NHL Playoff Thread-Mania...

[ixnay]

ahahahahahaha

[Imran Siddiqui]

It will be the Wild (6th seed) hosting the Ducks (7th seed) in the Western Conference finals - who would've guessed it?

Absolutely NO ONE! Wow.... now, who wins?

A part of me wants to see NJ v. Minnesota. Lemaire vs. his old team .

[Hot Mustard]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
A part of me wants to see NJ v. Minnesota. Lemaire vs. his old team .

Oh lord no! That would be the ultimate .

[Agathon]

Originally posted by ixnay
ahahahahahaha

That's how I feel.

[Ben Kenobi]

I just knew the wheels would come off as soon as Minnesota scored their first goal.

Such a freak goal.

Everyone's calling for the head of Cloutier, so we will see what happens next.

They could have gone to the finals again this year, but no dice.

What about the refs call against Bertuzzi in the third, and the penalty in the second period IMMEDIATELY after the Canucks go up 2-0? Both seemed pretty bogus, compared to 0 calls against the Wild.

Bettman doesn't want to see two Canadian teams in the finals, but the bottom line is that they did not get the job done in the 5th and 6th game.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The call against Bertuzzi was TOTALLY valid. You do not cross-check a defenseman into his own goalie! That's just asking for a penalty.

[Ben Kenobi]

Right.

I'm sure they would call a penalty against the Leafs, when down by a goal in game seven.

Where's the crosscheck?

[Agathon]

Originally posted by obiwan18

Bettman doesn't want to see two Canadian teams in the finals, but the bottom line is that they did not get the job done in the 5th and 6th game.

Come on Obiwan, you know that the truth is simply that Minnesota were the better team. Vancouver has the better players but Minny were by far the better team. The Canucks were only ahead on the scoresheet for less than an hour in the whole series. They just didn't have what it took. Never mind, there is always next year.

And as for Anaheim and Minnesota: Anaheim has dispatched the two best teams in the NHL with comparative ease. Minnesota has beaten the next best two. These are good teams - so what if they have funny names?

I'll be happy for Imran if the Devils win, but I'd really like to see Anaheim or Minnesota win it, as I love to cheer for the downtrodden.

[Ben Kenobi]

but the bottom line is that they did not get the job done in the 5th and 6th game.

Well, I did qualify my statement. No way it should have come down to a game seven, if the Canucks came to play for games five and six.

Anyways, kudos to Lemaire, and all those old Montreal Canadiens on the bench.

[Guynemer]

Gary Bettman is crying in his beer today.

Okay. Since I have completely underestimated both Minnesota and Anaheim, I have no idea who to pick in the Western Finals. We'll let the magic of Mr. Coin decide....

ANAHEIM IN... 7.

As for the East, much easier. Ottawa is a fantastic team, easily the most talented team remaining, plus they have some huge plusses as for as rooting for them go--a Canadian team, and one of the teams that are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Only a complete jackass (or lifelong Devils fan, same thing) would root against the Sens. Which, of course, means

DEVILS IN 5.

[Hot Mustard]

Originally posted by Guynemer
Only a complete jackass (or lifelong Devils fan, same thing) would root against the Sens. Which, of course, means

DEVILS IN 5.

The two penalty calls against the Canucks were not bad calls in and of themselves, but in a game with no other calls, they make the refs look very bad. You can't swallow your whistle for almost the whole game, and then give powerplays to the team that is average 35%+ with the advantage. That is just poor officiating.

Not that I'm bitter though. As Obiwan said, the Canucks took themselves out of the series much earlier. They still suffer from inexperience, letting things get to them and sulking, or playing with too much emotion, recklessly.

I predict Ottawa vs. Anaheim, with the Senators winning.

[Kontiki]

Originally posted by obiwan18


Such a freak goal.

Everyone's calling for the head of Cloutier, so we will see what happens next.

Yeah, that was one of the flukiest goals your going to see, but it was like getting punched in the stomach for the Canucks. If they just could have gotten out of the second period with the 2-0 lead, they may have actually won.

Still, I agree with everyone else - Vancouver did not deserve to win that series. Their biggest problem is that they couldn't seem to learn from either their successes or their mistakes. Dumping the puck in behind the defense and flying in after it's working? Well, then let's try to make fancy plays through the middle against the penultimate trapping team. Keeping two players in front of the net is paying some dividends? Let's be sure to do that as infrequently as possible. Their forwards are coming back to play defense? We sure don't want to do that. Getting burned every time we leave a Wild player wide open in our own zone? Oh no, we wouldn't want to make extra sure we're covering our men.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Ah, next round predictions .

I'm saying Anaheim in 7 (Minnesota will FINALLY get too tired to play) and New Jersey in 6 (because I can ).

[cinch]

Anaheim in 6, Ottawa in 7.

Why? I have no idea. My predictions have mostly been wrong before, anyway...

I think Anaheim can keep it going, though... Maybe. Who knows?

[Sava]

If you can't see or appreciate the talent of players like Hossa, Gaborik, or Naslund - the NHL is simply not your game.

I'd have greater appreciation if they could score 50 goals and over 100 pts on a consistent basis.

Here's what the NHL needs to do:
1. Get rid of the two-line pass
2. Restrict goalie pad sizes
3. Get rid of the instigator penalty
4. Stop calling goaltender interference outside of the crease (if he goes out IMO, he's fair game)
5. Contract the league to 24 or 28 teams
6. Remove the restrictions on stick curves
7. More divisional games

If Minnesota or Anaheim win the Cup, I'm not watching Playoffs any more.