna get it he's not,he had some injury.
I don't think with dry side willget it, with all his injuries.
He only, you know, he was outfor 10 games or so and they've
been leaving him out.
Yep, I mean Kucherov, could.
I mean he could sneak in, Imean for what he's doing.

(23:46):
With what they say, some guysare saying less help, which I
think they're still stacked.
I'm going to disagree on that.
They're stacked.
Yeah, they're stacked, butHellebuck's the goalie.

Scott (23:56):
that's first in everything, and they're the
president, and going to be afirst round exit.

TP (24:07):
We'll, we'll see about that, but we'll see about that.

Scott (24:10):
So before we get into the matchups, you sent me a stat
last night, yeah, about Floridateams.
Do you remember that?

TP (24:20):
Yeah, because a first round matchup has to do with a couple
of these goddang teams.
Yeah, the battle of Floridaright there.

Scott (24:29):
What was the stat?

TP (24:30):
The stat was the last five Eastern Conference champions
have come from a Florida team.
It's either been the Lightningor the Panthers to represent.

Scott (24:39):
Say that again From Florida.

TP (24:42):
Yeah, from South Florida.

Scott (24:44):
Just like those dudes going hockey, you'll never work
in.

TP (24:47):
Vegas On that I was watching .
I was watching the the Pantherslightning game last night.
I'm just doing some researchand I wanted to kind of see how
the Panthers look a littlebanged up and whatnot.
But the, the announcer that wason I can't remember his name,
but he was talking about thegame and talking about hockey
coming to South Florida in like93 and when the Panthers were

(25:08):
just starting, and he said thatthe owner of the Panthers I
don't know if it's still thesame one, but he owned
Blockbuster he was like a bigguy in Blockbuster, right.
So this is dating.

Announcer (25:16):
Okay.

TP (25:17):
But when you?

Announcer (25:17):
go to.

TP (25:17):
Blockbuster in South Florida and rent a movie, you got a
free rental Just real quick,just real quick, real quick
blockbuster.

Scott (25:27):
I'm sorry, I probably still owe you money for late
fees.

TP (25:28):
My bad, I thought you were gonna say you owe me money.
It's like you can send it.
That's all good.
But yeah, we probably all do.
I remember yeah like rentingsomething and it's like 60 bucks
and at some point I'm like I'mjust keeping this movie.
It's I've invested too much yeah, I'm done but yeah, but they,
when you go to Blockbuster andrent a movie or a game or
whatever, they would give you afree DVD or DVD free cassette to

(25:52):
rent out.
And it was the rules of hockey.
And it would say this is icing,this is it, and it's had like
the owner doing that to try toget the whole fan base.
But now they're selling out allthe time.
I mean it's like one of theepicenters of NHL hockey and
development right now because ofwhat's going on.
I mean it's insane what they'vedone.
I mean between those teamsthey've won four times in the

(26:13):
last.
Yeah, four times in the last 25years, 22 years.

Scott (26:17):
Tampa won two in a row right.

TP (26:20):
Yeah, they won back-to-back.

Scott (26:21):
And Colorado won.
Then we played the Panthers,yeah, and then the Panthers won
last year.

TP (26:27):
Wow, yeah, tampa could have gone three in a row.
And then I mean, and then Imean Tampa, and oh, four, right,
when?
When they won, then they hadthe full season lockout the next
year, which, by the way, that'sinsane a little food for

(26:53):
thought the way he's beenhitting in his whole second half
of his career.
He could have been at athousand goals right now insane,
yeah insane, and kicking thecrap out of people playing
russian soccer.
I don't know if you've everseen those videos.
Yes, yes, yeah one other stat.

Announcer (27:08):
You gotta look up.

TP (27:08):
They're looking at some of the top guys that like goal
scorers now, like crosby andstuff, that are still active and
it showed their hit counts.
I think ovechkin's at like 3700hits for his career and the
next guy's like at 1600 or 1700.
So like the amount of physicalabuse he puts himself through on
top of it, he's unlike anyother People.
Don't give him enough creditfor that.

Scott (27:29):
He's a massive human being.
He is I mean yeah, I'm good, Iain't touching you.
Have fun, let's go drink somebeers.

TP (27:39):
Yeah, I'll get you after the game, man.
But yeah, I mean props to himfor what he's done over his
career and gotten better and youknow all that stuff.
So yeah, he's on it.

Scott (27:49):
Let's jump right in.
You got it and we don't have togo in great detail about
everything.
But you know, first one we goton the notes are the Leafs and
Ottawa.

TP (28:00):
Oh yeah, the Battle of Ontario, canada.
Oh eh Eh.
What's it all about?
Yeah, have you heard the jokewhere it says how do they figure
out how to spell Canada?

Announcer (28:11):
No.

TP (28:12):
These old Canadian guys are sitting around and they say well
, let's figure it out, it's C-Aand then N-A-D-A, and then there
you go, it's Canada.

Scott (28:22):
Dude, I can't believe I didn't even mention this at the
beginning of the show.
I mean, come on, when I'mintroducing you, you were a high
school golf teammate ofsomebody that people know that
watched TV, yeah, and watchedthe PGA Tour.
What was that guy's name?

TP (28:42):
That's pretty good, ricky Flower Fowler.

Scott (28:46):
Flower, I mean God.
Dang it, graham.
Edit this part out.
Put it all the way back at thebeginning.

TP (28:52):
There's no editing, it's just going All right, it happens
.

Scott (28:55):
All right, yeah, great yeah, it's cool we played two
years.

TP (28:57):
We all got lessons with Big B and all that stuff and yeah,
it's cool, he used to try topost me up when we played
basketball at our boy, travisOslin's house up in La Crest.

Scott (29:07):
I remember Travis yeah.

TP (29:10):
He's a good.
He's down in San Diego still,but yeah, he's a.
But yeah, I remember being upthere.
We play games and you know, meand Ricky are some of the
smaller guys, so we're alwaystrying to post each other up.

Scott (29:17):
So one of, if not the greatest high school golf teams
ever assembled was your teamprobably your senior year?
Yep, oh, five Is yep 05.
Is that one, stefan josh?
Yep, I know what you're going.
Was it the cortez?
The?
Incident was that the caraccident incident?

TP (29:44):
yeah, uh, and y'all should have won state by a million
shots we could have, yeah, but Imean, but yeah, I mean we had,
we had a million shots we couldhave, yeah, but I mean, but yeah
, I mean, yeah, we had a great.
I mean we got second.
I mean that's still pretty darngood yeah, I know.
And Ricky's shot even par withthe stomach flu throwing up the
whole way up and during thewhole round still shot 72 and

(30:06):
got like top five in state thatyear individually.
So I mean.

Scott (30:09):
How about his freshman year, when he shot six deuce?
I was so new to golf.

TP (30:15):
I was so new to golf at that time because I think I was
playing for like a year that hecame to school at the 62 and he
had the scorecard and I'msitting there with like this
shock face and I remember joshjust goes look at tyler's smile
on his face and I was like I'venever seen a scorecard like this
, I've never seen this manybirdies in person.
I was only playing golf forlike a year.
I think I like broke par oncein my life, like maybe not even
then at that time.
But yeah, I mean like it wasjust seeing.

(30:36):
I was like someone can actuallyphysically do this, like as a
freshman, as a friend, as a 15year old, you know, like I can't
even drive.
He can't even legally drive acar yet, but he's just drop,
dropping threes everywhere, yeah, yeah breaks, breaks, tigers.

Scott (30:49):
Southern california CIF record by five.

TP (30:52):
And it was a shock edge and he started on hole 12.

Scott (30:56):
Oh, the worst hole at SCGA I know.

TP (31:00):
And then he finished on Romano's signature hole on 11.
Oh, dude.

Scott (31:05):
If there was a person that had to play one hole of
golf against somebody else and Icould pick the hole and it was
life or death, it would beromano and number 11 cga.
I mean my guy just went, hoopedit from everywhere on that
green, yeah, and I mean it washilarious I know we're talking

(31:29):
quick story, my first year, sojv, so romano was a senior and
we were playing.

TP (31:31):
I believe it was hilarious.
I know we're talking hockeyquick story, my first year, so
jv.
So romano was a senior and wewere playing.
I believe it was at canyon lakeand I was like two groups
behind because he was like thelast one and then jv was right
behind and I just rememberseeing this shot on number eight
, the par three, and then I justlooked at it.
I think it was right and Icould bounce up whatever it goes
in the holes like the firsthole one I've ever seen in my
life.
And I think someone said thatwas like his second that week or

(31:52):
something.

Scott (31:53):
He made one at Victoria Club earlier that week.

TP (31:55):
Yeah, so you know, and I was like, who is this guy?
They're like Ricky Romano, andthen we got one Ricky left and
another Ricky came in.
It was just like the era ofRickys right there, and it was
just amazing.

Scott (32:07):
And I always give Romano shit because you know Romano,
great player, goes to H-Townfull ride gym, dance pretty
couples.
You know huge history andtradition at Houston and I'm
like you're not even the bestperson named Ricky to ever come
out of your high school.
He's always like but I'm theoriginal Ricky, yeah, okay.

TP (32:30):
And mad respect for R-Squared at the caddy
tournament at the Heritagerocking the MVHS bag.

Scott (32:38):
Dude, that's sick, I mean anyhow.
This is why I love this show.
We get off on a tangent and itdoesn't even matter.
Leafs Ottawa, here you go.

TP (32:52):
Battle of Ontario.
I think it's going to be tough,because now I think what it
matters is because one, torontois the new york city of canada.
Right, they have a ton ofpeople.
The media is just like that forthem, like they're just you
know it's crazy.
And they haven't.
I just saw a status I guessit's been like since 1932 that
they haven't won three series ina row in one playoff For an

(33:14):
original six team.
It's crazy, so sorry, realquick playoffs.
This is the first time in NHLhistory that the four American
teams that are in the originalsix did not make the playoffs in
the same year New York Rangers,boston, chicago.
The fourth one dang it, thefourth one's blanking me.

Scott (33:33):
Detroit.

TP (33:34):
Pittsburgh, I believe Pittsburgh or Detroit, yeah.

Scott (33:35):
Is it Pittsburgh?

TP (33:36):
I can't remember which one it is.
Wow, yeah, but it's four of thesix, wow, right.
And then the other two areCanadian teams, obviously, so
Montreal and Toronto, but theymade it.
So yeah, it's just first timein NHL history that's, that's
happened.
Wow, yeah, so, but the leafs Imean, the leafs are good, you
know stole ours they win thisyear?
I do think so.

(33:57):
I don't now.
I think what it does come downto is the health.
Is claude geroux for thesenators?
And is brady kachuk gonna behealthy?
They say he is, but he hasn'tbeen healthy since the four
nations and just like a typicalkachuk.
Right, they're never healthy,but they're always dangerous
when they're on the ice if he'son the ice yeah, and and for him

(34:18):
, he's gonna do whatever he can,because I think this is his
seventh or eighth year in theleague and this is first time
making the playoffs first timein the yep, yeah, so they need a
healthy kachuk and drew,otherwise it's going to be no
chance.
I mean like, I mean real quick,I mean both decent, both middle
of the road in the penalty killand goals against.
It's not the defense.
I mean, I think I, you know, I,I really I really don't know, I

(34:41):
think it's that the firepowerof um toronto toronto, yeah
firepower.
toronto is going to do it.
I think the way the playoff setup, this is toronto's year if
they're going to do it becauseBecause they're not going
against Boston, they're notgoing against Florida right away
, they're not going against anyof these other teams like Ottawa
.
They're a younger team.
They're making the playoffs.

(35:01):
I don't want to say they'rehappy to make the playoffs, but
where they've been the lastcouple years compared to now.

Scott (35:07):
Which is exactly why I'm taking Ottawa.

TP (35:12):
Do it.

Scott (35:13):
Toronto.
Is that team, dude?
We're just going to call themSnakebit.
Yeah, we're going to call themthe Cowboys of Hockey.

TP (35:21):
They kind of that's a great analogy.
They kind of are the Cowboys ofHockey, I mean, except for they
win their division.
Well, actually, I guess theCowboys a couple years ago did
right and they did not.

Scott (35:31):
So yeah, I guess the.

TP (35:31):
Cowboys a couple years ago did right and they did nothing.
So yeah, I mean it's the sameway.
But my main storyline to watchToronto going forward just in
general, is just Austin Matthews.
It took him four less goals toreach 400 goals in his career
than it did Ovechkin.
So if they say anybody on thepage yeah, but we'll see if he
stays healthy.

Scott (35:50):
If he can play that long.
So who's your pick?
Who's your pick?

TP (35:56):
I'm going to play the favorites here.
I'm going to go with the Leafs,yeah.
Yeah, like I said, I mean thenthey would play the winners of,
but then they got to play thewinner of Tampa Bay and Florida,
which is the next series, right, atlantic Division II versus
Atlantic Division III, theBattle of Florida.
So we're getting a lot ofgeographical, you know,
long-time rivals, orgeographical rivals, which is
pretty cool.
That's the one thing where theseeding helps is you kind of get

(36:18):
some cool stuff like that it is.

Announcer (36:20):
It's just the repetitiveness.

Scott (36:21):
It is cool.

TP (36:22):
There's positive, negatives, but I still wish they reseed
and they just do it.

Scott (36:25):
So Lightning Panthers Defending Cup champs.

TP (36:31):
Well, obviously, whoever wins the series is going to the
Stanley Cup, right?
I mean, that's what historysays.

Scott (36:36):
That's what history says I mean.
So you're saying I should justgo out there and throw a couple
bets on the Lightning and thePanthers to win the East?

TP (36:45):
Hey, I mean, take the money you got from the Soto anytime.
Homer, Put a couple bucks downat each one.

Scott (36:50):
There you go, a little fun bet, let's go.

TP (36:52):
Yeah, you send me all the time Fun bet.
Hey, free money bet.

Scott (36:56):
Free money.

TP (36:57):
If I were to do that, I'd put it on Tampa Bay.
I know you sent me earlieractually, what their odds are.

Scott (37:02):
That's to win the whole thing though.

TP (37:04):
Yeah, that is true, but I mean, if it's not too bad, If
it's not too bad, I would sayTampa Bay is a good one to pick.
I mean, Tampa Bay is strong.
They're number one in offense.
They got the highest goals, forI mean that's even with no
Stamkos.
They got rid of Stamkos andthey took the bet on Gensel, who
?

Scott (37:24):
I love.
But I mean, they still gotGensel, they still got Hedman
there and I think he's playingsecond line defense now, so he
can be more offensive or he'swith the partner with more of a
defensive minded guy.

TP (37:41):
I mean they still got vasilevsky, who I think is the
best goalie in the nhl.
He's, he's a brick wall, yeah,and he's a big game guy.
So that's that's the thing Imean.
They got, they got all of it.
So I mean they got, um, yeah,they got so many weapons it's
hard to even name it rattle.

Scott (37:51):
So it sounds like you're taking.

TP (37:53):
Tampa in that series.
I'm taking Tampa in six.
I think they're going to finishit off.
I just think the injuries andhow far the Panthers have gone
the last two years in the finals, that wears on you.

Scott (38:06):
It's a lot of extra games A lot of extra games.
And they had a few guys.

TP (38:11):
I think they had three or four guys in the Four Nations
and we saw how intense that was.
Matt Kachuk is still up anddown.
I mean they got a couple otherguys that were banged up.
I mean the list is pretty long.
A lot of day-to-days, which alot of teams do now, yeah, but
if Kachuk's on the ice it's evenmoney.

(38:32):
But if he's not there, it'sgoing to be Tampa Bay and the
Panthers don't really score thata lot.
I mean they have a top 10defense, top 10 PK, but their
offensive numbers aren't great.

Scott (38:42):
I mean Bennett doesn't have the crazy year like he did
last year, Sam Reinhardt's beenokay and the way I hear a lot of
people describe the Panthersand I get it now that I'm a
hockey guy.
Yeah, they're a heavy team.

Announcer (39:00):
Yeah.

Scott (39:00):
They're physical as shit.
Can they stay in the gamementally?
Because we saw them unfold inthe finals against the Knights,
when Tuchok lost his shit yeah,and you know, killed his team
because he was going ape shit.
You know getting penalty,penalty, penalty, getting booted
.

TP (39:21):
Well, having that said, they're the.
They're number one in the mostamount of penalty minutes.
Shocker, but that's that's whatthey do, Right, and that's what
that they do right and that'swhat.

Scott (39:38):
That's what the coach wants.
The coach wants them to be, tobe like always teetering that
line and you're gonna try tomake, you're gonna live and die,
you know.

TP (39:41):
Try to make the other team, you know attack you after you
pound them always, they alwaysgo right to the line and see if
someone else can draw a penalty.

