Last year I had the Caps calendar, and it could be a front runner again this year.  Or I’ll get them all and do a wall display (and no work)!

Remember when Alzer’s dogs ate his whole apartment?

You need a close up, I know.

I will not fancat.

What’s more perfect: tag team puppy kisses or Mike Green’s hair?  Be honest – it’s the hair. Sorry puppies! You are a close second. Meanwhile that cat is praying for strength.

Not to be missed: Tom Wilson’s hair and general Tom Wilson-ness.

Loves long walks in the park.

The dog’s saying, “Are you seeing this?  Is everyone looking?  His hand is on my knee.  I’m gonna faint.”

If only two puppies were enough to occupy John Carlson while someone runs by with a Flowbee.  Perhaps a quick trip to the groomer?

Chuck, I’ve been waiting for you all night by this fence.

The best part: today is Giving Tuesday, and 100% of proceeds from the Caps calendar go to Homeward Trails Animal Rescue!  Get yours here for $20, or tell me and I’ll buy you one at the game tonight.

The Bruins also know where it’s at, releasing their 2015 Pucks & Pups Calendar.  This behind-the-scenes video is heavy on the cute.

I hate being a foregone conclusion.

If I have one objection, it’s that the Bruins calendar does not appear to feature a single Boston Terrier.  None.  The cutest dog on Earth shares your city’s namesake (and that of it’s greatest educational institution), but you’re saying none of your players want to hug one?  Inconceivable.

Chuck, make a call.

I’m going to call this puppy “Mullett.”

The Bruins calendar benefits a host of charities, and you can get it for $20 at shop.NHL.com.

Three things we love and post about probably more often than is normal.  But we can’t help it.

And when you have all three AT THE SAME TIME – well, we’re just smitten.  We must honor you with our most prestigious award.

This week’s Foxy Friday is Adam McQuaid of the Boston Bruins

This 6’5″ defencemen from Prince Edward Island might not be known to many outside of Boston but we’re out to change all that.

He’s so adorably Canadian, using words like “o-fence” and “eh”.  With eyebrows like his and a full mane of luxurious hair, all the world shall know the name “McQuaid.”

McQuaid is perhaps most famous for his hair, a riotous accumulation of dark curls like no other. It just won’t quit.

Seriously, it’s amazing.  I’m obsessed with it.

And apparently so is Adam.

Even in mullet form, his coif is pretty spectacular, while at the same time delightfully hilarious.

It takes a very special, confident man to wear this hair.  His hair alone is worthy of this Foxy Friday honor.

 In addition to the hair, he has also got some sweet eyebrows.  Look out, Zach Bogosian and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Molly Ringwald.  You’ve been put on notice.

McQuaid is a classic defencemen – big, physical, and not afraid to mix it up when needed.  Like when he beat down Raffi Torres.

And Inigo Montoya.

Or this Canuck.

Now one must keep in top physical form in order to beat opposing players to a pulp.  Also, when Zdeno Chara freak of nature is your team mate, you best be hitting that gym wicked hahd. (God Bless the interweb and tumblr)

Squats.

Crazy legs.

Arms.

Walking.

Running.

Only adding to his legend is his nickname – Darth Quaider.  It might be one of the best EVER.  For Star Wars nerds like us, this is just beyond perfect!

from daysofyorr.com

If you’re ever find yourself lost in the woods with only a bag full of hockey sticks, some inner tubes, and a plank of wood, he’s a good friend to have.  You might even survive.

Besides all of these things, he’s just really freaking adorable.

Hope you enjoyed this week’s Foxy Friday, Mr. Adam McQuaid.  I know we certainly have.

“Oh what’s that you say?  You want to take me out on a date?”

Well, if you insist.

Sidney took a puck to the face.  I’ve said “not the face!” many times, but never at such volume.  Sid bled everywhere and then did what hockey players do best, let it stop and kept playing.  Well, it didn’t totally stop.

He will play tonight against Buffalo, a game the Caps need the Pens to win.  Wait, what was that?  The reluctant sound of DC fans rooting for Pittsburgh?  Be still my beating heart.

