It's always bittersweet watching playoff hockey after the Wings are eliminated (especially since it's still something I'm still kind of getting used to). I like to watch other hockey games to give myself perspective on where the Wings stand in relation to the league. I like to see how other teams succeed at what the Wings don't do well at (like power plays), and I like to watch them struggle with things the Wings do well (Datsyukian things).

But so far what I've gotten from watching other playoff series is a sad reminder about how badly the Wings hurt themselves by earning the 8-seed and facing Boston in the first round. Realistically with all the injuries, I'm not sure one of the 2-3 Atlantic spots was terribly do-able, but it was certainly possible. Even without that, one more goddamn point earns a faceoff against Marc-Andre Fleury in the first round.

Shit happens, I guess. It's all spilled milk now.

Three playoff games going on today. Let's see what we've got.

So aside from a lull from about 6-8PM, we'll have hockey to watch pretty much all day, and two of them will be elimination games.

• I'll level with you on PHI/NYR, I still don't give a shit about this series. I almost don't even consider it a real series and I have no idea why. Both of those teams have a decent shot of making the conference finals if they survive the first round.
• Brent Seabrook will be back from his suspension and I'm just absolutely sure that this won't lead to any kind of bullshit. Nope. No sirree. No bullshit expected between the Blues and Hawks.
• Anaheim will try to finish off Dallas in Dallas while trying to avoid blowing another first round series they're supposed to win. Corey Perry probably bathes in dirty garbage water.

Live thread, folks. Let the healing begin.