Popblerd’s hockey mavens Stephen Mapes and Jay Kumar discuss the first round of the NHL playoffs.
Cold As Ice: After Nearly a Decade, Playoff Fever Grips Toronto
Editor’s note: After a brief hiatus, Cold As Ice is back as Popblerd hockey scribe Jay Kumar shares his joy at his favorite team making the playoffs for the first time in a long time. Nine years is a long time. We’ve seen a slew of revolutionary technological advancements since 2004: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, the iPad, super-fast smartphones. My youngest daughter was born that March and is now 9. And next week, the Toronto Maple Leafs will play their first [...]
Cold As Ice: Is Expansion In The NHL’s Future?
The NHL may be expanding by two teams in the next few years. Popblerd’s hockey correspondent Jay Kumar explains why he doesn’t like the idea.
Cold as Ice: Why Do We Bother?
Well, my Pens lost today. Mostly through a third period meltdown that saw them racking up the penalties and impotently trying to survive shorthanded again and again. It was a frustrating way to lose, and in all honesty, I’m a little bit bummed out now, even though I have zero personal stake in the game. It’s a question that comes up inevitably for all of us sports fans, when our team chokes and we spin into a brief, morose sadness: [...]
Cold As Ice: 2013 NHL Season Preview (It’s An East Coast-West Coast Thing)
Editor’s note: Popblerd’s hockey scribes Jay Kumar and Stephen Mapes are happy to be back writing about the NHL. On the eve of the start of an abbreviated season, Jay and Stephen chat about what to expect and make some bold predictions. Jay: So Stephen, here we sit in mid-January with a 48-game season about to start. How are you feeling about the NHL right now? Excited or still pissed off over the lockout? Stephen: Honestly, until I sat down [...]
Cold As Ice: They’re Baaaaaaaack!
Popblerd’s hockey column returns as Jay Kumar looks at the resolution of the NHL lockout and preparations for a shortened season.
Cold As Ice: The End Is In Sight
As the Stanley Cup Final takes a break for a few days, the Los Angeles Kings lead 3-1 over the New Jersey Devils as the series goes back to NJ. Our hockey correspondents Stephen Mapes and Jay Kumar discuss the last week of action as well as some other recent developments in the NHL. Jay: So when we left off last week, the Kings had beaten the Devils in overtime in game 1 of the Stanley Cup final. It looked [...]
Cold As Ice: Who Will Challenge the Kings?
Popblerd’s hockey analysts take a look at the last week of NHL playoff action, as the Los Angeles Kings await their foe in the Stanley Cup final.
Cold as Ice: Only The Strong Survive
Popblerd’s hockey analysts examine the past week’s action as the NHL playoffs move on toward the third round.
Cold As Ice: NHL Playoffs Are Chock Full O’ Upsets
As the first round of the NHL playoffs winds down, our hockey team of Stephen Mapes and Jay Kumar looks back at the last week of games, while watching the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals play in overtime in game 7 of their series. Jay: Okay, well, here we are chatting while we wait for yet another overtime between Boston and Washington. Only this one is game 7. Next goal wins. What are your thoughts on this series? You picked [...]
Cold As Ice: A Tale Of Two Hockey Cities
Even though they’re located just a few hours apart on opposite sides of the U.S.-Canada border, Buffalo and Toronto are very different cities. One’s a blue-collar burg known for heavy snowfall and chicken wings, the other’s the largest city in Canada known for its cosmopolitan image and gleaming skyline. And in the NHL, Buffalo and Toronto have been heading in opposite directions all season long. On Feb. 6, the Toronto Maple Leafs were sitting two points out of fourth place [...]
Cold as Ice: Knowing When To Call it Quits
The current saga of Peyton Manning, the surefire Hall of Fame quarterback who’s planning to continue his playing career despite a serious neck injury, certainly resonates with fans of the NHL. Not so much the specific injury, but the situation. When is the right time for an athlete to retire? The NHL has seen several versions of this scenario play out in recent years. Most notably, the case of Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, the league’s best player, who has been out [...]
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