Ah, The Stanley Cup Play-Offs

[joekicker 53]

That's what championship teams do. clap2

 

Yeah, the very first thing champions do is give up three goals, because who wants to win in 60 minutes? By that standard, the Sharks have no chance at all, all they did was TOTALLY dominate Colorado for six games and never were incompetent enough to win four of them, they had to do it the losers' way, by being better AND scoring more goals. San Jose won IN Denver, by the way.

 

Stat du jour: Dupuis was the first player to score his first playoff goal EVER in a deciding overtime game since Max McNab, the pride of Walton, Sask, when his Wings were on the way to the 1950 Cup.

 

.

Edited April 25, 2010 by joekicker

[VicVegas 70]

Nothing against the Sharks, they're my second favorite team, just saying even the best teams can have a bad night. The Pens didn't give up and say, "Eh, we'll just win it in game 7 at home." Even with Malkin and Crosby having off nights, the rest of the guys played hard and fought back to win.

 

Realistically I'm not sure the Pens can get past Ovechkin and the Capitols this year. I'm also waiting for the other shoe to drop with the Sharks - they have a bad habit of under-achieving in the play-offs.

 

No predictions from me yet. I'll keep rooting for the Pens and let things play out for now.

[joekicker 53]

My (strong but personal) opinion: Ovechkin is the best around, by quite a bit. He is just a fabulous, totally committed hockey player, a throwback kind of guy, not slightly worried by personal safety or next year's contract in case he might get hurt. Not too many of those guys WITH fantastic talent left. I'd take one of him for my team, otherwise you'd have to give me three Crosbys. I'm serious.

 

The Caps look pretty sharp and motivated. Wouldn't surprise me to see them in the final. It'd be good for the NHL if it was NOT Pittsburgh and Detroit. Sorry, Pittsburgh, but your recent success has become too predictable. It'd be best if you finished a strong second in the East, I think. Detroit, I feel sorry for your poor abused town too, but give the Red Wings a year off, good for everyone all round to see a few less Europeans have a chance for once.

 

But yeah, to be clear, I'm not predicting anything at all, just reporting what was and what has been. The famous philosopher Christoper Berman put it this way: That's why they play the game. The Sharks blow it all by next Sunday, wouldn't surprise me, lots worse has happened to much better teams in the past. But SO FAR they are one hell of a superior team.

 

And how about them Sabres?

 

.

[VicVegas 70]

My (strong but personal) opinion: Ovechkin is the best around, by quite a bit.

 

Can't disagree, and I think he deserves a picture on this thread.

 

 

How about the Sabres? How about them Canucks?

[JohnnyK 28]

Yeah, the very first thing champions do is give up three goals, because who wants to win in 60 minutes? By that standard, the Sharks have no chance at all, all they did was TOTALLY dominate Colorado for six games and never were incompetent enough to win four of them, they had to do it the losers' way, by being better AND scoring more goals. San Jose won IN Denver, by the way.

 

Stat du jour: Dupuis was the first player to score his first playoff goal EVER in a deciding overtime game since Max McNab, the pride of Walton, Sask, when his Wings were on the way to the 1950 Cup.

 

.

joe, i'm starting to think you're a canuck in hiding! Max McNab, indeed!

[JohnnyK 28]

Sharks will still end up diving into the tank. You read it here!

[joekicker 53]

joe, i'm starting to think you're a canuck in hiding! Max McNab, indeed!

 

McNab was from a big town, surely known worldwide. The other Max, the REAL Max, was from Delisle.

 

Of course you can google "max delisle saskatchewan". But if you don't have to look it up, you ARE a hockey fan.

 

.

[VicVegas 70]

Wow, I guess I should have posted this picture:

 

 

The Habs have pushed the Caps to game 7.

 

While the West has played out pretty much by the numbers (still waiting on the Coyotes/Red Wings), the East is topsy-turvy. The Flyers (7) and the Bruins (6) have already upset the 2 and 3 seeds. If the Canadians can pull off the big upset in game 7 vs the top seeded Capitols, it might be smooth skating for my Pens into the championship series - "might" being the operative word there.

[joekicker 53]

The Habs have pushed the Caps to game 7.

 

This Round of 16 as the Brits call it has been damned good -- MOSTLY on form, but goodbye Buffalo, which floored me. AND New Jersey. That pushed Lemaire through the door. Marvelous coach, but truly I wish he had never invented the bloody zone defence.

 

I only got to watch the last half of the Montreal game but they really brought it -- very slick and superior to the Caps on the night. I'd risk about, oh, 10 baht on the Caps in Game 7 but not much more - Moray All might have one more game in them.

 

it might be smooth skating for my Pens into the championship series - "might" being the operative word there.

 

Ah, you old chicken-counter, you. You bypassed the hatchery again.

 

.

[JohnnyK 28]

McNab was from a big town, surely known worldwide. The other Max, the REAL Max, was from Delisle.

 

Of course you can google "max delisle saskatchewan". But if you don't have to look it up, you ARE a hockey fan.

 

.

