Stanley Cup Playoffs thread

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:10 pm

pk500 wrote:Bettman is attending the Oil-Wings' game tonight in Edmonton. Expect a ton of penalties to be called, as the refs will suck up to the boss. That could hurt the Oil, as Detroit's power play is still lethal.

I read a stat where a large number of penalties have been called at the two playoff games Bettman has attended, including Game 1 of the Devils-Rangers series.

Discipline, Oil boys, discipline!

Take care,
PK

How do you like Chris Pronger right now?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:19 pm

Very much so. In fact, I think I made a post here about two months ago calling myself an idiot for even questioning Pronger's ability when he signed with Edmonton.

The guy should be a Norris Trophy candidate this season. He's been a rock on defense and had only about six to eight points less than the year he won the Norris and the Hart.

I don't know if he should win the Norris, but he definitely should be a finalist.

But as good as Pronger has been, Jaroslav Spacek is the steal of the year for the Oil. The guy has been superb for Edmonton. Working as Pronger's partner certainly helps, as Bergeron was much better in the first half of the season as Pronger's partner, but I wonder if Chicago had any idea what it was giving up in Spacek.

Sure, Thornton made a bigger impact on any team in the Western Conference than any other new arrival to a team this season. But Spacek has to rank in the top three in that category and has been a HUGE addition for the Oil.

Samsonov started great with the Oil when he came from Boston but tailed off toward the last two weeks of the season, and Tarnstrom has been largely invisible since he came from Pittsburgh. Dick did play well Sunday against Detroit, though.

Take care,
PK

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:20 pm

Feanor wrote:Apart from their stupidly big overlays, OLN's playoff coverage has been pretty good.

AGREED.

at least they moved it to the TOP of the f***in screen finally!

laurenskye · Post by **laurenskye** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:56 pm

Pronger has been the best player on the ice this series.

rubba19 · Post by **rubba19** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 2:21 pm

pk500 wrote: but I wonder if Chicago had any idea what it was giving up in Spacek.

The Blackhawks make the Bruins and Islanders look like a well-oiled front office.

What an absolute disgrace that franchise has become. It's really sad.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 2:36 pm

rubba19 wrote:
pk500 wrote: but I wonder if Chicago had any idea what it was giving up in Spacek.
The Blackhawks make the Bruins and Islanders look like a well-oiled front office.

What an absolute disgrace that franchise has become. It's really sad.

True. Tallon looks like a genius for shelling out $7 million per season for Khabibulin, huh?

Take care,
PK

wabash97 · Post by **wabash97** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 3:25 pm

"The Blackhawks make the Bruins and Islanders look like a well-oiled front office."

How dare you speak so kindly of the Islanders front office. Maybe you'd like to try to find a new GM with Mike "The Shoe" Milbury trying to get Alex Yashin to sign a 5-year contract extension before the new guy comes in and ruins the Rebuilding Plan (Copyright (c) 2006, New York Islanders Hockey Club).

B

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 5:14 pm

tjung0831 wrote: How do you like Chris Pronger right now?

I wished he played like he's now at the Olympics for Team Canada.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 5:17 pm

rubba19 wrote:
pk500 wrote: but I wonder if Chicago had any idea what it was giving up in Spacek.
The Blackhawks make the Bruins and Islanders look like a well-oiled front office.

What an absolute disgrace that franchise has become. It's really sad.

I still remember the days of JR in Chicago. What an awesome team that was. I mean playing at home meant an automatic win, literally.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:32 pm

This just in: Marc Crawford FIRED.

It was either him or Bertuzzi, but someone had to go....

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:18 pm

pk500 wrote:
rubba19 wrote:
pk500 wrote: but I wonder if Chicago had any idea what it was giving up in Spacek.
The Blackhawks make the Bruins and Islanders look like a well-oiled front office.

What an absolute disgrace that franchise has become. It's really sad.
True. Tallon looks like a genius for shelling out $7 million per season for Khabibulin, huh?

Take care,
PK

Khabibulin had a rough season for sure but I think he'll bounce back next year. What troubles me is the fact that it seems like Tallon wants to bring the team back to prominence but didn't take the new rules into consideration when he did so. The Hawks were built with the old NHL rules in mind, not the new ones.

It also didn't help that the 2 players that were supposed to be the majority of the offense were hurt just about all season. Tuomo Ruutu should be fine but Eric Daze needs to go. And we all know that Dollar Bill needs to go. It just pains me to see the shape of the Hawks nowadays. I know it won't last forever but I'm ready for a resurgence.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:07 pm

10spro wrote:This just in: Marc Crawford FIRED.

It was either him or Bertuzzi, but someone had to go....

Both should hit the road from Vancouver. Bertuzzi is damaged goods mentally.

Take care,
PK

ddtrane · Post by **ddtrane** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:17 pm

pk500 wrote:
10spro wrote:This just in: Marc Crawford FIRED.

It was either him or Bertuzzi, but someone had to go....
Both should hit the road from Vancouver. Bertuzzi is damaged goods mentally.

Take care,
PK

Agreed. Bettman wet the bed on the Bertuzzi decision.