Scott (39:45):
But this year that hasn't been happening as much so so we
got caps and the canad.

TP (39:52):
Yep Caps and Habs.
Congrats to the Habs, Firsttime, I think, since their cup
run in 20.

Announcer (39:59):
I know yeah.

TP (40:00):
But yeah, first time in a couple years.
I mean they are, they hung on.
I would say I wish I had betternews for them, if they would
have kind of came into theplayoffs and maybe challenged
Ottawatawa for that first wildcard spot.
But no man, it's no yeah it'sdominate yeah, I, I called this

(40:21):
series or this playoff run forthe caps is is ovi swan song.
The caps have a really goodchance yeah they're.
They're my favorites I agree notjust because they had the most
points, but because Ovechkin ishaving a resurgence.
He's healthy this whole year.

Scott (40:38):
He scored 43, 44 goals.

TP (40:39):
They've gotten younger.
I mean, I hate to say it, butPierre-Luc Dubois had a career
year, so the Kings and theCapitals actually both won the
trade right there.
Yeah.

Scott (40:48):
Logan Thompson's been hot in goal for him.
Yeah, go figure, I know.

TP (40:55):
I don't even want to talk about that.
But I mean they're top 10 goalsagainst.
So right, they're top 10 ingoals against and they're second
in goals, for that's a prettygood combination.
Is that any good?
And I didn't realize this.
But they're sixth in penaltykill percentage.
So on special teams, they'rewinning special teams too, and
that's huge.
Unfortunately, being on thewrong side of it as a Kings fan,

(41:17):
we know how important specialteams is, so that's a huge thing
.
But the Canadians seventh inthe penalty kill.
They're top ten in goalsagainst.
They're just kind of middle ofthe road when it comes to
offense and stuff.
They've got some younger guys.
I mean they've got a few guyshere and there.
I mean they got patrick linea.
I mean he's been playing, buthe's like a third he's solid but

(41:37):
he's a but he's a bottom sixguy.
Now he's having that veterantype presence helps.
But lane hudson, it's his firsttime, he's a rookie.
He, that guy, can do everything.
So he's gonna have to, as arookie, gonna have to put a huge
load on his shoulders, butwe'll see.
Maybe that youth they cansurprise and sneak a game.

Scott (41:55):
We got the Caps.

TP (41:56):
Yeah, caps, I hope Montreal gets one win in there, just to
kind of you know.

Scott (42:02):
They'll get one.
They'll get one.

TP (42:04):
Yeah, it's hard to sweep, but yeah, I mean, I think Caps
pretty easily.

Scott (42:09):
All right, let's run on.
I love how you nickname thisseries.
Who cares?
The canes and the devils?

TP (42:17):
like no one's talked about them all year, like I mean,
you're close to the canes so youmight hear more than I do.
But yeah, they're.
The canes are solid, but that'swhat you say.
They're solid every year.

Scott (42:27):
They have the guys every year and they just fall short
every year I thought last yearwas gonna be their year yeah and
then they made all thesegoddang trades and trading
people from here to there andeverywhere that they just traded
for this year.
It's like what are you guys.

TP (42:43):
Well, what about two?
Was it two years ago when theywere in the conference finals
and they had, like that four,five overtime gamer, that four
overtime game, and I'm sure youwere up to like three in the
morning I was in.
Texas at that time visiting mybuddy and we were, and so I was
only an hour behind you and Iwas like this is ridiculous.

Scott (43:01):
Heartbreaking for them, cause they were a solid team.
Yeah, you know who wins thatseries.

TP (43:08):
It's the, it's the canes.
The devils are just yeah, thedevils are just black when it
comes to everything there,there's nothing impressive.
I mean, the only thing here isthe one caveat though it comes
down to.
If the Canes special team,they're 26th in power play but
they're first in the penaltykill.
They're always top penalty kill, but the Devils are fourth in

(43:29):
PK and third on the power play.
So I think it's going to be abattle, especially especially if
it's played five on five.
If it's five on five, a lot, thecanes have it, absolutely no
problem dominate but if it goes,special teams and the canes are
taking a lot of penalties andthey're getting tired and and
the devils are hitting pressure,there could be some surprise
but that's it.
But that's that's why I meanlike but you can't play I.
It's not like the Kings andOilers game the other night when

(43:51):
there was 70 penalty minutes inthe first two, the first two
periods.
You're not going to see a tonof special teams, a lot Like
that's one thing I like aboutthe refs in the playoffs is they
usually put the whistles away alot.

Scott (44:02):
And we all know the Oilers were trying to, you know,
try to intimidate the Kings.

TP (44:07):
Well, when you got Evander Kane and Corey Perry on the same
team, you know there's just,there's just a world of just,
you know BS and yeah, like goingacross the line, exactly nurse
and stuff.

Scott (44:17):
So yeah, they're just, we'll get into that in a minute,
so without going next, nextseries, next series, next series
.
Who's coming out of the east?

Announcer (44:26):
who's coming in the?

Scott (44:27):
finals.
Before we jump to the west, letme see your.

TP (44:30):
It's gonna be I'm, you know I'm I guess I'm playing kind of
a favorites here, but I see Capsand Lightning and that's going
to be tough, as much as I hateto say it like I really think
it's going to be the Capitals inthe finals.
I think Ovechkin is just solocked in right now and he's
just all right, like he didn'tlet the goal record mess with

(44:54):
him.
You know a lot of guys like yousee people with the homer
records, hit records.
They just plateau for a while.
No, I mean, 43 goals is nothingto sneeze at, that's a heck of
an age At his age, at 39.

Scott (45:05):
At his age.

TP (45:06):
Yeah so.
I mean I think it's the Capsthey got Connor McMichael.

Scott (45:11):
Caps come out of the East .

TP (45:14):
Yeah, that's your pick.
Final answer yeah, final answerI know that's a total of
playing favorites.
The odds are it.
I'm just looking at it.
But that's the beauty of hockeythe Habs could beat the Caps
and next thing you know, theyjust fly all the way through.
Exactly, I just think theCapitals have way too much going
for them right now and they'rejust locked in the fans you can

(45:35):
hear the fans.

Scott (45:35):
They're rocking, it's yeah, dp's pick out of the East
are the Capitals.
All right, so you're Caps.
I'm going to be a homer herebecause I bet on them.
I'm going to say Lightningcoming out of the East.

TP (45:54):
I agree it's a flip of a coin between them two.

Scott (45:56):
Yeah, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Panthers came
out just because they're them.

TP (46:01):
Yeah, it's down to three teams.
Caps, lightning, panthers yeah,I agree.

Scott (46:06):
Wes first series.
We got Jets Blue.
I already gave you my pick.

TP (46:13):
You know what?
The Blues have been the hottestteam in the last 20, 25 games.
They've had the most points.
They had that 12-game streak.
They've kind of moved off alittle bit.
They just don't have the offensethis year.
The way the Jets are playing inHellebuck, they're going to win
a series and the Jets, my thingis.
The Jets, I think, are 3-1 inthe season series against the
Blues this year and I just thinkthere's too much going for them
.
I think the fans are in it andkind of like I said, with the

(46:35):
Leafs, this is the year.

Announcer (46:37):
It has to be their year right.

TP (46:41):
It has to be their year to win something or at least do
something.
So I think they're moving on.
I just don't think the Blueshave enough.
They have good defense andwhatnot, but not enough
firepower.
Not enough firepower.

Scott (46:50):
Dude, the series I love and I know you hate this team.
I don't know why I have thisweird… Everybody does.

TP (46:58):
I know who you're talking about.
And the beat writers all thatstuff they're always a preseason
favorite.

Scott (47:04):
The Stars are always a preseason favorite Dude Stars,
avalanche.
But let's don't forget whotheir head coach is.

TP (47:11):
DeBoer.

Scott (47:12):
How's he done in the Stanley Cup playoffs with the
amazing teams he's had?

TP (47:19):
He hasn't proven it.

Scott (47:21):
With the Sharks, with the Knights, yep.

TP (47:25):
With the Stars, with the Stars.

Scott (47:27):
With the Stars, with the Natives right here.

TP (47:29):
I called this one Rantanen's Revenge right Because the Stars
have Mikko Rantanen.
And even though he started alittle slow.
One thing I did realize.
I wanted to check on it before.
Yeah, he does average a point agame since he's been on the
Stars.
He was awful on Carolina, buthe's been averaging a point a
game.
That's pretty much all theyneed from him, but they got no.
Haskinen might be out.
Tyler Sagan's been out sinceDecember and is finally back.

(47:51):
He had hip surgery.

Scott (47:56):
What's the young kid's name that dominated?

TP (47:58):
the night, robertson.

Scott (48:00):
Dude that dude's Jason.

TP (48:01):
Robertson.
He is amazing, but here's thething they don't have Thornton,
and I think Thornton was a biglocker room guy.

Announcer (48:08):
He was.

TP (48:09):
But who knows, I mean Jamie Benz to kind of keep an older
guy that's taking it over, Imean Sagan's been around because
he was on Boston when therewere some good teams.
So we'll see.
And the Stars, theirgoaltending tandem, has the most
goals saved, above expected.
There you go, I mean, but Ijust don't like Ottinger and
stuff in the big games.

Announcer (48:29):
I don't know why.

TP (48:31):
I don't like them.
I just feel like it's Not likeCowboy Stats, but I feel like
when it gets to a certain pointthey can move on and just don't
feel like they have the hit.

Scott (48:40):
I don't know why.
And the Avs played the Knightsgame in long-term IR Died some
salary cap because the weirdestrule in all of hockey no salary
cap in the playoffs.
Yep, make, it make sense.

TP (48:57):
They have a lot of their guys back and what they did with
trades up the middle gettinglike Brock Nelson and stuff,
like it's amazing.
I think that I think will bereally cool is I want to talk
about this story real quick isis Gabriel Landeskog.
He didn't play a game since2022.
I think it was in 2020 or 2019he got a skate to his knee and
it slid open his knee and likecartilage was out.

(49:17):
They've had multiple surgeries.
He finally came back.
I was on the conditioning onhis AHL team, scored a goal, got
a couple points and now theysay he's actually with the team
and possibly be added to playgame one.
And he was a 50, 60-point guy.

Scott (49:32):
Yeah.

TP (49:32):
He's nothing to sniff at.
That's huge, just a successstory.

Scott (49:36):
Just to come back, yeah.

TP (49:38):
I think that's really cool.
So that's something cool to see.
But they have firepower, kelMcCarr.

Announcer (49:44):
They do, but they have firepower kill mccarr, they
do like that guy.

TP (49:45):
He could be a forward, but he says he he rather would play
defense because he likes to seeand do.

Scott (49:49):
It's ridiculous.
Yeah, how good that line theyare.

TP (49:53):
So they, they can just score like that.
It's like even more than theoilers or anybody, they're just
like that.
And they traded their whole uhgoalie tandem in the middle of
the year and they got mckenzieblackwood and they got um the
sharks right yeah, they got oneguy from the sharks and they got
the other guy from Dallas, thebackup from Dallas.

Announcer (50:09):
So they got.

TP (50:09):
Blackwood and I think Blackwood Wedgewood.
They got the two guys and sothey got the tandems working out
.
So but I mean, I take I it'sthe abs, the abs, you got the
floor in five.

Scott (50:23):
I hope it happens, but I'm still taking Dallas.

TP (50:27):
Yeah, they do have the home ice, so we'll see how much it
matters.
Yeah, but the way Dallas hasbeen losing, the way they lost
to the Canucks that one game.
It was like they just seem offthat's what I mean like the
locker room stuff and the absare coming back and they have
their coach is awesome, you knowthem and they just have a lot

(50:51):
of good stuff and they're notscared to make these big trades
and move guys around and you saythey go for it.

Scott (50:53):
Yeah, you saw that with their goalies and stuff, they
don't care, but they go for itand stuff.
So so, yeah, so you got the abs, I got the stars and I got.

TP (50:56):
Yeah, we're totally opposite I got, I got jets and abs, you
got blues and stars.

Scott (50:59):
So yeah, I'm just doing it to go opposite and just
because why not?

Announcer (51:04):
just because hockey I don't give a god dang if you're
opposite.

Scott (51:05):
Why not, it's fun.
I don't give a god dang ifyou're the one seed or not.

TP (51:10):
It's hockey, it don't matter .

Scott (51:11):
It absolutely does not matter If I got a hot goalie and
a dude with a hot stick.
Insert Marcia Show.
Insert Quick hot goalie,bennington.
Let's go, let's go.

TP (51:26):
Just get in and you can win.

Scott (51:27):
Yeah, one save can make that dude go nuts.

TP (51:33):
Everything, yeah.

Scott (51:36):
So next series on the notes.
I mean, you know who I'mpicking.

TP (51:42):
I agree, the Wild.
They were first in theirdivision for a while, the first
of the year, and they've playedsome of the worst hockey.

Scott (51:49):
They had a shit ton of injuries though.

TP (51:52):
Yeah, but they've had the worst offense they still
continue to do as guys come back.
I mean they're like bottom fivein the offense.

Announcer (52:00):
Yeah.

TP (52:00):
I think they're like 28th or 29th in goals for a game, and
that's over a whole season.
I mean, they've done the exactopposite of what the Blues did.

Scott (52:10):
Getting Hurdle back obviously helps the Knights
power play.

TP (52:16):
Before he got hurt you guys had number one power play.
Now you're down to secondMichael's been out for a couple
weeks.
You guys are big.
You guys have actually beenfinally gelling and playing like
keeping people out of themiddle.

Scott (52:28):
So I mean, don't forget don't forget Shea Theodore got
hurt in the first game of thefirst or the four nations.
Patrangelo has been out for awhile.
Ike has been out.
Patrangelo and Ike were playingright now.
They're about the only twopeople that are playing for the
Knights right now is we'regetting beat by Vancouver, but
yeah, uh, knights beat the wild,uh yep.

TP (52:50):
And.
But what's cool is flurry isgoing to end.
Have his farewell against theKnights.

Scott (52:55):
I guess the night.

TP (52:56):
I know, I know he did a lot with Pittsburgh, but he really
helped Vegas become Vegas.

Scott (53:01):
So it was just a cool thing he was the name for the
Vegas Golden Knights.

TP (53:08):
Yeah, the name.
That was probably the mostimportant pickup they had in the
expansion draft.

Scott (53:15):
The Penguins gave us a second-round pick so we wouldn't
take the other goalie.

Announcer (53:22):
Yeah.

Scott (53:23):
Whatever his name is Exactly.

TP (53:25):
Yeah, they've changed goalies since then, so you can
obviously see what's happened,but yeah, that's.
Fowler's farewell, right there,good him, good career, 575 wins
, the guy's just an absolutestud Highly respected in the
league.
He's done a lot.

Scott (53:38):
And you know we started this last week, maybe it was the
week before.
The hot chick of the episode,lurie's wife, I mean we gotta
have one per episode.
Blurry's wife, I mean let's go.
Oh, the knights just tied it up.
Who scored?
Yeah, one to one.

(54:00):
There's a couple elvises overthere.

TP (54:02):
In vancouver was it Carlson, or who was it?

Scott (54:06):
Vegas Vic Olofsson Olofsson.
Oh okay, nice so.

TP (54:13):
Kings Oilers I call this.
Does home ice matter?

Scott (54:20):
Yeah, it does, because I'm pretty sure the Kings are
stupid good at home.

TP (54:24):
Yep Number one in the NH are stupid good at home.
Yep Number one in the NHL, byfar at home the best home record
in franchise history.
But the reason I also say thatis because this is the fourth
year in a row We've playedEdmonton right.
Edmonton is the new age SanJose sharks.
Everybody hates them, exceptfor maybe a guy or two, and they
play dirty.

(54:45):
You know, like I can't stand it.
People want to over, notover-glorify them.
I can't, because they got.
McDavid on the team, but thelast three years Oilers have had
home ice.

Announcer (55:00):
Yep.

TP (55:02):
And so by the time they get to us, it just wears down.
This year we have home ice.

Scott (55:05):
You guys have it.

TP (55:06):
Yeah, we're 3-1 against them this year.

Scott (55:10):
How about at home 2-0?

TP (55:14):
2-0 at home yeah.

Scott (55:15):
Okay.

TP (55:16):
Yeah, because we were 1-1 at the beginning of the year, but
since then our power plays havesucked.
It's finally better, it'saround 20%, which is like middle
of the road since we gotkuzmenko.
Kemper is having a career year,which he should be, which, by
the way, like six years ago hewas on.
Seven years ago he was on.
The kings traded him for otherpeople, yeah, or let him go and
stuff.
But but we need health, we needa healthy dowdy.

