NHL Playoffs '09

[talloola]

I am so lost

I have a feeling Washington will come out on top tonight: home game for the Caps, no or at best limping Gonchar for the Pens... but with the way everyone is playing, who knows? I just hope all the Crosby haters take note of Sid's performance in the post season: he's been the most consistent of any player in the post season thus far and has played with a lot of energy even when he hasn't scored. I'm not a big fan of his per se but I get a little irked when people crap all over a young guy like so many have been on him this year.

Boston and Carolina, which 'Canes team will show up in game 7? Which Bruins club? They've both shown split personalities in this series. I thought the Bruins were done but they never said die.

Detroit and Anaheim: I knew this one would be tight, and I think the Wings will win at home (but I'm cheering for the Ducks ).

I love Crosby, and the way he has led his team in this playoff run. He is a
fabulous player, and it is a pleasure to watch him. I don't like what ovetchkin
did to gonchar, and got off with no punishment, so that pushed me toward
pittsburg, as I was on the fence. Go Pittsburg today.

 

[shadowshiv]

I am so lost

I have a feeling Washington will come out on top tonight: home game for the Caps, no or at best limping Gonchar for the Pens... but with the way everyone is playing, who knows? I just hope all the Crosby haters take note of Sid's performance in the post season: he's been the most consistent of any player in the post season thus far and has played with a lot of energy even when he hasn't scored. I'm not a big fan of his per se but I get a little irked when people crap all over a young guy like so many have been on him this year.

Boston and Carolina, which 'Canes team will show up in game 7? Which Bruins club? They've both shown split personalities in this series. I thought the Bruins were done but they never said die.

Detroit and Anaheim: I knew this one would be tight, and I think the Wings will win at home (but I'm cheering for the Ducks ).

Your feeling may be a little off.;-) Pittsburgh currently holds a 2-0 advantage after 1 period. They outshot Washington 16-5, and their goals were scored 8 seconds apart. Also, Gonchar got an assist on the first goal(PP goal).8O

 

[shadowshiv]

I love Crosby, and the way he has led his team in this playoff run. He is a
fabulous player, and it is a pleasure to watch him. I don't like what ovetchkin
did to gonchar, and got off with no punishment, so that pushed me toward
pittsburg, as I was on the fence. Go Pittsburg today.

He did not get any punishment as it was not intentional. Ovechkin and Gonchar are really good friends as a matter of fact. Plus, a few of the Penguins also don't believe that it was intentional(which is why they did not retaliate at all in Game 6). In fact Bill Guerin said that he would bet his house that Ovechkin did not do that intentionally.

All that being said, the way the two teams are playing right now it looks like Pittsburgh will probably take the game.

 

[shadowshiv]

Holy bleeping bleep! I just checked and it is now 5-0 for Pittsburgh!!!!8O8O8O

Well, it looks like Pittsburgh is going on to the next round. Thank goodness I have Malkin in my pool.;-)

 

[wulfie68]

Fleury cost himself a shutout mishandling the puck like that

5-1 after 2.

My fiancee (is it two "e"s or one if she's a she?) in western PA should be happy

 

[shadowshiv]

Fleury cost himself a shutout mishandling the puck like that

5-1 after 2.

My fiancee (is it two "e"s or one if she's a she?) in western PA should be happy

I think it remains the same either way.;-)

Ovechkin was the one person I didn't want to get a point tonight, as I only have Semin and Green for Washington in my pool.:-(

I do not think that Washington will be able to score 4 goals in the third, no matter how much offensive firepower they have.

 

[talloola]

This game sure took a flop in the excitement department. We thought it would
be a super game, and very close. It's now 6-1 pittsburg.

 

[wulfie68]

This game sure took a flop in the excitement department. We thought it would
be a super game, and very close. It's now 6-1 pittsburg.

Yeah it was great hockey in the first 6 games, but the Caps forgot to dress for this one. Gotta give the Pens (and especially Crosby) credit for coming out and taking no prisoners though.

 

[TenPenny]

6-2 final, and the first Wash goal was a gross error by Fluery.

 

[talloola]

The two super stars really strutted their stuff in this series, and ovetchkin didn't
stop, even in a beating, he managed to score a goal, but the biggest star was
sydney crosby, really looked like a winner, and played awsome.

 

[shadowshiv]

The two super stars really strutted their stuff in this series, and ovetchkin didn't
stop, even in a beating, he managed to score a goal, but the biggest star was
sydney crosby, really looked like a winner, and played awsome.

Also, Malkin woke up. I think if he had remained invisible like he had the first couple of games Washington would have won the series. Malkin definitely was a catalyst and gave Washington more to concentrate on than just Crosby. If Boston can win tonight it will be an entertaining Eastern final.

 

[wulfie68]

I agree that once Malkin woke up, he gave the Caps something else they had to worry about but I don't know that he's a catalyst just by doing what he's supposed to. He was important at times but he was a sideline in the Ovie-Crosby show. Those two performed consistently and at a higher level than anyone else. He'll deny it but I'm betting Semin beaking off about Crosby being "nothing special" earlier this season, and the taunts from Ovechkin in some of the regular season games helped inspire his peformance. It was a superstar captain saying "I want this and everyone else can help or get out of my way". Sid is making me a fan of his by the way he's playing this post season.

So anyone else on the West Coast see the post-script on the Canucks? I saw some clips from interviews with Luongo, the Sedins and others (I think on Sportsnet). Maybe it was the way it was edited but Luongo sounded kind of ambivalent about remaining in Vancouver especially compared to the Sedins. I wonder if some of the media/fan reaction is getting to him? He said that his top priority is to win a Stanley Cup and as long as he thought they had a chance in Vancouver he'd be happy there but the way he said it made me wonder if he questions the ability of the team to reach that goal... could be nothing but his reaction struck me as a bit odd...

 

[talloola]

The one 'main' statement that luongo makes when asked about staying with the
canucks is that, as long as the team is a threat at the run for the stanley cup,
he wants to be here. That is a fair statement, and one that is honest, but doesn't
say that he wants to go anywhere else. The team is on the move, and next season they will be better again. Gillis will do that.
When he was asked yesterday about the possibility of a trade, he was flaberghasted,
and replied, "why", why would they want to trade me.
But lets remember it's only the media who starts those stories, as the team has
not said 'one' word concerning that possibility. The media gets things going then
sits back and watches the spread of their gossip, and even when luongo answered
that question, it was as though the team had said that was a possibility, and they
haven't.
They should re sign him before Xmas next season, and if they haven't it's because
they can't agree, and he wants to play out the season, and they shouldn't let him
do that, because then they will get 'nothing' for him when he walks away next
summer, and all of that money will be lost, and I'm sure Gillis won't let that happen.
The twins will sign, they have made it clear that they don't want to go anywhere,
they love vancouver, and they said it's not 'just' about hockey, it's about their
families and children.

 

[talloola]

Yippi, Detroit won, so anaheim can go home now, na na na na ya ya bye bye

Carolina/boston tied in the third, very intense.

 

[wulfie68]

Interesting night!!!

I felt for Tim Thomas and the Bruins: it was a shame either team had to lose but someone always does. That was the only series I picked wrong this round

Ducks and Wings, omg what an acting job on the Getzlaf slash that gave the Wings their first goal. It was a slash but the acting job after it was too much. I'm still iffy about the game winner for Cleary too: by the book it was interference but if Anaheim truly deserved that game, they would have found a way. Nice to see Osgood playing well again.

In the conference finals (or as I think about them the Stanley Cup Semi-finals, like they used to be called):

The West: an old original six or Norris Division series depending on how old you are

Two teams that play a similar style, this will be fun to watch. Raw talent is pretty even IMO, but Wings have a lot of experience. Khabibulin won a Cup with Tampa but other than that the 'Hawks are young young young. It won't be easy but the old dogs will teach the kids a few tricks. Detroit will win in 6.

The East: Battle of the Staal family, Eric in Carolina vs Jordan in Pittsburgh. Eric is the better of the two but Jordan has the better supporting cast. First pass says Penguins should win but the 'Canes have that playoff mojo going again (especially Cam Ward) that makes them a little scary. If it stretches out it will be to Carolina's advantage. Penguins in 5.

 

[talloola]

Interesting night!!!

I felt for Tim Thomas and the Bruins: it was a shame either team had to lose but someone always does. That was the only series I picked wrong this round

Ducks and Wings, omg what an acting job on the Getzlaf slash that gave the Wings their first goal. It was a slash but the acting job after it was too much. I'm still iffy about the game winner for Cleary too: by the book it was interference but if Anaheim truly deserved that game, they would have found a way. Nice to see Osgood playing well again.

That goal was fine, saw the replay over and over, clean goal. Puck was never frozen,
and contact was only incidental.
How about when pronger shoved the detroit guy right into hiller, then put
his arms up pointing to the detroit guy and looking at the ref.,and it
was called goalie interference, and anaheim scored, that was bogus.
One can go on all night picking and choosing referee calls. It all comes
out in the wash.

 

[Kreskin]

The Caps/Pens series was a glorified allstar game with even less hitting. No one on Washington finished a check. Malkin plays well when it's touch hockey. Remember him at the 2006 World Junior final in Vancouver? After having his face planted in the glass by Bourdon a couple of times he became the invisible man.

It would be interesting to see how he stands up to the physical play, if Carolina can dish it out.

 

[mt_pockets1000]

I don't watch much hockey during the regular season. I get involved when the playoffs come around. This year I joined a hockey pool. I spent 4 hours going over stats and trying to pinpoint the stronger and weaker points of each team. With Pittsburgh winning their series, Detroit winning their series and Carolina beating Boston I'm on track to take the office pool...haha. Pittsburgh/Detroit final with Pittsburgh winning the cup....c'mon boys!

 

[talloola]

The Caps/Pens series was a glorified allstar game with even less hitting. No one on Washington finished a check. Malkin plays well when it's touch hockey. Remember him at the 2006 World Junior final in Vancouver? After having his face planted in the glass by Bourdon a couple of times he became the invisible man.

It would be interesting to see how he stands up to the physical play, if Carolina can dish it out.

You'll have to leave ovetchkin out of that 'no hitting' theory, he hits like a
freight train, took out gonchar on a knee on knee, he should have been
suspended, at least one game and a fine, he got 2 min. minor. If it had been
a lesser player, suspension would have happened.
Ovetchkin didn't hit a lot in the final game, washington seemed frozen with
fear.
Detroit/ chicago series will be great hockey, very very fast, if they're going
to hit each other, they'll have to catch each other first.

 

[mt_pockets1000]

This is fantastic hockey so far. The intensity is electrifying. And Don I-never-promised-you-a-rose-garden Cherry...what the heck was he wearing tonight...haha.