The Jersey City Desk 2016 NHL Playoffs Preview

Johnny didn't talk much about hockey this past regular season. He doesn't like the Rangers or most of their fans, and the Devils never did anything to get excited about. Johnny was mad at his Red Wings at several points this year as he noticed issues popping up that weren't addressed in a way Johnny liked and he watched young players not take the next step under a coach they were familiar with and should have flourished under. But, as they always do for a Wings fan, the playoffs have come around agains for the 25th straight year. Let's take a look at the conference quarterfinals shall we?

Detroit vs Tampa Bay - The Bolts should have all the advantages here but they don't do they? A lot of top flight prognosticators are taking the underdog Wings. Tampa Bay is without several key players up front and on the back end. Tyler Johnson who torched the Wings in the playoffs last year is a game time decision. There's an old adage in hockey this time of year, beware the veteran team that underachieved in the regular season. While the Wings are rather young they do have key vets in Zetterberg, Kronwall, Richards, Green and Pavel Datsyuk. A lesser Wings team took a better Lightning team to 7 games last spring before losing. This year it's Wings in 7.

Washington vs Philadelphia - Yeah, but it's Washington everyone keeps saying. Yes, yes it is but even Washington can get through one series as President's Trophy winners. The Flyers are hot coming in and playing with confidence. If they take one of the first this could be a long series with Washington winning. If the Caps win both at home it's over in 5 at worst.

New York Islanders vs Florida - The first-place Panthers on paper should have no trouble with the plucky Isles who are close to being a very good team but need to figure out how that last jump happens. It hasn't yet. The Panthers in 6 but perhaps the Isles can take a pound of flesh from Florida for their troubles like that famed Toronto series years back.

New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh - The most evenly matched of the first eastern series' to be sure. The Penguins keep telling everyone they're done with all the choking and Sidney Crosby is ready to roll. The Rangers have become a pretty reliable playoff team (Of course everyone tore up their brackets the day Michigan State lost too) with a roster built for this time of year and a coach who doesn't panic. Johnny likes the Rags in 7 here.

Still here? OK, the West, where lots of teams get opportunities to hoist the cup now that Detroit is in the East (Yes Wings fans are insufferable this time of year but also awesome).

Chicago vs St Louis - We've seen this set-up time and time again with St. Louis. They're in a home ice advantage, they have what looks like a great team and then they face a Chicago or Detroit and it all goes sideways quickly. The Hawks are battle tested and even with just one great line this time around Johnny thinks knows that until St. Louis actually wins a big series he's picking Chicago. The Blues have to be the biggest disappointment in the Western Conference come playoff time since...

San Jose vs Los Angeles - ...The Sharks. Year after year after decade we hear about how THIS without a doubt is the year Team Teal breaks through with their awesome talent, their great coaching and wild fan support and every year it's the same goddamned thing, pfffffffft. The Kings are trying to build a dynasty at the same time the Hawks are. To watch a Hawks vs Kings series later would be divine. Good thing the Kings only have to dispatch the Sharks in 6 here.

Dallas vs Minnesota - The old North Stars vs the new North Stars with he Wild name. What a wonderful reunion of Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Nobody cares

Nashville vs Anaheim - A lot of people are simply checking off the Ducks box in their brackets without giving too much thought to the series to be played. Here's Johnny's possible red light upset special. The Predators score a LOT of goals from their defensemen. A lot. They shoot hard, often and well. How many times is the deciding shot late in a tie game or overtime a tipped point shot or a screen? If the Nashville forwards can somewhat limit the Ducks one big line and they do get a couple BB's into the back of the net, this series gets real interesting real fast. Preds in 7.

Late night open thread

A playoff preview on the morrow. Til then...