Bertuzzi shouldn't have been allowed to play until Steve Moore could resume his career. I know that seems extreme, but the cheap shop warranted that type of punishment.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:44 pm

pk500 wrote:
10spro wrote:This just in: Marc Crawford FIRED.

It was either him or Bertuzzi, but someone had to go....
Both should hit the road from Vancouver. Bertuzzi is damaged goods mentally.

Take care,
PK

Crawford will find a job in an instant. He's a great coach. Bertuzzi will get another opportunity now, as rumours had it, that him and the Crow weren't getting along. There were many instances during the season that I wished they pulled a trade. But you have to get something decent in return. With a new voice, whoever it maybe, the big guy may just get back to his dominating form in 04.

In terms of the punishment he got from the league, I believe the punishment was fair. He missed the remaining of the 04 regular season after the hit, the 04 playoffs, a couple of World Cup events, the chance to play overseas during the lockout etc. After all he's still got a civil suit with Moore to be decided sometimes before the courts.

On another note, SENS are all over Tampa in the 2nd period, Burke IN for Grahame. 5-1.

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:54 pm

Geesh.. quite the sens/tampa game

Chara andLecavalier just fought LOL. 8 - 4 with 2 minutes left. Chara let up a bit thankfully.. he could have SMOKED Lecavalier but he didn't (was literally holding him helpless, with fist cocked.. didn't pull the trigger)

Heatley got into a fight too..against Pratt. LOL

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:15 pm

James_E wrote:Geesh.. quite the sens/tampa game

Chara andLecavalier just fought LOL. 8 - 4 with 2 minutes left. Chara let up a bit thankfully.. he could have SMOKED Lecavalier but he didn't (was literally holding him helpless, with fist cocked.. didn't pull the trigger)

Chara was scared he was going to hurt his hand on Lecavalier's face.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:22 pm

You got to give Lecavalier credit. This guy is improving hills every season and is amaizing what he does with the puck, very talented and creative forward. He may not ever beat Chara in a fight but he shows me emotion and care for a team that was flat. I still remember his tilt with J. Iginla during last Stanley's finals, it doesn't matter who the guy is, but he'll stand up for his team.

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:32 pm

XXXIV wrote:
James_E wrote:Geesh.. quite the sens/tampa game

Chara andLecavalier just fought LOL. 8 - 4 with 2 minutes left. Chara let up a bit thankfully.. he could have SMOKED Lecavalier but he didn't (was literally holding him helpless, with fist cocked.. didn't pull the trigger)

Chara was scared he was going to hurt his hand on Lecavalier's face.

That's probably very true...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:57 pm

What did I tell you cats about Bettman's presence at the game tonight in Edmonton causing the refs to make their whistles tweet more than Whitney Houston on a crack binge with her beloved Bobby?

GO OIL!

Take care,
PK

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 12:32 am

Wow, Detroit have tied the game just like that.

I think I heard the commentators say that Datsyuk hasn't scored a single goal in 23 playoff games. That's a terible record for good player like him to have.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:13 am

What a monster of a player. K. Draper is killing penalties. This is what I thought of the game. EDM could easily be up 3-0 in the series but for some inexplicable reason they stopped skating in the third to the point that they were outscored like 14 to 5.

Call it the 1-2-2 system, call it the safe play, call it inexperience ( just don't call it the T word) ,but DET came back strong led by the ageless Stevie Y. During the intermissions, they would show what's going on the dressing rooms (HNIC broadcast) and you could see that #19 was all business.

Double OT anyways and EDM wins a key game, poor Legace I think he tried to grab the puck and ended up doing a 360 giving away the puck. Pronger was huge again and I don't know how A. Helmsky came back to the game after that hit from C. Chelios.

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:47 am

I thought there was no way Edmonton could pull it off after Detroit quickly tied it in the third. Much credit to them. Through 3 games, they've shown on the ice that they've wanted it more.

With that said, this is still the Detroit Red Wings. This series has 7 games written all over it.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:56 am

Lotta stones there by the Oil to win it in double OT. Still, I don't like the collapse in the third. Yes, it's Detroit, but you should be able to finish teams.

Take care,
PK

laurenskye · Post by **laurenskye** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 9:38 am

Well the Oilers got the Detroit papers to post the headline we see every year:

"Panic In Detroit!"

Babcock is getting totally out coached. He has made almost no adjustments until it's too late, and has come up with nothing to beat "the trap". The same tactics that kill Detroit every year, you'd think he'd find a way to beat it by now.

ubrakto · Post by **ubrakto** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 10:27 am

I stayed up until 2am last night watching that game and I'm paying the price today. Having that apparent game-winner for the Wings waved-off because the puck went under the net and then seeing the Wings lose in OT2 has crushed my will to do anything but curl up into the fetal position in the corner of my bedroom closet. Why, oh why do I do this to myself every playoff year? I should just go to be and check the box score in the morning.

I just don't understand the Wings sometimes. Sloppy passes, constant offsides, and at times they just look like they're going through the motions. It's mind-boggling.

I still think the Wings will come to life and win this series, but Game 4 is going to be telling. If they set up shop and outplay the Oilers for 60-minutes I think they'll right their ship. If they lose, man, I just don't even want to think about it.

God do I need to get some sleep.
---Todd