(55:38):
Yeah, because the ankle thing.
But he's doing okay, he's beenresting, he'll be fine.
He's a gamer.
I mean byfield had a careeryear.
The guy's been red hot thesecond half of the season and
then you have darnell nurse justjust piled right on the ground,
just, you know, on the back ofthe neck, defenseless was one
game, yeah, but.
But here's a stupid thing.
The one game doesn't matter tothem.
They were going to probablyrest too many, you know it's a

(56:00):
worthless game like.
This is the thing that gets mewith sports.
Sorry, quick tangent aboutsports in general.
When you have a guyintentionally hurt another guy
and that guy gets hurt, and ifhe's so and there's times where
the players say, say baseball orfootball, the guy suspended
like two games, but then theplayer's out for four to five
with a concussion or somethingit's like it's.
No, it should be.
The penalty should be thelonger of the game.

(56:20):
Suspension you choose, or untilthe other player comes back.

Scott (56:23):
If it's even in question as being a dirty hit, 100% agree
.

TP (56:30):
Yeah.
So like say, byfield's out forthe whole series, darnell and
Nair should be out for the wholeseries.

Scott (56:34):
You're out.

TP (56:35):
Right Done, no question.
Until he comes back, you cannotbe active and you cannot
activate someone in that spot.

Announcer (56:43):
Ooh.

Scott (56:43):
I like that.

TP (56:45):
Because sometimes they're going to get the b player, like
they did the other night, andyou can get a guy that's from
the ahl.
Come in, just be a bruiser andjust and just fight the guy or
hit the guy dirty real quick andI know hockey doesn't do that
too much like they're not goingto just bring a guy up just to
hurt someone.
But the oilers do, the sharksdid, even you can.
You can see that cory perry'strying to slash um, like to know
, or someone's hands the othernight, when they're losing for

(57:06):
nothing.
It's absolutely ridiculous.
I can't stand that.
Then you had the guy, what'shis name?
They just sent him down to theahl, the eechl, um, he was on
the panthers like puja jarvi orsomething like that, just had
that right, yeah just plows,plows the guy defenseless, like
skating across, like and thatguy's.
He was never planned on being along-term solution up there

(57:27):
because they have other injuries.
So it's like what?
So you look back and forth andit's like, okay, we're gonna be
playing them in the first roundand let's beat them up tonight
yeah let's beat them up.
It's ridiculous.
And of course the panthers aregoing to do that, because the
panthers are the easternconference oilers.
Like I can't, you know I can't,that's why I can't stand that.
And then we'll say, well,byfield deserved it because he
had headlocked Corey Perry,because Corey Perry slashed the

(57:48):
dude.
Come on, just because theCanadians are bitter against us
because we beat them one time inthe Four Nations, they're like
you know and they don't want acup in 31 years.

Scott (57:57):
Yeah, exactly Exactly, and last time I checked we won a
game, they won a game.

TP (58:04):
Yeah, we want a game.

Scott (58:09):
They want a game.
Yeah, it's even exactly.

TP (58:10):
You know they're all just mad about you, know they're
going about their stuff becauseour bacon's better than their
bacon.

Scott (58:12):
I don't, I don't know I mean like, like I always say,
bro, canada, america's top hat.
So who's your pick?
I know where you're going,you're a homer.
I know it's kings, kings and II think it's Kings in five.

TP (58:27):
They're going to lose game.
They'll probably lose gamethree, win game four and five.
You know the other.
I will say the Oilers do havetoo many injuries, thank
goodness, evander.
King has been injured all yearbecause no one likes him.
I don't even think his momlikes him.
You know Eckholm's actually outfor the first round.

Scott (58:43):
That's a huge deal, his goddang agent.

Announcer (58:45):
Definitely.

TP (58:48):
Yeah, and then Stuart Skinner, their main goalie, has
been injured here and there andwe've torn apart Pickard and you
know, and a big thing is we gotWarren Fogle on free agency,
who was on their team last yearand rumor has it their locker
room is not the same and ourlocker room is like he's a huge
locker room guy and room is notthe same and our locker room is
like he's a huge locker room guyand he's had a career year 20
something goals.
He's a ton five on five.

(59:09):
They and they signed umarvidson, who we used to have,
who's always yeah and he's beenkind of whatever.
So so just some of those tradesand the way that we're rolling
in our team chemistry is and thehome ice really good.

Announcer (59:21):
The home ice is huge it's huge, it's gonna be rocking
on.

TP (59:24):
I think they said the first game might be Sunday or Monday.

Scott (59:28):
Staples Center is going to be electric Because I've got
to drive to Orange County on.

TP (59:31):
Sunday.
So I really hope that the gameis Monday, Otherwise I might be
parking the car on the side ofthe road for two and a half
hours.

Scott (59:37):
Staples Center will be electric, no doubt.

TP (59:40):
But let's do this If the Kings and the Knights play each
other who do you think?

Scott (59:48):
who do you think moves on knights will have, obviously,
home ice.
Well, I'm just going to saythis a listener to the program,
aiden, who we've talked about,one of my previous employees.
He texted me earlier and he'slike who do you like in the
stanley cup playoffs?
He's like you like Knights.
And my exact text back to himand I'm going to go to it right

(01:00:09):
now was tough call.
The West is wide open.
The team that scares me themost in the West are the Kings.
They're solid.

TP (01:00:19):
Yeah yeah, this is a different.
I think this is a differentKings team.

Scott (01:00:23):
I don't know.
So who's your pick coming outof the West?

TP (01:00:28):
My overall pick the Avs.
The Avs, yeah, I think the Avsare so strong up the center
right now and they're rockingand they're going to be healthy
and that coach knows how to winthe game.
They've won a cup and they justgot it.
So I think it's the Avs, Ithink it's going to be the Avs

(01:00:50):
Kings or Knights that's my three, but overall I have the Avs
winning it all.

