NHL Playoffs RD 1 - Eastern Conference

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Wed May 08, 2013 10:12 pm

"Really, Dion pinched on that? I've only been watching hockey for 3 months and even I know better."

"Uggh, tell me about it."

rass · Post by **rass** » Thu May 09, 2013 10:59 am

The Pens are feeling the need for speed.

I'm feeling that I should start drinking now if this is really going to come down to TK and the back-up goaltender making the difference.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Thu May 09, 2013 8:39 pm

Bye Bye Habs

Sens just scored and they didn't even have a proper PP unit out.

rass · Post by **rass** » Thu May 09, 2013 8:40 pm

rass wrote:The Pens are feeling the need for speed.

I'm feeling that I should start drinking now if this is really going to come down to TK and the back-up goaltender making the difference.

Shows what I know. I love you TK, you ugly bastard.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Sat May 11, 2013 8:33 pm

Great deflection by Frans Nielsen past his own goalie, to tie it up for Pittsburgh.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Sat May 11, 2013 8:43 pm

Watching this Penguins/Islanders game, and having watched the Ottawa/Montreal series and most of Leafs/Bruins and Caps/Rangers . . . I cannot help but believe the Stanley Cup is going to be won by a Western Conference team. Nothing that has happened in the East, skill-wise or intensity-wise or system-wise, approaches any of the Kings/Blues series, the Sharks, the Hawks or even the Ducks/Wings series. With the possible exception of rare flashes of superior (superior to the Leafs anyway) play by the Bruins, the East really leaves much to be desired.

rass · Post by **rass** » Sat May 11, 2013 10:45 pm

Jesus Scottie. A month early on that or what? If the Pens can stop making 10 crippling mistakes every other game, they'll be right there.

Not much cooler or spontaneous in sports that the "yay we just scored a sudden death goal" celebration. Or maybe it's cool because nothing is more spontaneous...

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Sat May 11, 2013 11:18 pm

Yes, it's premature. Although I can't help but get that impression from Round One. So far.

Really, it's impossible to tell much. The hyper-compact half-season leaves many questions. Remember 1994-95? Shortened season, 48 games, only intra-conference play. Rangers finished below .500 and knocked off a Quebec team that won their division at 30-13-5. The East's #5 seed won the Stanley Cup; New Jersey (22-18-8 on the season) swept the Red Wings (33-11-4) in the Cup final, the only meeting between East and West teams all season. The next season, 1995-96, New Jersey didn't even make the playoffs.

So, in a nutshell, yeah, I have no idea what the fuck is going on. Mind you, those four-straight wins in games 3-6 by the LA Kings were pretty damn impressive.

And I know that the last two times the Penguins have met Ottawa they defeated the Sens 4-2 and 4-0 but Ottawa traditionally gives Pittsburgh fits. Either Vokoun or Fleury better step up because Craig Anderson has been lights out.

rass · Post by **rass** » Sat May 11, 2013 11:26 pm

Scottie wrote:And I know that the last two times the Penguins have met Ottawa they defeated the Sens 4-2 and 4-0 but Ottawa traditionally gives Pittsburgh fits. Either Vokoun or Fleury better step up because Craig Anderson has been lights out.

Yeah, but the Sens won the time before that.

I didn't watch much of the Sens/Habs series, especially the early games. Were the Habs exclusively the ones who melted down? Because the Pens and Sens played a game in the last week of the regular season where Ottawa more or less went nuts and blew the game trying to goad Cooke into a fight or penalty (and I'm pretty sure they were still playing for something at that point). In that vein, Neil scares me.

rass · Post by **rass** » Sat May 11, 2013 11:34 pm

BTW, (and it would bother me less than the Rangers or Flyers being strong but for that night a couple of years ago where they called up the AHL goons against the Pens) but the Isles could be scary going forward.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Sat May 11, 2013 11:37 pm

Well, I thought it was the Habs that did the melting down. And I babbled at length about it up thread (page 2).

One thing that bodes well is that Pittsburgh won all three regular season games against Ottawa: 2-1 (SO), 4-2, 3-1. Two of those were in Ottawa.

And, yes, you're right. Ottawa was very much playing for something back on April 22nd. They were playing to even make the playoffs: http://www.dropyourgloves.com/Games/Any ... 2013-04-22" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Sat May 11, 2013 11:41 pm

rass wrote:BTW, (and it would bother me less than the Rangers or Flyers being strong but for that night a couple of years ago where they called up the AHL goons against the Pens) but the Isles could be scary going forward.

Very much so. Really, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Stanley Cup final between the Isles and Edmonton in a few years. So much tremendous young talent on both teams. And the Isles will have Nino Niederreiter in the line-up next season. And probably Griffin Reinhart and Ryan Strome.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Sun May 12, 2013 11:40 pm

Scottie wrote: Very much so. Really, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Stanley Cup final between the Isles and Edmonton in a few years.

I just hope they keep Taylor Hall away from b level Hollywood starlets.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Mon May 13, 2013 7:15 am

Rush2112 wrote:
Scottie wrote: Very much so. Really, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Stanley Cup final between the Isles and Edmonton in a few years.
I just hope they keep Taylor Hall away from b level Hollywood starlets.

No problem, as long as he stays up in Edmonton. Gretzky didn't find his until he went to L.A.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:38 am

sancarlos wrote:
Rush2112 wrote:
Scottie wrote: Very much so. Really, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Stanley Cup final between the Isles and Edmonton in a few years.
I just hope they keep Taylor Hall away from b level Hollywood starlets.
No problem, as long as he stays up in Edmonton. Gretzky didn't find his until he went to L.A.

He married as an Oiler. Big wedding in Edmonton where Janet Jones went "nah, this isn't the place for me".

Post by **Sabo** » Mon May 13, 2013 1:01 pm

"Controller disconnected"

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Mon May 13, 2013 2:09 pm

I've long ago stopped holding any kind of notion that refs are out to get my team.

And the Caps have been prone to taking bad penalties in the playoffs.

But, man... the disparity in this series, especially at MSG, is fucking nuts. The caps were 9th in the league in terms of staying out of the box.

26-14 overall. And the Caps have scored on 3 of theirs, while NYR have scored 2. And I think they've had three 5 on 3's. (I don't think they've scored one.)

And as you guys know, it's not really about whether NYR are scoring. When you have to kill penalties, especially that 5v3 at the end of the 1st, it puts you on your heels and swings momentum.

And as I alluded to, when the Caps start buzzing on their power play, they are very dangerous, and that builds momentum for their 5v5.

Frustrating to watch.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Mon May 13, 2013 3:51 pm

Really enjoyed the Tom Wilson stories from the weekend. Kid debuts in the NHL during the Cup Playoffs (after getting eliminated in the OHL playoffs and called up to Hershey and getting eliminated) and got some decent ice time. But for those folks who don't follow the WaPo Sports Bog:

His brother wore his OHL jersey to the game.
Some random fan bought his dad a customized Jersey with his kids name/number (caps have a deal where you can get it customized during the game)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc- ... caps-fans/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Then after the game. Went to the Green Turtle and hung out with fans.

Rams Fanny · Post by **Rams Fanny** » Mon May 13, 2013 4:25 pm

As a Senators fan, I'm not allowed to root for Toronto under any circumstances....but having the Bruins blow a 3-1 lead would be awful nice.

kranepool · Post by **kranepool** » Mon May 13, 2013 4:51 pm

Sabo wrote:"Controller disconnected"

That's awesome.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Mon May 13, 2013 6:03 pm

Ovechkin makes Sergei Kostitsyn look hyperactive. A guy like Adam Oates is just going to be thrilled with that.

Post by **brian** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:11 pm

Boston. Oh Boston.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:34 pm

Once the Leafs, always the Leafs.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:35 pm

wow.

put a 6'9" guy in a front of the net, there's an idea!

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:40 pm

Leafs nearly lost on that fat rebound by Reimer.

The overtime intermission will help the Leafs regroup, they were absolutely skating in sand the last 2 minutes.

kranepool · Post by **kranepool** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:47 pm

Just dropped a "holy shit" in front of the kids.

