Stanley Cup Playoffs

@casualtorture, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?

"are you guys looking forward to the NHL playoffs?"

The real hockey season begins in April! The nearly 3,000 games played in six months, from the pre-season travelling road show to the final regular season game, is merely an audition for the referees and linesmen. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs the colony of referees is thinned out, they put their whistles in their pockets while the fellas sort things out among themselves.

The whole cabinet gets utilized during the playoff run, from beastly peat monsters to easy sipping toffee treats; it is weather driven. The forecast for near below zero temps and 10 inches of snow (an improvement upon the 2+ feet originally predicted) will likely prompt cask strength and Islay whiskies to be splashed about this weekend. On warmer evenings the occasional beer might be enjoyed as well.

I'll open a few choice bottles over the next couple of months. I have my eye on some Canadians: WhistlePig 10 YO Straight Rye and Masterson's 10 YO Straight Rye batch 005. I'll likely dip into Alberta Premium 30 YO and Danfield's 21 YO...a couple of cask strength bourbons while watching the Predators, perhaps a George Dickel No. 12 will get cracked. The heavy snow fall and cold temperatures will surely test the fill level on open bottles of Laphroaig this weekend.

I'll attempt to enjoy sixteen different whiskies during the next two months, each representative of one of the sixteen victories required to become Stanley Cup Champions.

Will there be any takers joining me on this quest for the cup? The first dram was anCnoc 22 YO. One down and fifteen to go. What's in your cup?

After a desultory season from my Habs, and no hope for the future (as Molson seems unlikely to fire Marc Bergevin), I’m cheering for the Winnipeg Jets. So I may have to pick up some Crown Royal. It’s not from Winnipeg, but Gimli’s not that far, right? Blender’s Select, perhaps?

@paddockjudge and @OdysseusUnbound @casualtorture

Although I am not Canadia, even I can enjoy this classic Ad!

www.youtube.com/watch

@casualtorture, next time ask @paddockjudge about how he feels about curling.

@Victor I'm a bit scared to now haha

As a neutral that has seen little hockey, my impressions are that it is what my Nan would describe as a 'Man's game' (she was from Wigan - a big rugby town!)

Are they still 'allowed' to get the gloves off and have at it mid game?

@RianC Yes, yes they are. There are just fewer guys who do nothing but fight these days, which is a great thing for the game as far as I'm concerned. Watching two block-heads who can't skate fight each other is anti-climactic.

@paddockjudge I'd love to join you; on your couch, between your TV and your cabinet. The Canucks were a bust this year, and will be for some years to come, so I guess I'll have to pull for the Leafs and hope they beat the hated Bruins. The Jets might be in with a chance to make the next round, too.

As for beverages: probably more beer than whisky, but I'm sure I can work in some Wiser's Legacy, and I think the playoffs call for a hefty dose of peat. I'll probably be contributing to Miss Vickie's profits too. Hard to drink beer without a big bowl of potato chips to keep the other hand busy.

@OdysseusUnbound - I guess I can see why from a purist's angle. I suppose it might be a bit like football in that the traditional English style was blood and thunder, direct and aggressive tactics whereas now the modern game has much more technical ability and finesse. I prefer to watch the latter but my team are still very much in the 'old' way at the minute hence their impending doom!

Still remember Mario Lemieux hockey game on the Mega Drive where you would stop and have a boxing match for a minute or so mid game! lol

@BlueNote Sorry dude, but LET'S GO BRUINS!!!

As a displaced Montrealer I have the luxury of cheering for any Canadian team when Montreal doesn't make the playoffs.

Personally I don't care who wins and I'll be watching the Jays (because there are no Expos). However, I strongly support the whisky pairings that I have read above, and will try to partake when possible.

@KRB80 I hate the Bruins with the intensity of 1000 burning suns !!! I’m definitely cheering for the Leafs in that series.

@OdysseusUnbound Of course. You're a Habs fan! LOL It would be awesome to see another gritty playoff matchup between them.

@Victor, as you may well know, my passion for curling is not at the same level as it is for hockey. @casualtorture, an old friend of mine says he'd rather watch paint dry. My wife calls curling "a bunch of angry witches with brooms, shouting and throwing rocks"...no counter argument required. The Scots have burdened us with bagpipes, haggis, curling, golf, and whisky...one out of five ain't bad.

@paddockjudge And haggis makes two.

@KRB80 Can't ever forget 2011. I hold Brad Marchand responsible for the Vancouver Stanley Cup riot. Actually it's Gary Bettman who's responsible, he who told the officials that Boston should win. Cynical? Me? Naw! Time for a large dram of Corryvrechan.

@BlueNote That series was absolute CLASSIC! That entire run was amazingly epic. Us Boston sports fans are ridiculously spoiled but that probably goes down as the most exciting run I have ever witnessed by any home sports team.

@BlueNote Boston shouldn’t have got out of the first round in 2011. Even Don Cherry, who loathes the Montreal Canadiens said they got screwed on the play that lead to the winning OT goal in game 7. Roman Hamrlik got speared in the throat; no call. As Hamrlik was down and out, the Bruins came in (offside), on a 2 on 1 and scored. Am I still angry about it? No. Of course not. YOU’RE still angry about it.

@OdysseusUnbound I'll try and let it go, but that little rat Brad Marchand punching Daniel Sedin repeatedly in the face while the ref stood by and watched still rankles. I might need a second Corryvrechan tonight.

@paddockjudge You have to admit the entire world watched in amazement as the garlic girls thrashed the Canadians and won an unthinkable women's curling silver medal in Pyeongchang!

Guys the Preds are gonna win it all so the rest of these first round games don't really matter ;)

@BlueNote, did Brad Marchand's on-ice licking of Leo Komarov's face lead you to a third drink of Corryvreckan?

I didn't know that licking the face of your opponent was a big thing in ice hockey.

@paddockjudge - I'd say 4/5 . . . you can keep the curling

@Victor I missed that one, but I'll have third Corry anyway.

@paddockjudge Not to mention kippers, porridge, deep fried Mars bars and the Glasgow kiss.

@BlueNote, I would hate to see you miss out, so here it is:

www.youtube.com/watch

www.youtube.com/watch

@BlueNote, you wouldn't want to miss out on Tripe 'n' Tatties or Salt Cod and Parsnips.

@paddockjudge My Mum used to make tripe for my Dad and feed my brother and me and herself something normal. I remember it looking and smelling disgusting.

@Victor Yech! How unmanly is that? I'm heading back to the Corry bottle.

@BlueNote I ate some fairly decent tripe in Asia. Wouldn't ever be my first choice but cover it in enough sauce and it's palatable.