We could say the Pens need the win also – Philly’s only two points back and there’s no reason to lose home ice advantage for the first round.  Sid and Co still have two games vs. the Flyers and one vs. NYR, so any game played against someone else is a bonus where you should grab all the points you can.

In the Battle of the Blog, the Capitals beat the Bruins last night 3-2 in another shitty overtime victory that I’ll take, but don’t like.  I don’t like what it says for when we meet teams that can play sixty.  Any team can struggle any night, but the Caps do it every night.

This hit by Jason Chimera on Adam McQuaid was the talk of the game.  Chimera got tossed for charging, but today the NHL has said no disciplinary hearing will be held.  Can Shanahan do videos for hits that are NOT suspended?  It would explain a lot more to me.

Chuck is not happy about that.  What would cheer her up?  How about Nicky B, possibly back in the line-up Saturday vs. Montreal.  That’s right – MONTREAL. RENE BOURQUE.  Come and get it, punk, we’ll be in section four-oh-something with our elbows up.

Also close to coming back, Jonny Toews.  Imagine how cranky he is not being able to play?  He’s probably organized every fork in his kitchen by how far apart the times are.  With a protractor.  The Hawks have won 7-of-10, but Tazer in the playoffs is a whole new kind of hot damn,

Colorado and Calgary have must-win games tonight… against each other.  WELP.  No guarantee a win will carry the victor into a playoff spot but it’s hard to see the loser of this one hanging on much longer.

Everyone is excited about EA Sports allowing, for the first time ever, a popular vote to decide the NHL13 cover boy.  Get the interns on this one!  Cast your vote(s) at www.NHL.com/CoverVote, or let the players woo you to their sides. Ton of Twitter chirping = our dream.  My favorite:

Uh, Team Claude.

It also looks like the Art Ross and Rocket Richard trophy races are drawing to a close, according to my master plans.

Geno can go till June, thank you very much.  Stammer, well, it wasn’t to be this year.  But Steven keeps on scoring.  He has five goals in his last five games – 55 total, for a career high and Lightning team record.  With five games left, could Stamkos get to 60?  I say YES.  I keep yelling it at the TV.  I keep…

So here’s to tonight, as we near the end of the season, and a lot of hockey fans get ready to say goodbye to their favorite teams.  If you’re looking for someone to back in the playoffs, allow us to make a few suggestions.

Help!

The Bruins are teetering precariously on the edge of the abyss…and they are threathening to take me with them.

Saturday, they lost to the Capitals.  Yesterday, they got violated by the Penguins.  Patrice Bergeron and Adam McQuaid both got injured.  With Nathan Horton, Rich Peverley, Beniot Pouliot, and Tuukka Rask already out, it only to the dire situation the Black and Gold find themselves in late in the season.

Can I get a prayer circle?

Never have I seen a sadder face. Never.

McQuaid took a hard hit from James Neal in the 1st and did not return for rest of the game.  Bergeron took a shot off the leg and labored badly to try to battle through, but did not return.

Obviously, goaltending is a SERIOUS issue for the Bruins.  Serio, people.  I knew losing Tuukka would be tough but I had not fully realize it until this weekend.

And when I did, this was me.

Luckily I managed to pull myself together and attempted to analyze this mess of a situation the Bruins are in.

In an ideal world, Tukkaa would have played Saturday’s matinee versus the Caps, allowing Thomas to rest up for the game against the Pens.  But with Rask recovering from a groin injury, the Bruins were up Crap Creek without a paddle.  

Hell, they didn’t even have a boat.

Then you add in the clocks springing forward for daylight savings, and  you have a recipe for a grade A+, #1 disaster of epic proportion.

Yesterday’s game was that unmitigated disaster.

The Pens jumped all over Thomas from the first whistle scoring 3 goals in the first.  It was ooglay.

I was ready to rage every time the Penguins touched the puck out of sheer frustration.

Normally, I have no issues with the Penguins.  While they are not my favorite team, I respect them and like alot of their players but yesterday, I want to kick all of them in the shins.

Like really hard.

