Here are your Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.
• The end of Game 6 between the Anaheim Ducks and the Detroit Red Wings was ugly and awkward, but will it also be a rallying cry for the Wings at home for Game 7 tonight? Dan Cleary thinks the Ducks "took liberties on certain players that aren't known to fight" and that the Wings are ready for battle. [LA Times]
• Randy Carlyle, meanwhile, offered one of the most pimp quotes of the postseason when asked why his team has been outshot in 12 of the last 12 playoff games: "They've got more shots on net than we have. San Jose did, too, but San Jose is where?" Ouch. [OC Register]
• Sports psychologist Mike Babcock had a heart-to-heart with Pavel Datsyuk(notes) on the flight back from Anaheim. Datsyuk half listened while watching the in-flight showing of "Paul Blart: Mall Cop." [CBC Sports]
• While the rest of the media dumps on Datsyuk for his unproductive series, Mitch Albom believes Tomas Holmstrom's(notes) disappearing act is a primary reason there's a Game 7 tonight. [Freep]
• Meanwhile, in the other Game 7 tonight, Carolina Hurricanes Coach Paul Maurice does his best Iraqi Information Minister impression by claiming that the Boston Bruins haven't actually taken over this series: "I don't know that the swing in the games is as big as it feels. We've won three and they've won three. In our three, [we've heard,] 'The Hurricanes are dominating,' and their three, 'Boston is just dominating,' and I'm not sure it's like that." [Boston Globe]
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• Luke DeCock of the News & Observer takes issue with "the pied piper of Boston arrogance, Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy" calling Hurricanes fans "a bunch of goobers" and claiming the RBC Center is on the campus of NC State. A Boston columnist putting smack talk ahead of accuracy or consideration? Sorry, we're not buying it. [Talking Points]
• Fans were stunned when a fatty and the referee from Nintendo Ice Hockey delayed the Capitals/Penguins game last ... look, we're going to stop here for an important question: Were the fat guys on Ice Hockey really supposed to be hockey-playing Marios? Because honestly that never occurred to us before. [The Sports Hernia]
• The Pensblog was created for days like today. If you haven't seen their coverage of Game 7 ... well, do it. [Pensblog]
• Nice roundup from Hooks Orpik on the DC media reaction to the Capitals' loss. [Pensburgh]
• Steven Ovadia goes to a New York bar to watch Game 7 of the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins: "I was pleasantly surprised to see three other people at the bar to watch the game. Although two of them were Caps fans, so sometimes their crying got a little loud." [Puck Update]
• On Frozen Blog on Alexander Ovechkin(notes): "It will be some weeks still before Ovi heads home to Moscow, vacations a bit and then begins his grueling training regimen to better his career. During that time, if you happen to be standing at a D.C. street corner as Ovi passes, his red Caps' flags fluttering wildly in the summer sun, wave and blow a kiss at this wunderkid, or honk your horn if you're behind him and pump a fist out your window. He's one of us, and aren't we damned lucky for it." [OFB]
• Bob McKenzie was impressed with the Willis Reed-like effort from Sergei Gonchar(notes) in the Pittsburgh Penguins' win last night. Even if colleague Darren Dreger reported that Gonch would be on the shelf for several weeks. [TSN]
• Interesting factoid: "Eight of the ten teams eliminated so far this year have suffered that fate on home ice." [American Hockey Fan]
• Knucklepuck! There's a film-worn Russ Tyler jersey from "D2: The Mighty Ducks" available on eBay. [First Cuts]
• How, exactly, can James Dolan of the New York Rangers be one of the worst owners in the NBA but not one of the worst owners in the NHL? Oh, that SI list just keeps giving... [Blueshirt Banter]
• Like any self-respecting NHL defenseman, Luke Schenn(notes) of the Toronto Maple Leafs was quite pleased to hear he isn't going to be traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. [Sun Media]
• Great stuff from Raw Charge on the Tampa Bay ownership "open forum" with fans. [Raw Charge]
• If the Vancouver Canucks were to completely overreact and trade Roberto Luongo(notes), here are six teams where he might fit. Although the idea of Luongo's salary on the Red Wings' cap is a taffy-quality stretch. [Heated Skates]
• Luongo on all the sudden "Canucks need a new direction without you, sir" chatter in the media: Pish, whatevs. [Nucks Misconduct]
• Politician wears "Hockey Night in Hamilton" T-shirt to the Ontario legislature. [Sun Media]
• Looking at the second round of the AHL Calder Cup playoffs. [Puck Stops Here]
• Finally, according to The Uptake, Ovechkin vs. the Penguins actually took over the White House Web video feed this morning. And yet Obama's never been to a Caps game.
