SUNDAY MORNING QUICK HITTERS

51ST OVERALL PICK BIDDEFORD'S BRIAN DUMOULIN (COURTESY CAROLINA HURRICANES)

• The Portland Sea Dogs beat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats 3 - 1 in New Hampshire. In other Sea Dog News, Mark Wagner gets the call to Pawtucket.
• The High School Senior All Star Classic was held at St Joes in Standish on Saturday
• The University of Maine's Baseball Alumni held a dinner to honor Legendary Coach John Winkin. You can hear Bill Swift of South Portland discuss Coach Winkin from our interview on The Big Jab Weekend Warm-Up
• Tim Wakefield got his 10th win helping to shut out the Atlanta Braves 1 - 0.
• Loudon Hew Hampshire is home to the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 TODAY.

Brian Dumoulin Drafted by Carolina

Biddeford's Brian Dumoulin was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes with the 51st overall pick in today's NHL Draft. Congratulations to Brian from us here at the CMSB.

In other news with a Maine twinge, Eric Gelinas from the Lewiston Maineiacs was drafted with the 54th overall pick by the New Jersey Devils.

Big day for this state in terms of the NHL.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Wrath of Danks

We have all heard the term “Nice Guys Finish Last”…especially if you are a nice guy. Well, the Carolina/Boston series proved that the NHL subscribes to this notion. Maybe not so much that “Nice Guys Finish Last”...but certainly that “Punks Finish First”.

Scott Walker is a punk. No matter how many times his teammates defend him.No matter how many times we hear that his cheap shot on Aaron Ward “just wasn’t him.” We all know that once we get to know him we blah blah blah. This is all irrelevant now. Walker will now always be known as a punk…and with good reason. He not only hit a defenseless player, he did it without his gloves on. He then turned around and told the NHL he was expecting a fight. Yes folks, he pretty much lied through his toothless face.

Really, Scott? A fight? A fight with Ward, who at the time was involved with a third-party (Matt Cullen), had his gloves on and hands down by his sides. That sure looked like a fight Scott: if you were about to fight an armless

man.

Nearly the entire hockey world was expecting a suspension of at least one game, maybe the rest of the series, maybe even for the rest of the year. (Some players have been suspended for much longer for doing much less.) Plus, Walker was given enough penalties to automatically force him to sit for a game…per the NHL rulebook.

However, the league overturned the rule, overturned the official’s call, and gave him a slap on the wrist, with a 2,500 dollar fine. Yes, no suspension. And the NHL wonders how they get no respect on how to run a league?

Walker ended up scoring the overtime winner in game 7, and will now move on to play the Pens for a trip to the Finals. Meanwhile, the Bruins are left to wonder what kind of justice was actually served, knowing that there would have been a very good chance of a suspension if they would have laid a hand on Walker.

So listen up boys and girls, because the NHL taught us all a very good lesson. First, hit a defenseless player in the face, then lie about how you were getting into a fight, and then score the winning goal.

There is no karma in the NHL…just a bunch of douche bags who don’t know how to run a league.

It’s a good thing I’m not a Bruins fan or who knows how ugly this column could have gotten.

No Fairy Tale Endings

CMSB Photo/Courtesy Pierre's of Exchange St

If game 7 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals was "Star Wars", in the eyes of Bruins fans Scott Walker would be Darth Vader and Paul Maurice would be Emperor Palpatine. Only in this version, the Empire wins.

Walker, public enemy number one in Boston, a player many of whom felt should have been suspended after his actions in Game 5, scored his first ever playoff goal at about the most inopportune time imaginable for Bruins fans. A person in the elevator on my way down to the Canes locker room said, "I don't believe in karma anymore."

Kind of sums up the feelings of every Bruins fan in the arena.

Walker's teammates would have none of that though. In each soundbite, in each interview, every one praised Walker as a great teammate, and everyone was legitimately happy for him. Although his actions made many people lose respect for the former Hartford Whalers, there was not a single dissenting voice in that locker room.

