Thursday's notes: Vancouver draws first blood as Burrows bites

Well, they wasted no time getting right to the intense play and controversy that we expect out of a Stanley Cup Final, don't you think? The Bruins and Canucks engaged in a classic struggle last night with Vancouver pulling out the late win, but Boston did get the stellar goaltending we all expected from Tim Thomas, so they've got a puncher's chance here.

After the jump, we've got reaction to the game, news of a Predators assistant coach possibly landing a new job, change among the NHL's executive ranks, and an Edmonton Oiler lending a hand to one of the most famous singers in the world...

Nashville Predators News

Predators assistant interviews with Dallas Stars - The Tennessean
Josh Cooper confirms that Peter Horachek did indeed interview with the Dallas Stars...

Sedin twins hold key to Stanley Cup finals - The Tennessean
Steve Sullivan provides his breakdown of Canucks vs. Bruins.

Top 15 moments of the 2010-11 Preds season: #7 | Section 303
Heads up!

Paul McCann - Congrats to the 'Peg, Sympathies to the ATL
Paul walks through the cavalcade of misinformation that led up to this week's big story.

Preds in review: Shane O’Brien - Predators Insider
Josh Cooper assesses SOB's past, present & future.

NHL Entry Draft

2011 Draft Prospect Profile #31: Joel Armia - The Cannon
Here's another guy who could possibly slip to the Preds early in the 2nd round...

Around the NHL

Raffi Torres' late goal gives Canucks 1-0 win in Game 1 - Stanley Cup of Chowder
It was a classic goaltender's battle, until a dandy tic-tac-toe play with 18 seconds left in the 3rd won it for Vancouver.

It Is A Game Of Inches - KuklasKorner
Paul has a great isolation shot showing that the winning goal last night was indeed a good play. It looked awfully close to being offside at the time.

Red Light District: Video: Burrows bites Bergeron
Wow, as if Alex Burrows wasn't already one of the biggest douchebags in the league. You could run out of adjectives here - stupid, classless, gutless, petty...

Hamhuis' night ends after big hit on Lucic - NHL.com
Hammer left the game after the Bruins mobbed him for delivering a perfectly legitimate hip check.

Gary Bettman, Bill Daly talk about cap, realignment in state-of-game; Shanahan succeeds Campbell - KuklasKorner
Each year at the Stanley Cup Final, Gary Bettman gives a wide-ranging press conference on the state of the league, and George Malik has the entire transcript here.

Colin Campbell out, Brendan Shanahan in for NHL discipline? - Puck Daddy
Fans won't miss Colie being in charge of supplementary discipline, but I think the bigger problem is that the NHL needs a more standardized process, regardless of who's doing the job.

Bettman confirms NHL revamping discipline process - The Globe and Mail
It sounds like indeed the league will at least take a look at toughening some penalties.

Fraser: Do refs have access to game tapes or 'diving reels' - TSN
Kerry Fraser's weekly mailbag column is quickly becoming must-read material for hockey fans.

Colin Campbell’s Greatest Misses: Our Way Of Saying Goodbye - Houses of the Hockey
Well played, this.

Flames Trade Ability To Do Basic Tasks for Two 2nd Round Picks and Something Resembling a Prospect - Matchsticks and Gasoline
Calgary came perilously close to losing their draft rights to Tim Erixon, so instead traded him to the Rangers.

Mystery solved: Cliff Ronning reveals why he ruled in NHL ’93 - Puck Daddy
OK, this is hilarious stuff here. I spent waaaaay too much time playing these games in my college days.

Jeff Carter, Two-way Forward - Broad Street Hockey
Another debate about the qualities of a two-way center.

Winnipeg’s Roster Analysis Part I: Forwards | Illegal Curve Hockey
Richard kicks the tires on this new team coming to town.

A Move Eight Years in the Making? - Milwaukee Admirals
An interesting notion put forth by Aaron Sims, but I'm not buying it. Ownership and management's long string of failures had more to do with any one incident.

While Winnipeg rejoices, Atlanta tallies its collateral damage - Sporting News
Sure, the players will move, but many off-ice employees are losing their jobs in Atlanta.

Michael Eisner Tries to Improve the NHL, An Excerpt From "Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN" " Puck The Media
An interesting excerpt from the new history-of-ESPN tome which you can order on Amazon (aff link).

Learning to cycle the puck a valuable skill - NHL.com
Expect to hear lots of this talk with the Sedin twins putting their display on during this Cup Final.

Missing the Net, Redux - Behind The Net
Gabe slays another sacred cow, the notion that players have a distinct tendency to miss the net more or less often than their peers.

What’s a Canuck? Mystery behind Vancouver’s hockey moniker - Puck Daddy
A little etymology from Mr. Wyshynski.

Quote That May Interest Only Me, Doug MacLean - The Copper & Blue

Maybe Doug MacLean and Rudy Kalis could start a show together.

Oiler Brule gave lift to hitchhiking Bono - Edmonton Journal
Bono from U2 said he wants to be Gilbert Brule. Really...