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<v Speaker 1>This is Neil Smith, former president and GM of the

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<v Speaker 1>New York Rangers and the New York Islanders. Join me

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<v Speaker 1>and my co host Vic Moren for our podcast NHL

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<v Speaker 1>Wrap Around for all the important news and views around

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<v Speaker 1>the NHL.

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<v Speaker 2>Stanley Cup Playoffs are going on right now. It's an

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<v Speaker 2>off season for the Utah Hockey Club, so we'll bring

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<v Speaker 2>in Neil Smith on a Wednesday afternoon to break it

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<v Speaker 2>all down. Neil, Happy Wednesday, sir, How are you happy Wednesday?

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<v Speaker 3>I'm doing well, Thanks Spence. How about you?

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<v Speaker 4>I'm great. I'm great. So is this time of year

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<v Speaker 4>put a little wind in your sales?

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, there's really nothing quite like the Stanley Cup playoffs?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, oh yeah. And the unexpected happens every year in

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<v Speaker 3>different places at different times, and the first round is

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<v Speaker 3>always one of my favorites because you just don't know

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<v Speaker 3>what's going to happen.

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<v Speaker 2>So let's just start big picture, your biggest surprise so

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<v Speaker 2>far now, we are still very very early in a

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<v Speaker 2>couple of series, have only played one game. We've got

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<v Speaker 2>two games in the book in some of the other series,

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<v Speaker 2>but anything stand out as far as a surprise, just

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<v Speaker 2>kind of storyline throughout the early parts of the playoffs.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, I think there's been two things. First of all,

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<v Speaker 3>Minnesota beating Vegas last night in Vegas quite handily, and

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<v Speaker 3>going from a team who didn't score much they are

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<v Speaker 3>always the under to a team that once they got

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<v Speaker 3>Caprisos and Erics and Eck and Bowldy all playing together.

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<v Speaker 3>Now all of a sudden they're putting the puck in

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<v Speaker 3>the net and they eliminated Jack Eikele, the best player

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<v Speaker 3>on Vegas, so they won that game handley. And then

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<v Speaker 3>the other thing that surprised me was the shellacking that

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<v Speaker 3>Florida gave Tampa in Tampa in Game one of that series,

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<v Speaker 3>which was last night. It was skill versus you know, determination,

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<v Speaker 3>and determination won out with the Florida Panthers.

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<v Speaker 2>Of all the series, excuse me, Of all the series,

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<v Speaker 2>which one is I'll say, the most intriguing, the most entertaining,

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<v Speaker 2>which one has your attention more than any of them?

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<v Speaker 3>I think either Ottawa and Toronto, where Toronto is up

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<v Speaker 3>two games to none, because that's the Battle of Ontario

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<v Speaker 3>and you know that's where I'm trump, or the Forida

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<v Speaker 3>matchup with the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning because

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<v Speaker 3>they're both Stanley Cup contenders, but one of them's got

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<v Speaker 3>to go away after the first round. So I find

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<v Speaker 3>those two things really exciting. Winnipeg and the Winnipeg and

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<v Speaker 3>the Blues. Winnipeg was able to take the two nothing lead,

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<v Speaker 3>very hard to come back on that from that for

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<v Speaker 3>Saint Louis, but they nevertheless put up a real good

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<v Speaker 3>fight so far. But I'd say that the most intriguing

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<v Speaker 3>to me. And then you, I should say, You've also

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<v Speaker 3>got Edmonton in LA where LA had a four goal

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<v Speaker 3>lead and got it erased by Edmonton, but then one

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<v Speaker 3>in overtime in Game one, so that's also intriguing. And Spence,

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<v Speaker 3>this is the fifth year in a row, if you

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<v Speaker 3>can believe that, the fifth year in a row that

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<v Speaker 3>the first round has had the Edmonton l A matchup.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh wow, I didn't realize it had been five years.

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<v Speaker 2>I knew it was back to back years. I read

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<v Speaker 2>that earlier. I didn't realize it had been five years. Geez,

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<v Speaker 2>let me.

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<v Speaker 4>You know all of those series certainly correct answers.

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<v Speaker 2>But the Stars, you know Stars Avalanche series, of course,

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<v Speaker 2>it's out in our neck of the woods. It's another

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<v Speaker 2>another series where there's gonna be a really good team

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<v Speaker 2>that goes home. And first two games have been really good.

