Stanley Cup Playoffs thread

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu May 18, 2006 8:14 am

OH YEAH! I'm almost walking on air this morning. Fifteenth wedding anniversary, sun is shining over Indy, and the Oil closed out the Sharks!

Great game, even from before the opening face-off. Pure class by the Edmonton fans to cheer the "Star Spangled Banner." Any wonder why us Yanks are known as the "ugly Americans" in some countries?

Neil Smith and Keith Jones were all but calling San Jose soft between periods, and they're right. For a team on the brink of elimination, the Sharks showed little grit and toughness last night. Thornton is a great player, but I haven't seen such a big guy not take advantage of his size and strength since Lemieux in his prime. Thornton could physically dominate games, but the guy plays like Brian Gionta half of the time.

The Oil just showed their usual pure grit and heart. The seven breakaways were a classic example. Nearly all of them were created by outskating the Sharks, not by a great pass or a horrid turnover.

If not for strong play by Toskala, the final score of this game would have been 4-0 or 5-0. Roli was awesome in goal, and the guy just becomes more solid with every game. Peca also had his best game of the series, as he was active as hell.

And am I the only one who thinks Shawn Horcoff is the NHL reincarnation of Ron Francis? Horc reminds me of Francis more and more every time I see him play, and he's playing great!

I'm glad the Oil is playing Friday instead of Saturday. This team is a bit banged up, but it's in a hell of a groove. Why disrupt that rhythm? Anaheim has sat on its ass for a week, and no practice can simulate the intensity or effort of a game. The Ducks' legs hopefully will be flat.

Everything is possible now. If the Oil continues to play like this and improve, they can beat any of the other three remaining teams in the playoffs.

GO OIL!

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu May 18, 2006 8:38 am

As much as I love the job OLN is doing with its studio show and hockey programming during these playoffs, I hope the network doesn't send a team to Canada for any of the Oilers' home games and continues to use the CBC feed. I could listen to Jim Hughson and Greg Millen broadcast pee-wee games. They are the best TV broadcasting duo in hockey, bar none.

Take care,
PK

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Thu May 18, 2006 8:54 am

pk500 wrote:Neil Smith and Keith Jones were all but calling San Jose soft between periods, and they're right. For a team on the brink of elimination, the Sharks showed little grit and toughness last night. Thornton is a great player, but I haven't seen such a big guy not take advantage of his size and strength since Lemieux in his prime. Thornton could physically dominate games, but the guy plays like Brian Gionta half of the time.

John Buccigross at www.espn.com agrees with you and called Thornton "a gigantic Adam Oates".

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu May 18, 2006 8:57 am

Feanor wrote:
pk500 wrote:Neil Smith and Keith Jones were all but calling San Jose soft between periods, and they're right. For a team on the brink of elimination, the Sharks showed little grit and toughness last night. Thornton is a great player, but I haven't seen such a big guy not take advantage of his size and strength since Lemieux in his prime. Thornton could physically dominate games, but the guy plays like Brian Gionta half of the time.
John Buccigross at www.espn.com agrees with you and called Thornton "a gigantic Adam Oates".

Hah! that's a bit harsh, but maybe true.

The difference between Lemieux and Thornton is that Lemieux is a once-in-a-generation offensive talent. He was a magician in a large man's body.

Thornton is a great offensive player but nowhere near Lemieux's class. Still, I still think Thornton could be even better by using his size. He doesn't have to crush everything in his eyesight like Lindros tried to do, but he can create a LOT of space for himself in front of the net and along the boards just by using his size and strength, and I don't think he does that.

Take care,
PK

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Thu May 18, 2006 9:39 am

pk500 wrote:
And am I the only one who thinks Shawn Horcoff is the NHL reincarnation of Ron Francis? Horc reminds me of Francis more and more every time I see him play, and he's playing great!

Take care,
PK

Horcoff was one of the original players the Oilers offered in the trade to St. Louis for Pronger and the Blues rejected the deal...huge mistake by the Blues there. I don't think a Brewer, Woywitka, and Lynch package could land Horcoff right now.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu May 18, 2006 10:17 am

The Pronger-for-Brewer/Wojwitka/Lynch swap is starting to look like the Elway-for-Mark Hermann/Chris Hinton/draft pick that became Ron Solt deal in the NFL. And to think I was skeptical of Pronger when the deal was made!

Stupid me.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu May 18, 2006 1:28 pm

C. Pronger learned how to play under the new rules half way thru the season, and credit to him for doing that. He looked lost & confused in the beginning, he tought his trademark "Crosschecks" would do in the new NHL, until someone told him otherwise. He's been playing with so much poise he reminds me of Larry Robinson in his days wearing the Habs uniform.

EDM won because all four lines contributed with grit and determination, not to mention the confidence that Rollie gives them now.

I look back and I can't believe this is the same team that was on a brink of elimination from the playoffs when they lost that game to the Blues.

Well, actually my Canucks have something to do with it. All the way Oils!

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Thu May 18, 2006 4:27 pm

pk500 wrote:OH YEAH! I'm almost walking on air this morning. Fifteenth wedding anniversary,

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

You got someone to stay with you for 15 years....she should be nominated for saint hood.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu May 18, 2006 4:29 pm

XXXIV wrote:
pk500 wrote:OH YEAH! I'm almost walking on air this morning. Fifteenth wedding anniversary,
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

You got someone to stay with you for 15 years....she should be nominated for saint hood.

