Stanley Cup Playoffs thread

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:21 am

Boys:

I think we're entitled to a new thread for the playoffs since we kept nearly all NHL talk to the "Puck drops tonight" thread since last October.

So, let's talk the Quest for the Cup!

My Eastern Conference quarterfinals upset special, if the standings hold firm:

Montreal over Ottawa

The Oilers have a shot against Detroit in the first round in the West. They really do. They skate hard and fast and can threaten any team in the league when they play their best. And the Oil was 2-2 against the Wings in the regular season, if I'm not mistaken.

But two things MUST happen for the Oil to have any chance against the Wings. One, Roloson must play out of his mind. He has played very well in the last week or so, but he needs to re-create the magic he had with the Wild in the playoffs a few seasons ago. Two, the Oilers must be disciplined and avoid the stupid stick penalties that plagued them last week against the Wings because Detroit's power play is lethal. If you give Detroit six or seven power plays a game, you may as well give the Wings a two-goal head start.

Now it's overall prediction time:

SLEEPERS
East: New Jersey
West: San Jose

FIRST-ROUND FLOPS
East: Ottawa
West: I'd like to say Detroit

, but I guess it would have to be Nashville. I see Nashville as the only higher seed losing in the first round.

BEST FIRST-ROUND SERIES
East: Ottawa-Montreal and Buffalo-New Jersey (if standings hold)
West: Nashville-San Jose

STANLEY CUP FINALS
Calgary vs. New Jersey

STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS
Calgary Flames (Ugh!)

What do you cats think? Roll on the playoffs!

Take care,
PK

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:30 am

SLEEPERS
East: Flyers (disappointing season, but the talent is there)
West: Anaheim

FIRST-ROUND FLOPS
East: Rangers
West: Calgary (I don't think anyone in the West wants to play the Ducks or Sharks in the first round)

BEST FIRST-ROUND SERIES
East: Rangers vs Flyers (If the standing hold in the East, this series could go 7)
West: Calgary vs Anaheim

STANLEY CUP FINALS
Carolina vs Dallas

STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS
Dallas Stars

ubrakto · Post by **ubrakto** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:31 am

With no OLN (gonna have to suck it up and subscribe before the weekend) I've seen very little hockey this year, but as a Wings fan I know the matchup with Edmonton scares the hell out of me. I'd rather see just about any other team in the West, including the Preds or Flames, than Edmonton.

The Oilers have too much history of making higher seeded teams sweat in the first round of the playoffs and even though I think this Wings team is different, Detroit has too much recent history of tanking in the first round. Even in the Cup year of 2002 they started out by losing two straight at home to Vancouver.

Should be a good series for hockey fans, though. Does anyone know if HDNet is carrying Playoff hockey (since they did have regular season games)?
---Todd

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:32 am

This thread's a day early, hehe. The eastern match-ups are still really fluid. Hope the Flyers don't have to play New Jersey since they're so hot right now.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:40 am

pk500 wrote: My Eastern Conference quarterfinals upset special, if the standings hold firm:

Montreal over Ottawa

I like that one and I hope you are right... but... I have this feeling Ottawa was phoning it in the laste few weeks...We might see a different Senator team this coming week.

Anyway...Go Habs!!!

laurenskye · Post by **laurenskye** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:45 am

I just hope the refs don't put away the whistles like their is already talk of. The Wings have really learned to live and die by the power play, if the calls change in the playoffs they will have a much tougher go of it.

Oh, and PK, the glory days of the Oil are long gone my friend. Time to quit living in the past

. A little smack talk to start off. See ya on the ice!

ddtrane · Post by **ddtrane** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:03 am

As much as I'd like to see the Preds win it all, with Vokoun out, thats just not possible. Dallas' only problem is at goalie with Turco and his 7-10 playoff record he just doesn't scare anyone this time of year.

lexbur · Post by **lexbur** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:24 am

If a tree falls in the forest but nobody hears it...

Without Center Ice or OLN, this years playoffs aren't gonna look a whole lot different than last year's playoffs.

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:28 am

laurenskye wrote:I just hope the refs don't put away the whistles like their is already talk of. The Wings have really learned to live and die by the power play, if the calls change in the playoffs they will have a much tougher go of it.

That would be like breaking a contract... they set a league up with certain parameters, teams built themselves for those parameters... to go and change it now would be completely ridiculous.

I'm a hockey lovin Canadian boy.. but if they change the rules for playoffs and go back to the old way... I'm done with NHL for now.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:04 am

James_E wrote:
laurenskye wrote:I just hope the refs don't put away the whistles like their is already talk of. The Wings have really learned to live and die by the power play, if the calls change in the playoffs they will have a much tougher go of it.
That would be like breaking a contract... they set a league up with certain parameters, teams built themselves for those parameters... to go and change it now would be completely ridiculous.

I'm a hockey lovin Canadian boy.. but if they change the rules for playoffs and go back to the old way... I'm done with NHL for now.

