Take a Dive, Crosby

Tonight, for the first time, I'd actually like to see Sidney Crosby take a dive.

If the Penguins lose in regulation tonight, the Flyers will face the Penguins in the first round. If the Penguins lose in regulation, the Flyers will have home ice advantage and face the Hurricanes in the first round.

Please please please please please please.

The Penguins tanked their last game last year in order to avoid playing the Flyers in the first round--they even gave Crosby the game off. No reason to think they shouldn't do the same this year.

So please Pittsburghers give Crosby, Malkin, Sykora, Fleury, Gonchar, Bylsma, Kunitz, and Guerin the night off. We don't want any part of each other in the first round, Pittsburgh. It's all in your hands.

The Canadiens might not try their best either tonight, probably preferring playing their rival Boston over Washington in the first round. If both teams are trying to tank tonight, it could be a mess of epic proportions.

Carter Lone Flyer To Make All-Star Game

Jeff Carter, the NHL goals co-leader, was the lone Flyer put on the Eastern Conference roster for the 2009 All-Star Game. Carter wasn't even on the ballot, but led the league in write-in votes.

So did the other Flyers, the ones who were actually on the ballot, get screwed? It's not what I should be thinking, but my reaction is no. Daniel Briere has missed way tooKimmo Timonen is a phenomenal pure defensemen, but doesn't have the offensive stats that voters look for when getting people in the offense-happy all-star game. Simon Gagne missed a bunch of games with injury, and has cooled off since his hot start. Mike Richards may have the strongest beef, with his character play, and only two fewer points than Carter, but he may not have been flashy enough to elbow his way in to this crowded group.

The crowding was made even worse this year by out of control fan voting. The two teams whose fanbases did the best job were Montréal fans and Pittsburgh fans. Pittsburgh fans had the most help getting their two All-Star game starters, Crosby and Malkin in, since those are actual deserving players who would have gotten votes from non-Pittsburgh fans. But Montréal got a whopping four players in the starting lineup: Alex Kovalev, Andrei Markov, Mike Komisarek, and Carey Price. Markov getting in is understandable, and outside of his absolutely shitteous play against the Flyers last year (for which I am forever grateful), Carey Price has a case. But Alex Kovalev and Mike Komisarek getting in is absolute garbage. Kovalev especially, getting a starting spot in place of the league's undisputed MVP, Alex Ovechkin.

Changes have to come to the voting system, but I think it's safe to say that other teams should have bigger beefs than should the Flyers.

Here are Carter's subdued thoughts on the selection: