NHL Playoffs

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:52 am

If CAL doesn't win at home tonight, they can kiss their playoff chances goodbye. J. Iginla, C. Conroy & D. Langkow have been invisible and they must produce more.

DAL will try to tie the series and take a couple of more runs at R. Luongo and ANA can wrap things tonight. Didn't they have an easy run last year too in the first couple of rounds? All without Giguere too.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:36 pm

This year's Anaheim steamroller is more impressive because the Wild was playing damn good hockey entering the playoffs. No team has impressed me more than Anaheim in this first week.

Take care,
PK

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:53 pm

pk500 wrote:This year's Anaheim steamroller is more impressive because the Wild was playing damn good hockey entering the playoffs. No team has impressed me more than Anaheim in this first week.

Take care,
PK

Yeah the Ducks look very focused so far. I'm pulling for the Sharks in the west but you have to think the Ducks are the ones in the drivers seat.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:32 pm

tjung0831 wrote:Yeah the Ducks look very focused so far. I'm pulling for the Sharks in the west but you have to think the Ducks are the ones in the drivers seat.

Ah, it's much too early to put any team in the proverbial driver's seat in this age of parity in the NHL. San Jose and Anaheim looked like world-beaters last year until they ran into the Oilers.

Take care,
PK

LAking · Post by **LAking** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:03 pm

Yeah the Ducks look very focused so far. I'm pulling for the Sharks in the west but you have to think the Ducks are the ones in the drivers seat.

I may jump off a bridge if the Ducks win the cup. I became ill when they made it to game 7 a few years back. I hate both the Sharks and Wings but i'll be rooting for either of them with great enthusiasm if they face the Ducks.

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:52 pm

Great effort by the Thrashers tonight.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:59 pm

Who got to Mike Comrie before the Sens-Pens series? When he was in Edmonton and Phoenix, Comrie was a lazy little f*ck with a big mouth who thought only of offense.

In this series, he's arguably been Ottawa's best overall player. He's passing, scoring, hitting, fighting and backchecking. I still hate the little prick, but he's been very impressive.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:55 pm

pk500 wrote: In this series, he's arguably been Ottawa's best overall player. He's passing, scoring, hitting, fighting and backchecking. I still hate the little prick, but he's been very impressive. Take care, PK

And he even got into a fight in game three didn't he?

I also want to point out the leadership of their captain D. Alfredsson who's been playing with an extra edge in this series. PITTS may win one more game but the Sens look just too strong for them now.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 12:04 am

Huge win for Vancouver. The D has been rock solid led by sophomore K. Bieksa who impresses me more and more everyday. He's been playing huge minutes and along K. Mitchell they've been shutting down M. Modano and CO. Nice to see J. Green back in the lineup after his knee injury.

Despite the series being 3-1, all games have been very tightly fought, neither team has scored on a PP yet and M. Turco has nothing to do with the losses. If there's a blame, DAL needs to look at their top five forwards who haven't scored yet.

Canucks can wrap things up next game and this city would just go wild.

kevinpars · Post by **kevinpars** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 7:54 am

the Thrashers are arguably the most overrated team in the NHL, the worst of the three division champions in the East. Rangers in 6.

I was going to rip PK for trashing my hometown Thrashers, but after last night's game I think it is safe to trash PK for suggesting that this team could win 2 games in this series.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:53 am

kevinpars wrote:
the Thrashers are arguably the most overrated team in the NHL, the worst of the three division champions in the East. Rangers in 6.
I was going to rip PK for trashing my hometown Thrashers, but after last night's game I think it is safe to trash PK for suggesting that this team could win 2 games in this series.

I knew the Thrashers were soft, but they're making the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man look armor-plated. Plus I can't believe this is the same Bob Hartley who won a Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2001. What the f*ck is he doing alternating goalies every game? Is he that lost in the playoffs without St. Patty Roy between the pipes?

Big question: Are the Rangers this good or the Thrashers this bad? We'll find out next round, as the training wheels will come off for the Blueshirts with a probable matchup against Ottawa if Tampa can beat Jersey.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:02 am

Funny that this comment about Brad May's punch toward the end of the Wild-Ducks game last night came from Derek Boogaard:

"It shows that a guy like Brad May has no respect, so he deserves no respect from anybody," Boogaard said. "And that's how he's going to get treated."

Pot. Calling. Kettle. Black. Boogaard is a f*cking caveman who has zero skill. He has thrown at least three knees at Ducks' players in this series alone.

Moron.

Take care,
PK

kevinpars · Post by **kevinpars** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 11:53 am

Well, the Atlanta GM has made it pretty clear that Kari Lehtonen is the goalie of the future. But he obviously does not give them the best chance to win at this point. Sounds like Hartley is caught between a rock and hard place or is making decisions to try and keep his job.

Not a good time to be an Atlanta sports fan. Our 'goalie of the future' doesn't make for a bright future and there has also been speculation that the Hawks plan on keeping their "core" intact. Billy Knight remains the worst GM in any sport at any point in history.

But on the positive side, the Falcons signed Joey Harrington as a backup to Mike Vick. Now they have two money QBs.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 12:45 pm

kevinpars wrote:Well, the Atlanta GM has made it pretty clear that Kari Lehtonen is the goalie of the future. But he obviously does not give them the best chance to win at this point. Sounds like Hartley is caught between a rock and hard place or is making decisions to try and keep his job.

Not a good time to be an Atlanta sports fan. Our 'goalie of the future' doesn't make for a bright future and there has also been speculation that the Hawks plan on keeping their "core" intact. Billy Knight remains the worst GM in any sport at any point in history.

But on the positive side, the Falcons signed Joey Harrington as a backup to Mike Vick. Now they have two money QBs.

What I don't understand is why change goalies after game two when J. Hedberg played rather well despite the loss. During the playoffs you ride the guy that has the hottest hand whether you're the future or not. And if I was Bob Hartley I would have pulled out Lehtonen after the 1st period with the score already three zip, but he hanged him to dry for all seven goals.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:35 pm

R.I.P. Atlanta Thrashers

At least you guys showed up tonite. But again, a weird goal swings the game back in favor of the Rangers (the replay one) and they never got it back. The Thrashers played the Rangers pretty closely (except for game 3) for the series and that was without their big guns showing up at all. Wonder how things would have played out had Hossa, Kovalchuk & Kozlov showed some of the offensive firepower they showed during the regular season. Seems like Atlanta never got any breaks and had to do everything the hard way.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:49 pm

JackB1 wrote:At least you guys showed up tonite. But again, a weird goal swings the game back in favor of the Rangers (the replay one) and they never got it back. The Thrashers played the Rangers pretty closely (except for game 3) for the series and that was without their big guns showing up at all. Wonder how things would have played out had Hossa, Kovalchuk & Kozlov showed some of the offensive firepower they showed during the regular season. Seems like Atlanta never got any breaks and had to do everything the hard way.

Come on, Jack: Put the Thrashers' scarf away.

No breaks? Everything the hard way? Give me a break.

Here was the Thrashers' problem in a nutshell:

1. Bob Hartley inexplicably alternating goalies.
2. Hossa -- one assist in four games
3. Kovalchuk -- one goal, one assist in four games
4. Kozlov -- zero points in four games

You pretty much nailed it with the penultimate sentence of your post. Three of the Thrashers' Four Horsemen never showed up.

Breaks and "doing it the hard way" had nothing to do with it. By believing that, you're belittling a hell of a performance by the Rangers. Teams aren't swept because of bad breaks.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:49 pm

Tough break for Isles fans. I thought the whistle was blown once the puck went in with three minutes to go, so the goal should have counted but they ruled against it. A minute later. J. Pominville scores for BUF.

I still don't understand the morons that continue to throw things into the ice despite the warnings.

nyisles16 · Post by **nyisles16** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:10 am

10spro wrote:Tough break for Isles fans. I thought the whistle was blown once the puck went in with three minutes to go, so the goal should have counted but they ruled against it. A minute later. J. Pominville scores for BUF.

I still don't understand the morons that continue to throw things into the ice despite the warnings.

Agreed.. it is those jerks that ruin it for the rest of us.. just like the 4 jerks dressed in refs jerseys tonight..

This has really ruined the sport for me.. a disallowed goal, which the puck was in the net, but the piece of crap blows it dead.. also, nice of Teppo to drive Blake's head into the lower part of the boards.. only 2 minutes??

Thank god baseball's back..

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:38 am

CBJ's GM is history. Doug Maclean got fired and rumours has Hitchcock taking over. Pat Quinn is also available.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:48 am

What's your favourite playoff memory, guys? Of course I am a bit biased so I picked Pavel Bure's OT win against the hated Flames while being down 1-3 in the series, which led to the improbable run into the SC finals in 94.

http://www.versus.com/nhlplayoffs

nyisles16 · Post by **nyisles16** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:51 am

10spro wrote:What's your favourite playoff memory, guys? Of course I am a bit biased so I picked Pavel Bure's OT win against the hated Flames while being down 1-3 in the series, which led to the improbable run into the SC finals in 94.

http://www.versus.com/nhlplayoffs

most certainly nothing from this year...

however.. Volek's goal at 5:16 of OT to beat Pitt a few years back (516 is the area code of Nassau Co., where the Isles play)

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:23 am

10spro wrote:CBJ's GM is history. Doug Maclean got fired and rumours has Hitchcock taking over. Pat Quinn is also available.

they have NEVER made the playoffs....

pretty weak....

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:21 am

McLean's firing was deserved, but it's too bad because he's a nice guy.

Dougie and assistant GM Kevin Dineen spent a lot of time watching their farmhands here in Syracuse during the NHL lockout season, and they were very approachable between periods. Hell, both of them just stood near concession stands often between periods and chatted, and were more than willing to talk with fans. I talked with both a couple of times, and they were nice dudes.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 10:18 am

NHL trade guru Spector's take on the Thrashers:

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Sp ... _Thrashers

The man is spot-on, as usual.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 10:28 am

It's funny that Damien Cox of the Toronto Star wrote this column about the lack of a compelling first-round series, as I thought the same thing while finishing washing dishes early this morning:

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/204883

Yeah, playoff hockey is great in any shape or form, but has any series shaped up into a classic? Nope. I thought Dallas-Vancouver had potential after the four-OT opener, but the 'Nucks now have the upper hand.

The Islanders-Sabres has been very competitive, but the Sabres' talent is prevailing as nearly everyone thought it would. The Rangers' victory over the Thrashers wasn't a surprise, but the number of games it took probably was. Still, not a classic series.

I thought Ottawa-Pittsburgh would be epic, but it's been somewhat limp compared to my expectations. A much better, more complete Ottawa team has shown up than I thought.

Here's to hoping that one of the teams on the 3-1 ropes can bring their series to six or seven games! I know Cox thinks Calgary could do that; I think he's crazy. Minnesota is the sleeping pest. The Wild could take Anaheim all the way if Demitra and Gaborik continue to play as well as they did in Game 4.

Take care,
PK