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5-hole.com Pick ‘em – Marc is Mini-Kipper – 1/15/09

Eric — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:49:00 +0000

#2 Boston Bruins @ #30 New York Islanders

Eric – Bruins – If the Bruins don’t win I will eat my hat. *gimmie*
Marc – Bruins – The Isles were already hopeless with MacDonald… now Danis is in net. *gimmie*
Rory – Bruins – Ha! *gimmie*

#25 Toronto Maple Leafs @ #15 Carolina Hurricanes

Eric – Canes – Fantasy team pick (Cam Ward)
Marc – Canes – blah
Rory – Canes – The Leafs have lost 8 of their last ten. Plus they suck.

#22 Nashville Predators @ #6 Montreal Canadiens

Eric – Preds – hahaha Pekka.
Marc – Habs – The Preds are looking good recently but it’s tough to go into the Bell Centre and win.
Rory – Habs – No dollar bills are going to be mailed out tonight.

#9 Philadelphia Flyers @ #27 Tampa Bay Lightning

Eric – Flyers – There is no possible way that the Lightning beat the Flyers tonight. None.
Marc – Flyers – The Lightning are back from a long west coast road trip where they actually won 2 out of 3. But they lost 7-1 to the Sharks and jet lag is a bitch.
Rory – Flyers – Come on, now.

#20 Edmonton Oilers @ #19 Minnesota Wild

Eric – Wild – I flipped a coin. It landed on it’s rim. Bad teams are bad.
Marc – Wild – Backstrom is the man.
Rory – Wild – I flipped a coin – these two are practically the same at the moment, stnadings-wise and record-wise, anyway.

#21 Colorado Avalanche @ #28 St. Louis Blues

Eric – Avs – They’re on a roll… of sorts.
Marc – Avs – These teams are both pretty bad, but at least Col has looked decent lately. Stl has lost their last 2 and 7 of the last 10.
Rory – Avs – St. Louis is suckin’ it big time this season.

#13 Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. @ #23 Dallas Stars

Eric – Stars – They’re playing pretty well lately. But then again so are the Sabres.
Marc – Stars – Yes, I’m actually picking Turco.
Rory – Stars – Why not? I like to mix it up.

#14 Phoenix Coyotes @ #11 Vancouver Canucks

Eric – Canucks – Luongo hath returneth.
Marc – Canucks – Luongo is back in action. Sanford got waived… ouch.
Rory – Canucks – Not-so-sucky team playing pretty-damn-sucky team. (Ed. Note: Look at the standings…)

#3 Detroit Red Wings @ #24 Los Angeles Kings

Eric – Wings – Just beat up the Ducks last night. Didn’t have to travel very far today.
Marc – Wings – When the Wings turn it on, they are the best team in the NHL. Anyone who has watched a team try to hold on to a 3rd period lead against the Wings knows what I’m talking about.
Rory – Wings – LA shouldn’t even bother to show up to this game. Save everyone some time and effort.

#5 Calgary Flames @ #1 San Jose Sharks

Eric – Sharks – The Flames probably have the best chance to had the Sharks their first home regulation loss. But I don’t think that will happen.
Marc – Flames – This would be a big time upset, but I freakin love Kipper almost as much as the Mini-Kipper. Almost, but not quite. (see video below)
Rory – Sharks – San Jose haven’t lost at home in regulation and only twice in OT. Yup.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D61TyprHVY8]

5-hole.com Pick ‘em is back, baby! Lock up your daughters…

Marc — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:06:10 +0000

Where has 5-hole.com Pick ‘em been for the last 3 weeks, you ask? Well, I was in Beijing looking for a lovely young bride. Eric was on a flight to Florida with his financial adviser. And Rory was negotiating contracts in California .

Now we’re back, and just in time because there’s a full slate of games on tap for tonight. It’s a great night to have the NHL Center Ice package. On to the picks!

#5 Montreal Canadiens @ #2 Boston Bruins

Eric – Bruins – French Canadians are the worst Canadians.
Marc – Bruins – Two of the hottest teams in the league in a great rivalry game. Tough game to pick, but the Bruins have won the last 2 in the series, and they play great at home.
Rory – Bruins - Toughie, but I have to go with No Habs No! on this one.

#8 New York Rangers @ #30 New York Islanders

Eric – Rangers - http://www.imeem.com/people/jwYDZ_/music/heDj-wSm/the_zambonies_johnny_got_suspended/
Marc – Rangers – Potvin sucks > the chicken dance
Rory – Rangers – The Rangers seem to be kickin’ back into high gear – they’d better beat these losers.

#19 Pittsburgh Penguins @ #6 Philadelphia Flyers

Eric – Flyers - This is not the team that the Penguins break out of their funk against
Marc – Penguins - Yes, the Pens are 2-8 in their last 10, but Philly is 5-2-3, which is basically .500 if you think about it, so they aren’t exactly killing it. Plus, there’s no way I can pick a team from Philly to win this week. Eli: WTF?
Rory – Flyers – Penguins are backsliding HARD. Philly’s at the top of the division. Check and mate.

#21 Edmonton Oilers @ #4 Washington Capitals

Eric – Caps - The Caps are 18-2-1 at the Verizon Center, the Oilers are 11-10-0 away from Rexall Place
Marc – Caps - With the Caps, you get 2 teams in 1. At home, they are ridiculously good. On the road, not so much. This one’s at the VZ Center.
Rory – Caps – I loves me some Ovechkin.

#17 Colorado Avalanche @ #18 Columbus Blue Jackets

Eric – BJ’s - Steve Mason>Andrew Raycroft
Marc – Avs - The BJ’s are suffering from a lot of injuries (that’s what she said?) including big-time playmaker Rick Nash.
Rory – Avs – I don’t really have a reason for this one.

#23 Nashville Predators @ #25 Toronto Maple Leafs

Eric – Preds - I’m not picking any Canadian teams today.
Marc – Leafs – The Predators have lost 7 in a row on the road. The Leafs have lost 3 in a row overall and 7 of their last 9. They can’t both lose, so I guess I’ll take the Leafs.
Rory – Preds – These two have almost the exact same record. I just really don’t like the Maple Leafs

#15 Carolina Hurricanes @ #29 Ottawa Senators

Eric – Canes - Like I said, I’m not picking any Canadian teams today. Plus the Senators suck.
Marc – Sens - Neither of these teams has looked good lately. But this is the 3rd road game in a row for the Canes, and they’ve looked terrible in the last two.
Rory - Canes – Have you seen these schmucks play recently?

#14 Phoenix Coyotes @ #20 Minnesota Wild

Eric – Coyotes - How much better does this team have to do before they make some money?
Marc – Wild – Niklas Backstrom will take me to fantasy hockey glory!
Rory – Wild - Why not?

#27 St. Louis Blues @ #7 Calgary Flames

Eric – Flames - Okay, maybe I’ll pick one.
Marc – Flames - Mikka Kiprusoff will take me to fantasy hockey glory!
Rory – Flames - Calgary’s kickin’ ass. St. Louis? Not so much.

#10 New Jersey Devils @ #11 Vancouver Canucks

Eric – Devils - Luongo’s not ready to go just yet.
Marc – Canucks – My Chelsea Piers team blew our 11-game win streak last night to a team called the Canucks. Coincidence? I think not.
Rory – Canucks – I hate the Devils.

#26 Tampa Bay Lightning @ #1 San Jose Sharks

Eric – Sharks - Puh-lease. *gimmie*
Marc – Sharks – Have you seen the moneyline on this game? The Sharks are -375. *gimmie*
Rory – Sharks – Come on. Seriously? *gimmie*

5-hole.com Pick ‘em – OMG! Controversy! – 12/23/08

Eric — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:32:10 +0000

There is controversy brewing over the Penguins’ game winning goal scored by Sidney Crosby in overtime last night. The big question is whether Crosby made contact with the puck above or below the crossbar. The goal was reviewed and it stood. So what’s the problem? The call on the ice was goal. The replay did not conclusively disprove that. It’s a goal right? Maybe, maybe not.