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<v Speaker 2>It's had one game apiece. How do you see this

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<v Speaker 2>one playing out?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, I'm giving Colorado the edge because Colorado's gotten healthy

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<v Speaker 3>at the right time and unfortunately for Dallas, they've gotten

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<v Speaker 3>injured at the wrong time. So they lost their top

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<v Speaker 3>goal scoring Jason Robertson. They had already lost Heiskin and

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<v Speaker 3>their best defenseman, Mikol Heiskin, and so that doesn't look

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<v Speaker 3>like those guys might make it back in time. And

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<v Speaker 3>Colorado is really strong. And Gabriel Landscott, the captain of

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<v Speaker 3>College whose last game was hoisting the Stanley Cup in

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<v Speaker 3>twenty twenty two, has been going to play tonight according

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<v Speaker 3>to his coach. So he hasn't played since that twenty

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<v Speaker 3>twenty two Stanley Cup and he's.

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<v Speaker 2>Return is tonight, three years away from the game. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>that's that's a pretty exciting storyline. I want to pan

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<v Speaker 2>back a little bit look at this thing from more

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<v Speaker 2>of a macro viewpoint. And you know, it's always fun

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<v Speaker 2>to hear you educate us on all things NHL as

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<v Speaker 2>it's new to Salt Lake City, and you know, in

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<v Speaker 2>other sports, there are other superlatives and cliches about what

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<v Speaker 2>wins in the postseason. From a hockey standpoint, when you

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<v Speaker 2>go about your business of trying to build a team,

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<v Speaker 2>build a team that is built for the playoffs, what

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<v Speaker 2>are some of the dynamics that lead to success? Just

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<v Speaker 2>generally speaking, what leads to success in playoff hockey?

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<v Speaker 3>I think that the pack mentality is one thing where

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<v Speaker 3>you know you've got one guy after the next coming

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<v Speaker 3>at the other team, and you're not based on skill,

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<v Speaker 3>but you can play it any which way. You can

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<v Speaker 3>play skill if you have to, but you can also play,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, that very physical style because the playoffs do

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<v Speaker 3>get extremely physical. When you see the same guys every

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<v Speaker 3>other night for two weeks, it gets really intense, and

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<v Speaker 3>you've got to be strong enough to be able to

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<v Speaker 3>stand up for that. Florida, who won the Cup last year,

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<v Speaker 3>has gotten healthy right at the right time. Matthew Kachuk

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<v Speaker 3>came back last night, first game back, two goals and

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<v Speaker 3>an assist, and hasn't played for twenty something games, missed

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<v Speaker 3>twenty something games since the Four Nations. He's been out

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<v Speaker 3>since the Four Nations. Came back and got two goals,

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<v Speaker 3>and assists last night in their win over Tampa.

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<v Speaker 2>All right, let's move let's move over to the games

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<v Speaker 2>that are going on tonight.

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<v Speaker 4>Let's get a little preview.

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<v Speaker 2>We got the Canadians and the Capitols Game one, Alvechkin

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<v Speaker 2>two goals assisted on the other Caps to the oldest

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<v Speaker 2>player in Stanley Cup playoff history to factor in all

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<v Speaker 2>of his team goals with a minimum of three. So

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<v Speaker 2>this is this is going to be a barnburner tonight.

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<v Speaker 2>Washington leads one zero. What are you expecting to see

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<v Speaker 2>between Montreal and Washington tonight.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, I was really impressed with the way Montreal came

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<v Speaker 3>back in that game. They sort of seemed to have

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<v Speaker 3>stage fright in the first two periods, but then the

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<v Speaker 3>third period they dominated. They pushed it into overtime and

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<v Speaker 3>Ovechkin got the overtime goal. As you said, during the

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<v Speaker 3>regular season, there was no comparison between Washington Montreal. But

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<v Speaker 3>Montreal has got nothing to lose, and I think tonight

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<v Speaker 3>I would be surprised that Washington can take a two

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<v Speaker 3>lead on them the way that Montreal played the other night.

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<v Speaker 3>They're young, they're very aggressive, and as I said, they

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<v Speaker 3>got nothing to lose. No one expected them to even

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<v Speaker 3>make the playoffs this year.

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<v Speaker 2>Who has You know, one of the things you always

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<v Speaker 2>talk about, You know, in football, quarterback the most important position,

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<v Speaker 2>but you know, when it comes to the most important

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<v Speaker 2>position in team sports, I think most people would still

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<v Speaker 2>sid on quarterback. But you do hear a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>people talk about goalies, and hot goalkeepers at the right

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<v Speaker 2>time can lead teams to Stanley Cupps. We've seen it before.

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<v Speaker 2>Who are the best goalies in the playoffs?

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<v Speaker 3>Neil Well, Butbroski for Florida has to be number one

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<v Speaker 3>since he did win the Cup last year and he's

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<v Speaker 3>starting for them and they won their their first game. Massilevski,

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<v Speaker 3>who's won two Stanley Cups for Tampa, didn't look good

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<v Speaker 3>last night, but I can tell you he'll turn that

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<v Speaker 3>around and start playing well. You know, the Toronto has

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<v Speaker 3>got for the first year and a long time, has

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<v Speaker 3>gotten superb goaltending out of Anthony Stolars who was with

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<v Speaker 3>the Panthers as the backup last year but now is

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<v Speaker 3>the number one in Toronto. You've got to have a

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<v Speaker 3>good goaltender to go anywhere in the playoffs because the

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<v Speaker 3>intensity level is so high. You don't have to have

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<v Speaker 3>a superstar like back in my day when you either

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<v Speaker 3>had to have Mike Richt or Marty Brodure or Patrick Waugh.

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<v Speaker 3>But you just have to have a good goalie Aiden

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<v Speaker 3>hill In they has won the Stanley Cup and he's

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<v Speaker 3>not a household name. So if I was saying who

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<v Speaker 3>is the best guys, it's Vassilevski and Bobrovski for sure,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, and then and then it goes down from there,

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<v Speaker 3>not very far down, but it's those I think are

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<v Speaker 3>the two top guys.

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<v Speaker 2>You already referenced that you like Colorado because they're getting

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<v Speaker 2>healthy at the right time.

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<v Speaker 4>Series is deadlock to one. What do you think happens tonight?

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<v Speaker 3>I think that I think that they're probably going to

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<v Speaker 3>win tonight if and Lampscott, if he comes back, that's

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<v Speaker 3>going to give them a huge mental boost and the

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<v Speaker 3>building will be buzzing. Dallas is just doesn't. I don't

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<v Speaker 3>think Dallas has enough. I just don't. I Uh. I

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<v Speaker 3>like their lineup when it's healthy, but it's not healthy

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<v Speaker 3>right now, and with Jason Robertson out and Mikohaskine, I

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<v Speaker 3>just think Colorado will be too much.

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<v Speaker 2>You already referenced the comeback six five victory. Game one,

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<v Speaker 2>Kings became the fourth team and Stanley Cup history to

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<v Speaker 2>blow a four goal lead and then win in regulation.

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<v Speaker 4>What do you think happens tonight in La? I've been

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<v Speaker 4>to La.

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<v Speaker 3>Kings LA are sorry. Edmonton's got Evander Keene coming back.

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<v Speaker 3>Now that's not headline news, but that's certainly a different

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<v Speaker 3>ingredient that you put into your lineup, and I think

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<v Speaker 3>Edmonton will even the series up tonight. It's hard for

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<v Speaker 3>me to believe that Connor McDavid, Leon Dry Sidel and

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<v Speaker 3>Evan Bouchard and Zach Hyman and all these other huge

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<v Speaker 3>players they've got will go home down two, but it

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<v Speaker 3>could happen. The Kings are a great home team. But

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<v Speaker 3>you know, they almost put it the other night. It

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<v Speaker 3>was amazing to watch how the Kings sort of fell

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<v Speaker 3>apart there. But we're able to solidify the win at

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<v Speaker 3>the end.

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<v Speaker 2>Since this was our only opportunity to catch up you

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<v Speaker 2>this week, let's get some thoughts on the games we've played.

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<v Speaker 4>Tomorrow.

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<v Speaker 2>Panther's Lightning you already referenced you like this series an

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<v Speaker 2>awful lot. Florida leads one zero, this will be in Tampa.

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<v Speaker 2>What do you think happens tomorrow? I guess I'll say

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<v Speaker 2>afternoon between these two teams.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, the game, the game, the first game in Tampa

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<v Speaker 3>was one sided. I think that Tampa will make adjustments.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't think Florida will be able to blow them

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<v Speaker 3>out like six to two like they did in the

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<v Speaker 3>first game. But Tampa's got their hands full of Florida.

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<v Speaker 3>Whoever plays Florida is going to have their hands full

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<v Speaker 3>because these guys are just They play playoff hockey all

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<v Speaker 3>year long, so when the playoffs come, they're used to it.

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<v Speaker 3>That's the way they play. So that'll be That'll be

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<v Speaker 3>in a very intense matchup.

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<v Speaker 2>We'll move over now to another series that you like

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<v Speaker 2>an awful lot based off of where you are from.

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<v Speaker 2>We're all from somewhere. Maple leafs Senators. That will be tomorrow.

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<v Speaker 2>That is five o'clock mound time ESPN two Toronto leads

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<v Speaker 2>two zero.

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<v Speaker 4>Canada will get back into it.

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<v Speaker 3>I think Anawak can get a win. I don't think that.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't think they're going to win both games in Ottawa.

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<v Speaker 3>I think they're gonna win one of them, which would

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<v Speaker 3>put them down three to one, which would mean that

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<v Speaker 3>Toronto's going to win the series either in five or

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<v Speaker 3>six or seven. But Ottawa is a good, feisty young team.

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<v Speaker 3>Haven't been in the playoffs for many years, so this

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<v Speaker 3>is their first exposure. Brady Katuck Matthew's brother Matthew Kachuck

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<v Speaker 3>that I talked about in Florida. Brady plays, he's the

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<v Speaker 3>captain of Ottawa, had his first taste of playoff hockey

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<v Speaker 3>in his career in this series, so they're all new

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<v Speaker 3>to it. Being down two oh though to Toronto is

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<v Speaker 3>not a good place to be.

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<v Speaker 2>Golden Knight's Wild That will be tomorrow seven o'clock. That's

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<v Speaker 2>on TBS in Minnesota. Deadlocke to one apiece as they

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<v Speaker 2>go back to As they go to Minnesota, what do

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<v Speaker 2>you think happens tomorrow night.

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<v Speaker 3>I think it's going to be a toss up, I

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<v Speaker 3>really do. I was really impressed with Minnesota Vegas. Vegas

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<v Speaker 3>ended the season way ahead of Minnesota, but Minnesota's gotten healthy.

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<v Speaker 3>They really played well in that game last night, and

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<v Speaker 3>nothing would surprise me. They're back on home ice. But

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<v Speaker 3>you know what, Jack Eichel's not going to go very

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<v Speaker 3>long with no points and he's got none to this point,

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<v Speaker 3>so we'll see. I can't give you a winner on

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<v Speaker 3>that one. I just want to see it.

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<v Speaker 2>Winnipeg was historic all year with theirnette and the best

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<v Speaker 2>team out this way in the Western Conference. Can the

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<v Speaker 2>Blues at least make this interesting?

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<v Speaker 3>I think the same as I said for Ottawa. They're

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<v Speaker 3>down two going home. Eighty six percent of the teams

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<v Speaker 3>that have a two dozing lead win the series. I

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<v Speaker 3>think that the Jets will win this series. I don't

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<v Speaker 3>think the Jets will win both games at Enterprise Center

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<v Speaker 3>in Saint Louis. I think St. Lewis will take one

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<v Speaker 3>of them. And about the same analysis, Spence that I

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<v Speaker 3>gave you for Ottawa and Toronto. I think Winnipeg's clearly

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<v Speaker 3>the better team, but Ottawa is feisty and trying hard to,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, to battle a giant.

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<v Speaker 2>Of all the teams that did not make the playoffs,

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<v Speaker 2>which team surprised you the most?

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<v Speaker 4>Who's the best team not involved in the tournament?

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<v Speaker 3>You know, it's interesting. I was talking about this today

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<v Speaker 3>with somebody, and in the East, the best team I

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<v Speaker 3>think of the teams that didn't make it are the

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<v Speaker 3>Buffalo Sabers. But because they're so messed up, their talent

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<v Speaker 3>can't come through, and they missed the playoffs again for

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<v Speaker 3>the fourteenth straight year. But if you looked at their talent,

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<v Speaker 3>I think they've got better talent than the Red Wings

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<v Speaker 3>or the Columbus Blue Jackets and so on. So that's

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<v Speaker 3>what I think on that side. On the other side,

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<v Speaker 3>on the western side of the Utah side, Calgary had

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<v Speaker 3>a spectacular year, Vancouver had a spectacularly bad year, and

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<v Speaker 3>Utah made up some ground as we've talked about. But

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<v Speaker 3>I think that Calgary surprised me, and they've got a

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<v Speaker 3>real good goaltender and they will be right in there

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<v Speaker 3>in the mix. You can mark this down if you

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<v Speaker 3>want for next year's conversations. Calgary and Utah will be

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<v Speaker 3>fighting for a spot next year, fighting each other for

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<v Speaker 3>a spot.

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<v Speaker 2>You know what, I'm just realizing, and I don't have

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<v Speaker 2>a question. I'm just going to say it into this

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<v Speaker 2>microphone to get your reaction. Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit

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<v Speaker 2>Red Wings, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, your old New

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<v Speaker 2>York Islanders. There are a lot of you know, a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of teams that were accustomed to seeing like Banner

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<v Speaker 2>carrying teams for pro hockey that are not in the

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<v Speaker 2>Stanley Cup playoffs. Like I said, I out of question. That's

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<v Speaker 2>kind of interesting though. Those are big, big brands.

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<v Speaker 3>And let me give you a fact that this is

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<v Speaker 3>the first time in history that the four US based

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<v Speaker 3>Original Six teams being the Rangers, Chicago, Boston, and Detroit,

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<v Speaker 3>have all been out of the playoffs. All four of

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<v Speaker 3>the American based Original Six seeing the playoffs for the

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<v Speaker 3>first time ever. And you're right, Pittsburgh has been out

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<v Speaker 3>for a couple of years now, but they've certainly still

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<v Speaker 3>got Crosby and Malcolm and so on, and we're used

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<v Speaker 3>to seeing them. The New York Islanders, of course, had

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<v Speaker 3>their heyday long ago, but in Boston Bruins were only

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<v Speaker 3>two years removed from from setting not just a franchise

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<v Speaker 3>record of wins and points, a league record of wins

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<v Speaker 3>and points just two years ago, and now the bottom's

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<v Speaker 3>fallen out on them.

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<v Speaker 2>Pretty wild to consider, all right, Neil, Before I set

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<v Speaker 2>you loose, just a thought on the Utah Hockey Club,

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<v Speaker 2>And of course I've already asked you about what they

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<v Speaker 2>need to add and what Bill Armstrong could do but

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<v Speaker 2>we had some postseason media with Bill Armstrong and coach Tourney.

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<v Speaker 2>They held exit interviews and now the players go on

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<v Speaker 2>their ways. Just so for our fans around here, what

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<v Speaker 2>is this time of year like for front offices that

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<v Speaker 2>are not involved in the Stanley Cup playoffs, namely the

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<v Speaker 2>Utah Hockey Club.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, I think Bill Armstrong's meeting having scouting meetings, may

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<v Speaker 3>go over to the World Championships and look at that

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<v Speaker 3>and look at the best players over there. Definitely looking

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<v Speaker 3>at high high end junior talent, college talent, people that

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<v Speaker 3>are going to be in the entry draft. He's going

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<v Speaker 3>to be going with his scouts to see that. So

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<v Speaker 3>they're going to be preparing and they're gonna have lots

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<v Speaker 3>of time to do it. They're going to be preparing

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<v Speaker 3>for the entry draft they're going to and they got

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<v Speaker 3>a lot of picks. They're going to be preparing for

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<v Speaker 3>free agency seeing who's available. So they've they've got a

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<v Speaker 3>lot of time. That's what you do in the offseason.

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<v Speaker 3>You you study what's out there. You already know what

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<v Speaker 3>you need and what you think can be replaced because

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<v Speaker 3>you've watched the two games. But this is a time

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<v Speaker 3>when I can tell you Bill Armstrong's not spending a

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<v Speaker 3>lot of nights at home right now.

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<v Speaker 2>A lot of new hockey fans out here, Neil, how

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<v Speaker 2>can they go find your podcast?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, go find it on any any podcast platform, if

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<v Speaker 3>you can get on Spotify or Apple or Amazon or

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<v Speaker 3>any of them, or or YouTube, NHL wrap around and

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<v Speaker 3>we're doing a Stanley Cup date. How do you like that?

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<v Speaker 3>Plan for Stanley Date? Every day? And so the little thing.

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<v Speaker 3>They'll come out telling everybody what happened the night before

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<v Speaker 3>and where everything stands. And we're having a lot of

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<v Speaker 3>pun at it. And I think a lot of people

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<v Speaker 3>could learn things from the podcast, not just from me certainly,

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<v Speaker 3>but from the guests that we have on the show.

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<v Speaker 2>Great time of you're my friend, Thank you for your

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<v Speaker 2>time and have a great week.

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<v Speaker 4>Enjoy it.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay, yeah, thank you, Spence, you too.

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<v Speaker 4>All right.

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<v Speaker 2>Neil Smith stops by today courtesy of our friends at

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