NFT: NHL Playoff Thread and Misc Hockey - All Teams Discussion

4 straight goals for Carolina.

Absolutely crushing

fast, CAR pulled goalie tied it, took the lead, now NYI pull the goalie.

with the ENG, what a meltdown.

.

crazy too.

It was 2-1 when I turned it on. Vegas got a PP goal (weak call) by Hertl in about 5 seconds of PP time then DAL (Robo) answers back.

3-2 Vegas as the 1st winds down.

Dallas?

Every game I've watched has been run and gun, Loyola Marymount style.

In comment 16480800 schabadoo said:

Quote:

Dallas? Every game I've watched has been run and gun, Loyola Marymount style.

WIN led the league (tied) in fewest goals allowed.

LAK were 3rd (they gave up 2 already to EDM and the 1st isn't over)

playoffs are nuts.

As Otter gives up another one. 4-2 Vegas.

DAL gave up the 8th fewest.

6 of the top 10 in fewest goals allowed were West conference teams.

In comment 16480808 pjcas18 said:

Quote:

In comment 16480800 schabadoo said: Quote: Dallas? Every game I've watched has been run and gun, Loyola Marymount style. WIN led the league (tied) in fewest goals allowed. LAK were 3rd (they gave up 2 already to EDM and the 1st isn't over) playoffs are nuts. As Otter gives up another one. 4-2 Vegas. DAL gave up the 8th fewest. 6 of the top 10 in fewest goals allowed were West conference teams.

Thanks for the info.

These scores are amazing.

night for McDavid (3 for Hyman) and EDM rolls LAK.

DAL doesn't have enough to come back vs the 2024 Lightning (or I mean the 2024 playoff Golden Knights, who look very little like the 2023-2024 Golden Knights).

4 more games tonight.

WAS@NYR @7:00 (NYR leads 1-0)
TBL@FLA @7:30 (FLA leads 1-0)
COL@WIN @9:30 (WIN leads 1-0)
NSH@VAN @10:00 (VAN leads 1-0)

1st round of the NHL playoffs is the best.

That building was dead last night. Bunch of spoiled fucks in that town.

Winnipeg and Vancouver were nuts. Rangers had a great crowd when they could get around how boring Washington is and even Florida was a great atmosphere. I didn't watch Carolina, who could lol. I hope Toronto wins 3 more in a row and Boston misses the playoffs for 5 straight years. And fuck Boston fans for making me say that about Toronto.

In comment 16481030 Andy in Halifax said:

Quote:

That building was dead last night. Bunch of spoiled fucks in that town. Winnipeg and Vancouver were nuts. Rangers had a great crowd when they could get around how boring Washington is and even Florida was a great atmosphere. I didn't watch Carolina, who could lol. I hope Toronto wins 3 more in a row and Boston misses the playoffs for 5 straight years. And fuck Boston fans for making me say that about Toronto.

I have never seen anything like Winnipeg. That crowd is insane.

In comment 16480959 pjcas18 said:...

Quote:

DAL doesn't have enough to come back vs the 2024 Lightning (or I mean the 2024 playoff Golden Knights, who look very little like the 2023-2024 Golden Knights).

you slacker, pj, taking 8 hrs 44 minutes off between posts. It's not acceptable.
What are you signifying by the squib I extracted? I had an opposite reaction, seeing Cassidy behind the bench, after almost a year (minus NYR game). He remains such a compelling story, to me.

In comment 16481054 ColHowPepper said:

Quote:

In comment 16480959 pjcas18 said:... Quote: DAL doesn't have enough to come back vs the 2024 Lightning (or I mean the 2024 playoff Golden Knights, who look very little like the 2023-2024 Golden Knights). you slacker, pj, taking 8 hrs 44 minutes off between posts. It's not acceptable. What are you signifying by the squib I extracted? I had an opposite reaction, seeing Cassidy behind the bench, after almost a year (minus NYR game). He remains such a compelling story, to me.

The way Vegas used LTIR, like TBL used LTIR in 2021 (and TOR used LTIR this year) is eventually going to be changed IMO.

