Why HNIC is special

For those who don't know, HNIC stands for Hockey Night in Canada. My cable company runs a free week of baseball during the beginning of the season, and hockey also runs on those channels. So I got a chance last night to watch Hockey Night in Canada.

Hockey Night in Canada is a Canadian tradition on Saturday nights on the CBC with two hockey games, one Eastern game (Toronto, Montreal, or Ottawa) followed by a Western game (Calgary, Edmonton, or Vancouver).

Last night, I watched Toronto fighting for a playoff spot at Philadelphia and then Vancouver fighting for a spot, hosting Calgary.

You might ask what the big deal is with a couple of hockey games on a Saturday night. Tradition has something to do with it. Don Cherry and his Coaches' Corner brings controversial flavor. There is no icon in the States comparable to Cherry. But it's also a joy of the game in the voices of the announcers, the extended explanation of strategy, and the warmth of sharing the hockey community with rabid fans from coast to coast who have HNIC in common.

Before cable, HNIC was the one guaranteed spot to see your favorite Canadian teams. It was a treat to see once again.

Speaking of hockey, we are getting close to playoff time. Here at the Canadian Corner, we will cover all the Canadian teams as they make their way through the playoffs. There are only 6 teams left located north of the border:

In the East, Ottawa is tied for the top seed, Montreal is tied for seventh (8 teams advance from each conference), and Toronto is 10th. In the West, Calgary is close to clinching a division title and the 3 seed. Edmonton is 7th in a tight squeeze. Vancouver is tied for the 8th spot, although it has played 2 more games than San Jose.

When the season ends, I will have a playoff preview of the Canadian teams. Given last year's lockout, this Stanley Cup playoffs should be a lot of fun.