Why it’s a goal:
1. The NHL says it’s a goal, therefore, it’s a goal.
2. Someone at Pensblog drew a cute picture! They can’t be wrong, can they?

Why it’s not a goal:

1. Conspiracy theorists claim the NHL is just furthering the Sidney Crosby love fest.

2. The picture from Pensblog is misleading because the puck was not in line with the corner where the post and crossbar meet when it made contact with Crosby’s stick. It was actually closer to the center of the crossbar. Oh no! The new line goes under Crosby’s arm and the puck! NO GOAL!
3. Commenter Tom L. on the Puck Daddy post says, “Crosby is 5′ 11″, 6′ 3″ on skates. The crossbar is 4ft high and the puck hit a few inches below his armpits. Unless Sid’s swollen head is 28 inches tall, that’s well over 4ft.”
4. If the NHL had disciplined Crosby for his actions in the game against Atlanta, he would not have even been playing in this game.
5. This picture left by another commenter in that Puck Daddy post shows with more lines that the net is only 80 pixels tall in the image, while the distance from the puck to the ice is 91 pixels. 11 pixels isn’t all that much but it’s still something.

I say it was no goal. But what do I know? Onto the picks!

#2 Boston Bruins @ #9 New Jersey Devils

Eric – Bruins - Both teams are hot, I’m going with the Bruins.
Rory – Bruins - I hate the Devils.

#28 Atlanta Thrashers @ #30 New York Islanders

Eric – Thrashers - This could be a contender for the worst game in the history of the NHL.
Rory – Thrashers - This is like picking between getting poked in my right eye or my left eye.

#7 Washington Capitals @ #4 New York Rangers

Eric – Rangers - I just can’t pick against them.
Rory – Rangers - Good Lord I hope I’m right. Washington’s going to be looking for someone to embarrass after coming off a 7-1 loss to the Flyers, but I think the boys can handle ‘em.

#26 Ottawa Senators @ #6 Philadelphia Flyers

Eric – Sens - Niittymaki sucks. A lot.
Rory – Flyers - Ottawa sucks, and Philly’s coming off a 7-1 ass-kicking session they delivered to the Caps.

#24 Los Angeles Kings @ #23 Columbus Blue Jackets

Eric – BJs - Quick gets the start for the kings tonight against Mason. Quick has played in 2 games this season and has a GAA of 4.70 and SV% .860. Good luck.
Rory – BJs - Hehe.

#25 Dallas Stars @ #20 Toronto Maple Leafs

Eric – Stars - The Leafs flew from Atlanta to Toronto last night and they have either a hurt Vesa Toskala in net or the second NHL game ever for Justin Pogge.
Rory – Stars - I just love that Dallas is all of a sudden doing amazing now that Avery’s gone. Plus Joel Lundqvist is back from his shoulder injury, so the team’s physicality is back on track.

#29 Tamba Bay Lightning @ #11 Pittsburgh Penguins

Eric – Pens - Honestly, if the Pens have trouble with the Lightning, there’s a problem there. *gimmie*
Rory – Pens - If Tampa wins this, we can all go ice skating in Hell. *gimmie*

#17 Nashville Predators @ # 19 Florida Panthers

Eric – Panthers - Vokoun is fresh off of his shutout and they stayed put waiting for the Preds to come to town.
Rory – Preds - Jed!!!

#27 St. Louis Blues @ #3 Detroit Red Wings

Eric – Wings - Wings roll at the Joe.
Rory – Wings - Really?

#15 Carolina Hurricanes @ #18 Minnesota Wild

Eric – Wild - Backstrom vs. Ward could be very interesting. Or it could be a blowout. We’ll see.
Rory – Wild - Barring Gaborik’s groin deciding it’s time for him to take another vacation, El Wild should take this one.

#16 Phoenix Coyotes @ #22 Colorado Avalanche

Eric – Coyotes - I’m tired of the snow.
Rory – Avs - Phoenix sucks.

#13 Anahiem Mighty Ducks @ # 12 Calgary Flames

Eric – Flames - The Ducks almost battled back to tie the game last night against the Canucks. But let’s see how they do against a better goalie in Miikka Kiprusoff.
Rory – Ducks - Why not?

#10 Vancouver Canucks @ #1 San Jose Sharks

Eric – Sharks - Canucks are tired, Sharks are good.
Rory – Sharks - Rejection Wrath of Henrik Lundqvist!!!

5-hole.com Pick ‘em – Zambonis and Crosbys gone wild! – 12/19/08

Eric — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:08:52 +0000

In yesterday’s game between the Thrashers and Penguins, a fight broke out after the Thrashers’ first goal. At one point, Sidney Crosby gives Boris Valabik 3 solid punches from behind while teammate Kris Letang held Valabik down. Crosby was clearly the third man in on this “fight” and he sucker punched Valabik not once, not twice, but three times yet he was only accessed a roughing minor.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAle37zwhyA]

The Honda zamboni was so excited to get inside Wrigley field that it jumped off of the truck that was transporting it. Luckily, no one (including the zamboni) was injured.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZAgccYTjvE]

Quick! Go look at our picks before Sidney Crosby punches you in the back of the head!

#26 Ottawa Senators @ #12 New Jersey Devils

Eric – Sens – Auld is back in net for the Sens.
Marc – Devils - Did you know Ottawa has the worst road record in the eastern conference?
Rory – Sens - I hate the Devils. So much.

#21 Los Angeles Kings @ #16 Buffalo Sabres

Eric – Sabres - LaBarbera in net for the Kings + Sabres on home ice = Sabres win.
Marc – Sabres – Did you know LA has the worst road record in the western conference?
Rory – Sabres – LA sucks. Plain and simple.
#29 New York Islanders @ #19 Minnesota Wild

Eric – Wild – The Wild are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games and have only 1 standings point in their last 6 games. This is the perfect game for them to break out. *gimmie*
Marc – Wild – The Wild have been slumping, but the Isles can help any team get out of a slump. Plus Backstrom is my fantasy team goalie. *gimmie*
Rory – Wild – Even though the Wild aren’t doin’ so well lately, but it’s the Sucklanders. My grandmother could beat them, and she’s been dead for 5 years. Sorry grandma. But it’s true. *gimmie*

#7 Chicago Blackhawks @ #9 Calgary Flames

Eric – Hawks - Hawks have an extra day of rest since spanking the Oilers 9-2.
Marc – Flames - Chicago has been on fire lately. But so have the Flames. Kiprusoff is my other fantasy team goalie.
Rory – Flames - I love those campaign ads, but somethin’s tellin’ me to go with the Flames on this one.

#13 Anaheim Ducks @ #23 Edmonton Oilers

Eric – Ducks - Hiller>Roloson
Marc – Ducks - The Ducks defensemen have been practicing putting their clothes back on after getting undressed. Pronger is relieved that Nigel Dawes is not on Edmonton.
Rory – Oilers - I know this is a bad pick, but the Oilers got bichslapped with the 9-2 loss the other day, so maybe they’ll be all mad and looking to rebound.

5-hole.com Pick ‘em – Free speech sold separately – 12/3/08

Eric — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:41:49 +0000

The first day of 5-hole.com Pick ‘em seems to have been a rousing success! The standings to the right will be updated daily and we will now offer a handful of what we feel are the most interesting stories from around the league. Additionally, we will now give you all a reason for why we picked the teams we’ve picked. You know, in case we are your main source before heading to the bookie.

