Official NHL Playoff thread

[Blotus]

Fucking Hasek!

GRRRR!

[Imakeholesinu]

Fucking Hasek!

GRRRR!

HIT CHELIOS!!!

[Julius Seeker]

I haven't had time to follow hockey this year. In the west I hope either Detroit or Calgary win. In the East, I am not cheering for anyone, I just hope New Jersey and Montreal lose.

[Zeus]

At least in the West the lower seeded teams have a chance. In the East, Boston, Ottawa, and Philly pretty much have zero chance.

Ottawa got Ished again, they're fucking finished. It's pathetic watching them basically give up. What a sad-sack bunch of losers. They have ZERO leadership and their big three are pathetic. It seems like the only ones trying on that team are Gerber, Lapointe, and a couple of the kids (Foligno). It's not that they lost it's how pathetic they look while losing. I could beat them on my own skating backwards....and I can't skate.

We'll see how Washington does. They could be the only team in the East to throw a wrench into the first or second rounds. They have the potential to go all the way or lose out to Philly (highly unlikely).

[Blotus]

Very surprised that there was only one sweep in the opening round.

The Devils went out tonight. Boston, Minnesota, and Washington will be fighting to stay alive tomorrow.

[EsquE]

Well, I was calling for San Jose and Montreal in the finals...and both barely squeaked through. I still think San Jose will win it all. Montreal will be too beaten up by the time the finals come around.

...but being a Sabres fan (the league's farm team for quality players) it's kinda hard to give a shit.

[Zeus]

Very surprised that there was only one sweep in the opening round.

The Devils went out tonight. Boston, Minnesota, and Washington will be fighting to stay alive tomorrow.

I'm amazed Philly won. I didn't think they had a chance with the Caps having the hottest player in the NHL and a very hot goalie. That was the only real surprise of Round 1.

With the Rangers playing the Pens, I think the Pens may have a slightly harder time trying to beat both Montreal and the Rangers in two consecutive rounds. San Jose still wins it all, though

[SineSwiper]

I'm amazed Philly won. I didn't think they had a chance with the Caps having the hottest player in the NHL and a very hot goalie. That was the only real surprise of Round 1.

Zeus thinks that the goalie is hot. *giggle*

[Flip]

Stupid caps, after a whoop in Game 6 i thought for sure they would win 7 at home. Sadly disappointed.

[Chris]

I'm amazed Philly won. I didn't think they had a chance with the Caps having the hottest player in the NHL and a very hot goalie. That was the only real surprise of Round 1.

Zeus thinks that the goalie is hot. *giggle*

he's also an idiot. Huet is a terrible goalie. he's costantly purring himself out of position, and gives out some of the juiciest rebounds I have ever seen. he seems incapable of actually stopping the puck.....giving up weak goal after weak goal....huet was not a hot goaltender...he wasn't even a good goaltender....he is the reason they lost this series...if they had a decent goalie....even kolzig....this series would have been over fast in favor of the caps...

[Blotus]

Now that there's no hockey on... I don't know what to do with myself tonight. I've watched at least a game a night since it started. Hey, who wants to play CoD4?

Also, that second Philly goal was bullshit and should have been waved off.

[EsquE]

Also, that second Philly goal was bullshit and should have been waved off.

I'm glad someone else agrees with me on that. I still can't believe that was allowed...I guess slamming a player into their own goalie and knocking him down so you can score in an empty net is legal now. Fucking joke.

[Zeus]

Also, that second Philly goal was bullshit and should have been waved off.

And Dwight Howard shoulda been called for a foul on that drive by Bosh, but all sports are decided by referee bias. Look at the Dallas Stars' Stanley Cup

[EsquE]

Also, that second Philly goal was bullshit and should have been waved off.

And Dwight Howard shoulda been called for a foul on that drive by Bosh, but all sports are decided by referee bias. Look at the Dallas Stars' Stanley Cup

Ha! Trying to goad a reaction out of a Sabres fan? Bah...I always hated the crease rule, and it bit me in the ass. We weren't good enough to beat them.

