Smith, Kaye pen NHL playoff blog

Pro hockey league to help hawk 'Love Guru'

By JOHN DEMPSEY

With its games among the lowest-rated sports on TV, the National Hockey League is looking for a little help from some celebs who are passionate about the sport.

How passionate? A group of them, including actor-director Kevin Smith and "All My Children" star Thorsten Kaye, are blogging on the NHL Web site during the Stanley Cup playoffs.

"Nothing sucks worse than having to face the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs," wrote Smith, a diehard New Jersey Devils fan and an equally rabid hater of the N.Y. Rangers, in his blog last week.

Kaye discusses his love of the Detroit Red Wings in his blog, admitting that "whenever I have the chance to sneak in a Red Wings logo somewhere in a scene (on 'All My Children'), I jump at the opportunity."

One pro hockey aficionado who's not blogging is Mike Myers, but the NHL is working closely with Myers and Paramount to promote the June 10 release of "Love Guru," in which Myers' titular character dispenses relationship advice to, among others, a goalie for the Toronto Maple Leafs whose game has gone to hell because his wife left him for a rival player.

Other celebs contributing blogs during the playoffs are "Juno" helmer Jason Reitman; Lauren Conrad, star of MTV's hit series "The Hills"; and country singer Dierks Bentley.

NHL spokeswoman Nirva Milord says this is the second year the league's enlisted celebs to write blogs. Last year's generated 2 million page views.