Poolie Update: Game Six Preview

With Game Six on the schedule for tonight in Pittsburgh at 8PM ET, it is only fitting that I provide an updated list of prizes for the hockey poolies who are currently entered in the HBIC Playoff Pool. I have updated scores through Game Five, and James Huening has moved back into the lead on the backs of Dan Cleary and Sidney Crosby. Or, more particularly, their game-winning goals. Good job, James, and remember that everyone is still eligible. And if the series happens to go to a Game Seven where the winner gets the Stanley Cup, I'll still work on more prizing for those of you who have entered. Why? Because you guys make it fun, and I've really appreciated the work you've put into your picks. Along with that, I certainly do appreciate you reading this blog, and it's my way of saying "thank you".

If the Stanley Cup is handed out tonight, prizes will be awarded according to your standing in the pool in almost all the cases. However, I will add caveats to certain prizes under which certain criteria have been met. In these cases, those who meet this criteria will be contacted first with the opportunity to receive these prizes. If the person(s) who win these conditional prizes reject them (why would you do that? They are guaranteed!), the prizes will go back into the Schwag Bag of Stuff and be available for all while the entrant will have to wait for his/her turn to select one of the remaining prizes.

Here's how the selection will work:

• If you are eligible for a conditional prize, I will send you an email with your potential prize on it. If you choose to keep that prize, you simply need to say "yes" in your email back to me and I will send it to you. If you choose not to accept that prize and say "no, thank you", your prize heads back into the collection of prizes, and you fall back into your place in the standings.
• Once those entrants above have made their decisions, the list of prizes will be sent to the entrant who finishes in first-place. He/she can select any ONE prize from the list sent to him/her, and it will be mailed out. Once that person is selected, the second-place entrant will pick from the remaining prizes, and so on and so forth.
• Once all the prizes have been handed out, I'm officially done. Again, there are a number of prizes, and those are listed below, so everyone is eligible either through standings or conditions.

Ok, so hopefully that clears up how the prizes will be awarded. Again, all of the prizes except one are priced between $20-25 CDN so it's not like you're losing a million dollars if you come in fourth instead of third. Let's be sensible here as well: don't pick something that won't fit you. I've purposely requested larger items from the partners I worked with, so hopefully that will allow everyone a chance at these prizes.

• Washington Capitals black replica jersey by CCM (XXL).
• Red Ottawa Senators Ray Emery jersey t-shirt (XL).
• White Mario Lemieux Foundation t-shirt (XL).
• Black women's Mario Lemieux Foundation t-shirt (L) - eligible to the highest-scoring woman in the pool unless she wants something else.
• White CCM "I scored last night" t-shirt (XL).
• Blue Buffalo Sabres retro raglan shirt (XXL).
• Black Roger Edwards' LA Kings silver-and-black retro logo baseball cap.
• Brown "Peter Puck" trucker cap.
• White "Keep It Six" t-shirt (XL) - eligible to the sixth-place person in the standings unless he/she would like something else.
  
• Brodeur: Beyond the Crease book.
• Don Cherry's Rock 'Em Sock 'Em 17 DVD.
• Combo prize: CBC-produced '72 Canada-Russia 3-DVD set on the 1972 Summit Series, and a Doug Gilmour McFarlane figure.

All of you receiving a prize will also get a 2008-09 Panini sticker album with your winnings, compliments of the good people at Panini.

Here's the bad news, poolies. If you entered and have been playing right up to the end, you get first crack at the prizes. As of right now, eleven of the entrants have played all four rounds of the pool, and I don't think it's fair if they're forced to take a lower prize if they finish lower than someone who didn't participate right through to the end. For those who haven't been in all rounds, complain all you want about this rule, but showing up is the first step in any activity and these eleven people showed up for each round. So for those of you who have been in it until the end? The spoils will go to you first.

If you have any questions, you know who to email. Good luck to both the Red Wings and Penguins tonight as Lord Stanley's Mug will be in the Mellon Arena, and good luck to the Moose and Bears as well as they battle in Game Five for the Calder Cup! One win, and the Bears can skate the victory lap as well!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!