Oh, she is. Trust me, she is.

Take care,
PK

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Thu May 18, 2006 4:31 pm

pk500 wrote:
XXXIV wrote:
pk500 wrote:OH YEAH! I'm almost walking on air this morning. Fifteenth wedding anniversary,
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

You got someone to stay with you for 15 years....she should be nominated for saint hood.
Oh, she is. Trust me, she is.

Take care,
PK

Gratz...I think thats great...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu May 18, 2006 5:00 pm

Thanks, man.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat May 20, 2006 1:22 am

As I thought, the long week off didn't help the Ducks. They looked rusty and EDM took full advantage. This team is on a roll, they are playing with confidence, especially Roloson with that great assist to Peca.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sat May 20, 2006 9:06 am

The funny thing is, I don't think the Oil looked that good offensively, and they still won the game pretty handily.

The Oil played one of its best defensive games of the playoffs. I started to shriek early in the third period when it became apparent that MacT's strategy was to sit on the lead. I thought the Oil needed to keep their foot on the gas, as a one-goal lead wouldn't hold up. But damn if it did!

MacT and crew need to devise a way to figure out Anaheim's penalty kill, which is much more aggressive and effective than San Jose's. But I'm confident they will.

Plus Anaheim outhit the Oil, which I think was a byproduct of Edmonton's fatigue and Anaheim's rest more than anything.

Edmonton is showing it can win in a variety of ways. High-scoring game? Check. Defensive grinder? Check. Finesse game? Check. Physical game? Check.

GO OIL!

Take care,
PK

ddtrane · Post by **ddtrane** » Sat May 20, 2006 2:25 pm

I need my DSP brethren to console me in my time of need. What need might you ask? Well here in Baltimore, home of the Preakness, WBAL(WBAD) is showing 4 hours of pre-race coverage, thats right 4 hours of Preakness coverage. I'm so at odds right at this very moment not sure what to do. The best I can hope for is to break out the rabbit ears and hopefully pickup the NBC feed from DC however weak it is.

ddtrane · Post by **ddtrane** » Sat May 20, 2006 2:49 pm

Success!!!!! I'm now watching the Buf/Car in a blinding 25 mph blizzard. I'll take it, beggers can't be choosey.

Unfrickin' real, the conference finals, and WBAD inexplicably shows 4 hours of prerace coverage for a 90 second event.

Not the first time this has been done before here. When the Stars where defending their cup, the local blacked it out for a save the children telethon.

Actually the picture is pretty good for getting a DC channel here in Baltimore. I'm thankful to be getting cloudy coverage as opposed to no coverage.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Sat May 20, 2006 5:08 pm

Hell of a game by Ryan Miller today!

GO SABRES!

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat May 20, 2006 9:57 pm

tjung0831 wrote:Hell of a game by Ryan Miller today!

GO SABRES!

He's becoming BUFF's MVP.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Sat May 20, 2006 10:39 pm

10spro wrote:
tjung0831 wrote:Hell of a game by Ryan Miller today!

GO SABRES!
He's becoming BUFF's MVP.

Miller looks like he's the real deal. I know he's hot right now, but he's as good as I've seen in sometime. He was good in the regular season as well. Also Darcy Regier deserves major credit for envisioning the future of how the game would be played and putting this team together. Their scouting and drafting has really paid off. Lindy Ruff now in his 8th year as head coach deserves alot of credit as well. These guys truly love playing for him and it shows. No superstars at forward, none on defense whatsover...just a deep strong team with some really good players and guys that not only want to win but who know they can and will win. I just don't see anybody beating them unless they get hit with the injury bug or something. This team has all the confidence in the world right now. The Sabres and Oilers would be one helluva Stanley Cup.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Sun May 21, 2006 2:33 pm

What are the Buffalo newspapers and websites saying about Connolly? Is he coming back anytime soon?

Gangrel · Post by **Gangrel** » Sun May 21, 2006 5:28 pm

9pm EST.

The Oil goes up 2-0.

I hope.........

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sun May 21, 2006 10:31 pm

Good game so far....1-1 now...

Lets go Oilers!!!!

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sun May 21, 2006 10:56 pm

2-1 Oil...should be a hell of a 3rd period....

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sun May 21, 2006 11:30 pm

It was all ANA this game, but they couldn't beat Roloson who stole the game. The penalty he was charged for tripping Selanne in the third period was a goal saver and one of those "Good" penalties to make. He's the reason EDM is up 2-0. Does S. Niedermayer ever leave the ice? What a horse!

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sun May 21, 2006 11:33 pm

Oilers go up 2 games to zip.
Great job.
Ya gotta love these guys. Hard work game in game out.

As for Scott Niedermeyer....you are watching greatness.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Mon May 22, 2006 8:58 am

Hey Oilers fans, you liking that Roloson trade? Glad to see him doing so well, he's on quite the roll right now. Hopefully he keeps it up for another 6 wins. I'd imagine Edmonton's going to be going crazy for tomorrow's game 3.