43 replies to this topic

[DuffMan]

I thought it would be a good idea to get another thread going if anybody wanted to discuss any of the other playoff matchups that are going on right now.   I'll get it going with a few quick thoughts.

 

San Jose swept the Canucks last night.  San Jose has been historically known for great regular season success only to flame out in the playoffs is this the start of something different?

 

Ducks and Red Wings are tied at 2 games a piece.  Ducks as we know our coached by Boudreau and Anaheim had a monster regular season finishing 2nd in the west (sound familiar) and they are facing a Detroit team that just eeked into the playoffs but are putting up stern resistance.  I'm keeping a close eye on this one as Boudreau's Caps teams regular season success and playoff struggles are well documented.  Are his Ducks headed for an early exit too?

 

In the East the Isles and Pens are tied up at 2 games a piece.  Many tabbed the Pens as a cup finalisit but the Islanders are putting up a heck of a fight.  Throw in another goalie meltdown from Fleury and it's not a given that they get out of this round, although I still think they advance.

[JeremyStrain]

It's been a great round of playoffs so far. Especially out west.

 

You left out OTT having MON on the verge of elimination after winning again, and the BATTLE that LA/STL is having. There are some great series going right now, if you aren't a hockey fan, this is the time to watch a game and see what it's all about.

 

ANA has some big offensive weapons (sounds familiar) but BB still doesn't know how to coach defense. Their goalies are kinda questionable and that is going to cost them, especially against a team with veterans like DET.

 

SAN is going to go as far as their goaltending wants to take them, probably through a round or two, but when they run into CHC it's not going to be pretty. I don't really see a team with enough to knock CHC off in a 7 game series.

 

A friend of mine is a big PIT fan and we were talking about that series this weekend. They are just starting to get healthy, but they are rushing back to try to not get eliminated. They aren't 100% and NYI has a real shot to knock them off if they can keep up the goal scoring. Fluery isn't the answer, he's too up and down and a goalie like that doesn't mix well with the playoffs. Vokoun is a douche, but playing ability wise I think he's a lot like Fluery, very up and down. I'm hoping he starts the next game and gets absolutely lit up.

[DuffMan]

Yeah the Ott/Mon series has been pretty crazy.   That game on Sunday night with all of the penalities and fights was pretty crazy.  Give Ottowa credit, they've done a great job of getting under PK Supan's skin resulting in  him  taking many dumbe retaliation penalties. 

[JeremyStrain]

Yeah word got out around the league that PK was a little bit of a hot head, so teams have been going after him in key situations. MON is going to end up trading him sooner than later I think.

 

Tonight's game is pretty huge for the Caps, need to swing 3-1 and not get to 2-2 momentum wise. Going to need that momentum to carry into the next round.

[You Play to Win the Game]

A friend of mine is a big PIT fan and we were talking about that series this weekend. They are just starting to get healthy, but they are rushing back to try to not get eliminated. They aren't 100% and NYI has a real shot to knock them off if they can keep up the goal scoring. Fluery isn't the answer, he's too up and down and a goalie like that doesn't mix well with the playoffs. Vokoun is a douche, but playing ability wise I think he's a lot like Fluery, very up and down. I'm hoping he starts the next game and gets absolutely lit up.

 

I have a good friend who is a Pens fan as well (lives up in Pittsburgh, went to game 1). He's seriously in freak out mode. He thought it would be an easy sweep. I know Pittsburgh took it to them in the regular season, but playoff hockey is different, and here's a young team, with a good coach sniffing the playoffs for the first time in a while. I respect the hell out of the Isles, even if they don't have a legit title shot this year. Weird thing is, my friend is a genuine through and through hockey fan, has been his whole life, so he knows better... but he was really into the hype of this Pittsburgh team after all the trades they made and Sid coming back, etc. Really, Philthy put out a manual on how to beat these guys in the playoffs last year, and the Isles are playing it to a "T". Fast, super fast, ferocious, up and down hockey, the whole game... Pittsburgh doesn't want to play like that... and Fleury can't handle it, like you said. He got absolutely bitched last night. In his last 10 playoff games, he's allowed 40 goals. Yikes!

[You Play to Win the Game]

The Canucks sweep would have inspired more confidence in SJ for me, if it weren't the Canucks they had swept. Hilarious that the Luongo/Schneider thing is still going on, and neither played well in this year's 4 game post-season. 

