Plans are already made for pajamas (er, Chewbacca onesie), takeout and couch recuperation on Friday to watch the big game! Chuck got a ticket – woohoo! – so look for her on TV.

Sharp eye of the Fashion Police

Maybe she should borrow my onesie.

Who’s scruffy looking?

I look way more excited than this guy in my outfit, but faced the same problem: what kind of shoes go with a Chewbacca suit?

Obviously.

And now, we turn to Elodie…

With weeks to go until New Year’s Day and its symbolic game, this year’s Road to the NHL Winter Classic is back on EPIX, this time trying to give us a glimpse of the lives of the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins.

If you don’t know, this is a rivalry for the ages. One of – if not the – most bitter in the NHL. To this day, these teams have faced each other more than any other two teams in the league, and they simply really, really dislike each other.

The kids who spawned a thousand memes.

Let me be honest – I’m a Bruins fan, inclined to turn a side-eye to every bit of the show that is about the Habs. Yet even I have to admit that if there’s one thing this first episode of Road the the NHL Winter Classic did well, it was keeping the focus on a player that it is almost impossible to hate: PK Subban.

Related: PK as Don Cherry makes Strombo pee his pants. [Video]

There’s a beautiful moment, in the opening for the Habs’ section of the show, where PK putting on the most outrageous red fur coat. My friends and I couldn’t help but wonder, does he dress like that all the time, or is it just for the cameras? We could completely believe he wears this thing out every day.

Echoes of his NHL Awards suit

Turns out, the coat is for the cameras, but his teammates fall for the joke and their reactions are glorious.

There’s also this pretty interesting bit where PK lets us in into one of his “hobbies”: suit designing. He says it himself, he likes to look good. And he does. Can’t wait to see what he pulls out for the Winter Classic.

Okay, enough Habs. None of this compares to the delightful moments with the Bruins we get to see! From Zdeno Chara walking around Boston, going to his favorite barber (the same one that shaved his playoff beard after winning the Cup, the one Chara brought the Cup to) and stopping by a youth hockey team from Halifax for pictures and autographs, to Brad Marchand soulfully gazing out of his bedroom window before putting on a (very sharp) suit, it’s all pretty intimate.

[Editors note: You know I didn’t write that about Marchand! *P]

But no moment is more intimate that the few minutes we get with Patrice Bergeron. Bergy, flawless, perfect Patrice, is famously known his discretion.  Never would I have expected to see 8-week old baby Zack featured on the show. And yet, this happened…

:: synchronized swoon ::

So ovaries everywhere imploded in hushed whimpers. The show also featured Stephanie Bergeron gushing about how good a father Patrice is, and I had to rewind and rewatch a couple of times, making pained noises throughout the whole thing.

The preview for the upcoming episodes also seem to show that we’ll be introduced to Tuukka Rask’s tiny blonde Finnish baby, which is something that nobody expected either, because these guys, they don’t share.

Cindy Lou Tuuk? Cindy Tuu Who? I can’t make this joke work.

Other awww-inducing moments of note: Patches and his tiny child playing about in the bowels of the Bell Center:

Yankees hat. This kid is good.

Mainly, my brain short-circuited post-Bergy and I retained very little of everything else. To be fair, as first episodes go, this one was heavy on exposition. Hopefully they’ll find the hooks they had least year, like Latta and Wilson’s bromance, or a bevvy of family holiday skates to pack it all up with cuteness and babies everywhere. I am eagerly awaiting more baby Bergy, and Rask, and the exceptionally cute baby Krejci:

From the lovely Mrs. Krejci – @naomikrejci

This show has always been at its best when there’s more than a rivalry narrative to hang onto, so I’ll look forward to next week’s show. The Bruins played some good games (sayonara, Penguins!) while Episode 2 was filming. I, for one, will be satisfied with babies everywhere, but I may be easy to please.

[Thanks, Elodie! See you next week. *P]

This year, it’s the Habs vs. the Bruins at Foxboro Stadium in Boston on January 1. EPIX once again has cameras embedded with each team to bring you their 4-part behind the scenes series “Road to the NHL Winter Classic.”

The show premieres tonight at 10/9 Central. You can watch it LIVE and FREE on EPIX.com. (I wonder if they got any footage of that “Frozen” karaoke video being recorded… or if we’ve really seen all we need.)

We are pretty excited – as is Puck Daddy – because, let’s face it, we are hoping for The PK Subban Show. Even Chuck, Bruins fan that she is, can’t say no to the PK.

The Penguins are in Boston tonight for a Wednesday Night Rivalry game, airing on NBC Sports. The “Road to the Winter Classic” episode stays available online after it’s 10 PM airtime, so you can catch it after the game.

Our favorite hangover remedy

Turn it up.

Is there sugar in syrup?

Now, I can identify about two of the Canadiens by their faces, so I really wish this thing had nameplates. I turned to the team roster to find find the names of my new favorite hockey players.

Dale Weise: Best Jazz Hands

You should see him build a snowman.

Brendan Gallagher: Most Likely to Add “Disney Prince” to his Tinder Profile

He is an assistant captain? He’s eight years old.

Nathan Beaulieu: Best Cross-Promotion of Disney-Owned Property

Debut Single: “A la Peanut Butter Sandwiches (Dance Remix ft. Justin Bieber)”

Jeff Petry: TIE – Most Age-Inappropriate Haircut and Best Liar

He sings “God knows, I tried” without actually trying.

Lars Eller: TIE – Most Likely to Star in Disney on Ice Presents: Frozen and/or Answer to the Name “Sven”

My bad, Sven is the reindeer! He’s cute too. I mean Kristoff, apparently.

Tomas Fleischmann: Most Confused why North Americans Find this Funny

Also could be a Sven.

Mike Condon: Most Likely to Have a Go-To Karaoke Song (That is By Journey)

Hold on to that feeeeelayeeeeyang!

Torrey Mitchell: Most Emotive Performance in 4th Grade Class Play

It’s all in the shoulder sway.

PK Subban: Moment You Realize “Let it Go” is Much Longer Than You Thought

Why is this buried at the 2:55 mark?

Bless all the guys who are into this, but the real star is Carey Price. He looks like he wants to die.

Carey Price: Most Likely to Trade His Voice to Ursula for Legs to Get the Hell Out of Here

Thingamabobs? I got twenty.

It will always bother me that “Let it go” is followed by “I am one with the wind and sky” instead of “wind and snow.” Yes, it rhymes the second line with the fourth, damn you ABAB scheme, but it rings awkwardly in my ear.

Though not as awkwardly as thinking of Elsa but seeing this in my mind:

Just wait till Pirates of the Caribbean karaoke, says Andrei Markov.

Oh what fun that Canadiens are having among the NHL’s top three teams. Happy holidays to all. May Santa put copyright infringement lawsuits in your stockings!

Welcome to our annual playoff predictions, where Chuck selects teams based on actual hockey things and Pants make wishes on shiny pennies. (note from Pants: Amazingly, we have about the same track record. Maybe I learn things through texting with her.)

Eastern Conference

Canadiens vs. Senators

Chuck: Senators. I know their late season surge is partially responsible for the Bruins not making the playoffs, but come on, people.  There is no way in seven hells that I’m rooting for the Canadiens to win.  Plus the Sens have momentum on their side – they won their last three games vs the Habs and they are riding the hot glove of the Hamburgler.

Pants: WHO CARES? No, really. I think the Habs will win because Carey Price. And I hope they will win because they are predictable when faced by a next-round opponent who could by one of my teams. The Sens have lived up to their “pesky” reputation time and again, and I don’t have the stomach for their upswings now.

Lightning vs. Red Wings

Chuck: Lightning. A deep forward corps and young guns like Palat & Kucherov give the Bolts eletricity in the scoring department.  Foxy Friday Brian Boyle is holding down the 4th line, scored 15 goals, and has even played shifts of defense. We love guys that can multitask. But the thought of losing the Zetterbeard so early in the playoffs….

Not okay.

Pants: Uh, Lighting. Apologies to @lm1485‘s grandmother and the stuffed duck on her porch who wears a Red Wings jersey, but the Wings are on the downward slope away from the top of the League.  We know what it’s like to look around and suddenly, everyone else is 25.

Rangers vs. Penguins

Chuck: Rangers.  NYR went b***s to the wall at the trade deadline and made some very strategic moves to complete their roster.  Rick Nash has been his best against the Pens this season with 7 points over 4 games (3 of which the Rangers won).  Add in the the 1-2 goaltending punch of Lundqvist and Talbot, and the Rangers are a force that should put other East teams on notice.

Pants: PENGUINS. If I learned anything from Grease, it was: what skipping a period meant it was: if I can’t be an athlete, be an athletic supporter. Short of lacing up some skates and toe picking my way out there to hold a &$%#ing lead myself (I considered this), the only solution is to focus my energy into a laser beam of love and intention – hopefully one that can move the puck away from the Pens’ net. Maybe instead of watching Grease, I should have kept watching Star Wars. Also, if I haven’t mentioned it in five minutes, I hate the Rangers.

Capitals vs. Islanders

Chuck:  Push.  These teams have not met in the playoffs since 1993 so you know that this is going to be some hype. Islanders are moving out of Nassau Coliseum at the end of this season so that might make give this series and playoffs some extra gravitas, but I think that these teams are pretty evenly matched. High-powered captains? Check. Goaltending? Check. Puck possession teams? Check.  This one is gonna be gooood. #BuckleUp

Pants: Capitals yaaaaaaaaas. But why does this have to be? Why can’t I just want John Tavares and his pleated khaki, double-strapped backpack, tucked-in shirt and first day of school haircut to win in the playoffs? Still, I don’t. As I wrote about in my guide to liking more than one team, you need to prioritize and stick to your guns. Even when the other gun looks like this:

Screencap of My Life by @ambitiouspants

Capitals, don’t make me regret this.

Who are your 1st round picks? Comment below!

Today’s Foxy Friday has played for not one but TWO of the teams in the NHL that fuel my hate fire. But today, I will smother that raging hate fire and look past the jersey.

Today, I will also forget that he is named after one of of the Ninja Turtles and will focus on what is really important on this most special and holy of days.

Ladies (and gentlemen?), meet Raphael Diaz.

This is a man who name invokes images of the Bernabeu, emerald green pitches, and the white noise drone of the vuvuzela, not the Saddledome, sheets of ice, and pop tunes played by a pipe organ.   This 5’11” blueliner was born in Zug, Switzerland, which sounds more like an alien race from Doctor Who than an actually place, and he joins fellow Swiss Foxy Friday Honoree Roman Josi in making us sit up and take notice of that little neutral nation.

We, as true intrepid journalists (!) need to know what other hockey foxes are hiding up there in the Alps.  Is Switzerland the new Sweden?

Like Sue-Ellen, we “right on top of that, Rose.”

Diaz is a newcomer to the NHL, but has already had quite the journey.  He was signed by the Canadiens in 2011 to an entry level contract. He was traded to the Canucks in February 2014, who then turned around before the ink was even dry and traded him to the Rangers a month later. Then in  October 2014, he went to Calgary’s camp on a try-out and ended up signing a one-year contract at the start of this season.

That’s a lot of new jerseys, new locker rooms in new cities, and through it all, he still managed to look like this.

He works out.

If Sidney Crosby and Karl Urban had a baby, Raphael Diaz would be their little bundle of joy.

Hey, girl, hey…

Diaz is foxy because his role model is obviously John Tavares. As a newbie NHLer, it is important to establish your identity early on.  Diaz is working the “Accountant-by-day-Hockey-Player-by-night” look with the best of them.

GET THIS MAN SOME KHAKIS!

I’ve been waiting for you all night…by this pineapple

Diaz is truly foxy when he has no idea what we are saying…

Only if you insist…

…And when he’s acting like a giant toddler.

He is foxy because his eyebrow game is ON POINT, even though his beard game needs a bit of work.

But you know what really gets us? Those smile lines around his eyes

Those just destroy every fiber of my being.

So in conclusion…

Yes, Raphael.  I think we just did.

You can follow Raphael on twitter at @diaz_raphael_61.

Winning makes me cuter.

I like the Hawks a lot, and they bailed me out of some frustrated west coast years when I couldn’t watch Eastern Conference teams.  But it’s not the same, cheering for someone you like when someone you love is out of the running.

Glorious, I’m sure.

That said, I do enjoy watching hockey when it isn’t trying to kill me.  Yesterday I took three (3!) separate cat naps during the Hawks/Kings game and I still didn’t miss a single goal.  This may be my superpower.  Or my dream life, where I am a princess who gets to watch hockey all day without performing peasant tasks like standing up or walking around.  That’s so basic.

Perhaps I could get a butler – anyone know a few unemployed guys?

Could you repeat the job description?

[Insert creeper photo of Crosby sleeping on a plane yesterday that I can’t bring myself to post, but I certainly will point at –> HERE.  I hope he made it to Nova Scotia in time to see @alisonsykora.  Also note, I was not the only one sleeping during the game.]

The Blackhawks won 3-1.  Jonathan Toews is a marvel of modern leadership and ability.  I get so in awe of him that I picture Crosby climbing the telephone pole outside to cut my cable wires.  After his nap.

