The NHL Thread

[thespus]

I created a NHL Playoff Bracket challenge for anyone interested on the official league website.

Group Name: One Football Forum
Password: goblues

 

[Aberstone]

Entered and bracket saved. Somehow the Penguins snuck in at Boston's expense, salary cap issues and defensive casualties killed the team in the final two weeks and it was only the saving grace of facing the hapless Sabres on the final day that got us in.

We'll be out in 5, the Rangers are stacked everywhere whereas we're a mess. This is going to be brutal.

 

[kieran_vale]

Pretty shameful season from the Bruins, should never have come to this but the team have looked softer than they have in years and deservedly missed out on the post season. Not the hallmark of Bruins hockey at all. To use the excuse that "96 points gets you in the playoffs most years" as well is just not acceptable.

Has not helped with Chiarelli's mismanagement of the salary cap, that is on him completely. Whether to fire or him or not who knows, I can't say I can see many outstanding candidates to replace him. What happens with the team in general will be interesting to see as to whether they blow the whole thing up and start again, already talk of trading away Lucic.

 

[Libertadores FC]

Never been a hockey fan but I'll watch a playoff match today. Not sure which.

 

[Mustard]

Oilers win the draft lottery. Fuck sake. If they ruin McDavid I will go spare...

 

[Aberstone]

They've got form...

As I said above, looks like the Pens are going out in 5 although it hasn't been brutal, every game has been close but the Rangers are just more savvy with their line changes and transitions from breaking out of their defensive zone.

 

[JJ1532]

How concerning is it that Malkin is pointless in this series, as he was in his final 5 regular season games? A 9 game pointless streak, isn't that the longest of his career?

To be fair to the Pens, they are missing a number of important players. Bennett, Pouliot, Letang and Matta, Erhoff and Dupuis all out injured. Hard for any team to sustain that sort of loss.

The Sens managed to stay alive last night by squeaking past the Habs. Looks like the Habs will wrap that one up in 5 however. The Hawks also look like progressing as they are 3-1 up over the Preds. The Ducks complete the only sweep of Round 1 by making short work of the Jets. Shame for the Jets, they busted their asses off to get into the play offs, then go out in 4. The Flames go from strength to strength, we are 3-1 up on our hated rivals the Canucks. Got game 5 tonight at their place, hopefully we can clinch it now. Not there yet and it could all go tits up, but hopefully we don't throw it away.

 

[spireite]

They've got form...

As I said above, looks like the Pens are going out in 5 although it hasn't been brutal, every game has been close but the Rangers are just more savvy with their line changes and transitions from breaking out of their defensive zone.

The Rangers are an absolute nightmare to play in the playoffs. They protect Lunqvist really well and anything that does get through he gobbles up.

The Caps are making really hard work of the Isles. Wer're a better side but that 4th line of theirs is monstrous. We need moar Wilson when they're on the ice

 

[Aberstone]

How concerning is it that Malkin is pointless in this series, as he was in his final 5 regular season games? A 9 game pointless streak, isn't that the longest of his career?

To be fair to the Pens, they are missing a number of important players. Bennett, Pouliot, Letang and Matta, Erhoff and Dupuis all out injured. Hard for any team to sustain that sort of loss.

The Sens managed to stay alive last night by squeaking past the Habs. Looks like the Habs will wrap that one up in 5 however. The Hawks also look like progressing as they are 3-1 up over the Preds. The Ducks complete the only sweep of Round 1 by making short work of the Jets. Shame for the Jets, they busted their asses off to get into the play offs, then go out in 4. The Flames go from strength to strength, we are 3-1 up on our hated rivals the Canucks. Got game 5 tonight at their place, hopefully we can clinch it now. Not there yet and it could all go tits up, but hopefully we don't throw it away.

It is concerning however the most concerning thing with Malkin at the moment is he's trying to be too cute with the puck, he's given away several sloppy turnovers in the defensive zone that, fortunately for him haven't resulted in any goals conceded.