Bruins managed to stauch the bleeding somewhat at the beginning of the 2nd period by pulling Thomas and putting in Marty Turco.  TURCO TIME, YA’LL!

Turco played well in his first NHL game in over a year and no one threw smelly fish at him.  He only allowed 2 goals (if that can be considered a postitive) and made some great saves, including this gem on JStaal.

Poke Check.  Stack the pads.

I don’t know how it could get any worse for the Bruins but if they hope to have any chance to make a run for defending their Stanley Cup, they need to do something.

I have a suggestion.

Bubble wrap.

And lots of it.

Call Mike Green.  I’m sure he has some extra lying about.

And that would have been a real shame.

Rask, McQuaid, Boychuk, and Marchand channel their inner Hansel.

Darth Quiader and Tuuuuukkkkkaaa showing us all why we should cast them in the remake of “Newsies”

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

How much you want to bet Seguin has a matching fedora?  They are in a serious bromance, after all.

He's got the swag sauce. So he dripping swag goo.

Hello Johnny Boychuk.  You be looking all sort of right.  Call me.

What the Warblers would wear if they were hockey players. And not in high school. And not a glee club.

Photos by Conor Doherty from the Improper Bostonian 

They wore this.

Chara + giant pink bunny costume = amazeballs. We laugh for days and days and days.

Sorta reminds us of A Christmas Story.

You look like a pink nightmare.

Kudos to Big Z and the other guys for not taking themselves so seriously and for taking the time out of their day to look a little ridiculous and cheer up some sick kids.

What we want to know is – where did they find a pink bunny costume big enough for Chara?  Pretty sure iParty doesn’t carry costumes in XXXTall.  Think his wife made it?  Or did he just show up at the event and the Bruins PR staff is like “Here.  You’re wearing this.  It’s all we could find to fit.  Go forth and bring merriment to kids with cancer.”

Sidenotes about these photos —

Caron’s arms are nice.  We want to touch.

McQuaid’s hair is ridiculous, but we kinda love it any way.  We are slightly disappointed, however that he didn’t dress up as Darth Vader for Halloween.  That would have made our lives.

Thanks to @alisonsykora for sharing the link.

Photos fron www.nesn.com

Just like Baby in “Dirty Dancing.”  Except instead of Johnny Castle, I had Tim Thomas.

Thanks to a one very awesome friend, I was at Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals at TD Garden.

Bruins shutout the Canucks, 4-0  to even the series 2-2.  Series returns to Vancouver for Game 5 on Friday.

Attending the Stanley Cup Finals is a dream for any hockey fan, including me.  It was very high on my bucket list, right up there with seeing the pyramids and making out with Ben Affleck.

But I never thought that it would ACTUALLY happen.

That was until last night.

So how did I get there?  How did I come to check this off my bucket list? And what did it feel like when I did?

See below...

[ It’s sort long but bear with me.  Get it?  Bear.   ]

===============================

I have a friend from high school.  His name is Smitty.  It’s really Kevin, but pretty sure that his mom and his wife are the only ones who call him Kevin (but of that I can’t really be sure).  Smitty is a high school teacher and hockey coach and like me, a life long Bruin fan, and fan of the sport in general.

The man had a Stanley Cup groom’s cake at his wedding. Clearly, this man is our hero.

Through sickness, health, and hockey season...

Smitty emails me Monday morning.

Cue me, freaking out.

I message him back immediately.

My response reads something like: “COUNT ME IN!  Holy #@%*.  I love you!  How much are the tickets?  Oh really?  That much?  Whatever.  That’s cool.  I’ll just eat ramen for a month.”

I get all light-headed.  Have to sit down.  *deep breath*

Wednesdays are grad school days for me, but fortunately my professor is a sports psychologist and hockey fan, so he was very understanding when I told him I had to leave early because I was going to Game 4.

As I make my way down Canal Street to the Garden, I am engulfed in a sea of black and gold…with bit of white and blue mixed in.

Brave orcas.

The closer I get to the Garden, the more my heart starts to flutter.

I’m really here.

This is really happening.

Before heading to our seats (in Club Section 145, no less), quick stop is made at the Bruins Pro Shop.  One must mark this occasion with SCF accoutrements, including a t-shirt and banner.

