NHL Play-Offs

[VicVegas 70]

Come out from your winter hibernation Pattaya Talk "Puck Heads". The quest for Lord Stanley's Cup is about to begin.

 

Vote for who you think will win the cup and discuss the match ups.

 

Some interesting first round series:

 

-The Bruins and Habs go at it again. Montreal is the underdog, but records go out the window when these two old rivals hit the ice.

 

-The Flyers had a great first half of the season but limped into the play-offs, so of course they will face one of the hottest teams in the East - the Buffalo Sabres.

 

-The 2010 champion Blackhawks barely slid under the fence to make the 2011 field and defend their title. I'm guessing #1 seeded Vancouver would have rather played Dallas instead.

 

-The battle of California will feature San Jose vs the LA Kings, with the winner possibly facing the Ducks down the road.

 

-Will my Pens stay alive long enough to get "Sid-the-Kid" healthy and back on the ice?

 

 

 

Ahhhhh, play-off hockey is back!

 

[joekicker 53]

-The 2010 champion Blackhawks barely slid under the fence to make the 2011 field and defend their title. I'm guessing #1 seeded Vancouver would have rather played Dallas instead.

 

They didn't even do that. They lost a game they could win and qualify. Then Dallas lost for them while they watched on TV and got in. They didn't slide, Dallas pushed them.

 

Pretty pathetic. That said, I still like the Black Hawks. They've got a better team than their record shows. I don't THINK they will produce, but they can -- and this is playoff hockey.

 

Overall, on record and season performance, nothing in the East will much challenge the West. Lucky for us, they're playing on ice, not paper. I like Vancouver and the Ducks. I do believe Philly can get it together but it will be a high mountain. Wild card underdog: How much do the Caps really want it? Any year in the past four years, they COULD have won it.

 

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[JohnnyK 28]

Canucks have a strong balanced lineup.... BUT, can they get over the first-round hump that has plagued them?

I'm happy to see the Hawks in, always better when the defending champions are in the fray but no repeat.

Wings= always dangerous.

Sharks= need to prove they aren't playoff pussies

Caps= mental issues?

Broons= dark horse, a tough out

Flyers= something has gone wonky lately

Preds= no way

Habs= not this time

Penguins= amazing they did this well with Crosby & Malkin out. Still dangerous

Coyotees= nope

Sabres= not enough firepower

Bolts= nope

Rangers=nope

Kings=nope

Ducks= a true dark horse, running well

 

Canucks, Wings & Ducks from the west, maybe the Sharks

Caps, Broons & Pens from the east, maybe the Flyers

 

Load up the fridge, it starts tonight.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

I am a Sharks fan but I agree with Johnny about them. I also agree with him about Pittsburg. They may be the ultimate team in the ultimate team sport.

 

I think Vancouver is the team to beat. They should break up the Sedin twins. The Sharks will take one off their hands!

[VicVegas 70]

I don't know who to pick in the West.

 

Vancouver seems a logical choice, but then again the President's Trophy winner hardly ever wins the Cup.

 

I love the Sharks, but with their history in the play-offs they really have to show me something before I'll pick them.

 

Detroit is too old.

 

The Kings are too young.

 

Phoenix can't score.

 

Nashville? Nah.

 

The odds of Chicago repeating are slim.

 

I hate the Ducks, but I have to admit they have played well.

 

Guess I'll have to be boring and pick the Canucks.

 

 

The East is more interesting.

 

Washington has to overcome their tendency to choke, similar to the Sharks.

 

The Bruins are a safe bet if they can get past the Habs.

 

The Pens are my team, but I honestly don't see them making it to the final. You can only grind out so many games with defense. Maybe Crosby can come back, but he hasn't played since January. If Fleury gets hot and if Crosby can find his early season form . . . if, if, if . . .

 

My dark horse is Buffalo. They score enough and play tough D, good mix of youth and experience (I like this Tyler Ennis kid), plus they have one of the best goaltenders in the game in Ryan Miller.

 

So I'll take the Canucks vs the Sabres, with the Canucks hoisting the Cup.

[joekicker 53]

Phoenix can't score.

 

They don't have to score very often, because the guy who wears the pads means the other team can't score either. This is my upset team, I think they will spoil Detroit and move on.

[JohnnyK 28]

The Rivalry Continues

 

 

 

Seventh game of the 1952 semi-final. Rocket Richard is knocked cold with five minutes left in the 2nd period and carried off the ice bleeding. He revives in the dressing room and makes an end-to-end rush through the Bruins to score the winner with a Bruin hanging on his back.

Edited April 14, 2011 by JohnnyK

[joekicker 53]

Seen more goals in a soccer game, Vic. Bruins looked terrible, but the Habs just couldn't put it in the goal. 1-0 until 17-minute mark of the 3rd period. Entertaining game but no Cup winner evident here.

 

And your Bisons 1-0 too, Vic. What is it with these soccer scores?

 

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Edited April 15, 2011 by joekicker

[JohnnyK 28]

A win is a win so I'll take this one. Price was outstanding.

I thought the Caps-Rangers game the other night was terriffic. End to end rushes, effective and hard body work and Overchkin was on a tear all over the ice laying on the body and of course always VERY dangerous.

[VicVegas 70]

Seen more goals in a soccer game, Vic.

 

Guys on skates with sticks chasing a puck around a rink and slamming into each other is usually exciting, even when they don't score much.

 

The Bruins and Flyers got shut out at home on Thursday. Not an auspicious beginning for their Stanley Cup hopes. Lotta nice stops by Miller and Price.

 

Big 4 goal night in Hockeytown. The Coyote goalie did not resemble a brick wall. The Wings looked like, well, like the Wings usually do in the play-offs.

