1. That game sucked. I hate to see a series decided by injuries, even though most of them - on some level - are.

Tyler Johnson - who is an absolutely fantastic player who does not get near enough credit for being as good as he is - was luckily able to return to the game. Without him, the Pens will win for sure.

Bishop is replaceable because Vasileskiy is probably just as good as he is - and that's saying a lot because I think Ben Bishop is a great goalie - but you can't replace Tyler Johnson, certainly not with a Stamkos who isn't in game shape.

2. One of my favorite books of all time is the Tommyknockers by Stephen King. I have never understood why people consider this one of King's worst books. It is delightful.




3. New Rule: People who keep mentioning the 'eye test' and the 'statistics don't tell the whole story' thing to me need to realize that people who use statistics also watch hockey.

Also, considering that in the last two weeks, the Panthers and Coyotes both made moves to join the Kings, Canes, Leafs, Penguins, and just about every other team not called Vancouver and Colorado and Calgary, in the 21st century, you would think people would be more open new ideas and ways of thinking.

And yet, try to tell someone something like "Ryan Ellis is better than Roman Josi" which is a statistical fact, and you just get outright dismissal. Not even a maybe.

4. For every way that statistics do not 'tell the whole story' people might want to consider that outside of sports they pretty much do.

Statistical analysis is the cornerstone of virtually everything and no matter what discipline you study in school, you will eventually encounter a class that teaches you the problems of human vision and eye-witness accounts. Psychology. History. Critical Thinking. Math. Any Science class. Criminology. Sociology. Law. English.

Literally every class tells you that you are too biased and your brain too indebted to pattern recognition to believe anything you see in real time. But sure, please keep telling me how stats don't tell the how story and keep acting like 2016 Shea Weber is the same as 2010 Shea Weber.



5. Of course the Colorado Avalanche have Tyson Barrie in play. Of course the Calgary Flames are interested in hiring Randy Carlye.

Both of which are insane. The Avalanche should be trading literally anyone on their roster instead of Barrie - it's rarer to find a guy like him than a scoring forward. And the Flames? They have a trio of fantastic defensemen and a trio of young forwards which should make any team in the NHL jealous. They can be a Cup Contender with a decent coach and a goalie. They would be wise to look at what happened in Toronto when they fired Brian Burke.

6. This was hilarious.



7. If I was interested in busting out a retro RPG - what game should I go with? I can never decide, I just end up spending an hour trying to pick a game and then getting annoyed and playing my Marvel game.

8. Such a bummer (haha hilarious word no one uses anymore) that my favorite (current) band is re-uniting and playing literally five minutes from where I grew up, and it'd cost over $600 for my wife and I to go. Also lame - another of my favorites, Sigor Ros, is playing Toronto and it sold out in 20 minutes. Weak.



9. I have to go to the mall to buy pants. This is the worst. Last time when I asked the snobby jean store girl if they had pants a grown-up might want to wear (i.e not skinny jeans that make me look like a Kings of Leon reject) she suggested I "go to Old Navy," which, lets be honest, if I do that, that is the end of my life as a young cool person. If I buy pants from Old Navy I will have to finally admit that I am the lame-ass dud my teenaged daughter thinks I am.

Old hipsters are so lame. Me: I have a Sonic Youth t-shirt damnit. My kid: Do they sing Bangarang?

10. I heard that Les Jackson is still going to be named the Coyotes Assistant GM. Will be interesting to see if it happens.

11. Eventually Crosby and Malkin are going to come alive and score some points and when that happens the Lightning are in trouble.

Thanks for reading.