"That was his first playoff goal if I am not mistaken," said Chad LaRose. "Pretty good time to get that."

"I tried to catch him after (he scored the game-winner)," said Ray Whitney. "He was fast and I was damn tired, so I figured I would get him in the locker room."

"You guys will look at that event as who Scott Walker is," said Canes head coach Paul Maurice. "He means so much to our locker room, and he has faced alot of adversity this year. He's just a special person and there is not a single person more loved in that locker room than Scotty Walker."

Whitney had more great things to say about Walker.

"I know he's not well-liked around here," said Whitney. "But he's a good guy, an honest guy, and a great teammate. I feel good for him to get that goal."

It was an extremely loose bunch, happy to put up with the bustle of media people as they packed up to leave the Garden. No music, just laughter. Media swarmed the locker of Matt Cullen, and LaRose joked, "Nice game-winner Cully!" Still this team had nothing but respect for the Bruins.

"They play hard all the time," said LaRose. "For them to come back from 3-1 down, and then to come back from 2-1 down in this game, they really had to battle back. It could have gone either way, but I'm glad it went our way."

The biggest difference between the Bruins and Canes was the fact the Bruins had a 9 day lay-off and had clinched a playoff berth early. Carolina had been in playoff mode since March, and it showed.

"If you go back and look at the number of one goal games that we've been in," said head coach Paul Maurice."If we had one advantage over Boston, we had been in that position since January."

There wasn't much for the Bruins to say. Bruins head coach Claude Julien was understandably not a bag of quotes after the game. He gave a "No Comment" about the Walker situation and basically said he would talk to the team later about the season. As he walked off the podium, he headed out into the hallway, and the 2008-2009 season was over, like a galaxy far, far, away.

Notes: Rod Brind'Amour was struck in the head by a puck in overtime and did not return.

Audio of the Paul Maurice Postgame (Matty asks him if wants him to start a wave at the beginning, and then asks questions 2 and 3).

Paul Maurice Game 7 Postgame

Bruins audio will be up later.

Game 7 Bruins/Canes Live Blog

WEDNESDAY MORNING QUICK HITTERS

Mark Recchi scores the 1st goal of the game 2:09 into the 1st(Courtesy Boston.com)

• Junichi Tazawa scattered 4 hits over 6 innings as the Portland Sea Dogs beat the New York Yankees AA Affiliate Trenton Thunder 4 - 1 Tuesday in Trenton. Sea Dogs OF Aaron Bates reached base safely in his 21st straight game.
• The University of Maine Black Bears Women's Hockey Team add 2 players to roster.
• Maine High School Sports results here from the Portland Press Herald.
• The Boston Bruins forced a Game 7 against the Carolina Hurricanes. Mark Recchi and Steve Montador scored 2 goals in the 1st 5:09 of the opening period to start the ball rolling to a 4 - 2 win over Carolina. All news was not great for the Bruins, Marc Savard left the game at the 6:12 mark of the 3rd Period when he had a leg/thigh collision with Carolina's Chad LaRose. Claude Julien said Savard will be ready for Game 7 Thursday Night.
• The Boston Celtics, who looked down and out of gas midway through the 3rd quarter trailing the Orlando Magic by as much as 20, staged a comeback for the ages. Stephon Marbury and Eddie House ignited the comeback, culminating in a free throw contest at the end of regulation leading the Boston Celtics to beat the Orlando Magic 92 - 88 to take a 3 - 2 lead in the series.
• The Boston Red Sox finished off a night of comebacks with one of its own. JD Drew started the Sox 9th with a single, and Jason Veritek drove him home with a gap shot double, putting the Sox up for good with a 4 - 3 win over the California Angels. Jonathan Papelbon finished things off for his 9th save of the season!
• The Boston Red Sox placed Kevin Youkilis on the 15 Day DL with an oblique strain.

