FRIDAY COMMENTARY – LET THE GAMES BEGIN

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 am and 5:20 pm on Cat Country 98 FM)

THERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO ADDRESS TODAY …

MOST NOTABLY, FOR ME, IS THAT IT APPEARS THE CREAM HAS RISEN TO THE TOP IN THE NHL’S SCOTIA NORTH DIVISION.

THE TOP THREE TEAMS IN CANADA – TORONTO, EDMONTON AND WINNIPEG – ARE NOW WINNING THE GAMES THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO WIN. THEY ALL WON GAMES OVER THE PAST TWO NIGHTS AGAINST TEAMS CHASING THEM IN THE STANDINGS.

THAT’S THE MARK OF GOOD TEAMS.

NOW THERE’S A MIDDLE TIER WHICH INCLUDES MONTREAL, CALGARY AND VANCOUVER WHICH WILL BE FIGHTING IT OUT FOR THE FOURTH AND FINAL PLAYOFF SPOT OVER THE SECOND HALF OF THE REGULAR SEASON.

AT THE BOTTOM IS THE OTTAWA SENATORS, WHO WILL LIKELY FINISH THERE, BUT THEY’VE WON 3 IN A ROW AND WHILE COACH D.J. SMITH WON’T GET CONSIDERATION FOR “COACH OF THE YEAR”, HE’S LIKELY HAPPY TO JUST BE NAMED “COACH FOR THE YEAR”.

SECONDLY, SASKATCHEWAN’S SHERRY ANDERSON PROVED SASK CURLING RIGHT BUT QUALIFYING FOR THE PLAYOFFS AT THE SCOTTIES, FINISHING ATOP POOL B IN THE CALGARY BUBBLE.

IT WOULD’VE BEEN HORRIFYING IF THE PROVINCIALLY-APPOINTED CHAMP CRASHED AND BURNED AT NATIONALS, BUT WE’VE KNOWN SHERRY FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND KNEW SHE WOULDN’T DISAPPOINT.

NEXT UP WILL BE TEAM DUNSTONE AT THE BRIER, AND THEY’VE GOT TO BE CONSIDERED CONTENDERS SINCE THEY MADE THE SEMIFINAL LAST YEAR.

AND LASTLY IT’S OPENING NIGHT IN THE WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE. I GET TINGLES JUST SAYING THAT! THE GAMES ARE: MEDICINE HAT AT RED DEER AND LETHBRIDGE AT EDMONTON. TONIGHT THE GAMES ARE FREE ON WHL LIVE. GO TO THE LEAGUE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS.

ALAS WE CAN SAY, “LET THE GAMES BEGIN.”

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.