For the new or casual NHL fan, the Umberger-Franzen debate may seem more like one suited for a college dorm room. It sounds like an obscure, 18th-Century border skirmish between Germany and Switzerland, perhaps.

But no, it’s the story of the two hottest scorers of these playoffs.

R.J. Umberger, though coming off the best of his three NHL seasons, with 50 points, has watched his goal total go from 20 as a rookie, in 2005-06, to 16 in 2006-07 to 13 this past season. The 26-year-old Pittsburgh native has plenty to be motivated about, playing in front of his hometown crowd, but motivation doesn’t seem to be a problem for the kid, who has nine goals in 12 post-season games.

In the Western Conference, the equally unheralded Johan Franzen of the Detroit Red Wings has 11 goals in 10 post-season games. The 28-year-old also has three NHL seasons under his belt, although his 27 goals in 2007-08 was better than his first two seasons (12 and 10 markers, respectively) combined.

You never know who’s going to step up in the playoffs, which is part of the fun.

Chilling Frost

Here’s a weird thing.

So today I was contemplating the phrase “drinking the Kool Aid” and how it has become a universal snarky retort — that emerged originally from the mass murder/suicides of followers of cult leader Jim Jones in Jonestown, Guyana, in 1978 — meaning someone is being brainwashed.

Then I was thinking of Mike Danton (nee Jefferson) and his comment to the effect “I’m not drinking [New Jersey Devils GM] Lou [Lamoriello]’s Kool Aid anymore” back a few years ago when the former Devils draft pick was refusing a demotion to the minors. Then I was thinking how Lamoriello is still GM of the Devils and how Danton is in prison for (unsuccessfully) plotting the murder of his former agent.

So then I’m wondering what ever became of shady former agent David Frost and his court case on charges of sexual exploitation.

And then I randomly check in on the SLAM! Home Page for my daily sports fix and there’s a huge story on this exact topic by Sun Media columnist Steve Simmons and Frost’s grim visage on the front page.

Eerie.

That's why we have dressing rooms

Seems like the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t the only ones on a streak.

The captain of the American Hockey League’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins was ordered to stand trial following his arrest for streaking.

The long-time minor leaguer in the Vancouver Canucks system signed with Pittsburgh as an unrestricted free agent last summer. He played 13 games this season for the Pens and was held pointless. The 26-year-old was chosen by the Canucks in the first round, 23rd overall, at the 2000 NHL entry draft.