I figured since neither are game 7s, pj's old thread wasn't fair to the new series about to start in each conference. Also lets us start fresh and not have to sort through some of the dreck from the other thread.
Let's keep our own teams and offseason thoughts out of this - there's already a NYR thread for that, and I'll refrain from Isles chatter here as well. But the IIHF tourney is also fair game to discuss on this thread since it overlaps with this round.
Preds-Ducks drop the puck tonight at 9pm in Anaheim; Sens-Pens tomorrow at 7pm in Yinzburgh.
Head says ANA-PIT final. Heart wants NSH-OTT final. Who ya got?
The way Pens stifled the Caps in Game 7, gosh, it would be nice to see Ottawa play them tough and redeem, in a very small way, the Rangers' very disappointing effort: who knows how well Crosby can hold up, and Pens down a couple big players on d, and Ottawa youth, it could happen.
Let's go, Preds!
The way Pens stifled the Caps in Game 7, gosh, it would be nice to see Ottawa play them tough and redeem, in a very small way, the Rangers' very disappointing effort: who knows how well Crosby can hold up, and Pens down a couple big players on d, and Ottawa youth, it could happen.
As for the ECF, the OTT story/run has been great. Obviously, there's the Anderson angle (and the MacArthur return as well, not to be underestimated), but this is a balanced team up front. They roll their lines well and have guys willing to do the greasy area work with some snipers to augment their attack. Understatement to say Karlsson is really the key to their success. They'll go as far as he does. PIT always finds a way, and every time we think they're gonna suffer - let's face it, their D doesn't exactly strike fear but they just get the job done. The high end skill up front (87, 71, 81) combined with skilled agitators like Hornqvist make them formidable. Question is, do we get Flower in his current good run of play, or does he regress into the goaltender who couldn't save a beachball as we've seen in playoffs past? I still think the Pens find the way to win this series.
but mostly I'm rooting for good hockey, OT's and game 7's.
my prediction is Pens Ducks but based on my success predicting so far I'd bet on Sens Preds.
Nashville KO'd Anaheim in 7 games last year (and then took San Jose the distance). I actually think I read somewhere Nashville is actually favored in the Series. Maybe they'll get Kerry Underwood to do a national anthem this round.
LOL, PJ's straw man Crosby fight continues...
Either way I just want my team to win.
Either way I just want my team to win.
Sup SteelGiant?
I agree!
Oh I've been in PIT twice the past few months, love going to the strip district on Sunday mornings.
Pitt in 4
Nashville in 6
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I'm rooting for the Pens because so many people hate Crosby.
LOL, PJ's straw man Crosby fight continues...
It's real, I'd say 50% of the hockey fans I know hate Crosby.
Obviously Rangers fan do, but Bruins fans, Capitals fans, it's pretty common.
I want your team to fall into a 10,000 foot crevasse in the Himalayas.
SteelGiant - Not sure I offered congrats to you on beating my Caps, so let me do that now. Good luck in ECF (but I do hope Ottawa wins).
They need to rebuild and get younger. I wish they could trade Ovi and Orpik. I doubt they can trade them but this team will never win with Ovi.
Keep some of the younger nucleus and that's it.
Orpik is your Girardi - had more value before the game became more about speed. Who do you Caps fans think you'll lose in the expansion draft?
What to do with Girardi and Staal?
Perfect thread to discuss these and other pressing Rangers issues.
Eat a dick, pga...
I put close to the context of Bills losing those Superbowls, they were a great team. Or here in Pittsburgh the Steelers have won their recent Superbowls with never playing New England but have lost to New England multiple times in the playoffs. Fans here complain about it all the time.
Being in that situation is a tough pill to swallow with no easy answers.
Yes the Pens have elite talent but so do the Caps. The Pens were playing like garbage until with the same stars before Sullivan was hired. He brought a lot of young players that made a huge difference. They were the ones that brought the hunger to the team. Hershey has been good for a couple years now, personally I would take a page from the Pens. Bring up some young players to replace veteran bottom 6 guys which then let's you reallocate funds to another top 6 or top 4dman. You would be surprised how much legs return to your stars in the process.
Yes the Pens have elite talent but so do the Caps. The Pens were playing like garbage until with the same stars before Sullivan was hired. He brought a lot of young players that made a huge difference. They were the ones that brought the hunger to the team. Hershey has been good for a couple years now, personally I would take a page from the Pens. Bring up some young players to replace veteran bottom 6 guys which then let's you reallocate funds to another top 6 or top 4dman. You would be surprised how much legs return to your stars in the process.
Meh this is a bunch of crap. The Penguins have had two generational talents healthy for the last two playoff runs, and they stole Kessell last year too (I couldn't believe that trade when it happened - hard to believe no one else offered more or at least paid the guys fucking contract). By 'garbage' I guess you mean one sub 100 point season (strike year should be annualized) since 2006 and that was the year the Rangers took them out in 5 when everyone on the team got hurt (and they still took every game to one goal or OT against the presidents trophy champs that year)
They win in the playoffs because of a lot of luck (they've flat out stolen game 4s vs Washington the past two years), great goaltending, the best players in the world playing like it, and because the GM was early to recognize the game shift to speed. But mostly because of Crosby and Malkin and Kessel.
Not because of some youth movement. Crosby playing his career in that dump for half his fair market value has helped too.
Yikes.
This is going to be a great series.
I didn't think I'd be able to watch just yet because I get super bitter when NYR get bounced - but I really am enjoying watching the Preds right now. This is great hockey.
Their blue line is superior to NYR.. but I think the Rangers FWD's are just as good and I'd take Hank over Rinne even though Fekker wouldn't.
They are really just a well-balanced, well-coached team.
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Did Micheletti just call a Preds player Auston Matthews?
Yup, Austin Watson. Slipped up.
Thank you.. I thought I was imagining things. I was like.. well, there's an Austin Watson.. but I could have sworn I heard Auston Matthews.
Keith Jones also referred to a Preds player as Weber during the intermission.
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In comment 13470492 arcarsenal said:
Quote:
Did Micheletti just call a Preds player Auston Matthews?
Yup, Austin Watson. Slipped up.
Thank you.. I thought I was imagining things. I was like.. well, there's an Austin Watson.. but I could have sworn I heard Auston Matthews.
Keith Jones also referred to a Preds player as Weber during the intermission.
They have Yannick Weber on D.
I forgot about him.
Now I'm the idiot.
Fans in CA suck. Part of what bothered me so much about losing to LA in the SCF was all of the fairweather fans who don't really give a shit about hockey unless their team is winning.
Preds in 7
Maybe to don't remember how bad the penguins looked under johnson. Crosby was not scoring and fans talked about trading him just like the talks about ovi. They said he just not same player, in the decline.
What about Chicago where are they? Do they not have elite talent?
I am tired of people thinking you can take great players and put them together and viola you win a cup. That is not how it works. Yes you need elite talent to get close but that does not WIN it for you.
If you want to actually take the time and watch the Penguins without your hate glasses on watch: Guentzel,Sheary,Rust,then tell me that they are not working hard winning races and making a difference.
Wingels and Dzingel replace Stalberg and Neil for #sens in Game 1.
USA has earned 12 of a potential 15 points, the lone blemish is the opening round loss to Germany (the home team for their group). (3 points per regulation win, 2 points per OT/SO win, 1 point for OT/SO loss)
Russia has 14 out of 15 points, their lone "blemish" is an OT (shootout) win over Sweden.
They both have 2 more games. US plays Slovakia tomorrow and finishes up with h2h with Russia on Tuesday.
Gaudreau player of the tourney for US IMO, Panarin best player in the tourney so far.
Should be interesting to see how USA shuffles the lineup with Skjei and (?) others headed to Germany.
And, he was right.
Kinda weird clearly being the better team on the ice.
USA up 5 - 1 on Slovakia early 3rd.
Rangers making their presence felt, Hayes had a sick assist for former linemate Johnny Gaudreau (two actually, one was highlight reel), Skjei had an assist.
Gaudreau solidifies himself up there with the best players in the tournament. Such a smart and skilled player.
That's solid patience.
Link - ( New Window )
The more I watch Anders Lee, that's how I feel like Hayes should play.
Just so hard to move from the front of the net, gets the greasy goals. I like him.
The more I watch Anders Lee, that's how I feel like Hayes should play.
Just so hard to move from the front of the net, gets the greasy goals. I like him.
Lee is easy to like. His effort is always there and likes going into the dirty areas
Canada would be going for a 3-peat if they win this year and they showed the past two teams rosters. This year Canada might still be the favorite, but that roster this year is significantly lesser than the past two.
Crosby, Burns, Ekblad, Hall,Giroux, MaCkinnon,Seguin, Spezza, etc, was on the team two years ago and McDavid, Marchand, Perry, ROR, Scheifele, Dumba last year.
This year still good, but Duchene, Parayko, Giroux, etc, are the stars.
It's really wide open, the top 4 or 5 teams can all win.