 

The MON/OTT series has been freakin' intense... from a fighting stand point, it reminds me of the Pittsburgh/Philthy series last season. I like Ottawa to win that series, which would mean the Caps (if we hold on) would get the winner of the Bruins/Toronto series (which should be Boston). 

[DuffMan]

The MON/OTT series has been freakin' intense... from a fighting stand point, it reminds me of the Pittsburgh/Philthy series last season. I like Ottawa to win that series, which would mean the Caps (if we hold on) would get the winner of the Bruins/Toronto series (which should be Boston). 

I hate to even mention it, but apparently there was some lowlife from Toronto that brought a sign to the arena that said "Toronto Stronger"  Way to keep it classy Canada

[JeremyStrain]

The Canucks sweep would have inspired more confidence in SJ for me, if it weren't the Canucks they had swept. Hilarious that the Luongo/Schneider thing is still going on, and neither played well in this year's 4 game post-season. 

 

The MON/OTT series has been freakin' intense... from a fighting stand point, it reminds me of the Pittsburgh/Philthy series last season. I like Ottawa to win that series, which would mean the Caps (if we hold on) would get the winner of the Bruins/Toronto series (which should be Boston). 

 

Yeah this is the drawback to goalie shares. If you are a team splitting starts, when the playoffs hit, it's always a disaster, cause one goalie isn't used to playing 4-7 in a row, and going back and forth never gets enough rhythm for either.

[DuffMan]

Pens have benched Fleury and are going with Vokoun for game 5.  This should be interesting...

[You Play to Win the Game]

Pens have benched Fleury and are going with Vokoun for game 5.  This should be interesting...

 

They pretty much had to... Fleury is absolutely destroyed right now.

 

But it will be interesting to say the least... as my Pens fan friend was saying last night... suppose Vokoun plays well, and Pittsburgh wins game 5... does he get game 6? What if he does get game 6 and they close out the series, does Vokoun get game 1 of the 2nd round? 

 

I still think they'd give Fleury game 1 of the 2nd round, but would ride the hot hand through the 1st round (Vokoun) if he steps up.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Pens and Sens cruise. Hawks up 1-0 looking to close out the Wild who may have the worst logo in sports.

[DuffMan]

Pens and Sens cruise. Hawks up 1-0 looking to close out the Wild who may have the worst logo in sports.

Tavares had a breakaway up the center of the ice with some sick puck handling on display.

[Pedro Cerrano]

The Kings and the goalie nobody wants to face (Quick) advance over St. Louise (Wings fan, had to). Sorry, Ndish (does he still post here?)

[SportsGuy]

Choke job by Toronto tonight.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Detroit steals game 2 from the Blackhawks in Chi-Town... a 4-1 win, ties the series 1-1. It'll be interesting to see how much Detroit pushes Chicago.

[You Play to Win the Game]

The Kings and Sharks face off tonight at 9 PM... The Champs are up 2-0 in that series.

 

Rags/Bruins play game 2 tomorrow at 3, Boston up in that series 1-0... The Burgh and Ottawa face off at 7:30 tomorrow night, with the Pens up 2-0.

[DuffMan]

The Rags canned Torterella yesterday.

[You Play to Win the Game]

The Rags canned Torterella yesterday.

 

Saw that one coming, which is one of the other reasons I was so mad we didn't finish him off personally.

 

So the Finals match-ups are set after the game 7's over the last couple of nights:

ECF: Pens vs. Bruins

WCF: Blackhawks vs. Kings

 

Also, the first time since 1945 that the previous 4 Championship teams faced off in a Final 4 in any of the major sports (it was also hockey).

 

I think I'm going to have to go Pens vs. Blackhawks. What say you?

[JeremyStrain]

Saw that one coming, which is one of the other reasons I was so mad we didn't finish him off personally.

 

So the Finals match-ups are set after the game 7's over the last couple of nights:

ECF: Pens vs. Bruins

WCF: Blackhawks vs. Kings

 

Also, the first time since 1945 that the previous 4 Championship teams faced off in a Final 4 in any of the major sports (it was also hockey).

 

I think I'm going to have to go Pens vs. Blackhawks. What say you?

 

I said Pens/Hawks a couple months ago so I gotta stick with that.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I said Pens/Hawks a couple months ago so I gotta stick with that.

 

Yeah, I think that's been the consensus for a while now, but no one sticking their neck out as much as you just because the Stanley Cup Playoffs are so crazy.