Thanks a lot, Leafs.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:49 pm

degenerasian wrote: . . . they were absolutely skating in sand the last 2 minutes.

The last ten minutes of the third period, really, they stopped playing altogether.

The Rangers are on the verge of winning their first ever game seven on the road. They've never done it in their nearly nine-decade history. If NYR does hang on and win that one, it will be the only road win for either team in that series.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:49 pm

ok guys pick your overtime winner

one from each team

i'll take

Fratten
Jagr

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:52 pm

Scottie wrote:
degenerasian wrote: . . . they were absolutely skating in sand the last 2 minutes.
The last ten minutes of the third period, really, they stopped playing altogether.

The Rangers are on the verge of winning their first ever game seven on the road. They've never done it in their nearly nine-decade history. If NYR does hang on and win that one, it will be the only road win for either team in that series.

On the flip side, Brad Richards has never lost a Game 7. This would be his 5th win.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:52 pm

degenerasian wrote:Fratten
Jagr

Marchand
Kadri

Post by **Sabo** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:54 pm

Kessel

Lucic

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Mon May 13, 2013 9:05 pm

degenerasian wrote:On the flip side, Brad Richards has never lost a Game 7. This would be his 5th win.

In the NHL, yep. Although he was on the losing side of a game seven in the 1998-99 QMJHL playoffs.

kranepool · Post by **kranepool** » Mon May 13, 2013 9:07 pm

Toronto burns to the ground tonight.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon May 13, 2013 9:13 pm

kranepool wrote:Toronto burns to the ground tonight.

Nah I respect Toronto fans, they'll just sadly go home and wallow in their 40 years failure history.
They're not assholes like Canuck fans.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Mon May 13, 2013 9:17 pm

degenerasian wrote:
kranepool wrote:Toronto burns to the ground tonight.
Nah I respect Toronto fans, they'll just sadly go home and wallow in their 40 years failure history.
They're not assholes like Canuck fans.

True. And the Vancouver riot had little, if anything, to do with the Canucks losing game seven. That riot was going to happen win or lose. There were simply far too many assholes who went downtown specifically to cause trouble.

Post by **Sabo** » Mon May 13, 2013 9:19 pm

degenerasian wrote:
kranepool wrote:Toronto burns to the ground tonight.
Nah I respect Toronto fans, they'll just sadly go home and wallow in their 40 years failure history.
They're not assholes like Canuck fans.

In other words, they live in Cleveland.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon May 13, 2013 9:27 pm

Sabo wrote:
degenerasian wrote:
kranepool wrote:Toronto burns to the ground tonight.
Nah I respect Toronto fans, they'll just sadly go home and wallow in their 40 years failure history.
They're not assholes like Canuck fans.
In other words, they live in Cleveland.

There are real parallels. The Leafs last played in the Stanley Cup Final in 1967, the year before the first expansion. The Browns last played in the NFL Championship in 1969, the year before the merger. They have both never played in a 'modern' championship and lose in stupid ways.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon May 13, 2013 9:29 pm

Canucks, Habs, and Leafs all gone in the first round. All eliminated in different, unique, yet still hilarious ways.

CBC just lost about a bazillion of my tax dollars. NBC will love the Bruins-Rangers series.

Scottie · Post by **Scottie** » Mon May 13, 2013 9:31 pm

NHLonNBC wrote:The Bruins become the first team in NHL history to win a Game 7 after trailing by 3 goals in the 3rd period.

That's one way to look at it. The other is that the Leafs are the first team in NHL history to completely fuck up a 3-goal third period lead in a game seven.

SportsDoc · Post by **SportsDoc** » Mon May 13, 2013 9:56 pm

Scottie wrote:
NHLonNBC wrote:The Bruins become the first team in NHL history to win a Game 7 after trailing by 3 goals in the 3rd period.
That's one way to look at it. The other is that the Leafs are the first team in NHL history to completely fuck up a 3-goal third period lead in a game seven.

No shit! Gonna be a long summer for the Leafs. Kessel absolutely worthless on the back check that led to GWG. Shocker!!!