Isnt that the way they have always done it?...The deeper they get into the playoffs the less and less they use the whistles.
I never thought it was right . Always seemed silly to me.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:18 am

I think the zebras have done a great job overall this season. In the past, you could see them forgetting to call certain obvious infractions but I am satisfied with how they managed the calls this year. The purist NHL fans may not like the PP's too much but let's face it, the game is much more exciting this year.

At the beginning of the other thread I picked an ALL Canadian final but since my Canucks are golfing instead, I will still pick Ottawa (hope Hasek gets back soon) vs The Sharks. Thornton is awesome, what a steal for SJ.

I still believe the Predators are the darkhorse team to watch although minus. T .Vokoun at the post it might be a short playoff run.

Stanley Champs: Ottawa Senators.

vader29 · Post by **vader29** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:11 pm

Only playoff hockey I'll get to see is whatever games NBC decides to put on.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:23 pm

vader29 wrote:Only playoff hockey I'll get to see is whatever games NBC decides to put on.

And Vader and lexbur sadly are poster children for all the reasons why OLN can convert itself to The Hockey Channel for the next two months and it won't do a f*cking thing to help make hockey more popular and expose more people to the greatest postseason in professional team sports.

The NHL badly needs a real TV contract next season. For Vader and lex's sake! For all hockey fans' sake.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:25 pm

vader29 wrote:Only playoff hockey I'll get to see is whatever games NBC decides to put on.

Vader, Lex:

Not sure if you cats are into BitTorrent, but I know a site that has a sh*tload of torrents of regular-season games, and I assume that will continue in the playoffs.

PM me if you want details.

Take care,
PK

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:52 pm

I'll take San Jose...gotta put it down for the No. Cal boys.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:53 pm

Or just move to Canada.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:34 pm

Watch out for the Sabres, they are hot heading into the playoffs. I like Calgary or San Jose to come out of the west. Anaheim will be a good test for the Flames in the first round.
If Ottawa somehow gets upset in the first round, then I really like the Sabres chances to represent the east.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:48 pm

Sharks have been streaky all year, even after the big trade.

It remains to be seen if their end-of-season hot streak will continue or will end.

One thing, if they get into shootouts, they don't fare that well. Are the same OT rules in effect for the playoffs this year? Or will they do like previous years where you keep playing OT periods until the tie is broken?

GameSeven · Post by **GameSeven** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:50 pm

wco81 wrote:One thing, if they get into shootouts, they don't fare that well. Are the same OT rules in effect for the playoffs this year? Or will they do like previous years where you keep playing OT periods until the tie is broken?

No, playoff games will still be decided by continuous 20 minute OT periods at 5-on-5 as they have been in recent years. The shootout only applies to regular season games.

-G7

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:55 pm

watched the hurricanes lose to the sabres tonight... THEY LOOKED HORRIBLE... even though they didn't want to face TB...they just sucked so bad..they skate that way and they will be out in 5 games.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:55 pm

wco81 wrote:Sharks have been streaky all year, even after the big trade.

It remains to be seen if their end-of-season hot streak will continue or will end.

One thing, if they get into shootouts, they don't fare that well. Are the same OT rules in effect for the playoffs this year? Or will they do like previous years where you keep playing OT periods until the tie is broken?

Yeah, no shootouts during the playoffs, it's the old grind it out, best of 7 series, play the 20 min OT. I actually like your Sharks' chances. The team took a 180 degree turn after J. Thornton came in, believe me, I know, he was a force against my Canucks and "one" of the many reasons they'll be golfing instead. If the Goalie stays HOT, watch out.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:03 am

I checked the end of season stats today at ESPN and saw that Cheechoo got 56 f**ing goals! I knew he was doing well with Thornton but that's an amazing number. But I don't think I saw any San Jose games on TV this year. I hate the new schedule which means I get to watch the Flyers play the Islanders eight times a season but means I don't get to see them play some Western teams at all.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:30 am

10spro wrote:Or just move to Canada.

...Canada does have great hockey coverage and is a great place to live...

But ...

Mini- thread jack Now in progress...but I will blame you.

They dont want to move to Canada....they just want to always complain about how bad it is here.
Thats My perspective as someone who came from Canada....and whos parents came from Greece.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:39 am

XXXIV wrote:
pk500 wrote: My Eastern Conference quarterfinals upset special, if the standings hold firm:

Montreal over Ottawa

I like that one and I hope you are right... but... I have this feeling Ottawa was phoning it in the laste few weeks...We might see a different Senator team this coming week.

Anyway...Go Habs!!!

After last nights scary late 3rd period Hab collapse...I am afraid of the Devils and afraid for the Canadiens.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:53 am

Feanor wrote:I checked the end of season stats today at ESPN and saw that Cheechoo got 56 f**ing goals! I knew he was doing well with Thornton but that's an amazing number.

Exactly the reason why Thornton is MVP, not Jagr. Cheechoo had seven goals when Thornton arrived and centered his line. Cheechoo finished with 56.

Plus Thornton carried a Sharks' team well out of the playoffs into the No. 5 spot. Jagr had a GREAT year, but Thornton deserves the Hart more.

Take care,
PK

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