Hockey today, interesting stuff tomorrow

Some reflections on the NHL playoffs -

* The Islanders have been out for some time, but the next best thing is watching the Rangers and Flyers look like stooges. Four games, four losses: combined score of 21-6.

* Naturally, the Isles are not out of the news. Naturally, it's bad news. For those counting at home, this makes TWO Islander owners in the past ten years accused of fraud. (The first, John Spano, commited the fraud to try to buy the Isles.) My banner at work is flying half-mast.

* And in other news, Carolina, with former Isles coach Peter Laviolette, lost their first two playoff games, at home, to the seventh-seeded Canadiens. My all-sports jinx streak is intact. At this point, I could watch a replay of the 1980 Finals and Nystrom would hit the post.

* By the way, Laviolette has grown a goatee for the playoffs, and looks like an exceptionally grumpy Kevin Nealon.

* Closer to home, my deck hockey team is playing roller hockey for the very first time. None of us can really skate all that well. But in our second-ever game, we won - which conveniently coincided with my vacation last week. We used to have the "Fan Ban" because we'd lose big games when anyone came to watch - I may find myself in that situation...