Hossa and Saad each had two points.  It certainly wasn’t a one-sided game though: the Kings outshot the Hawks and 6 of their 26 came from Jeff Carter.  It’s shaping up to be a great series and better rematch of last year’s WCF, which Chicago took 4-1.  After all, this time they’re playing for pizza.

Full funny Twitter exchange here.

Meanwhile, Saturday on the east coast, the Rangers beat the Habs 7-2.  Rick Nash finally scored (NYR goal #7, totally clutch).  The Rangers’ power play that went o-for-350 in the first two rounds (okay, 0-for-32-ish) had three PPG.  I don’t know how this happened and I don’t care, but I hope it never happens again.  Chuck enjoyed herself though.  Game two is tomorrow night – I will try to stay awake.

NHL.com has 236 photos of this game.  I’d rather watch 236 hours of the surgery channel.  Luckily in photo #1, this woman’s face:

Put on your war paint.

In non-hockey related news, the Rangers and some of the Tampa Bay Lightning attended Martin St. Louis’ mother’s funeral yesterday [link].  Such a sad story, it’s heartening to see so much support from his friends and teammates.  Not the photogs though, the idea of paparazzi at a funeral is gross.

When I fall asleep while Roenick or Milbury is on TV.

Canadiens take series lead over Bruins 2-1

I watched the first period of this game – long enough to see PK Subban get a minor for “roughing” Rielly Smith.  It should have been 1 minute for roughing Smith + 1 minute for roughing Thomas Vanek.  Or 2 minutes for missing.

So many butt-related jokes.

Then he scored on a breakaway coming out of the penalty box.  So perhaps he meant to miss his check, get the minor and end up in the right place at the right time?  Sounds legit.

The Bruins came roaring back, as they are wont to do, but it was too late.  3-2 until the last moment when Lars Eller made it 4-2.  My favorite stat about this game is Shawn Thornton had five hits in 7:42 of ice time.

Unrelated photo of Bergy to make Chuck feel better.

Wild score 4G on 8 shots in the third; trail Blackhawks in series 2-1

Someone who watched this game should write the recap because it sounds bonkers.  Chicago had just 19 shots in the game, Minnesota only 18.  That’s not unusual for the Wild, who ranked 29th in shots-for during the regular season.  (“Shots for” = favorite hockey stat name.)  But last night, eight of the Wild’s shots came in the 3rd and they scored four goals.  On eight shots.  One was an EN, but still!  They had 32 shots/2G in Game 1 and 19 shots/1G in Game 2.  This breakout had to feel great and restore serious confidence.

We share in your surprise.

Or not, because it’s the Blachawks.

Unrelated Kaner smile no one can resist.

Penguins/Rangers Game 4 is the only show tonight.  You can find me on the floor in front of my TV with plenty of chicken mushroom farro risotto, watching the beards.

Goals make your beards grow faster.

Penguins and Rangers series tied 1-1

The Pens had a shaky first period Friday night and got themselves down 2-0 like they think every game needs to be crazy a la Round 1.  No thank you – because it doesn’t always work.  The Rangers won in OT.  Just as well I was on a Twitter ban and only talking to Alison.

Sad Brad scored on his birthday. I hope his ice cream cake melted.

Last night, I was at a dinner and trying not to check the score.  Go home and watch the whole game, right?  Ha!  Zero will power.  I did pass my phone around the table for independent verification of the score, then had more celebratory sangria.  I watched the game afterward – fast-forwarding through Pens’ penalties, which was pretty much the entire first period.  Nisky for roughing – in hindsight, I can love that.

Incoming Geno hug

BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: Still no goals for Crosby or Nash.  (See what I did there? I almost hope you don’t, it’s so bad.)  At this rate, they’ll find that missing plane before one of these guys scores.

Want to see my Art Ross Trophy?

Blackhawks lead Wild in series 2-0

Friday night’s game was tied 2-2 until Patrick Kane decided it was time for this goal:

If this blog had audio, I’d whistle.  That’s so good it’s worth another goal, which Kaner scored 8+ minutes later to put the Hawks up 4-2 and shut the door (won 5-2 on an EN).  Sunday afternoon, playoff hero Bryan Bickell extended his point streak to five games with 1G and 2A.  Remember how many points he had last year?  17 (9G, 9A) in 23 games.  He’s got eight points in eight games so far this post-season.

Must. Have. Points.

Patrick Sharp didn’t have any points in the game (he had 1A on Friday), but he wore these shorts and we think that counts for something.

Somewhere Toews can’t find his shorts.

Bruins and Canadiens tied 1-1

After PK Subban’s double-OT winner last week, the Habs were up one game to none.