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Fulop and DeGise are probably no longer fans of night church

The Old Bergen Church opened wide and swallowed up Mayor Fulop and Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise whole last night. Both men, missing their usual cadre of police officers, friendly administration officials and supporters, were asked the hard questions and when they didn't have answers, or tried to dodge them they were met with less than friendly responses, it would seem many in the African-American community in Jersey CIty are sick of being taken for granted and leaned on every-time downtown needs a tax cut:

The Rev. Alonzo Perry Sr., of the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, pressed Fulop on why his administration has not moved forward with a citywide reval, one Perry said would shift the city's tax burden from its less affluent neighborhoods to wealthier areas. Fulop's attempts to explain his reasoning for postponing the reval were met with occasional jeers from the crowd of about 850 gathered inside Old Bergen Church for the launch of Jersey City Together.

"I did believe as I do believe today that people in this room would lose their homes," Fulop said. "I believe that."

"People are losing their homes now, Mr. Mayor," Perry said to applause. "People are leaving the city now, Mr. Mayor. There's a crisis in the city today, Mr. Mayor."

According to many there, DeGise was an utter jackhole, constantly shifting blame and crying poor and committing to not much. Just like his day job. Fulop however seemed in over his head said some who were there and this report does make it seem like there is a disconnect between the African American community in Jersey City and a Mayor who views it as one big Ward E. This was a very very telling meeting in both the Jersey City context and more than likely Fulop's run for governor. Without his support staff and being able to call the meeting shots the mayor shrunk and got rattled and also watched a key section of any Democratic candidate's base further peel away.

Late night open thread

"Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love."
 -- Sitting Bull

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

They held a remembrance at the Katyn Memorial yesterday

Johnny and Mrs. Johnny had gone out to dinner on April 10th 2010 at Light hOrse Tavern and then walked down to the waterfront. How does Johnny remember that date so specifically? That was the night a Polish government and military contingent, on it's way back from Moscow after commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre had their plane crash eerily near the Katyn forest that claimed so many Polish lives decades before. There was a very large and somber group of Jersey City's Polish residents who had come to stand together to deal with now not one but now two great national tragedies in Katyn. Johnny had no real idea what the Jersey City waterfront statue was about until that night. He's done quite a bit of research on the massacre since then.

People who know much more than Johnny met once again at the Memorial yesterday and the Jersey Journal has a nice photostory. At the JJ page Johnny posted the picture he'll share here, one of his favorites he's ever taken. No filters, just a foggy late afternoon March day last year.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

NJ Transit, they're not only videotaping you, they're recording your voice

A quick reminder about your rights this morning as NJ Transit now admits not only are you on camera (hey, you're on camera everywhere anymore) but now they are recording your conversations/discussions or anything else you might say while on the train. That's right, NJ Transit is listening in to what you say. Did you sign up for that?

NJ Transit seems to want to hide behind the "people want to be safe" excuse but here, read for yourself:

"Passengers have repeatedly told the agency that security is a priority in the quarterly scorecard surveys of riders, Smith said. "The onboard surveillance systems are also a deterrent for crime and unruly behavior."

But security has to be balanced with a person's right to have a private conversation with the person next to them, critics said.

"You expect some privacy. You don't have it if you are yelling across the car. If you're sitting next to a person and talking to them and you don't know there is a microphone picking up your conversation, our laws say you have a right to a private conversation," said Ed Barocas, legal director of the state American Civil Liberties Union.

The NJ Transit talking head went onto obfuscate over what they are doing with the recordings or how long they'll be use or even HOW they'll be used. Good reading on a Sunday morning.

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

25 years in a row and counting!

It's wasn't exactly how a Wings fan would draw it up in losing today but also having Boston get embarrassed but over 25 years once in a while you might eek in. The longest streak in professional sports continues. For comparison two other successful teams recently also have playoff streaks. The Penguins are at 10 years and the Blackhawks 8.

Late night open thread

The weather tomorrow calls for cold rain and then sleet then a coating to an inch of snow. Keep that in mind while you read this:

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.
 -- John Ruskin

This time tomorrow we'll line up to kick Mr. Ruskin in the ass. Line forms behind Johnny.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark