Yeah, my city’s better than yours

The one thing the four remaining teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs have in common? All are from cities that have a huge inferiority complex.

Ottawa -- We are so Canada’s capital. No, it’s not Toronto. Why do people always say that? And we did so win the Stanley Cup. In 1927, then we took a little break? Toronto stinks. Oh yeah, where are the Maple Leafs right now, eh?

Buffalo -- What? City of losers? We are not. Yeah, the Bills and those four Super Bowls. OK, the Sabres lost twice in the Cup finals, but Brett Hull was in the crease. Come on, if we were really the city of losers, we’d still have the Clippers.

Detroit -- We are not America’s most dangerous city. We’re second. St. Louis took that title last year and their hockey team stinks. We’re Hockeytown, man. The Red Wings rule. The Tigers rule. The Pistons rule. I hate Matt Millen.

Anaheim -- Disney doesn’t own this town! Got it? So what if I’m wearing a Goofy costume? Remember, we made the Stanley Cup finals in 2003. OK, so we didn’t show up for Game 7. For the last time, they are not the Los Angeles Angels, geez.

Trivia time

Name the three players who have appeared in every playoff game involving the Ducks and Red Wings.

Hockeyfrown

The hockey world order used to be clearly defined. There was Hockeytown in Michigan and there was Hockeywasteland way out west. Each served a purpose. In Detroit, players came to win Stanley Cups (why else would a player go to Detroit? The balmy winters? The fresh air? The ambience?). In Southern California, players came to retire (exhibit A: Luc Robitaille).

But the landscape seems to have changed. The Red Wings are riding an eight-game losing streak in the playoffs against Southern California teams, losing four straight to the Kings in 2001 and then being dismissed in four by the Ducks in 2003.

Another sweep and it’ll be Hockey-heim.

Hockey sticks

and stones

A Detroit News online story Thursday warned Red Wings fans, “With more than 24 hours before Friday’s Game 1 at Joe Louis Arena, expect more barbs to be thrown by the Los Angeles/Anaheim media.”

We shall refrain from any mudslinging.

Then again, from the “Our Two Cents” part of the Detroit Free Press, was the promise, “Get ready for a flurry of bird bashing in a series between the Ducks and Wings. But we’ll keep the bird flipping to a minimum.”

Way to take the high road, guys.

Oh yeah? Your town stinks.

Place your bets

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer placed a friendly wager on the Senators-Sabres series. McGuinty says he is betting a month’s supply of Tim Horton’s coffee against Spitzer’s wager of a supply of chicken wings from the famous Anchor Bar in Buffalo.

Briefing’s suggestion for the Ducks-Red Wings series:

If the Ducks win, Anaheim gets Ford Field, that state-of-the-art NFL stadium.

If the Red Wings win, Anaheim has to take the Detroit Lions.

Trivia answer

The Red Wings’ Kris Draper, Nicklas Lidstrom and Kirk Maltby. The closest it comes on the Ducks’ side is David McNabb, the team’s assistant general manager.

And finally

Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock, commenting on whether having been the Ducks’ coach would help in preparing to face Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, “I got a lot of information on Giguere. It’s like having information on [Red Wings goaltender Dominik Hasek] -- so what? You’ve still got to beat them.”

For the record, the Red Wings have yet to beat Giguere in the playoffs.

chris.foster@latimes.com