Now, my office looks even better.

Finally we make to our seats and the significance of the moment finally hits me.

I made it. I’m at the Stanley Cup Finals.

Stanley Cup Finals. I went to there.

The Stanley Cup Finals are a special sporting event, but it takes on a whole new meaning and significance when your team are the ones playing for it.

From warm-ups to the announcement of the Three Stars, the atmosphere in the Garden was super-charged, like a summer thunderstorm.

Every single person in that arena was sending out the most positive beautiful energy that it is hard to believe how the players couldn’t feel it seeping through the walls into the locker room.

Every time Nathan Horton’s name was mentioned or they showed a fan wearing his jersey, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause.  In only his first season as a Bruin, NH18 has made his mark as a fan favorite and the outpouring of love from the Black and Gold faithful has to help speed up his recover.

Bruins legend Bobby Orr (#4) was the honorary flag bearer for the start of the game.  Fittingly, he waved Horton’s flag, as a salute to the injured Bruins forward.

Genius move, Bruins.  Way to lift the crowd to an whole other level of controlled frenzy.

(Sidenote: Bobby Orr is like 65, but he is still WAY hot.)

Silver Fox.

Do it for Horty.

The game itself was everything that one could hope for in a SCF game…unless you are a Canucks fan.  The Green Men were very sad.

The Bruins were dominant, controlled, quick to the puck.

Their penalty kill continues to shine (21 for 22 in this series).

Bruins D-fence remains dominant in shutting down Vancouver’s offensive threats. I think it is because of Adam McQuaid’s mullet.  That thing is glorious and magical.

Tim Thomas’s Vezina stock continues to rise with every acrobatic, heart-stopping save that he makes.  The man is a beast, albeit a fluffy, smiley beast.   I just want to hug him so tight.

"Hey there! What's up? Nothing too much here. Just playing goal like I'm out of my gourd."

They showed Marc Savard on the jumbotron.  The place went nuts.  Please come back soon.  I miss you.

They showed Rachel McAdams on the jumbotron.  A lot.  Couldn’t tell if she was rooting for the Bruins or the Canucks, but she looked like she was having fun, so that’s cool.

Going to a Stanley Cup Finals game is a once in a lifetime experience but to be able to experience it with your hometown team, on home ice, is something entirely transcendental.

It leaves you with a feeling of elation.  Of glee.  Of passion. Of adoration.  Of worship.  

And most of all, of pride.  

Is this really happening?  Is the team that I’ve rooted for and cheered for all season really in the Stanley Cup Finals?

Hell ya, they are!

Bruins and Canucks will face off at 8pm EST in Game 1 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals.  I’m supposed to have grad class until 8pm but I’m totally planning on having to “go to the bathroom” and racing home (as much as one can race on public transportation) to watch the game.  I was invited to a meetup of Canadian ex-pats in Boston to watch the game, but they’ll all be cheering for the Canucks and I don’t know if I can handle that…

There has been a lot of media coverage of the SCF here in Boston (natch) and with that comes some awesome photos and screen caps of our most favorite Bruins players.  I only felt is was far to share them with our loyal readers because regardless of your personal hockey affiliation,  you understand the magnitude of the Stanley Cup Finals and what it means to the Canucks and Bruins hockey fans everywhere.

Plus their beards and faces are awesome.  See evidence below.

You’re welcome.

GO BRUINS!

Hi-fives for everyone!

Click, Click, Click...BOOM!

"I once caught a Canuck aboot this...big..."

Learning about the elusive creature known as the...Power Play Goal.

Still pondering just how in the world he made that save on Steve Downie...

Krecji looking all kinds of Euro

.:love:.

I already got my name on the Stanley Cup...what about you?

Teen Wolf like shiny cup.

Notice who's on the wall behind him. *good omen*

"I am Darth Quaider. You will fear me...and my mullet"

Czech me out, ladies.

Why hello there, Boych. Don't you look foxy. P.S. Your profile is *swoon*

The Professor has tenure with the Bruins. 7 years. He's only 25.