No need for me to google Ol' Dipsy-doodle Max. Doug was from Delisle, too.

Do I qualify as a fan?

Habs showing heart! Fans chanting en masse, "O-vie Sucks!" Gotta love that!

Edited April 27, 2010 by JohnnyK

[joekicker 53]

No need for me to google Ol' Dipsy-doodle Max. Doug was from Delisle, too. 0

 

Brothers from the same small town!?! Heck of a coincidence.

 

Heh. Anyhow. Fastest three goals off the third man on that line. Hell of a record. 21 seconds! There's a record that is truly unlikely to be broken.

 

.

[joekicker 53]

Habs showing heart! Fans chanting en masse, "O-vie Sucks!" Gotta love that!

 

VERY impressive. Who would have thought they could do English?

 

.

[brotherbuzz 3,206]

VERY impressive. Who would have thought they could do English?

 

.

True. I woulda thought it would be Eh-vie.........

 

BTW, I'm staying out of all this just in case I'm the one who's been jinxing the Sharks.

[JohnnyK 28]

Brothers from the same small town!?! Heck of a coincidence.

 

Heh. Anyhow. Fastest three goals off the third man on that line. Hell of a record. 21 seconds! There's a record that is truly unlikely to be broken.

 

.

Another prairie boy, Billy M.

[nkped 1,208]

Red Wings still in, Caps out. Now if we can just get someone to knock off the Penguins.

GO WINGS

Edited April 29, 2010 by nkped

[brotherbuzz 3,206]

Caps out.

Wow.

[picoman 1]

Red Wings still in, Caps out. Now if we can just get someone to knock off the Penguins.

GO WINGS

 

 

Edited April 29, 2010 by picoman

[lespaul5000 15]

wow...my Habies are on to the next round..Halak was unbelievable. and the Canadiens were willing to pay the price,and i don't mean Cory...41 blocked shots in that game.

[VicVegas 70]

I just watched the highlights. What a job by Halak and the Hab's defensemen. Also a monster choke job by the Caps. They dominated the NHL all season, had the best powerplay in the entire league with Ovie and Backstrom leading the charge, yet against the Habs in the first round of the play-offs their power play was 1 for 33!!! Guess I jinxed Ovie when I posted his picture. The Canadians are the first 8 seed (under the new play-off format) to come back from a 3-1 game deficit to beat a 1 seed. One of the biggest upsets in NHL history. Serious props to the men from Montreal.

 

So now my 4th seeded Pens are the highest seed left, and they will take on the super hot underdog Habs. Nothing against the Canadians, but things couldn't have worked out better for the Pens. Then there's the Bruins vs the Flyers? The 6 and 7 seeds? I hope the Caps, Devils and Sabres players enjoy watching the rest of the play-offs from the comfort of their Lazy Boy recliners.

 

Out West, the Sharks will have to battle both the Red Wings and their own play-off reputation. I think they'll get it done. Black Hawks vs Canucks? Flip a coin.

[joekicker 53]

41 blocked shots in that game.

 

Fantastic job, never heard of that many blocks. Stunning. Washington totally dominated the game, but the Habs got the job done. Tell you though, it all came down to THE worst defensive lapse of about one second in the third period, four minutes to go. ONE mistake and it gave the Moray Awls their second goal and Caps came right back and got their first -- without that one solitary error by the Caps, it would have gone to OT. Good for the Moray Awls, they went and won it.

 

.

[VicVegas 70]

Deleted post

Edited April 29, 2010 by VicVegas

[JohnnyK 28]

VERY impressive. Who would have thought they could do English?

 

.

joe, there are still 800K anglos living in Montreal.

The crowd was right, he does suck.

 

Blocking shots is really taking one for the team. It takes guts because they aren't armoured like goalies. Heart and soul won over petulant superstars. Habs don't have to win the cup this year, I'm happy with this one beating all expectations.

Edited April 29, 2010 by JohnnyK

[monochromeman 41]

I'd forgot all about the Stanley Cup. Not seen it since the late 70's. Are the Montreal Canadians still top dog?

[GREEN MALAKA 56]

the fookin frogs beat the caps

unbelievable

[joekicker 53]

joe, there are still 800K anglos living in Montreal.

 

Of whom four have tickets?

 

The crowd was right, he does suck.

 

Terribly wrong. You could argue wrong-headedly that he is currently the second best player in the world, and I would understand your bias. But he most definitely doesn't suck. His series against World Number 2 Sid the Kid last year was classic.

 

Blocking shots is really taking one for the team. It takes guts because they aren't armoured like goalies.

 

Preaching to the choir. I still have a very noticeable mark from one I took at age 8. I only saw the last 25 minutes of the Thursday morning game but I simply was gaping open-mouthed of the incredible skill of Montreal at it. Caps totally dominated the play, Montreal totally deserved the W.

 

Mind you, not even half those blocks "took" anything at all, they were off sticks and skates. Very, very few of them were sliding into the shot. But that didn't make it suck. It was a hugely skillful performance.

 

 

 

.