Showing their Boston Bruins spirit behind the bar at Delaney's Wednesday night were friendly barkeeps (from left) Helena McInerney, Corey Madden and Deb Vargas. The 2011 Stanley Cup champion Bruins advanced to a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals with a 2-1 double OT win on a goal scored by Patrice Bergeron. They play Pittsburgh with a chance to wrap up the series Friday night in Boston. (TOM EASTMAN PHOTO)BRUINS, WILD-QUACKING DUCKS and motorcycles top the news for this week's column.

The B's are standing strong, with a 3-0 lead in games heading into Game 4 in Boston tonight after their 2-1 double-OT win Wednesday night at the Garden over the Penguins in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals. The Bruins have outscored the offensively-potent Penguins 11-2 in their three games so far, and have held captain Sidney Crosby off the points board with no goals and zero assists.

Game 5 if needed is Sunday in Pittsburgh at 8 p.m., Game 6 (if necessary) is Tuesday in Boston at a time to be announced, and Game 7 would be in Pittsburgh Wednesday, also TBA.

Not having NBC Sports at home, we watched the first three games at Delaney's, and were amused by how bartender Jim Fagone was sporting friend Ginny Wright's Bobby Orr No. 4 Bruins home shirt Monday night (he has his own white-shirted No. 4 jersey at home, but was wearing Ginny's). Bartenders Helena McInerney, Corey Madden and Deb Vargas all sported B's T-shirts Wednesday night, as a nice crowd turned out to cheer the B's on as they battled to their double OT win.

JEFF FOR THE B'S: I like what Roy “The Skiing DJ” Prescott said to newsman Gair MacKenzie as they bantered on Tuesday's “Morning Weather Show” on WMWV, when he quipped that, “One second, we're rooting for Pittsburgh because of Jeff “the Redstone” Rocket and the Pirates, and the next we're rooting against Pittsburgh and for the Bruins!”

Our sports editor, Lloyd Jones, the guy who first nicknamed Jeff the Redstone Rocket, says that Jeff tells him that he is definitely rooting for the B's, being the New Hampshire boy that he is. Hopefully, the Pittsburgh sports writers won't make too big of a deal about his rooting for Beantown. “He's got bragging rights in the locker room,” notes Lloyd.

Jeff pitched well Tuesday night but did not get a decision. After three consecutive starts where he held the opponent scoreless, Locke was mortal on Tuesday, according to NBC Sports, giving up six hits and two walks in allowing three runs. He did still strike out seven on the night, though. The southpaw still hasn't taken a loss since his first start on April 7. Now 5-and 1, with an ERA of 2.45, Jeff is next start is scheduled for Sunday against the Cubs.

TOO WET FOR DUCKS? Two Sundays ago, organizers of the 24th annual Wildquack River Fest were forced by rains and resultant high water to reschedule the annual rubber duck race and festival from Sunday, May 26, to Saturday (a first!) June 6. Safety concerns for ours workers was the given reason for the postponement.

Well, hold the ducks, if not the presses, because word has it that organizers have had to reschedule the race due to weather — again!

This time, it's been rescheduled to Saturday, July 6 — just after Independence Day.

Kathleen Driscoll of the Jackson Area Chamber said tickets are now on sale. Booths open at 9 a.m. Roaming train rides, silent auctions, kids games presented by the KHS Key Club, an appearance and balloons by BoBo T. Clown, a 1:30 p.m. parade, a cake contest, and the duck races beginning at 1:45 for the Big Ducks and 2 p.m. for all others are among the attractions for the day.

Call the chamber at 383-9356 or visit www.jacksonnh.com for the full scoop on how to get your rubber duckie ticket afor this always fun day in the park.

•••
RALLY IN THE VALLEY WRISTBANDS: It's Rally in the Valley time of the year, when earplugs are always handy, but the business during slower season is always appreciated.

Hillbilly's is once again serving as he headquarters for the event, which always takes place as an alternative to Laconia Bike Week, which is set for June 8 through 16.

“The thing we really want to push,” notes Valley Riders club vice president and treasurer Dick Glines, “is that you don't need to be a biker to buy one of our wristbands or to be part of the nightly entertainment. The $5 wristbands allow you admission to eight nights of entertainment at Hillbilly's Saturday through next Saturday, plus lots of 10 percent discounts at 28 local restaurants and shops.”

The wristbands go on sale beginning Saturday at Hillbilly's, with proceeds benefiting the club's trade school scholarships to Kennett High students. The club has raised $33,000 for scholarships through the event over the last six years, with $10,000 to be awarded this year.

“All of the profits from the event go to the scholarships,” said scholarship chair Jim Tuttle in an interview at Hillbilly's with Glines, club president Ed Tolland, and Hillbilly's proprietor Frank Welch Wednesday.

The Hillbilly's Rally in the Valley entertainment lineup for the week includes:
Saturday: the always excellent Full Circle; Sunday: The Echotones; Monday: the Dean Machine; Tuesday: Bullwinkle Jones; Wednesday: possibly the just-back-from Scotland Simon Crawford; Thursday: Shine It On; Friday: Full Circle again, and Saturday: possibly Rek-lis.

