Scott Gomez and Matt Carle really are living the dream -- big-time.
They make their livings playing the game they have loved since childhood, so they've got that going for them.
Hockey heaven in the NHL also has afforded them wealth -- Gomez is in the third season of a seven-year, $51.5 million deal and Carle is in the second season of a four-year, $13.75 million contract.
And when the two skaters from Anchorage meet today in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, which pits Gomez's Montreal Canadiens against Carle's Philadelphia Flyers, they'll do so because their clubs overcame overwhelming odds in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
History dictated that Gomez by now should be expediting his annual summer plans to slay salmon on the Kenai River and Carle should be finalizing details for his July wedding.
But Carle and company, seeded seventh among eight Eastern teams to start the playoffs, Friday became the third team in NHL history, and the first in 35 years, to rebound from a 3-0 series deficit and advance.
They reeled off four straight wins over the Boston Bruins, including Friday's 4-3 clincher in Boston, which came after the Flyers fell behind 3-0 in the opening 14 minutes. And that came after the Flyers needed overtime in Game 4 to secure a 5-4 win and remain standing -- Carle bagged four assists in that game, including one on the game-winning goal.
"It's crazy,'' Carle said in a telephone interview Saturday.
Gomez and company, seeded eighth, trailed regular-season champion Washington 3-1 in the first round and won three straight games to eliminate the Capitals. Then they trailed reigning Cup champion Pittsburgh 3-2 and won two straight, including the clincher in Pittsburgh, to dismiss the defenders.
"Hey, man, wow!'' Gomez said in a telephone interview Saturday.
Gomez, 30, and Carle, 25, figure to see plenty of each other on the ice in this series that earns the winning team a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Canadiens-Flyers winner meets the winner of the Western Conference Finals between the San Jose Sharks, Carle's old club, and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Gomez quarterbacks one of Montreal's power-play units, and Carle kills penalties. Carle also operates on the power play, and Gomez kills penalties.
Plus, Gomez has played the second-most minutes of any Montreal forward in the playoffs, and Carle has played the third-most minutes of any Philadelphia blueliner -- thus, their paths should cross frequently.
Gomez, a center who owns two Stanley Cup rings (2000, 2003) from his days with the New Jersey Devils, plays in all situations and has logged average ice time of 21 minutes, 16 seconds -- forwards who average more than 20 minutes per game are considered workhorses.
In 14 playoff games this season -- and Gomez has played 128 career postseason games in the world's best league -- Gomez has furnished one goal and a team-leading 10 assists.
"Scotty's a top-six forward, and he's got so much playoff experience, and he's so even-keeled -- he's been through it all,'' Carle said.
Carle, a defenseman who is in his first conference final but won two national titles at the University of Denver, likewise plays in all situations and has averaged 25:51 of ice time in the playoffs. He and veteran Chris Pronger rack serious minutes because Philly principally uses four defensemen.
In 12 playoff games this season -- that gives Carle 51 games of NHL playoff experience -- Carle has generated seven assists and a plus-7 rating.
"I'm happy for him too,'' Gomez said, "because I know he went through some tough times in San Jose. He's playing great now. He's a force.''
Carle, who was even-keeled even when he was a teenager, said his club's comeback against Boston was difficult to fathom, especially in light of a 3-0 deficit early in Game 7.
"On the bench, you were thinking, 'What happened?' '' Carle said. "At the same time, you sit there and think, 'What a great story it would make if we came back.'
"Obviously, it was a microcosm of the series. Being down 3-0 (in the series) is a daunting task. We tried to survive each day, and live to fight another day.''
Gomez, who entered the league at age 19 and won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year, said he is almost incredulous to be a 30-year-old veteran looked upon for leadership and experience. That's particularly true because he's always been a happy-go-lucky sort -- Hall of Fame defenseman Scott Stevens once marveled when he found Gomez lying on a couch in full gear reading a newspaper moments before a game early in Gomez's rookie season.
"I'm one of the older guys now,'' Gomez said. "I listened to Claude Lemieux and Bobby Holik when I was young, and I tell young guys the same things now. The main thing I tell them is, 'These two rings I have and what I tell you, those things come from guys like Lemieux and Holik.' ''
Now Gomez is four wins away from a fourth trip to the Cup Finals. And Carle, the guy Gomez calls a "good kid,'' is seeking his first trip to the Finals.
"I talked to my folks (Friday) night and we were saying, 'Anchorage will be rooting for someone in the Stanley Cup Finals,' '' Carle said. "I hope it's me.''
Gomez, the relative elder-statesman, laughed when he heard that. And he quickly counter-punched: "I hope it's me.''
Find Doyle Woody's blog at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.
By DOYLE WOODY
dwoody@adn.com