It figures. I show up for a few days in Las Vegas and I have my worst week of the season, going a beyond-dismal 2-9. I knew I was in big trouble when the Calgary Flames -- desperate for points -- blew a lead and lost on Long Island. That was the beginning of a really bad night. Fortunately, I didn't take any of my picks to the betting window. That would have taken things from bad to worse.
Obviously, I'm looking for a bounce back effort this week. We'll see.
Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins
The Bruins need this game big time to solidify their playoff hopes. The Panthers, who are playing out the string, hit town fresh off a 6-2 drubbing in Buffalo last night. The Bs don't score much and they haven't been great at home, but they have to be the choice in this spot. Plus, I never like picking the Panthers. I'll take Boston.
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E.J. Hradek
Senior Writer, ESPN The MagazineABOUT THIS BLOG
E.J. Hradek
E.J. Hradek is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine, joining the staff prior to its launch in 1998. He began covering hockey as a writer/editor for Hockey Illustrated in 1989. The following year, he beat the Stars to Dallas (by three years), taking over as the editor of Beckett Hockey Monthly. When the Stars finally did arrive in Big D, he hosted a weekly hockey radio show and tried (unsuccessfully) to convert ESPN's Skip Bayless to the greatest game on ice.
In 1996, Hradek left Dallas, but not the Stars. Relocating back to the New York area, he became a part-time pro scout for the club, seeing more than 100 NHL/AHL games for each of the next two seasons. The scouting gig was a great learning experience, offering a different view of the game.
Hradek grew up in Tuckahoe, N.Y., about a 40-minute train ride from New York City. Despite the proximity to the Rangers, Hradek embraced the Islanders when the expansion franchise debuted in 1972. Eight years later, he was part of the sellout crowd at the Nassau Coliseum that witnessed the Islanders' first Stanley Cup championship.