Three years in a row, Vegas has put Mark Stone on LTIR and the way LTIR works is you are allowed to exceed the cap by that full contract amount and they already had Lehner and his $5M on LTIR so they added Hertl, Hannifin and Mantha at the deadline and in the playoffs there is no cap so Stone can come back and they can all play - they sneak in as the 8 seed but really would/should have been a 2/3 with that roster.

Kucherov is the only player I know to miss an entire season, return for the playoffs and win a cup (and he led the playoffs in points). It may have happened but I'm not aware if it did. Stone didn't do that, but he missed 30 games this year, 40 last year, and 45 the year before.

They basically spent $92M (or more) on an $84M cap.

Good strategy, and it's legal, but it's not long for the NHL IMO.

In comment 16481030 Andy in Halifax said:

Quote:

That building was dead last night. Bunch of spoiled fucks in that town. Winnipeg and Vancouver were nuts. Rangers had a great crowd when they could get around how boring Washington is and even Florida was a great atmosphere. I didn't watch Carolina, who could lol. I hope Toronto wins 3 more in a row and Boston misses the playoffs for 5 straight years. And fuck Boston fans for making me say that about Toronto.

I could watch Carolina. unbelievable atmosphere.

That Toronto goal was huge to tie it after 14 seconds or whatever it was

In comment 16481098 pjcas18 said:

Quote:

...Good strategy, and it's legal, but it's not long for the NHL IMO.

ah, that's what you were talking about, too eliptical for me at an early hour. I commented last night (earlier than your Stone comment) that he looked as if he hadn't missed a shift! Ha!

Also commented, prolly lost in the shuffle, that still at 3-1, Varlamov looked totally gassed (shot totals by CAR were crazy high); only a matter of time--you said on 1st goal it was a shot he should have gloved). 3rd goal, he turned 180 the wrong way and about a second too late. He was done.

Not that a coach would ever lift a keeper late game in which he had kept you in the game, but if any coach could have seen he was struggling/so fatigued it would have been Roy. Feel bad for both.

In comment 16481362 ColHowPepper said:

Quote:

In comment 16481098 pjcas18 said: Quote: ...Good strategy, and it's legal, but it's not long for the NHL IMO. ah, that's what you were talking about, too eliptical for me at an early hour. I commented last night (earlier than your Stone comment) that he looked as if he hadn't missed a shift! Ha! Also commented, prolly lost in the shuffle, that still at 3-1, Varlamov looked totally gassed (shot totals by CAR were crazy high); only a matter of time--you said on 1st goal it was a shot he should have gloved). 3rd goal, he turned 180 the wrong way and about a second too late. He was done. Not that a coach would ever lift a keeper late game in which he had kept you in the game, but if any coach could have seen he was struggling/so fatigued it would have been Roy. Feel bad for both.

CAR had 39 shots on net. Doesn't seem excessive. It was a regulation game. I can see if this double or triple OT, but I admit this is a blind spot for me.

Why would shot attempts fatigue a goal so much? Does he just go down on every shot attempt? Is that what goalies are supposed to do? or is that just Varlamov's style?

Plus, NYI had like 36 blocked shots.

I was hoping he would stay a little under the radar and MTL could steal him in the draft.

I think top 5 may be a little too early (just based on projections not potential) and wherever WIN pick is will be too late.

Hockey Canada
@HockeyCanada
ROSTER UPDATE | Tij Iginla has been added, completing the 25-man roster for #U18MensWorlds. 🇨🇦

In comment 16481481 pjcas18 said:

Quote:

...CAR had 39 shots on net. Doesn't seem excessive. It was a regulation game. I can see if this double or triple OT, but I admit this is a blind spot for me. Why would shot attempts fatigue a goal so much? Does he just go down on every shot attempt? Is that what goalies are supposed to do? or is that just Varlamov's style? Plus, NYI had like 36 blocked shots.