The injuries don't help but I think fatigue is finally catching up with the defensemen especially, the team you could see were visibly gassed on the Rangers OT winner. There have been plenty of positive signs for the Penguins from this series (Patric Hornqvist, what a guy!) that makes me think next year could see the team challenging near the top of the Eastern Conference. For now however, buy out Rob Scuderi's contract (which I said last year) and use the cap space to get a quick winger in.

 

[thespus]

I actually think Pitt is faring well (just not getting the bounces) for missing half of their defense. Letang, Maata, and Pouliot are arguably their three best defensemen on the puck in transition. Letang and Maata in particular are excellent at stretching the play quick.

Excellent win for the Blues last night. After showing up with their jockstraps around their ankles on Monday, that was needed. Brilliant, suffocating performance. Tarasenko scored another of the "Forsberg goal(s)" and Stastny, Backes, Oshie, Steen, etc. finally got going this postseason. A very important win in what could be the only series that goes 7 games bar Isles - Caps.

 

[Mustard]

I actually think Pitt is faring well (just not getting the bounces) for missing half of their defense. Letang, Maata, and Pouliot are arguably their three best defensemen on the puck in transition. Letang and Maata in particular are excellent at stretching the play quick.

Excellent win for the Blues last night. After showing up with their jockstraps around their ankles on Monday, that was needed. Brilliant, suffocating performance. Tarasenko scored another of the "Forsberg goal(s)" and Stastny, Backes, Oshie, Steen, etc. finally got going this postseason. A very important win in what could be the only series that goes 7 games bar Isles - Caps.

Wild were terrible, very disappointing after being so good in game 3. We've been good on the road though so I reckon there is a good chance this stretches to 7. Both teams seem capable of just not letting the other play their game at all. Will probably stay up for tonight's game seeing as it's a weekend.

Ekblad, Gaudreau and Stone have been voted as the Calder finalists. Amazing that Forsberg missed out after the start he had, but there was always going to be 2-3 good shouts that would miss out, there were more than a few very strong rookie years. I think Ekblad will win it.

 

[thespus]

Tough timing for Forsberg after last night's hattrick!

I'll be watching Game 5 tonight. It's poised to be a good series.

 

[Mustard]

Wild win in 6. Chicago here we come CHOO CHOO.

Blues really haven't got the play-offs figured out yet. Something needs to change.

 

[JJ1532]

Flames beat the Canucks in 6, so sweet to knock them out. Now got the much more formidable Ducks who swept the Jets. Think this might be the end of the road for the team, but we have accomplished so much that nobody expected us to, who knows.

 

[Aberstone]

Looking at my bracket in the Western Conference and the Flames/Wild have already ruined it (go on Calgary!). Called the Preds vs. Hawks and Rangers vs. Penguins series perfectly.

 

[JJ1532]

I nailed the Hawks in 6 and the Rangers in 5 as well. Got the Wild and Ducks to go through right. Vancouver I had pegged, the only series I called wrong so far. Obviously waiting on the Habs v Sens, Isles v Caps and Bolts v Wings to finish yet, had the Isles in 6, Bolts in 5 and Habs in 7. 2 out, 1 could still go the distance.

 

[Aberstone]

Western Conference:

Blues in 6 - Wrong
Hawks in 6 - Perfect
Ducks in 5 - Right team, wrong length
Canucks in 7 - Wrong

Eastern Conference:

Habs in 5 - Should have happened
Red Wings in 7 - Could still happen
Rangers in 5 - Perfect
Islanders in 6 - Could be the right team but wrong length

 

[Aberstone]

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/video/killorn-buries-pretty-slap-pass-030045099.html

Sick goal.

 

[spireite]

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/video/killorn-buries-pretty-slap-pass-030045099.html

Sick goal.

It's always good to see the Rangers get dicked

 

[spireite]

Anyone see the Hawks vs Ducks game 2? Absolutely crazy

http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2014030322&navid=sb:recap&intcmpid=sb-highlights

 

[kieran_vale]

It really does beggar belief the level of gutlessness and incompetence that this Bruins organisation will stoop to at times. On the day the Patriots are having their Super Bowl parade in Boston they go and fire Claude Julien and not only that but decide to schedule the press conference to announce it at the exact time of the parade hoping nobody would notice. It may be argued possibly that Julien had reached the end of his shelf-life in Boston however that man has contributed far more to this organisation than Sweeney for sure who should have been gone a long time ago. He deserved far more respect than that. Some other team are going to get themselves a hell of a coach.

 

[Aberstone]

It really does beggar belief the level of gutlessness and incompetence that this Bruins organisation will stoop to at times. On the day the Patriots are having their Super Bowl parade in Boston they go and fire Claude Julien and not only that but decide to schedule the press conference to announce it at the exact time of the parade hoping nobody would notice. It may be argued possibly that Julien had reached the end of his shelf-life in Boston however that man has contributed far more to this organisation than Sweeney for sure who should have been gone a long time ago. He deserved far more respect than that. Some other team are going to get themselves a hell of a coach.

Had to be the Habs who nabbed him.

 

[Etienne Vermeer]

I'm at Madison Square Garden watching Penguins-Rangers, first Pens game in 17 years. Crosby is outrageously good, banked one in off Lundqvist's shoulder like it was nothing.

 

[Aberstone]

I'm at Madison Square Garden watching Penguins-Rangers, first Pens game in 17 years. Crosby is outrageously good, banked one in off Lundqvist's shoulder like it was nothing.

And then the backhand through the five hole in the shootout, fantastic skill.

 

[spireite]

Great player, but I still don't like the guy.

Thoughts on who will lift the Cup this year?

 

[Aberstone]

Great player, but I still don't like the guy.

Thoughts on who will lift the Cup this year?

Probably the Hawks, but that's an obvious choice. They've got the forward depth and the experience defensively to win it all once more.

Tonight's game against the Blue Jackets essentially determines who'll have home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

 

[kieran_vale]

Bruins now confirmed for the post season after whupping Tampa last night. Very pleasantly surprised and got to give a lot of credit to Bruce Cassidy getting this team going (18-7 record which ain't too bad). I still stand by the fact I think Julien was treated appalingly by the front office but Cassidy has earned the job full time.

Could have done without Marchand being a idiot last night and likely facing a suspension for spearing. He's such a good player it's a shame he has to ruin it by dickhead moves like that all the time.

We won't go deep in the playoffs and have to say the Blackhawks look the obvious winner to me but turned to a good season regardless.

 

[spireite]

Pens chances take a hit with Letang out for 4-6 months

 

[Aberstone]

Pens chances take a hit with Letang out for 4-6 months

Him, Trevor Daley and Olli Maatta have been out for what feels like an eternity so it's not really any different to the current lineup. The problem the Pens have is that they were loaded with defensive prospects down in Wilkes-Barre which has now dried up, not only that but realistically how many hard minutes can Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit put up defensively now they are in their late 30s? Justin Schultz has played like a Norris Trophy winning defender which is daylight robbery considering he was acquired for a 3rd round draft pick from the Oilers last season.

Surely if any year for the Caps, this it it spireite_uk? The Shattenkirk trade was essentially an all in for that elusive cup.

 

[spireite]

Him, Trevor Daley and Olli Maatta have been out for what feels like an eternity so it's not really any different to the current lineup. The problem the Pens have is that they were loaded with defensive prospects down in Wilkes-Barre which has now dried up, not only that but realistically how many hard minutes can Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit put up defensively now they are in their late 30s? Justin Schultz has played like a Norris Trophy winning defender which is daylight robbery considering he was acquired for a 3rd round draft pick from the Oilers last season.

Surely if any year for the Caps, this it it spireite_uk? The Shattenkirk trade was essentially an all in for that elusive cup.

We'll never have a better chance, that's for sure. Blue line is ridic stacked, all 6 of them are top 4 anywhere else and our 7D (Nate Schmidt) is real unlucky because he's absolutely NHL ready, just can't get past those 6. It all hangs on Kuznetsov really. The guy is a difference maker and the X factor, he can make something out of nothing and just provide that moment of sheer brilliance to turn a close game. If he shows up it gives us 3 good scoring lines, and the best 4th line in the league then I can't think of any reason we can't win. If we don't do it this year I can only imagine it's just a mental thing with the team because we'll never get a better chance.