TUESDAY MORNING QUICK HITTERS

Trenton Thunder SS Eduardo Nunez after home run last night against the Sea Dogs (COURTESY TRENTONIAN)

• The Portland Sea Dogs took down the New York Tankees AA affiliate Trenton Thunder 5 - 3 last night in Trenton.
• University of Maine Assistant Head Men's Basketball Coach Mike Burden is facing sexual misconduct charges after an incident on Sunday. Burden immediatly resigned, there has been no comment from the University thus far.
• The NHL decided against suspending Carolina Forward Scott Walker for his sucker punch on Bruins Defenseman Aaron Ward.
• The University of Southern Maine Huskies Men's Baseball Team earned an at large bid for the Division III Baseball Tournament.
• Yesterday's high school scores can be found right here.
  

• Here is your TV Schedule for tonights 3 games....Boston Bruins 7PM on Time Warner Cable Cumberland County - NESN 27 (SD) 527 (HD) and Versus 549 (HD) and on DirecTV NESN 628 (SD and HD) and Versus 604 (SD and HD)......Boston Celtics 8PM on TWC CC - THT 43 (SD) and 551 (HD) and on DirecTV 245 (SD and HD)...and the Boston Red Sox 10 PM (If Bruins Complete) on TWC CC NESN 27 (SD) and 527 (HD) and DirecTV 628 (SD and HD)..(If Bruins Game Not Complete) on TWC CC NESN Plus 9 (SD) 522 (HD) and DirecTV 629 (SD) and 629-1 (HD)

Scott Walker=Dale Hunter

One of the dirtiest cheap shots I remember in hockey was when the Washington Capitals' Dale Hunter cross-checked the New York Islanders' Pierre Turgeon from behind after Turgeon had a scored a goal to put a playoff game out of reach. Hunter was suspended for 21 games, and a history of playoff cheap shots was born.

Fast forward to Game 5 of the Bruins/Canes series, and a team that was getting the hell beaten out of it pulled out all the stops. A slash to the leg of Zdeno Chara by Jussi Jokinen, random attempts at snow jobs on Tim Thomas, and Scott Walker with the biggest wuss-like sucker punch in history on Aaron Ward. Reports say that Ward has broken his orbital bone and will be out for the playoffs. The commissioner at the time of the Hunter hit? A new commish by the name of Gary Bettman.

So what did Walker get? A 2,500 dollar fine. No suspension. 15 games sounded right to me, as it would cover any remaining playoffs games and a portion of next season. I am all for fighting in hockey game, but there is no place for the type of bitch-like crap that Walker pulled last night in any sport. They should have tossed in a 1 game suspension for Jokinen as well, as hacking guys in the ankle from behind is not exactly sportsman-like. The fact is the Bruins recaptured momentum after last night's win, and the Canes reverted to a group of opportunists waiting to play dirty. If the NHL is the organization it says it is, it won't let teams get away with crap like that, especially when done on the sports biggest stage. Former Rangers headman Colin Campbell thought the fine was enough, so I guess Bettman has mellowed in his old age.

The word I am looking for is "horseshit". Oh and read this article. Jim Rutherford can kiss my fat white ass.

MONDAY MORNING QUICK HITTERS

Danny Menendez after his record breaking stolen base. (COURTESY BANGOR DAILY NEWS)

• The Maine Black Bears Baseball team will need help to make the America East playoffs. Maine Swept Binghamton on Saturday, but Binghamton turned the same trick Sunday 4 - 3 in 11 innings in Game 1 and 4 - 0 in Game 2. Vermont plays UMBC in what is Vermont's last regular season game ever.
• The Portland Sea Dogs postponed their Monther's Day game Sunday to be made up as part of a single admission double header on July 1st. They did get in their 5K run!
• Big Baby Davis nailed a last second 20 ft jumper to beat the Orlando Magic 95 - 94. Let it soak in..Big Baby drained a 20 footer in a play that was not designed for him to take the last second shot.(Editor's note:No word on if he went to Disney Land to ride the kiddie rides after wards)
  
• Jason Bay comes through for the Red Sox once again, doubling home the go ahead. Johnathan Paplebon, after allowing a walk and a single in the 9th, struck out the side to close out the 4 - 3 win over Tampa Bay
• The Boston Bruins finally played like the Boston Bruins and blasted the Carolina Hurricanes 4 - 0 in Game 5 at the Garden. Carolina had no answer, other than cheap shots and rough stuff to try and combat the Bruins attack. Game 6 is Tuesday on Carolina where the Hurricanes will try and close out the 3 - 2 Series.

Where are the Bruins?

As I watched Carolina celebrate their Game 3 victory last night and take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, I couldn't help but wonder what exactly is wrong with the Boston Bruins. I have some theories.

Have the players been kidnapped and replaced with pod people?

Tim Thomas, although he has played well, has given up a lot more rebound opportunities in the last two games, and the Hurricanes have had no problem putting those rebounds into the back of the net. The defense is not clearing the zone and is turning the puck over in their own end, hearkening back to the Hal Gill days. My only explanation is that the real Tim Thomas and Bruins defense is hidden somewhere, but the real question is if Jeremy Jacobs would pony up for the ransom.

Were the Habs so bad that fans and media got there hopes up for no reason?

Let's face it, although it was a lot of fun for the Bruins and their fans to beat up on the Yankees of Canada, the Montreal Canadiens were an absolutely brutal hockey team for the better part of the year. They really got outclassed, outplayed, and out-hit at every turn, and it got so bad at one point the Habs fans turned on their own goalie. Were expectations too high going into round 2 because of this and the fact that the Bruins had owned the Canes during the regular season blurred expectations?

The Bruins are just missing scoring chances.

The Bruins very easily could have beaten Carolina 9-1 in Game one, but consistently missed opportunities in front of the net. Those opportunities have been there, just like last night when Aaron Ward could not poke home a rebound opportunity over Cam Ward's pad last night when the Bruins had a 1-0 lead. They are getting the opportunities, and are just missing centering passes, watching the puck bounce off of their stick, and watching sticks break. They are just missing right now, and if they were able to actually put their foot on the throat of the Hurricanes, this series would be much different.

Carolina's Game 2 win changed the complexion of that team.

I have been in locker rooms after wins and losses, but the Carolina locker room after Game 2 was a completely different atmosphere. Everyone was obviously pretty happy, but there was a sense of relief, a looseness, and listening to Cam Ward, Chad LaRose, and Eric Staal talk to the media there confidence had been renewed.Paul Maurice was even cracking jokes in the press conference, although everyone seemed to be afraid to laugh at them. If this team had gone back to Carolina down 2-0, I don;t think you would have seen a Carolina win in Game 3, but now they are starting to believe in themselves, similar to their series with the Devils.

This much is for certain, if Claude Julien doesn't push the right button soon, another promising Bruins season is going to be lost alot earlier than it should be. So someone find the Bruins we have watched all year, please?

Bruins "Caned by Carolina

Bruins and Canes warming before game 2 (CMSB/Pierre's of Exchange St Photo)

It wasn't that the Boston Bruins didn't get any breaks in Game Two, it's that they didn't take advantage of any of them. The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Boston Bruins 3-0 on Sunday night at the Garden, tying their Eastern Conference Semifinal Series at one game apiece.

The first lucky break came in the first period, when 'Canes goalie Cam Ward fell down behind the net, but there were no Bruins players in a good position to put one home, and the Hurricanes cleared the puck out of the zone and dodged bullet number one on the night. The Bruins spent most of the first period being one pass away from making the perfect set-up, but they seemed to be off by a fraction of a second each time. It limited the quality scoring chances that usually come in bunches for the Black and Gold, and they were out shot by Carolina 13-8 in the scoreless first period.

