The NHL Playoffs continue to heat up an whether or not you’re a hockey fan, it is nearly impossible to miss the signs that the NHL Playoffs are in full swing. From social media sites like twitters special hashtags of #BecauseItsTheCup and #NHLPlayoffs, Facebook posts from the NHL teams, or even just your friends – the hockey fever has certainly taken over with fans old and new. The Western and Eastern conferences are winding down their final few games of the quarterfinals, and we’re soon off to Round 2, leaving behind 8 teams.

Western Conference

The most notable match-up from this conference is the San Jose Sharks sweeping the Vancouver Canucks last night. The Sharks took all 4 games in the best of 7 and were the first team to advance. The Sharks have proved themselves to be a tough team, and showed no slowing down while playing the Canucks. Although some Vancouver fans may cry “playoff curse” as they were once again eliminated from contention, but in the end this boiled down to just a better team winning.

The Chicago Blackhawks and the Minnesota Wild are also an honorable mention from this conference. The Blackhawks started off with a strong 2-0 series lead, but the Minnesota Wild fought back in Game 3. Any fan would agree that in Game 3 the Wild were a completely different team on the ice than in the previous two games. The team brought physicality which threw the Chicago Blackhawks off their game. The Hawks did come back to win the next game, and hold a 3-1 series lead.

Eastern Conference

Some may agree that the Eastern Conference isn’t as tough as the Western, so the Pittsburgh Penguins would easily skate into the Stanley Cup Finals no matter who they played. Although the Pens were viewed as having the conference already won, the New York Islanders may another thing to say on that. These two teams are currently tied in a 2-2 series and is showing that this series won’t just be given, it must be taken. Going from a Pittsburgh Penguins series lead to a series tie, could the Islanders be able to finally pull through as the underdogs and take lead of the series for the first time?

Also feeling the heat in the NHL Playoffs this year are the Montreal Canadiens. These number 2 seeded Habs are matched up against the 7th seeded Ottawa Senators, and in theory, was thought to have been an easy victory for the Canadiens. The Senators are up to a commanding 3-1 lead over Montreal and it is not looking good. This series has been one of the most physical this year, from some hard hits, to a throw-down-brawl in center ice involving most of the team. Are the Canadiens out of gas and accepting defeat, or can they pull forward? It’s still possible, as teams have come back from a deficit once before.

These are just a few of the match-ups occurring for the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs this year. While the teams are finishing up their best of 7 games this week, the next 8 will advance and in just a few short weeks, we’ll have a Stanley Cup winner! Whether you plan on wearing some Chicago Blackhawks gear, or sporting a Pittsburgh Penguins t-shirt, now is the perfect time to get into the playoffs with some NHL Playoffs gear.

Congratulations to the Louisville Cardinals on becoming the 2013 NCAA Mens’s National Basketball Champions!

Through blood, sweat and tears, this University of Louisville team has really endured it all. This March Madness season has really been a wild ride. With some teams that were expected to do well, do not so well, and of course the usual underdogs taking out the higher seeded team.

From upsets and buzzer-beaters to jaw-dropping performances and bitter heartbreak, the 2013 tournament has had it all. And we sports fans have been glued to the TV watching every single minute.

The expansion of social media allows fan interaction and reaction more than ever, and America has had plenty to say.

Individual legacies have been made. Players like Louisville’s Russ Smith, Michigan’s Trey Burke and Ole Miss’ Marshall Henderson etched their names in March lore. Players like Georgetown’s Otto Porter Jr. and Gonzaga’s Kelly Olynyk felt the agony of premature defeat.

Whether it be the upset-filled opening rounds that saw teams like Harvard, La Salle and Ole Miss literally light some brackets on fire or the dominance of teams like Louisville and Syracuse, the Twittersphere has had more than enough to react to.

From Florida Gulf Coast becoming an overnight sensation on their way to a Sweet 16 berth to the outpouring of support for Louisville’s Kevin Ware after his gruesome leg injury against Duke, fans interacted with the tournament like never before.