Now two years ago...against Carolina...that still burns. That was our year...then 4 defensemen drop. Fucking bad Karma...that's Buffalo sports.

[Zeus]

Also, that second Philly goal was bullshit and should have been waved off.

And Dwight Howard shoulda been called for a foul on that drive by Bosh, but all sports are decided by referee bias. Look at the Dallas Stars' Stanley Cup

Ha! Trying to goad a reaction out of a Sabres fan? Bah...I always hated the crease rule, and it bit me in the ass. We weren't good enough to beat them.

Now two years ago...against Carolina...that still burns. That was our year...then 4 defensemen drop. Fucking bad Karma...that's Buffalo sports.

Whether you were good enough or not, they shouldn't have lost like that. That was pathetic

[SineSwiper]

I'm curious, not in just the NHL standpoint, but all sports. What does the sports community do about referee bias? Is there a ref review board that grabs some of these refs, plays a video of a bad call over and over again, and ask them "So, what were you thinking at that exact moment?"

[Zeus]

I'm curious, not in just the NHL standpoint, but all sports. What does the sports community do about referee bias? Is there a ref review board that grabs some of these refs, plays a video of a bad call over and over again, and ask them "So, what were you thinking at that exact moment?"

Pfft! You actually think any ref/ump union would EVER allow any level of accountability be built into their world? They're accountable to no one, ever, other than their peers. The league can only suspend or punish them in severe cases, like with the gambling thing in the NBA.

[EsquE]

Actually I'm pretty sure most, if not all, sports have review boards of some sort for officials. Everyone's accountable to someone, and most officials actually do the best job they can.

Personally I think most of them should have been replaced by machines by now. Sports are usually too fast for the human eye. Even slowed down replays can be hard to make a judgement on. Put sensors on the field, on the players, in the equipment....take human error out of the equation.

[SineSwiper]

Personally I think most of them should have been replaced by machines by now. Sports are usually too fast for the human eye. Even slowed down replays can be hard to make a judgement on. Put sensors on the field, on the players, in the equipment....take human error out of the equation.

Actually, I think in some sports, that is sorta how it works. The key is the ability to recall a play or decision. For example, in the Kansas/Memphis NCAA game (which I lost money on), a shot was recalled from 3 to 2 points because of footage that showed the result. In football, a call or play can be disputed, but it's worth a timeout if nothing is changed. While it's a risky maneuver, it does put the refs in a spot to be judged by the footage.

So, at least the technologies are being used, but we aren't at the point where reffing can be completely replaced by it.

[Julius Seeker]

Go Stars go!

[Chris]

Go Stars go!

fuck you.....

[Blotus]

Go Stars go!

fuck you.....

Nobody likes Dallas. Not even Dallas.

[Zeus]

Go Stars go!

fuck you.....

Nobody likes Dallas. Not even Dallas.

They should still be the North Stars, dammit

[Julius Seeker]

Nobody likes Dallas. Not even Dallas.

Doubtful, they do better than most as far as attendance goes. They're also kicking ass in this year's playoffs. I know the San Jose crowd hates them, 5-2 Stars in San Jose, and Richards with 4 points, nice score =)

[Zeus]

Right now the biggest surprise by far has to be Philly. I didn't think it was going to happen, but it wasn't really beyond the realm of reason for them to beat Washington. But to beat Montreal too? Who woulda thunk they'd be this close to the conference finals? They really flew under the radar and, like the Oilers did, are playing very well at the right time.

I still don't think they'll beat Montreal but you gotta give them credit, they're doin' very well

[Blotus]

Right now the biggest surprise by far has to be Philly.

Nobody likes Philly. Not even Philly.

[Imakeholesinu]

Right now the biggest surprise by far has to be Philly.

Nobody likes Philly. Not even Philly.

I like Philly.

The Av's just have horrible luck. No Smythe tonight or Forsburg.

Philly gets Knuble back tomorrow.

[Blotus]

Right now the biggest surprise by far has to be Philly.

Nobody likes Philly. Not even Philly.

I like Philly.