“They were a little better than we were in the first period,” said Bruins head coach Claude Julien. ”In the second period, they were a lot better than we were. They just played like they wanted it more tonight.”

The second period looked to be more of the same for both teams, but Carolina broke the scoreless tie in the blink of an eye, when Joe Corvo beat Tim Thomas at 2:30 of the second period to give the Canes a 1-0 lead that turned out to be all they needed. It not only took a little starch out of the jacked up sell-out crowd of 17,565, but it also gave Carolina a shot of confidence they were desperately going to need to stay in the series.

“That was a big confidence boost for this team,” said Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward, who finished with 36 saves.“It's good to know we can beat this guys.”

The back-breaker came when Boston finally got their chance on the power play. Unable to mount a solid attack on Cam Ward, the Bruins turned the puck over to Carolina's Chad LaRose, who set up Matt Cullen with a shot at the Bruins net, and he took advantage. The short-handed goal goal gave the Canes a 2-0 lead and had the Boston crowd muttering to themselves, most of which cannot be repeated here.

“I just made a good run at it and Matt put it in,” said LaRose. “We came into tonight with a clean slate, now we have to clean it off again for Game 3.”

The Bruins got another chance on the power play late in the second, but were unable to get anything by the impenetrable Ward. Carolina nearly scored to end the second period, but the league office in Toronto reviewed the replay and the goal was disallowed, which many Bruins fans thought would be a momentum changer. That looked to be the case early in the third period, but Ward kept turning everything away that the Bruins threw at him. Phil Kessel had a point blank opportunity early in the third, and the crowd was ready to cheer for a goal, but Ward made a beautiful save, turning the potential cheers in to groans. He also made a great save on Mark Savard that his his pad, surprising both Ward and Hurricanes head coach Paul Maurice.

“It just hit my pad,”said Ward. “You have to get lucky sometimes.”

“When I saw that shot by Savard,” said Maurice. “I was expecting a much different sound than what I heard.”

Carolina added a late empty net goal to finish the scoring, and the Bruins left the ice to some boos from the home crowd. Julien was not worried about how his team would bounce back from the loss

“This is playoff hockey,” said Julien. “If anything maybe this will get us going a little back and we can bounce back in the next game.”

Notes:Live audio from last night's post game will be added shortly

BOSTON BRUINS VS CAROLINA HURRICANES GAME 2 LIVE BLOG

Join The CMSB and Inside Hockey.com Tonight at 7PM to talk Bruins Hurricanes in the GAME 2LIVE BLOG!!!

BOSTON BRUINS VS CAROLINA HURRICANES GAME 1 LIVE BLOG

JOIN THE CMSB FOR OUR COVERAGE OF GAME 1 OF THE CAROLINA HURRICANES VS THE BOSTON BRUINS LIVE FROM THE TD BANKNORTH GARDEN!

Boston Bruins vs Hartford Whalers....ummm...Carolina Hurricanes Live Blog

Hockey Day at The CMSB!!!

LIVE BLOG SATURDAY

JOIN US AT THE CENTRAL MAINE SPORTS BLOG AS WE GIVE YOU 2

YES 2 LIVE HOCKEY BLOGS IN 1 DAY.....IST AT 12:45 PM

Sorry...Old Habits



THEN ACROSS TOWN AT 7PM



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Saturday Live Blog Announcement

CMSB Live Blog Double-Shot!

Matty and Jeff will be running 2 live blogs in one day tomorrow. The first one will start a little before 1 p.m from the TD Banknorth Garden, covering the Boston Bruins as they host the Hartford Whalers (AKA Carolina Hurricanes). They will then find take the T across town and will blog the UMaine Hockey team's game against Boston University at 7 p.m.. It will be a very busy day at the CMSB, if you haven't taken part in one of the live blogs yet tomorrow will be as good a time as any, so drop by and check in all weekend long.