Sean Avery has been suspended indefinitely after sharing his thoughts with the Canadian media. “I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don’t know what that’s about. Enjoy the game tonight.” Come on, that’s funny!
Speaking of Avery, M Hurley over at My Blueshirt Heaven calls out the NHL or National Hypocrites League for their reaction to the situation. “This is the same league that has let a criminal like Todd Bertuzzi play again after he criminally assaulted and ended the career of Steve Moore.”
The All Star voting is still a joke, but at least Jarome Iginla has broken the Red Wings hold on the West. In the East, Sidney Crosby is now only 40,000 votes behind Alex Tanguay for a spot on the starting lineup.

We’ll get into our picks for tonight after the jump…

Last night, Marc had the best night going 5-1 and all three of us got our gimmie. Marc had originally picked the Capitals to beat the Panthers last night but changed his mind prior to the start of the games. It worked out pretty nicely for him.

#30 Atlanta Thrashers @ #28 Ottawa Senators

Eric – Sens - The Thrashers are playing their second game in as many nights and with 3rd string goalie getting the nod, The Sens top line will take care of business. Doesn’t hurt that Alex Auld has been solid in net lately either. *gimmie*
Marc – Sens - Both of these teams are, uh, how you say… freakin’ terrible not so good. Mediocre goaltending abounds, but I give the nod to the Congressmen because the game is up north.
Rory – Sens - They both suck and are like 2 spots away from eachother – but I don’t like southern teams, so I pick Ottawa.

#6 Pittsburgh Penguins @ #4 New York Rangers

Eric – Rangers - Lundqvist always makes you forget about a bad start the next time he plays. Crosby has been hot lately, but is generally kept off the score sheet by the Rangers. Malkin, on the other hand, has about 28 goals and 14 assists in his last two seasons against the Rangers.
Marc – Penguins - It pains me to pick the Pens, but the Rangers are looking vulnerable while Cindy Crosby has been nasty lately with 5 goals in the last 2 games. It’s too bad Van Damme isn’t going to be playing for the Pens…
Rory – Rangers - Gonna be tough but hopefully the boys can grind out a W. Put Henke at the point on the PP!

#24 St. Louis Blues @ #9 Minnesota Wild

Eric – Blues - Mason appears to be the starter for tonight and has been on a hot streak winning his last three starts. One of those was in Minnesota. Plus, John Davidson is awesome.
Marc – Wild - I take Backstrom over either Mason or Legace. *gimmie*
Rory – Wild - *gimmie*

#7 Anaheim Ducks @ #14 Chicago Blackhawks

Eric – Ducks - Jonas Hillier should get the start tonight. He’s been the better goalie so far in Anaheim. Huet will get the nod and while he’s been a reliable backstop in the past, he’s been anything but so far this season.
Marc – Blackhawks - One of the NHL’s best home teams (Chicago) hosts one of the league’s best road teams. I take the Hawks because my High School hockey team wore Blackhawks jerseys.
Rory – Ducks - Meh, (officially a new word!) Anaheim’s doing a bit better in the standings. Plus Chicago’s being a bit obnoxious with the whole ‘comeback story’ thing – you haven’t come back just yet, hombres.

#27 Dallas Stars @ #25 Edmonton Oilers

Eric – Stars - Turco showed just how good we know he can be last night against the Flames (who we all picked last night). Reverse Avery effect?
Marc – Oilers - Isn’t Marty Turco supposed to be good? Why does he have the worst save percentage in the NHL? I just don’t see the Minnesota Dallas South Stars going into Oil Country and coming out with a W.
Rory – Oilers - Dallas is pretty much everyone’s sloppy seconds(and dirty thirds, and floppy fourths) this season – they’ve only won 9 games(still better than Tampa).

Think our picks our awesome? Are we just a bunch of idiots? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.