Welcome to the most exciting event in sports and the hardest trophy to win. The NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. I am sure NYR fans and NYI fans probably have game threads, but this thread for all hockey discussion. Including the playoffs, the U18s, World Championships, awards, predictions and draft lottery. Playoffs start Saturday with all series beginning either Saturday, Sunday or Monday. Most series are every other day with an occasional 2nd day for travel or other reasons. Schedule in link.
The playoff match ups are finally set with LAK win (and LVG loss).
Here they are:
East
NYR* (1M) vs WAS (WC2) (Starts Sunday)
CAR (2M) vs NYI (3M) (Starts Saturday)
FLA (1A) vs TBL (WC1) (Starts Sunday)
BOS (2A) vs TOR (3A) (Starts Saturday)
West
DAL (1C) vs LVG (WC2) (Starts Monday)
WIN (2C) vs COL (3C) (Starts Sunday)
VAN (1P) vs NSH (WC1) (Starts Sunday)
EDM (2P) vs LAK (3P) (Starts Monday)
* President's Trophy Winner
My Predictions:
NYR in 5
CAR in 6
FLA in 6
BOS in 7
DAL in 6
COL in 7
VAN in 5
EDM in 7
What am I rooting for? Game 7's and OT's.
On the other end? The lottery teams will be (order determined at draft lottery which is usually during the playoffs):
32. SJS
31. CHI
30. ANA
29. CBJ
28. MTL
27. ARI/UTA
26. OTT
25. SEA
24. CAL
23. NJD
22. BUF
21. PHI
20. MIN
19. PIT
18. DET
17. STL
Playoff Schedule - (
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In comment 16515148 BNY Giants Club said:
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Had some fantastic saves.
He did, FLA D is so bad. So many odd-man rushes.
Good game to watch.
Seems like the Bruins can't match FLA's speed though. It's like they're always a step behind getting to the puck.
Also what's with all the too many men on the ice penalties? They got their 6th of the post-season tonight.
I just figured it was players playing with people they're not used to. at least tonight.
Just one game tonight, possible handshakes at home - which have not been kind to teams looking to close out series.
DAL vs COL @ 8:00
See if COL can rebound after the devastating news on Nichushkin and maybe get Toews back and make a series out of it.
USA needs to win out and pass Latvia to avoid Canada in the QF's. top 4 in each group make it, right now USA is 4th.
Just one game tonight, possible handshakes at home - which have not been kind to teams looking to close out series.
DAL vs COL @ 8:00
See if COL can rebound after the devastating news on Nichushkin and maybe get Toews back and make a series out of it.
I thought EDM was cooked once VAN tied it up. I wonder what the record of teams tying a game up in the final minute is?
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as EDM evens the series.
Just one game tonight, possible handshakes at home - which have not been kind to teams looking to close out series.
DAL vs COL @ 8:00
See if COL can rebound after the devastating news on Nichushkin and maybe get Toews back and make a series out of it.
I thought EDM was cooked once VAN tied it up. I wonder what the record of teams tying a game up in the final minute is?
I thought they were cooked when they decided on Pickard in net.
Big loss. Evens out Nichushkin IMO.
Robo on the forecheck beats 3 Avs and Pavelski bangs it home.
1-0 Stars.
1-1 after 1
Stars are a balanced team.
I hope this series somehow goes 7. But DAL is definitely the better team and should close it out tonight.
On the heels of their OT loss to Canada.
Austria making some noise.
So huge in the playoffs to get secondary scoring.
Doesn't matter much, who knows with these teams who will show up. I wonder if any of Aho, Teravainen and Kotkaniemi join struggling Finland.
A whole bunch of Americans just became available too.
these coaching hires will be like dominoes mostly retreads changing "jerseys".
these coaching hires will be like dominoes mostly retreads changing "jerseys".
Yeah that's typical for an NHL hiring season but if you're the Devils are you taking a chance on some young coach with no HC experience? I'm not. And the facts are look at the Rangers sure looks like they hired the right re-tread.
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is interviewing in WIN and they don't plan to let him leave (virtually).
these coaching hires will be like dominoes mostly retreads changing "jerseys".
Yeah that's typical for an NHL hiring season but if you're the Devils are you taking a chance on some young coach with no HC experience? I'm not. And the facts are look at the Rangers sure looks like they hired the right re-tread.
It depends on the retread. the fact Lindy Ruff has a job amazes me. the carousel of Claude Julien, Alain Vigneaut and Michel Therrien in MTL and BOS was silly. Gerard Gallant has a pattern of wearing out his welcome, so what's the point?
