Rangers looking to better their result from last year. Isles back in the playoff. Devils at home this time (and sadly, Ryanne Clowe may never suit up again according to reports). Around the league, Kane is back, and the Bruins GM is not.
Should be a great playoffs.
Metro and Central matchups look particularly awesome this year.
Puck possession. We're not a great puck possession team, but because we excel in so many other phases, we can easily overcome being out-possessed against most teams. However, when the other team is REALLY good at puck possession, things get hairier.
Isles and Lightening were #1 and #3 in the East in CF%, and the #2 team Pittburgh had a very uneven season.
Isles in 7 (Isles are better 5 on 5 team)
Rangers in 7 (Rangers advance but Crosby/Malkin make them sweat)
Bolts in 5 (most talented team in nhl)
Senators in 6 (upset special #1)
Blackhawks in 7 (Toews back helps CHI, this will be a great series)
Canucks in 4 (how did Calgary make the playoffs?)
Blues in 7 (pure tossup series)
Jets in 6 (upset special #2, records aside, Jets have played better hockey for a while, Ducks' one goal magic ends)
and as others have said, if you can hold Ovi and Backstrom in check... you should be OK.
But I've learned there really isnt any easy playoff series out there, especially this year. The '94 Islanders arent walking through that door, unfortunately.
Blackhawks in 7 (Toews back helps CHI, this will be a great series)
Canucks in 4 (how did Calgary make the playoffs?)
Blues in 7 (pure tossup series)
Jets in 6 (upset special #2, records aside, Jets have played better hockey for a while, Ducks' one goal magic ends)
It's really, really tough to sweep a playoff series, even if Calgary does supposedly suck. Throw in some goaltending issues in Vancouver - they might win in 5, but dont count Calgary completely out.
I do think people underrate Anaheim a bit. Dont get me wrong - they would not survive the Metro, certainly not the Central, and would lose in the 2nd round to Tampa... but if they can't get to the WCF this year with that bracket, with LA sitting at home... they should blow it all up and start over.
This is the Ducks best chance in a while with LAK out. I think the Jets home ice is going to be crazy and they've really played good hockey for a while. I see the series as close to a tossup and think the Jets can do it.
Iraq v Iran.
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rooting for the Caps-Stix series?
Iraq v Iran.
How about Pens-Rangers?
Major penalty + injury = automatic ejection.
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should have gotten a penalty, no doubt about it, I could even see a major, but ejected from the game was absolutely ridiculous.
Major penalty + injury = automatic ejection.
Stone returned to the ice immediately after leaving it.
What's the penalty for embellishment?
The referee isn't a doctor, he has to determine right on the spot if a guy is injured, and how was he supposed to know immediately that the guy would come back in a few minutes later?
If any type of injury occurs on a slash, it's an automatic major and ejection. The ref had no choice.
He embellished it but that was a vicious slash at the same time. You do that and you better be ready to hit the showers.
He clearly had some type of injury from that slash. It doesn't have to be an immediate game ending injury.
The way the rule is written the officials had no choice, they aren't doctors who can say for 100% certain a guy isnt injured.
It's a judgment call to be a major penalty in the first place. I've seen two-handers like that go for minors.
It's a judgment call to be a major penalty in the first place. I've seen two-handers like that go for minors.
Not a judgement call if the ref determines the player is hurt. It's automatic.
So you see, it's a judgment call.
Graves slashes Lemieux - ( New Window )
So you see, it's a judgment call. Graves slashes Lemieux - ( New Window )
They blew that call, clearly. Although I do not know how the rule was then.
But the rule as it is right now, if the player is injured, it's automatic.
They are capable of blowing calls and screwing up the rules, and they may have in that instance, but tonight they did not.
Wasn't Graves suspended for 4 games after that one, too? Which would signal that they blew the call on the ice.
Here is the rule.
61.3 Major Penalty - A major penalty, at the discretion of the Referee based on the severity of the contact, shall be imposed on a player who slashes an opponent. When injury occurs, a major penalty must be assessed under this rule
They obviously felt there was an injury. Once they make that call, there is nothing else to consider.
It was a stupid play bu Subban, no excuses, I think the right call was a 2 min minor for slashing, and let the league review and decide on a suspension.
I could live with a 5 min major if they have a way to do that without the misconduct.
giving someone the gate because you think a player was injured is too hard to judge real time.
If you listen to the video in the link the announcers said the Pens coach was pissed because it wasn't a 5 min major and a game misconduct.
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have no idea how you know that the rule is exactly as it was 23 years ago. Do you have a copy of the rule book from 1992?
If you listen to the video in the link the announcers said the Pens coach was pissed because it wasn't a 5 min major and a game misconduct.
That doesn't mean that it had to be automatic like it is today. I honestly have no idea what the rule exactly stated then, that video doesn't make it clear either. Obviously it should have been more than a 2 minute minor.
If the rule in 1992 read like it does now, then the referee in 1992 simply had no idea what the rule was, because it was clear that Lemieux was injured.
That leads me to believe the rule wasn't what it is now. I guess it's possible the referee just had no idea what the rule book said, but I think that's very unlikely. And nothing in the 3 articles ive found so far have mentioned it.
it's awesome, love playoff hockey.
Brutal. Great game to watch though. Keith ends it.