You're nobody!

[Blotus]

Holy shit... who's watching this?

8-2!

[Imakeholesinu]

Holy shit... who's watching this?

8-2!

Smythe, Forsburg, and Sastny all out with injuries. No wonder.

[Zeus]

Holy shit... who's watching this?

8-2!

Smythe, Forsburg, and Sastny all out with injuries. No wonder.

Detroit shoulda skated backwards just to make it fair

[Imakeholesinu]

4 fucking OT periods as San Jose tries to hang on. I have to go to sleep. They just took intermission leading into the 4th OT. OMFG.

[Julius Seeker]

4 fucking OT periods as San Jose tries to hang on. I have to go to sleep. They just took intermission leading into the 4th OT. OMFG.

129 minutes, one of the top 10 longest in Stanley Cup Playoff history.

This is an awesome series coming up. Detroit vs. Dallas =)


I anticipate that Pens will execute the Flyers in 4 or 5.

[Zeus]

4 fucking OT periods as San Jose tries to hang on. I have to go to sleep. They just took intermission leading into the 4th OT. OMFG.

129 minutes, one of the top 10 longest in Stanley Cup Playoff history.

This is an awesome series coming up. Detroit vs. Dallas =)


I anticipate that Pens will execute the Flyers in 4 or 5.

I've been sayin' the Flyers have been dead for 2 rounds now. I ain't so sure anymore. Yeah the Pens whupped the Rangers, the most underrated playoff team IMO, in 5. But the Flyers took down a very hot Washington team and the top seed. I say it goes to 6 at least, if not 7. And I ain't sure who's gonna win.

[Imakeholesinu]

4 fucking OT periods as San Jose tries to hang on. I have to go to sleep. They just took intermission leading into the 4th OT. OMFG.

129 minutes, one of the top 10 longest in Stanley Cup Playoff history.

This is an awesome series coming up. Detroit vs. Dallas =)


I anticipate that Pens will execute the Flyers in 4 or 5.

I've been sayin' the Flyers have been dead for 2 rounds now. I ain't so sure anymore. Yeah the Pens whupped the Rangers, the most underrated playoff team IMO, in 5. But the Flyers took down a very hot Washington team and the top seed. I say it goes to 6 at least, if not 7. And I ain't sure who's gonna win.

If RJ and Lupul put together their goal totals from the last series, I don't think the Pens stand a chance.

[Zeus]

129 minutes, one of the top 10 longest in Stanley Cup Playoff history.

This is an awesome series coming up. Detroit vs. Dallas =)


I anticipate that Pens will execute the Flyers in 4 or 5.

I've been sayin' the Flyers have been dead for 2 rounds now. I ain't so sure anymore. Yeah the Pens whupped the Rangers, the most underrated playoff team IMO, in 5. But the Flyers took down a very hot Washington team and the top seed. I say it goes to 6 at least, if not 7. And I ain't sure who's gonna win.

If RJ and Lupul put together their goal totals from the last series, I don't think the Pens stand a chance.

Oh, they stand more than a chance. They have 3 solid lines that can go out, 2 of which are centred by 2 of the top 5 players in the league....and they've got the other centred by Staal. They're so deep in their forwads that they put Hossa on the second line. They have by FAR the deepest set of forwards, even Detroit ain't that deep

And that's before you talk about their defense and goalie. Fluery may have struggled this year but along with Luongo and Dipietro, he's one of the goalies of the next 10 years. He's that good.

On top of all that, the Pens haven't looked like their inexperience, probably their only weakness, has been affecting them. They're definitely the team to beat in the East IMO

[EsquE]

We'll see what happens when Philly starts hammering the shit out of them. If they can withstand it, they have the most talent. Philly could really take them off their game. I think the Pens can withstand the barrage though, and will take it in 5. Too much skill, and Philly gives up a lot of shots on goal.

[Blotus]

I would have liked to see the Wings go up against the Sharks purely for the fact that I think they'd have an easier time shooting at Nabokov. I doubt we'll see them chase Turco off the ice in every game like they did Theodore.