Lavy is a great coach with a track record of winning at each step (except WAS which wasn't a shock given what he was asked to do).
BOS vs FLA @ 7:00 (FLA leads 3-2)
COL vs DAL @ 10:00 (DAL leads 3-2)
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In comment 16517812 pjcas18 said:
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is interviewing in WIN and they don't plan to let him leave (virtually).
these coaching hires will be like dominoes mostly retreads changing "jerseys".
Yeah that's typical for an NHL hiring season but if you're the Devils are you taking a chance on some young coach with no HC experience? I'm not. And the facts are look at the Rangers sure looks like they hired the right re-tread.
It depends on the retread. the fact Lindy Ruff has a job amazes me. the carousel of Claude Julien, Alain Vigneaut and Michel Therrien in MTL and BOS was silly. Gerard Gallant has a pattern of wearing out his welcome, so what's the point?
Lavy is a great coach with a track record of winning at each step (except WAS which wasn't a shock given what he was asked to do).
Yeah true all retreads are not the same. I do think this group of candidates McLellan, Keefe, and Woodcroft while coming off other jobs are not your typical retreads they are still on the younger/middle age side and haven't bounced around much. I think if the Devils solve the goaltending thing which Is be shocked if they didn't given their assets they are all good fits.
FWIW I love his reaction to the Bennett punch. He is saying all the right things. I'm not sure in his heart he believes them, but he's saying them.
FWIW I love his reaction to the Bennett punch. He is saying all the right things. I'm not sure in his heart he believes them, but he's saying them.
I read that yesterday. I'm a Bruins fan (casual due to family) and he owned up to being on the other side of what Bennett did to him.
Poland goalie playing like Domenik Hasek. USA has 37 shots after 2.
Looked like some guy who retired in 1979
Looked like some guy who retired in 1979
He was in his 30's before he even became a full time starter. Didn't even debut in the NHL until he was 28. First start he was 31 years old.
Did they say the most in playoff history?
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On the Bruins. Shocker.
Did they say the most in playoff history?
I didn't catch that but wouldn't be surprised.
@michaelFhurley
The 2022 Lightning played 23 games. 2015 Lightning played 26 games. 2013 Bruins played 22 games. 2011 Canucks played 25 games. The 1991 Penguins played 24 games.
The 2024 Bruins have not finished their 13th game!!!
@Sportsnet
The Boston Bruins have made #StanleyCup Playoff history tonight. 😅
Forsling. Nice delay by Tkachuk
Forsling. Nice delay by Tkachuk
I am deflated
ECF
other predictions
Rangers fans complain incessantly about Tkachuk call him trash, dirty and a POS
Rangers fans complain incessantly about the refs
Rangers fans complain incessantly about Trouba, lol
Rangers fans complain about Lavy after 1 bad shift or period
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That's really Tim Thomas, lol?
Looked like some guy who retired in 1979
He was in his 30's before he even became a full time starter. Didn't even debut in the NHL until he was 28. First start he was 31 years old.
other predictions
Rangers fans complain incessantly about Tkachuk call him trash, dirty and a POS
Rangers fans complain incessantly about the refs
Rangers fans complain incessantly about Trouba, lol
Rangers fans complain about Lavy after 1 bad shift or period
Panthers in 3. The Rangers are terrible, just ask any of us fans. :)
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In comment 16518510 Route 9 said:
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That's really Tim Thomas, lol?
Looked like some guy who retired in 1979
He was in his 30's before he even became a full time starter. Didn't even debut in the NHL until he was 28. First start he was 31 years old.
it really is so strange and such an anomaly. He's like the rich Gannon of the NHL, except he was a way better goalie than Gannon was QB
I agree. Tim Thomas had a 3-year stretch in net as good as any goalie I have ever seen and he had an all-time great playoff performance in 2011.
but it was meteoric and ended as quickly as it began. Kind of like a Roy Hobbs story.
Making it more remarkable is he suffers from anxiety so bad it is almost debilitating.
He became a recluse for a while post-career.
other predictions
Rangers fans complain incessantly about Tkachuk call him trash, dirty and a POS
Rangers fans complain incessantly about the refs
Rangers fans complain incessantly about Trouba, lol
Rangers fans complain about Lavy after 1 bad shift or period
My prediction: Habs fan trolls Ranger fans who behave pretty similarly to every fan base in every sport around the country.