Edmonton Wins the West! Now they just have to wait...

Edmonton/Anaheim
-The Western Conference Final was one of the most boring series’ of hockey I have ever seen. In game 5 it got a little more interesting. On the brink of elimination for the second time in the series, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks put up a fight and scored first, their only tally in the game on a shot from the point by rookie (and I use the term loosely) Francoise Beauchemin with assists from Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne at 7:30 in the first period on the power play. Ethan Moreau of the Oilers scored next at 3:42 in the second period to tie it up. Raffi Torres, who had spent several games out with the flu, scored about 5 minutes later for the game winner. The third period may have been the most exciting period of the whole series.
-The Oilers racked up four penalties in the third period; including a delay of game penalty to veteran Defenseman and penalty killer extraordinaire Chris Pronger at 17:42 of the third after his clearing attempt ricocheted off the glass and into the crowd. It was a very intense end of the period for all fans watching.
-In the end, Edmonton prevailed and is now headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1990. But first, they get some much-needed rest while they await the winner of the Carolina/Buffalo series.
-Teemu Selanne’s ego never ceases to amaze me…after losing he had this to say: “I don't think the better team beat us. We beat ourselves.” Oh really? I would say that is pretty hard to comprehend considering the Ducks out shot the Oilers in EVERY game of the series. If the better team didn’t win, I’ll shave my head and move under one of the bridges over the Platte River…

Buffalo/Carolina
-After Peter Laviolette decided Martin Gerber was the go-to guy for the Hurricanes, he changed his mind 1:55 into the second period after Buffalo scored its second goal. The gamble paid off however as the Canes beat the Sabres 4-3 in OT to lead the series 3-2 going back to Buffalo.
-In the press conference Canes captain Rod Brind’Amour said that he felt the game “was one of our worst games of the series.” Amazing considering you won! I realize they need to be hard on themselves, but that comment is completely demeaning to the Sabres, who played amazingly and lost on a freak deflection while Carolina was on a power play in the first OT.
-Fun fact for the day: Carolina’s Eric Staal has seven goals and 13 assists during his 15 game point streak, the NHL's longest in the postseason since Pavel Bure went 16 straight games for Vancouver in 1994. Staal is four short of the record set by New York Islanders forward Bryan Trottier in 1981.
-The series returns to Buffalo Tuesday night at 5:30 MST.