Yep, that's it. I finally believe in Pittsburgh. They're a team of destiny. I can't deny it any longer.

They are catching all the breaks. Couple that with the fact they're playing very well and winning games, and I think it's inevitable.

Here's more on the Stanley Cup Finals with Detroit, but I still have to pick the Penguins in six games.

Sorry Flyers' fans.

I'm going with a Stanley Cup Finals rematch.... from 2002.

Make it Detroit vs. Carolina.

For more details go here.

My record thus far:

First round 8-0.
Second Round 3-1.
Overall 11-1.

Does the headline truly surprise anyone?

How about this gem that I plucked from Dan Steinberg's DC Sports Blog at the Washington Post:

If you're one of the best hockey players in the world, and you have a potentially undeserved reputation for excessive complaining, and you're asked what you were discussing with a game official following your rival's game-clinching playoff hat trick, you could potentially say, "Oh, it was nothing." Or, if you were feeling frisky, you could venture further afield.

"People kept throwing hats," Sidney Crosby said tonight. "I was just asking if he could make an announcement to ask them to stop. I mean, the first wave came and then I think they were all pretty much picked up, and then more started coming. So for us, we just wanted to make sure we kept kind of moving and kept the game going, wanted to try to get back in it. So I wasn't complaining about anything."

Ovechkin, the caps and their fans have a symbiotic relationship.

Except for in Pittsburgh and across Canada where he is a hockey deity, Crosby turns more and more fans off with his childish rants.

When will "the Kid" ever learn what it means to be the Face of the League?

Sad, really.

The rumors are true.

The Flyers are interested in the services of goalie Ray Emery. Yeah, the same guy who fights with his teammates, gets in trouble with the law because of road rage, and chased a team doctor down a hallway to beat him up.

He'd fit in real nice here. Yikes.

Paul Holmgren told CSNPhilly.com that Emery is one of the options the Flyers are considering in goal and was quoted as saying, "If he gets his head on straight he's a good goalie."

Fine, but my question is, why run that risk?

Marty Biron is far more reliable, and the two are probably on par talent-wise. The funny thing is, the Flyers said they wouldn't touch Sean Avery with a 10-foot pole, but his antics are far from as detrimental as Emery's have been to a locker room.

What's the difference?

I don't know.

I spoke to a source within the Flyers' organization today who said there is real interest, but they want to make sure Emery understands his disruptions will not be tolerated.

Also, contract talks would be interesting.

Emery made $2 million playing this year in Russia in the KHL. He will probably command at least that if he comes back. Of course, that's still $1.5 million cheaper than Biron, so the Flyers can save money there.

But, it's still a very big risk. One I wouldn't want to take.

...

In other news... Randy Jones will have another exploratory procedure in his right hip to see what's wrong now. His recovery time will depend on what's found and if anything needs to be repaired.

Also, Darroll Powe will rest his hip another 2-3 weeks before considering surgery.

Both players flew to Tennessee to meet with Dr. Thomas Byrd, noted hip specialist.