The week gets under way with the Tim Leighton Memorial Poker Run June 8 from the American Legion Post 46 on Tasker Hill Road, Denise Leighton (Tim's mom} tells us. Tim was a friend who died all too young, a victim of suicide, and we miss him still.

BOOTS AND BLING: Starting Point's Boots and Bling Gala fund-raiser returns to the Attitash Grand Summit Friday, June 14, at 6 p.m. For tickets, call 447-2494…SURF'S UP: Terry O'Brien says that Ben Hammond and the Siesta All Stars are warming up their Florida beach tunes for the Red Parka Pub's annual beach party, which returns to downtown Glen Monday June 17. Get your beach attire and flip-flops ready...RUSTY ROCKET: Hey Blend fans: the 11th annual Tribute to JD Drown concert for the benefit of the Rusty Rocket Foundation is to be held at the Asylum at 121 Center Street in Portland June 8, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Visit www.rustyrocket.com for the scoop. Fan Sitch Samia asks, “Did anyone say, 'Road trip?'…BLUESFEST: The Maine Blues Festival returns to Naples, Maine, Fathers' Day Weekend, June 14 through 16. Visit http://www.mainebluesfestival.com for the scoop. It's always a great time there, especially when you get on the Songo Queen II for a blues cruise…GUEST BARTENDIG?  Al “The Rev” Shafner notes he's performing at the Wildcat Inn and Tavern every Wednesday on Dinner for Two Night, and he'll be joined there June 8 by Maurice Baillargeon on bass guitar and Alan Phenix on drums as he and The Revtones rock the tavern with classic hits from the '50s and 60s. On June 14, The Revtones and Al will be playing at the Wolverine from 8-11 p.m. Sitting in on bass guitar will be Bob Rutherford. Alan Phenix and Audley Williams will also be there. Looking ahead, Al will be serving as the Wildcat Tavern's first Guest Bar Tender on Friday night, June 21. “I've never tended bar before, should this will be a lot of laughs. All tips (hopefully) will be donated to my choice of charities which will be Jen's Friends. It's rumored that my friend and fellow musician Kevin Dolan will be performing. So, mark your calendar and lets make this a party,” notes the always gregarious Rev…EATON AND THE RED SOX: So cool that the Eaton Village Store's Kristin and Willie Hatch and Kristin's son Chester Eastwood  got to go to their first-ever Red Sox game a week ago Tuesday. The BoSox lost to Cleveland, but who cared, as the store operators were given an incredible tour of the beloved old ballpark prior to the game. They were the guests of summertime Eaton resident Ed Kane…MARGARITA GRILL'S 30TH: Lastly, a big congrats to the Rober family on Margarita Grill's 30th anniversary June 7 with Simon and Davey performing. On June 9, outdoors from noon to 5 p.m., come check out the local artists' wares. A portion of the proceeds will benefit children's scholarships for local kids to attend the Jackson Art Camp…Speaking of birthdays to one and all, including Mary Anne Sledzinski and Stefi Reed Hastings (6-5), and Jennifer Julian, Mary Ann Eastman, Del “Christmas Can Cure” Carrier  and former valley goaltender Ed Johnson (all 6-6)…GO Bruins!

It's spring, one of the best times of the year to be out paddling in this valley, “where a river runs through it.”

Last Friday evening, a rescue of a stranded, unprepared kayaker took place on the Saco River. As the Conway Daily Sun 's Erik Eisele reported Tuesday, Center Conway Fire Department got the initial call, and when they got to the scene, they could see the victim in the river upstream of the Route 302 bridge.

By Claire Flynn
CONWAY — Jen's Friends Cancer Foundation will be holding its fifth annual golf tournament on Friday, June 14, at North Conway Country Club and at Hale's Location.

Motor Booty Affair will perform a free community concert at 7:30 p.m. in North Conway's Schouler Park May 18 as part of the valley's Be Kind Fest, May 17 through 19. The Jeremy Dean Band will open the show at 6:30 p.m. (TOM EASTMAN PHOTO)SPRING GREETINGS FROM THE “Kindness Capital of New England,” where everything from butterfly releases and disco music will be celebrated as part of the valley's second “Be Kind Festival Weekend.”

It looks as though the weather will be kind to all of us as at that as we prepare to congregate in North Conway's Schouler Park Saturday evening, wearing our bling, disco clothing and Afro wigs as Motor Booty Affair comes to town for a free concert beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Kudos to WMWV 93.5-FM and Magic 104 for sponsoring the free show, which is to begin at 6:30 p.m. with a performance by Jeremy Dean's always excellent (and danceable) Dream Machine.

The Be Kind Fest kicks off Friday at 6:30 p.m. with a talk at Kennett High's Loynd Auditorium by motivational speaker Michael Chase, founder of the Kindness Center. This will be his third appearance before local students. His talk will be sponsored by Settlers' Green OVP, MWV Kiwanis and Old Navy, and is to be followed by a social hour under the Kindness Tent at Schouler Park, according to Be Kind Fest organizer Michael Kline.

(Be advised that the advertisement for Chase's Friday evening talk has a caveat saying that the subjects may not be appropriate for children under 12).