BeardWatch

Remember Boston lost the first game of the last series too, then adjusted and won four straight.  They got back on that track with a come-from-behind 5-3 victory Saturday, which I watched from the elliptical runner at the gym.  I can go a lot of miles fueled by my dislike for Brad Marchand.  That said, four unanswered goals in the third period (one EN) made the B’s look more dominant that the scoreboard showed.

“Ha, little man.”

Kings take first game, lead Ducks 1-0

I wish this series could be weekends-only, so I could stay up for every game.  It was worth the late night Saturday – I caught just the 3rd and OT – to see Marion Gaborik tie the game with seven seconds left.

God, that is SO exciting when it’s a) your team or b) you don’t care who wins!  Gaborik scored again in OT.  I still have the Ducks taking this series, but the Kings are going to make me look stupid every time I don’t pick them.

Five in a row, and counting.

Tonight the Penguins and Rangers are back at it, this time in NYC, and I will be glued to the TV and (trying to stay) signed out of Twitter.   Late night it’s Game 2 of Kings vs. Ducks.  It promises to be really exciting and also excellent for your productivity at work tomorrow.

Must… watch… hockey…

Canadiens: 4; Lightning: 3 [Habs win series 4-0]

It looked like OT until Max Pacioretty, who I still have trouble remembering is American, scored his first ever playoff goal with 43 seconds left in the third.

And the crowd goes wild.  Literally.  I don’t care for/about the Habs but a moment like that melts my heart.  Much has been made of the Habs being the only Canadian team in the post-season, and they haven’t advanced past the first round since 2010. They become 2014’s first playoff bracket move:

Farewell to the Bolts, whose beards we will not get to enjoy.  We’ll give Stamkos a week to mope then we expect daily Gary Roberts workout videos.

You’re welcome.

So Lightning fans, who will you root for now?

Bruins: 3; Detroit: 0 [Bruins lead series 2-1]

The Canadiens will await the winner of this series, which is getting fiesty slimy.  In the grand Detroit tradition of throwing octopi on the ice, a fan tossed one during the anthem.  Chances are it wasn’t Justin Verlander because it came up short, sliding gently into Tuukka Rask’s skate like it was afraid of becoming sushi.  Tuukka gave it a well-deserved look of disgust and proceeded to beat the Red Wings in reply.

Gif by Twitter/@PeteBlackburn

Brad Marchand barely dodged a potentially terrible knee-on-knee hit from Brendan Smith – then went down and grabbed the wrong leg.  I have to mention it, you know that about me.  Video/Gif/weaksauce explanation at CBS Sports.  Better examination on Days of Y’Orr, including a Marchand gif that makes me want to stab myself in the face.

Rangers: 4; Flyers: 1 [NYR lead series 2-1]

This game can be summed up in two images:

I’m still rooting for everyone to lose but even I had a little bit of fun at the end there.

Sharks: 4; Kings: 3 [Sharks lead series 3-0]

It took OT and by far the Kings’ best result in this series, but in the end it was still the Sharks and their weird beard dreams taking a chokehold lead on this series.  BU’s Matt Nieto scored his first playoff goal last night – yay for days!  The Kings will try to stay alive Thursday night.

HNIC Bio: Matt Nieto

Read this adorable Hertl/Nieto rookie BFF story from the SJ Mercury News.  They better have those Minions in the locker room.

For tonight…

Pens and Blue Jackets are up first thing evening, as if anyone has recovered from Saturday night.  The Stars and Ducks are on early (8PM ET), so you can see Jamie Benn’s face/Jordie Benn’s beard and if they’re able to even that series.  The Blackhawks will try to take two of two at home from St. Louis in the not-quite-so late game (9:30 PM ET).

These little recaps are really helping make sure I have at least looked at every playoff game.  That said, they are 3-minute looks.  If I miss something good, let me know!  I can’t be everywhere and Mr. Pants is already really tired of the playoffs.

1. Enjoy a composed evening of important hockey that matters on a theoretical level, but not to your team.
2. Like me, last night:

One goal games all around, and no one made it look easy.  Here we go, Round One: Day One already gearing up to be great.

Canadiens: 5, Lightning: 4

Did you get dizzy watching this one?  Twice Tampa Bay took the lead, only to lose it in 0:19 and 3:15 respectively.  Montreal went up by a goal twice, only to be tied again in 2:01 and 1:57.  The last game-tying goal was a beauty by Stamkos, coast-to-coast, all alone:

Almost an entire OT period was needed to end this, the Habs getting the win.   Still some good numbers for the Lightning – they had only 25 shots on Price but scored 4 times, while Lindback stopped 39 of 44.  On Montreal’s end, that’s a lot of shots!  Vanek had 7 of them, including this very pretty goal:

Penguins: 4,  Blue Jackets: 3

TOO CLOSE, THANK YOU.  If every game in the series is like this, I may not survive.  I expect it will be, since all Pens defensemen over the age of Matt Niskanen have a tendency to do what only Mokiki can do so well: the Sloppy Swish.

SNL Video: (The Legend of) Mokiki and the Sloppy Swish

They will magically get it together for periods (of time, not hockey).  Let’s hope for more of those.  Flower I thought was not bad – the first 2 goals were all the D’s fault, the 3rd he’d love to have back.  If only the world were a wish granting factory.

The Jackets are, of course, good and scary.  I was sore from watching guys get hit on TV.  Also from punching the screen every time Brandon Dubinksy’s face came up.  That’s his job and he does it so well.

Ducks: 4, Stars: 3

I went to bed when this was 3-0 Anaheim, all in the first.  I did a “WHAT?!” this morning when I saw the final score.  For twenty minutes things were bleak, but it was just the rust of not making the playoffs for the last 5 seasons.  They are good now.  But are they as good as the Ducks?

Ryan Getzlaf, with the Tyler Seguin slapshot-to-face:

If not for Getz’s mug, who knows?  The Stars could have tied in the final seconds.  They came close more than once.  Coach Boudreau expects Getzlaf to have a “nasty cut” but hopefully be fine and they will know more today.

Don’t get me wrong – this is better (for me) than Danny Briere being a Flyer.  Even if it gave him a sad and that hurt my heart.  I could get used to an increased use of French language, lack of orange and the Lightning being my favorite team in the new Atlantic Division.

Plus it’s always fun to give Chuck a hard time.

Plaid pants. He still loves us.

Here’s Danny talking about his first experiences with his new team [Montreal Gazette story].  Check out all the correct accent marks in the feature yet in the video, his name is spelled “Brier.”  Oops.

Also my affection for guys in polo shirts has reached an alarming level.

More from CBC.ca.  I had also blocked out forgotten that Douglas “Crankshaft” Murray is now a Hab too.  Haven’t gotten past “the Penguins stunning playoff collapse,” as this article calls it.  Thanks for making sure that one still hurts.

Worse than the total agony of being in love?

We’re almost there again.  The gut-wrenching, screaming-into-a-pillow, obsecenity-laden euphoria and destruction of the post-season.

In past years, the NHL has come up with some great commercials to capture this emotional meteor shower.

Granted these are for the Cup final, but I’ve been moved and inspired.  I’ve been fired up.

And I’ve wept like that time Professor McGonagall stepped between Harry and Voldemort in Deathly Hallows.

@Raedanda found these, the NHL’s first playoff commercials for teams that have clinched berths this year.  I have to say… BLEH.

I love a good montage, but these are doing nothing for me.  Not the Penguins, or the Toews/Kane bromance.

Not Foxy Friday Carey Price, not even Corey Perry’s overturned turtle goal-slide celebration.

I need blood and sweat, I need lowlights that I suffered through while my teams paid for their playoff berths in pounds of flesh.  I need feels.

Meh.  I am a hundred times more excited and terrified than these commercials let on.  Here’s hoping for better as this shortstop season draws to an end…

Week # 3 of the Foxy Friday Fan Challenge brings us to a place we never expected to be – except for that time I admitted this during the Cosmo’s 30 Hottest Hockey Players  debacle.  Damn the internet, it never forgets!

This week’s winner is Cheryl (@c_S_C_D) in Oregon.  We feel better knowing she struggled with it too.

__________________________________________________________________________

Let me preface this by saying: I am a die-hard Bruins fan.  But this guy has had my heart since I met him in 2004 (another story for another day), so I will just confess without further ado.  Ladies (and gentlemen)…

Foxy Friday: Carey Price.

We love part-time models.

Once upon a time, Carey was a baby goalie playing for the Tri-City Americans in the WHL .  He was little more than a dream of stardom and frosted tips crying out for a boy band.

Also, he was a heck of a goalie:

In his final WHL season, Price went 30-13-1, with a save percentage of .917.  Winning is foxy.  He also appeared in the World Junior Classic. Again, impressive stats.

Even more impressive company:

Shiny things.

More shiny things.