To my eyes watching keepers, and my humble, diddly experience in net:
I think CAR had 96 shot attempts and that was with ~ 10 minutes left. CAR is heavy on the forecheck and many players with good offensive skills swarming the offensive zone. Each time a player at, irrespective of, slot, point, circle, etc. winds up or cradles for a wrist shot the keeper has to re-position for maximum net coverage vs likely shot angle; duck, wiggle, and crane to find the shooter through traffic, and if his line of sight is poor, he's likely to butterfly to max out pad coverage on low shots and hope he sees it in time with blocker/glove regardless if the shot gets through. It doesn't matter, or even complicates his head, if his defender is going down for a (successful) blocked shot bec. he can't assume the result and the defender going low has to affect his line of sight and max further adjustment, at the very last moment.

You may not buy what I'm saying, that's fine, you're consummately knowledgeable, yet even if you don't: what I saw from Varlamov at time of my post last night, it was 3-1, and he had gone down for a non-save and just squatted/on his knees/pads, resting for moments before struggling to his feet as the play went to neutral zone. This was repeated. As I said this AM, his 'effort' on the 3rd goal was inept, slow, showing mental as well as physical fatigue.

When you do so much dropping to your knees and picking yourself up under the stress of pretty much constant assault from the opposing team, it wears.

As an aside, it still bothers me, the butterfly style, all the more effective with the behemoths in goal. I was laughing Sunday night as they showed Shesterkin from behind--his legs look like toothpicks compared to Bobrovsky, Hellebucyk, Vasilevskiy, et al. I loved your Canadians diminutive Rogie Vachon: he'd maintain a crouch, both pads off ice, until the shot was taken. He was cat quick and so compact. But it's not the way the game is played now.

if you say it. I never played goalie even in street hockey, lol. Goalies are crazy bastards.

it made me think of the Olympics and I realized there aren't many great Canadian goalies right now, especially in the playoffs.

Of the 16 playoff teams (main goalie):

East
1. NYR: Shesterkin (Russia)
2. FLA: Bobrovsky (Russia)
3. BOS: Swayman (USA), Ullmark (Sweden)
4. CAR: Andersen (Denmark)
5. TOR: Samsonov (Russia)
6. NYI: Varlamov (Russia)
7. TBL: Vasilevskiy (Russia)
8. WAS: Lindgren USA)

West:
1. VAN: Demko (USA)
2. DAL: Oettinger (USA)
3. WIN: Hellebuyck (USA)
4. COL: Georgiev (Bulgaria/Russia)
5. EDM: Skinner (Canada)
6. LAK: Talbot (Canada)
7. NSH: Sarros (Finland)
8. LVG: Thompson (Canada)

so of the 16 non-playoff teams you have goalies like Hart (who knows if he's playing again), Jarry who was a disaster, Binnington, Levi, who are all Canadian, Woll, Wolf, Quick, etc. who are American, but no Canadian stars in net right now.

They had Price, Roy, Brodeur, MAF, etc. for so long, I wonder who their goalie will be for the 4 nations and Olympics.

Seems like I'm missing someone.

in FLA. Finally.

2-2.

Tough break for Vancouver

.

was MTL's 4th goalie this year.

Verhage with his 5th career playoff OT game winner.

FLA up 2-0

In comment 16482471 pjcas18 said:

Quote:

was MTL's 4th goalie this year. Verhage with his 5th career playoff OT game winner. FLA up 2-0

Verhaeghe

Fundamentally sounds hockey. Winning puck battles, proper defense, and I think Georgie is fueled by that better effort in front of him. Completely different team tonight

with COL beating WIN and NSH beating VAN. VAN has to hold on and see if Demko can come back next round. If not they're likely done.

MTL tried to give away Casey DeSmith. He was the odd man out from Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau - so not exactly a murderers row of goaltenders, so it's weird to see him starting a playoff game, even with an injury. Another GM kicking himself for ignoring backup goalie.

I would probably roll the dice and start Arturs Silovs. Some of you hockey junkies may recall Silovs from the Latvia World Championship team who beat USA for the bronze last year (USA undefeated in prelim play loses in semis to f-ing Germany and then loses bronze to f-ing Latvia lol- both losses in OT). he was a 6th round pick for VAN. Maybe catch lightning in a bottle. Silovs is bigger too. Like 6' 4" big, DeSmith is under sized for today's goalies.

NYR and FLA "held serve" with FLA providing us the first OT game of the playoffs.

Tonight:
BOS looks to take back home ice @TOR 7:00, series tied at 1
DAL looks to avoid a disastrous 0-2 start at home vs LVG 9:30
EDM looks to hold serve and go up 2-0 vs LAK at home 10:00

Nylander possible to return

overload, but as it happens every year around this time, the U18's starts tomorrow, this is where draft eligibles (this year and future) jockey positioning.

USA won gold last year. And groupings are determined by the prior year's finish. Canada always has a "lesser" team here than they normally would because some of their players are still in juniors post-season.

The Groups
Group A:
USA (2023 1st)
Slovakia (2023 4th)
Finland (2023 5th)
Latvia (2023 7th)
Norway (2023 9th)

Group B:
Sweden (2023 2nd)
Canada (2023 3rd)
Czechia (2023 6th)
Switzerland (2023 8th)
Kazakhstan (won lower bracket, Germany relegated)

SOG last night

Vancouver: 18
Nashville: 16

In comment 16483083 Route 9 said:

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SOG last night Vancouver: 18 Nashville: 16

That was it. VAN had Casey DeSmith in net. Basically did the 300 defense (from the movie 300).

U18 schedule:

THU April 25 07:00AM ET: USA vs Slovakia
SAT April 27 10:30AM ET: USA vs Norway
SUN April 28 11:00AM ET: USA vs Latvia
TUE April 30 11:00AM ET: USA vs Finland

USA should cruise through the prelims and be 1st or 2nd at worst in their group.

Chris Johnston
@reporterchris
Auston Matthews is absent from the #leafs morning skate.
10:28 AM · Apr 24, 2024
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gets the net for NYI in game 3 tomorrow.

could be competitive (without seeing the other teams yet or the rest of the roster). Get over there Jack Hughes.

USA Hockey
@usahockey
Introducing the first fifteen members of the 2024 U.S. Men's National Team! 🇺🇸

#MensWorlds roster details → http://bit.ly/49Q0zDt

no?

San Jose Sharks
@SanJoseSharks
NEWS: The #SJSharks have relieved David Quinn of his head coaching duties.
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In comment 16483533 pjcas18 said:

Quote:

gets the net for NYI in game 3 tomorrow.

that ought to get them more than 12 shots

lol

Pierre LeBrun
@PierreVLeBrun
With the news in San Jose today, that’s now 16 NHL head coaching changes since the end of last season.
3:21 PM · Apr 24, 2024
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is in their twice. lol.

David Amber
@DavidAmber
And 34 NHL head coaching changes since the start of 2020. Remarkable.

back in net for BOS. Scoreless 5 min, TOR on the PP

how someone has not absolutely caved Marchand's head in by now. I know he's slippery, but I mean like McSorley on Brashear or Bertuzzi on Moore style.

both of those incidents were career enders plus, so bad examples. I have an irrational hatred of Marchand. Only players I hated more were Dale Hunter and maybe Claude Lemieux.

and like Hunter, Marchand has skill (more than Hunter) so his style of play is unnecessary. I read that it would drive Claude Julien crazy.

but if there is any NHL player I dislike more than Marchand it's not by a lot and I can't think of who it would be right now.

In comment 16484673 pjcas18 said:

Quote:

and like Hunter, Marchand has skill (more than Hunter) so his style of play is unnecessary. I read that it would drive Claude Julien crazy. but if there is any NHL player I dislike more than Marchand it's not by a lot and I can't think of who it would be right now.

And Lemieux has skill too - but also less than Marchand IMO.

I have no doubt that the Stars will play a good fast offensive game in Vegas end.
They will dominate offensive zone time tonight

got hosed for a 1 seed. They can beat Vegas, and I don't think they played bad in game 1, but it's going to be harder than it should be.

Marner to Knies TOR up 1 on BOS in the 2nd 1-0. Samsonov two breakaway saves.

that's a softie by Samsonov, on the Frederick shot.

tie game 1-1. Marchand got away with a trip to open up the ice for Trent.

Commit fouls so often they'll stop them all.

What's the charitable way to say it? Crafty play by Marchand leading up to that goal.

tie it up at 2 with a little over 8 left with a pinball shot off a couple skates.