Scott (01:00:59):
All right, so I'm not even going to make a pick,
because I'm obviously a homerand you know who I'm going to
pick.

TP (01:01:06):
But the Knights are strong.
They sneaky had a sneaky goodyear.
They did.
We're talking about it and thatscares me.

Scott (01:01:12):
They did.
They had a sneaky year.
Injuries yeah, the PK, was itthe best?
No, but when Petrangelo andTheodore were on the ice before
they got injured, they were.

TP (01:01:26):
It's been okay.
You're like a bottom six PK.
If you can keep the penaltyminutes down, you will go far.
If the penalty minutes are up,you're done.
It's trouble Because Aiden Hillhad a top 10 goalie type of.

Scott (01:01:38):
He had a good season.

TP (01:01:40):
But he's just.
I don't know.
I like Aiden Hill, but thecontract you guys signed him for
I am not excited about that,but if you guys can keep him, if
you can do what your normalthing is, four check, keep him
away from the danger zone.

Scott (01:01:53):
on defense Play heavy.

TP (01:01:54):
And play heavy.
That's what the Kings do too.
They play, they're both.
That's why it's going to besuch a bruiser of a series.
That's why I think the Kingsand Knights will play each other
.
Whoever wins is going to bebeat up, and they're going to
lose against the abs, becausethe abs are fast.
I think they're just going tomow down their first two rounds
probably play nine games in thefirst two rounds.

Scott (01:02:14):
That's it and move on.
Well, I hope they lose in roundone, but I mean, I honestly I
hope they lose, because I'drather have the stars go farther
, but yeah, I just I was justlike the abs.
Just look good man atDraftKings to win the cup.
Stars are the favorites plus700.
Panthers plus 800.
Avalanche 800.

TP (01:02:32):
People just love the Stars.

Scott (01:02:33):
Lightning.

TP (01:02:34):
When you sent me that I just almost threw up on myself.
I'm like they're always thefavorite Preseason favorites.
I mean they have a lot of goodplayers, they just don't get it
done.
It reminds me of the goals whenyou were so good and then you
just kept losing.

Scott (01:02:49):
Lightning Oilers.

Announcer (01:02:50):
Hurricanes are plus 900.

Scott (01:02:52):
Knights plus 1,000.
Capitals are plus 1,100.

TP (01:02:57):
People aren't sold on their goaltending.

Scott (01:02:59):
I guess, wow, I don't know.
I have no idea.
All I can say is listeners.
You finally got to meet tp.
Hey, you've heard about my guyfor a while.
You finally got to listen tohim talk his hockey knowledge.
If you're like me and I am ahockey guy, I don't even know

(01:03:22):
half the people my guy wastalking about earlier.
But you know, I am a homer, I'mnew to hockey 2018, you know,
first year of the Knights TP.
It's been a pleasure having youon the show, graham.

TP (01:03:37):
It's been a pleasure being on man, it's a blast getting to
talk sports with you.
You know, like face-to-faceother than just text message man
Texting back and forth.

Scott (01:03:44):
So you know, like face to face, other than just text
message texting back and forth.
So you know what's funny.
You know, as we wrap up theshow, the NFL draft is a week
from tomorrow.

TP (01:03:55):
Oh yeah, they do Thursday Wow.

Scott (01:03:57):
What are our chargers going to do?

TP (01:03:58):
Round one Dude, they're going to take the best player on
the board and he'll work out.

Scott (01:04:05):
It's going to I agree, I know.
You know what I think is goingto happen now.

TP (01:04:10):
What.

Scott (01:04:10):
Aaron Rogers is going to the saints.

TP (01:04:13):
You think so?

Scott (01:04:16):
He obviously doesn't want to go to Pittsburgh.

TP (01:04:20):
I heard I heard Rich Eisen trying to talk to uh, what's his
name?
Um, uh, was it McCoy, one ofthe guys on there?
But he was just saying he'slike are the Steelers going to
take Shadur at 21?
He's like I wouldn't say it,but the Chargers have a lot of
good options for what they didin the offseason.
They have a lot of good optionsand I'm happy with it.

Scott (01:04:42):
Trust the process, baby.

TP (01:04:44):
Out of all my teams, they have the best front office.
I think the Kings got a littlelucky going back to hockey, but
with some stuff, because I'm nota fan of Rob Blake as a general
manager.
Yeah, the Chargers, they're ina good spot.
They did, I think, a lot ofgood stuff where they can just
take the best player available.

Scott (01:05:00):
Finally have a front office Peace.

TP (01:05:04):
You know, who has a ruthless front office is the Knights.

Scott (01:05:11):
They don't even care.
But that's why you guys arewinning that.
They just don't care how longyou've been here, don't care,
bye, we're trying to win yeahbut anyhow, tp thanks for coming
on thanks, thanks for having me, it was a blast.
Listeners, I hope you likehockey now and if you don't grab
a team, start supporting them.

(01:05:31):
Love hockey, cause it's amazing, the playoffs are stupid.
Uh, I'm not looking forward toa lot of the late nights, with
the nights being on the Westcoast for the playoffs and you
know I can't not go to sleep notknowing.

TP (01:05:47):
So here's to late night stress tax.

Scott (01:05:50):
Here's to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Enjoy it everyone.
Tp thanks again.

TP (01:05:58):
I remember it's the Stanley Cup final, not finals, not like
the NBA final, just so you know.
Otherwise it can be a lot ofslap yourself moments, Scott Two
slaps and a Ric Flair.

Scott (01:06:09):
Hey, All right.
Good night friends.

Announcer (01:06:22):
This episode of the Bald Guys on the Bench podcast
is brought to you by our friendsat Northstar Credit Union and
Southern Auto, located inSoutheast Virginia.