The Montreal Canadiens drafted him 5th in the 2005 draft, behind former Foxy Friday Bobby Ryan (#2) and Foxy Everyday Sidney Crosby (#1, natch).

Carey’s had his ups and downs on the ice.  The Habs reached the Eastern Conference finals in ’09-’10 (lost 4-1 to the Flyers).  Last season they did not make the playoffs.  Currently they are atop the Northeast by two points over the Bruins.  Whether they go in 2nd or 4th, this year Montreal is going to the dance.

Even when he doesn’t play, Carey’s been known to make a stellar save.

Look how nonchalant.  And don’t pretend the French isn’t making you swoon.

Sometimes he even practices as a forward, in case you’re into role-playing.

Don’t lie, it works for you.

Bruins fans, are you faltering yet?  How about if Carey knows where to find Tyler Seguin in a dark place full of heavy things to push?

WUYS has made it clear that to be Foxy Friday material, he must love dogs:

Some of us like cowboys and rodeo (including Pants):

Add in some hockey to get Chuck and the rest of the holdouts.

Carey’s going as Raylan Givens for Halloween.

But mostly, I think Carey is foxy because he’s a dork!

No hands on the wheel.

Approximate measurement of foxiness, in Metric system of course.

In conclusion, Carey Price is foxy because he’s Carey Price.

He takes things like this:

And makes them look like this:

One last pic, with the King of Foxy Goaltenders, Henrik Lundqvist.

Wanna know more? Like 22:45 minutes more?  It’s cool, you’ll be dead by the 8 minute mark.  If you hold out for the bowling segment, you can meet Carey’s fiancée (sorry girls!).

Check out Carey’s official website (www.careyprice.com), on the Twitter (@CP0031) and coming soon to a playoff game near you.

Buffalo has been giving Caps fans heartburn for the last few months – I hurt the most for their fans because it was nearly us in their place.  A ton of respect to this team for the way they played in the last half of the season.

Winnipeg, the most excited place in the League, put on a good show and will benefit from realignment this summer.

Tampa Bay… I can’t talk about it.  Not seeing Stamkos and St. Louis in the playoffs after their ferocious post-season performance last year just guts me.  Stamkos for 60 would make it a little better.

Carolina struggled so massively in the first half, I hope they feel some accomplishment in getting where they did.  Intern Jeff Skinner can even have a few days off.

Bless Toronto and Montreal fans – they get angry but they never, ever give up.  Even when their teams don’t win, the passion of their fans make me jealous.

The Islanders have some blinding talent, I think they’re on the upswing.  They’ll have more to cheer about soon.

Bonus points for Sign Guy.

If your team didn’t make the playoffs, we’re sorry.  Enjoy the drama of the post-season without wanting to throw up over every goal, or adopt a team that would be happy to have your support.  Summer’s not that long, and there’s always next year.  Hockey fans never say die.

Western Conference, you’re coming up.

Is the stanley cup hiding in there?

This week’s beard update. Here’s where it stands. The Sedin’s are disqualified because they always have one and it’s always groomed. Shea Weber started too early but I’ll include him solely because of its sheer awesomeness but he’s out of the running and same goes for George Parros. And believe it or not, there is actually an attractive man under that obnoxious 70’s facial hair and horrible hair cut!

As Mr. Cherrie says, "This is made for riding!"

No wonder Detroit keeps winning, the entire team can grow one in a day!

Who knew? Evidently not Boston ...

Mike Green is growing something MAGICAL! HOLY COW!

let's hope more goals come flying out of Patrice's beard ...or somewhere else - SOON!

where on earth did this come from? because one minute is wasn't there and the next - BAM! scooby doo !

no wonder this series is tied 1-1 ... penner and wallin.

does this really surprise any of us? ALL MAN ... ALL THE TIME.

Winner winner chicken dinner! Why is this young lady smiling? Because she took the challenge!

Marco scores as a Cap this weekend against Montreal who spoiled their play-off dreams last year. It wasn’t the best game ever  – in fact, it was quite a grinder. Seems to be happening everywhere as teams who have clinched a play-off position rest their A-team. But a win’s a win and a goal’s a goal!

Here’s an interview with him after his first game as a Capital. He was very excited to be playing on the first line but knows there’s alot of work to be done!

We don’t like that.  Especially Pants.

“Get your damn hands off him,” she says.

From PuckDaddy's blog

The photo above accompanied a blog post entitled “GQ ranks Montreal Canadiens fans among the worst in sports”.   The Habs fans, aka the Frostbitten Hooligans, ranked 11th on the list and fortunately for all of us, are the only hockey team to make this distinguished list of malevolent misfits.

