Here are your Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.
• Yeah, so, the Jersey Fouls we promised will run on Friday. Stupid no-good Datsyuk and his marathon practice ...remember, Live Blog for Game 4 tonight at 7:45 p.m.
• The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Detroit Free Press are engaging in an odd battle of Flash animation violence. At the Gazette, it's Two-Face Takedown, as readers have 20 seconds to punch Marian Hossa in the face as many times as they can. In the Freep, it's Don't Touch Sidney, a game in which readers poke Sidney Crosby in random places on his body and receive cheap penalties for it. We'll give the edge to the Freep for its inventiveness and snark. [H/T Puck Buddy Noll W.]
• Dan Bylsma and the lucky BBQ pork burrito. [LCS Hockey]
• In a bold move that's sure to break the mold for how franchises choose their new leaders, Joe Sacco of the Colorado Avalanches' AHL franchise the Lake Erie Monsters has been named the new Avalanche coach. Joining Sacco as an assistant will be former Colorado defenseman Sylvain Lefebvre. (We've actually heard good things about Sacco as a coaching candidate. But still, what an air out of the balloon couple of days for Denver.) [Denver Post]
• Mile High Hockey writes that Sacco follows in a long line of promotions from within. [MHH, and more great coverage from Mile High here]
SportsWrap
The top sports headlines of the day
• Meanwhile, the new regime in the Colorado front office is already being called a puppet administration. [Edmonton Journal]
• Hockey Barn is handing out virtual hardware to bloggers. Please do check out the contest and nominate your favorites. [Hockey Barn]
• Jeff Klein of the New York Times anticipates the massive difference in ratings between the NHL and NBA in tonight's finals head-to-head matchup. Yeah, but what about the battle between "Sports Soup" and "Nightline," huh? [Slap Shot]
• With Joe Nieuwendyk on the job as GM, is Dave Tippett safe as Dallas Stars head coach? [Dallas Stars Blog]
• If Brian Burke can't have John Tavares, then Luke Schenn's brother might be Plan B for the Toronto Maple Leafs. [Slam Sports]
• Tavares seems like he's all about Long Island these days. [Islanders Independent]
• Meanwhile in the land of the Tampa Bay Lightning: Seen Hedman? [Bolts Report]
• Wrap Around Curl is actually asking the same thing about Hedman, for the ladies. [Curl]
• San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson rejects the reporting of Bruce "Malkin to the Kings" Garrioch about the Sharks plans for Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton; "Garrioch responded that his sources were other NHL general managers." [Working The Corners]
• Is Max Talbot Mr. June? [Pensburgh]
• Inside the book shelf of Sam Gagner of the Edmonton Oilers, whose tastes apparently range from "The Satanic Verses" to "The Audacity of Hope." [Copper and Blue]
• Glorious Bettman parody by Puck U. We eagerly await more hockey funny from them. And a remix of this video that has Jiminy Glick as Brian Burke. [YouTube]
• Looks like free agency for pain in the ass/Ottawa Senators forward Chris Neil. [Sportsnet]
• Edward Fraser wonders if the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings are destined to battle in a never-ending loop of Stanley Cup Final rematches. [THN]
• Lou Lamoriello won't reveal if he has a backup plan in mind should Brent Sutter choose not to return to the New Jersey Devils next season. Barry Melrose straightens tie, slicks back hair, books flight to Newark. [Star Ledger]
• Really nice work by Dirk Hoag on the Nashville Predators defensive corps. [On the Forecheck]
• The Vancouver Canucks are ready to open up serious contract talks with Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Do they sign the same contract or different ones? And are the terms any different? Like, does one get the bowl with the red M&Ms before every game and the other gets the green? [Vancouver Sun]
• The Wheeling Nailers, the 'AA' affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, announced today that the team will host a Stanley Cup party tonight at Generations Pub in Wheeling. We have to imagine that watching hockey with a bunch of West Virginia fans is a show. [Nailers]
• Finally, god bless the Burghability series, which continues to give us comedy gems, "Sudden Death" references and topless fat guys:
