Penguins Slide Into 3-1 Series Lead Against Flyers

(AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)

Following up on the pseudo hockey-centric post from yesterday, below are highlights of Game 4 from the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

While I've been thoroughly disappointed not to have seen the one and only Don Cherry yet during these playoffs I have been equally ecstatic about the play of the Penguins.

Some might consider the goals the Penguins have scored to come from lucky bounces but I contend it has clearly been the work of a swarming offense that has found itself in the right place at the right times.

Don't believe me? Just watch Sidney Crosby's goal 1:29 into the video. As the goal was being reviewed the play was shown about at about 5 different angles for roughly 7 minutes.

Based on my rudimentary knowledge of the game, the shot was deemed a goal because it was tipped off of Crosby's stick and then deflected (albeit off Crosby's arm) by himself into the net before the post became ungrounded from its bearings.

With the series at 3-1 in favor of the Penguins the two teams will head back to Pittsburgh for game 5 tomorrow night at 7pm EST on Versus.

The front office is calling for a "Whiteout" and the timing feels right for the Penguins to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, especially since 91% of teams leading 3-1 in Stanley Cup Playoff history have gone on to win the series.

The Penguins will most likely face the Boston Bruins, who hold a 3-0 series lead and are up 4-1 in the 3rd period of game 4 against the Montreal Canadiens.

Let's go Pens!

Welcome Home Stanley Cup

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Besides from Lord Stanley, the cup itself, Wayne Gretzky, Barry Melrose, and perhaps Don Cherry, it's probably the Versus Network.

Ever since the 2004-2005 NHL Lockout NHL games lost their mainstream contracts (including a bid from ESPN reportedly worth $130MM) and instead settled for an agreement with the Versus Network.

Formerly known as OLN, Versus has positioned itself as the man's network, featuring programming like hunting shows, hockey games, and extreme cage fighting.

In keeping in line with their manly programming they have also associated themselves with hard, heavy metal intros when moving in and out of commercials.

Below is an example of one of their ads:

The song playing in the background of the commercial is entitled "Welcome Home" by Coheed and Cambria.

Originally featured as the third track of the album "Good Apollo, I'm burning Star IV, Vol.1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness", this melodic progressive rock song has been used by various sports teams/players and radio stations as intros, by video games for commercials and in-game experience (Rock Band), and movie trailers.

Below is an acoustic version of Welcome Home performed for the Fuse Network. I would have embedded the actual music video for this song, but YouTube tells me embedding has been "disabled by request."

Oh well - hopefully you find the acoustic version as scintillating as the original.