And this is AFTER they made it past the first round...

To be fair, my beloved Boston Red Sox and the Evil Empire (New York Yankees) also made the list (Kudos for parity, GQ) as did a bunch of college sports teams.

But who has THE worst fans in sports?

That honor belongs to the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia.

Where's the love, people?!

The Phillies fans topped the list, thanks in part to the digestive pyrotechnics of one fan who intentionally vomited on a 11-year-old girl.  The Eagles fans were #2. Two words: Throwing. Batteries.

We here are WUYS are very happy at the lack of NHL teams represented on this list.   Despite its reputation as a sport of brawling, barbarism, and blood-shed, hockey is actually pretty docile.

Its fans don’t boo Santa Claus or America’s first hand transplant recipient. (Philadephia).  We don’t call someone’s grandmother a “whore” until she cries (Oregon) nor do we toss bottles of urine on opposing players (Penn State).

We are passionate about the sport, for sure. We have been known to scream at the television and grumble with annoyance when our team blows a 3-0 lead in a playoff series.  (Yes, Bruins, I’m still upset about that…)

So, we might get into a few fights here and there, but on the whole, hockey is a sport with impassioned fans and unpretentious players. Seriously.  When was the last time that you heard a hockey player get arrested for shooting someone? Or for cheating on his wife?  Or drinking tiger’s blood?

You stay classy, NHL.

Check out the full list of the worst fans in sports here.

That is 3 hours and 7 minutes of shame. Or triumph, depending on who you are rooting for.

The teams also scored 14 goals between them. And the Bruins won.  So that pretty cool.

A win tonight would give the Killer B’s a 7-point lead over the Habs in the Northeast Division.  The Canadiens  have 15 games left which pretty much makes it impossible to overtake the B’s for the divisional title.  It also guarantees the Bruins with a top 3 playoff seeing for the Eastern Conference playoffs.  Right now as it stands, they’d meet the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs.  The only upside of that it getting to see Matt Gilroy, our 1st Foxy Friday honoree.

TIMMAY is most likely to the starting goalie tonight despite taking a stinger off his glove hand in practice and Tukkaa threw a tantum at the morning skate.  Rask took a shot to the chest, chucked his stick 20 rows into the seats (no pun intended), and storm off the ice.

No word of if he’s actually injured.  Or just having a hissy fit.

Hello folks. Welcome to the Show. The Gun Show.

Jailbait.

Last night’s Canadiens/Bruins game was epic.  The craziest 60 minutes of hockey I’ve ever seen.  Seriously.  Ever.

Every game between these long time rivals is emotional charged but this was ridiculous.  Ridiculously AWESOME.  I started to write this post last night, but was too emotionally exhausted so I went to sleep to collect my thoughts.

After not so restful 8 hours of sleep, here are my thought about FightFest 2011…

The TD Garden, home of the big bad Bruins, will henceforth be known as the House of Pain.

Bring it.

• This game had everything.  Lions and Tigers and Bears OH MY! 14 goals.  41 penalties.  237 fights.
• A PLETHORA of goals.  Between two of the top defensive teams in the NHL. The poor PA guy barely had time to catch up between all the penalties and the goals.  Get that man a Ricola STAT!
• The massive 2nd period brawl – 34 PIM handed out.
• Crowded house in the penalty box. At one point, 6 Bruins in the penalty box, 5 in the Habs’ box.  As Pants pointed out, it is like piling people into a phone booth.

Tight squeeze

• Goalie fight! Thomas vs. Price.  Not as epic as Johnson vs. DiPietro but entertaining none the less.  Timmay smiling and laughing the whole time.

• All five players on one line putting up their dukes.  Now that’s what I call teamwork, boys. You fight, I fight, We all fight!  YAY!

• Nathan Horton has a 5 point game (1 goal, 4 assists).  Could he finally be living up to his potential??
• Lucic the Love Doctor added 2 goals and an assist.  Ryder score 2 goal-scorer’s goals. Krecji had 3 assists.  With Savvy done for the year, these guys are really going to have to produce for the Bruins to have any shot at making a run in the playoffs.

On a side note, Tyler Seguin totally bumming that he missed this game.  The youngster was a healthy scratch last night because he hasn’t exactly been playing up to par recently.  Perhaps Coach Claude thought a night watching from the stands might light his fire.  After that fightfest, I bet Ty-Ty is hitting the weight room and skating at practice twice as hard.

Forget about guns. I got missiles.