 

Yeah, Nashville also found the back of the net 4 times and beat the Ducks!

 

As I type this the Sharks and Kings are in OT.

 

Damn I love the NHL!

[VicVegas 70]

Allow me to amend my opinion of the Coyotes: They CAN score, well at least Shane Doan can score. Problem is their goalie can't stop the Red Wings. Down 2-0 and very happy to be leaving Hockeytown and going back to Phoenix.

[JohnnyK 28]

Habs 3 Broons 1

How fuckin' sweet it is!

[joekicker 53]

Developing into a nice series this one. The Kings wore black for the first time in the playoffs since the Iroquois pillaged the Algonquins and made them convert to tree-worship.

 

But I have to give this signmaker props, nice one:

 

 

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[JohnnyK 28]

Tough loss last night for the Rangers. Caps coming back to tie and Rangers blowing it with what was basically an own goal. I think Rangers are done.

[VicVegas 70]

Gotta love my Pens taking the double OT win on the road. Where the hell did Neal's goal come from? Little flick of the wrist from the boards. Wow.

 

The Lightning are done, but Martin St Louis has proven again that he is one of the gutsiest players in the NHL.

 

And Joe, I noticed they're having a sale on brooms down in Phoenix.

[joekicker 53]

And Joe, I noticed they're having a sale on brooms down in Phoenix. whistling

 

Also on goalie pads and sticks, I guess. Talk about not living up to expectations, jeez. Credit the Wings, man - that playoff light comes on, and here they come.

 

The Caps are impressive. Looks like they WANT to win. We shall see.

 

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[JohnnyK 28]

Gotta love my Pens taking the double OT win on the road. Where the hell did Neal's goal come from? Little flick of the wrist from the boards. Wow.

 

The Lightning are done, but Martin St Louis has proven again that he is one of the gutsiest players in the NHL.

 

And Joe, I noticed they're having a sale on brooms down in Phoenix.

 

He's something. Reminds me of Henri Richard. It's nice that ordinary-sized humans can excel in the NHL unlike other sports where steroid junkies and pituitary cases rule.

[nkped 1,208]

The Canucks appear to have decided to choke early and avoid the rush. Pulling for the Red Wings, but living on the left coast I prefer to see the Pacific coast teams hang in there for a while so that some of the games aren't at the end of the second period before I get home.

[JohnnyK 28]

My Habs had one foot on the gas pedal tonight and the other foot on Boston's neck.

Then they eased off and AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[VicVegas 70]

The Canucks appear to have decided to choke early and avoid the rush.

 

Yeah the Canucks are re-living a very familiar nitemare right now. Luongo couldn't have stopped a beach ball from hitting the back of the net in game 5, and the Vancouver D practically rolled out the red carpet for Keith and Hossa. Were the Sedin brothers even in the building for games 4-5? I should give Chicago credit, they've battled back and they ARE the defending champs, but it's painful watching the Canucks self-destruct like this. So now they head back to Chicago, where the fans will be going crazy, and the Canucks don't even know who will be starting between the pipes.

 

Can you say, "Curse of the President's Trophy"?

Edited April 22, 2011 by VicVegas

[joekicker 53]

Yeah the Canucks are re-living a very familiar nitemare right now. Luongo couldn't have stopped a beach ball from hitting the back of the net

 

I am unsurprised. Chicago is way better than their regular season finish. I don't buy that Vancouver is losing, I think Chicago is winning. Chicago is one team that can win it all. I think Vancouver would have a fabulous chance if they played on paper - but not on the ice.

 

My Habs had one foot on the gas pedal tonight and the other foot on Boston's neck.

 

I can't understand how they lost that game, they were so superior. That was travesty, worst loss of the post-season so far, I'd say. The opposite of Vancover-Chicago in my opinion, that was a game where the Canadiens lost, rather than Boston won.

 

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[JohnnyK 28]

I am unsurprised. Chicago is way better than their regular season finish. I don't buy that Vancouver is losing, I think Chicago is winning. Chicago is one team that can win it all. I think Vancouver would have a fabulous chance if they played on paper - but not on the ice.

 

 

 

I can't understand how they lost that game, they were so superior. That was travesty, worst loss of the post-season so far, I'd say. The opposite of Vancover-Chicago in my opinion, that was a game where the Canadiens lost, rather than Boston won.

 

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They stopped skating and playing at the half-way mark 10 mins into the 2nd. Up to then Habs had outshot them 24-10 and could easily have been up 5-0 they had so many good chances. The rest of the way da Broons outshot them by about the same margin. Credit to da Broons they gutted it out coming from behind 3X.

[joekicker 53]

Eee-oo, what's that smell!?!

 

Oh my, it's the Pens, stinking up the joint. Seldom in the history of hockey has a team looked that bad. The Lightning were focussed, on game, sharp and crisp. The Pens? They were up in the stands, watching a good team. The Pittsburgh fans game them a HUGE cheer when they scored almost halfway through the third period, cutting the score to a mere 7-1. Although I must say, the game wasn't really that close.

 

What the hey? Amazing, the way a whole team can lose it like that in Game 5 perpetesake.

 

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[The Mook 105]

NYR Rangers out, and rightly so. Team makes the effort but badly lacks high skill players that bring their best game to the rink down the stretch and in the playoffs.

[joekicker 53]

NYR Rangers out, and rightly so. Team makes the effort but badly lacks high skill players that bring their best game to the rink down the stretch and in the playoffs.

 

Don't want to argue with that, but this was the most riveting and easy-to-watch series of the eight. Real old-time playoff hockey, all out, up and down, non-stop. A real barn-burner of a series, sorry to see it end before seven.

 

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