This years season truly has been great. Now that the Louisville Cardinals have won, there’s really only a few things left to do: celebrate, and purchase some Cardinals championship gear! Here at FansEdge, we have you covered with all your NCAA National Championship merchandise. What’s better than getting some great Louisville Cardinals Championship shirts, Cardinals national championship hats, 2013 Louisville championship merchandise and tons of other March Madness apparel for all men, women and kids alike!

The 2013 Final Four is set with (4) Michigan going against (3) Syracuse and (9) Wichita State taking on (1)Louisville. On Saturday, Wichita State downed the Buckeyes of Ohio State 70-66 while Syracuse pummeled Marquette 55-39. Although Syracuse, Michigan and Louisville were expected to make some noise this season, no one predicted the Shockers of Wichita State to be playing in the Final Four in Atlanta on Saturday, April 6th.

Wichita State is grabbing headlines for it’s solid and steady play, beating the likes of (1) Gonzaga and a streaking (2) Ohio State along the way. Meanwhile, Syracuse continues to live up to their lofty pre-season expectations with suffocating defense and solid shooting. Like the Shockers, the Orange have also had some nice victories in the tournament beating powerhouse (1) Indiana and a rock-solid (3) Marquette team. Both the Shockers and Orange will be fighting for their chance to bring home a Wooden NCAA National Championship trophy to their respective schools.

On the other side of the bracket on Sunday, the Michigan Wolverines took care of business with a convincing 20-point victory over the Florida Gators. In addition to beating the Gators, they also had impressive victories over (5) VCU and (1) Kansas on their road to the Final Four. As the action moves to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, the Wolverines will continue to rely on their young talent on their quest for a National Championship. Their opponent, the Louisville Cardinals, have been equally impressive by thoroughly beating their opponents each step of the way. Although Oregon came up nine points shy of defeating Louisville, the Cardinals have had double-digit victories in all of their March Madness games.

There’s no doubt that the 2013 Final Four will  be circled on calenders of thousands of college  basketball fans across the nation . With a few teams from Powerhouse conferences and a surprise contender ready to do battle next Saturday, college basketball fans can gear up with officially licensed Final Four gear at our online store. FansEdge will be there every step of the way as we get closer to crowning the National Champions of the 2012-13 NCAA Men’s basketball season.

Well, it is decided. The Wichita State Shockers will be joining the Syracuse Orange in the Final Four this year. Let’s take a look at this Regional Final and how they got here:

The Wichita State Shockers and Ohio State Buckeyes played tonight from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Ohio State was making its 14th appearance in the “Elite Eight”, while Wichita State was in the quarterfinals for the first time in 32 years.

After Wichita State defeated Gonzaga 64-58 in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, the Shockers knew they would inherit the soft and coveted path of the No. 1 seed they defeated. Since that win, the Shockers went on to soundly defeat LaSalle 72-58 and they’ll face the second seeded Ohio State Buckeyes at 7 PM E.T. on Saturday night to determine which squad will win the West Region.

The Buckeyes have won 11 straight games, including their last, a three-point victory over the Arizona Wildcats to advance to the Sweet 16. A late three by LaQuinton Ross pushed the Buckeyes past the Wildcats, and OSU out-scored ‘Zona 39-32 in the second half.

Wichita State’s strength is interior play. They ranked No. 27 in the nation in rebounds per game (38.4) and they began their season with nine consecutive victories, as they now sit with a 29-8 record.

Their success is somewhat surprising considering they lost six games in the MVC, and it was rough to gauge their tournament prospects since the only ranked squad they faced all year was No. 12 Creighton on Jan. 19 (Wichita won by three).

The Shockers are led by Cleanthony Early and Carl Hall, and they sport a deep 11 man rotation, which features no Shocker seeing more than 28 minutes per game. Early, a 6’8″ junior forward, did not play his first two NCAA seasons, but he’s come on to be a very legitimate forward at the D-1 level. His best game thus far in the tournament was his 21 point, seven rebound performance in the contest against No. 8 Pittsburgh that the Shockers won 73-55.

Although both teams played great, only the Wichita State Shockers were able to pull off a great victory. It’s time to celebrate as you see off your Wichita State Shockers to the Final Four! What’s better than getting some great Wichita State Shockers Final Four shirts, Shockers Final Four hats, Wichita State Shockers Final Four merchandise and tons of other March Madness apparel for all men, women and kids alike!