Fantasy Hockey - Playoff Race

[Asher]

OMG! TEH WIN IN TEH SH00T0UT!!!

Kipper is back!!

[Asher]

:|

http://ryansmyth.epetitions.net/

http://www.saveryansmyth.com/

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Asher


Do you honestly think Pittsburgh has a better chance this season?

Actually, Interesting question. My first response would be definitely not because Pitts does have the goaltending needed to win. Normally, I'd say the Flames are a more complete team and have the better chance.

But then again, the east is more evenly matched so the Penguins have a better chance at getting through.

And looking at the west, there are far more teams with strong goalies who can steal a series.

If the playoffs started today, the Flames face Detroit and Penguins against the Sens. Those would likely be completely different series, and I'd rather face the Sens then the Wings cause Hasek will be a lot tougher to beat than Emery.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Asher
OMG! TEH WIN IN TEH SH00T0UT!!!

Kipper is back!!

It was actually strange because Kipper looked to have his regular confidence in the shoot-out. I'm betting the coaches had worked with him on the issue since he seemed to be prepared for each of the Minny shooters. It was almost like Kipper knew Boucher would do a spin move before Boucher did.

Oh and Iginla had to be the slowest skating shooter I ever saw in a shootout. But you cannot argue with success

[Flubber]

What I liked about the Flames last night was they actually played good defence. They outplayed Minny throughout the game and had a edge in scoring chances. It was good tight defense and giving up a goal on a 5 on 3 power play is hardly unexpected.

I was a little disappointed with Iginla, Conroy and Huselius whom I felt should genrate more offense but Primeau, Nilson and Yelle were all evry effective and were usually the Flames best forwards. All 6 d-men for Calgary looked good

[Sparrowhawk]

Originally posted by Tingkai
Actually, Interesting question. My first response would be definitely not because Pitts does have the goaltending needed to win.

I am dumbfounded by this. You don't think Fleury is/will be a top NHL Goalie? His stats may not support it, but I would be pleased to build a team for the future around Fleury in net and would have no problems going into the playoffs this year based upon his play so far.

He also wouldn't be the first young goaltender to have a stellar playoff and carry his team a long way in the playoffs. Combining Fleury with the Pittsburgh Offense and I would be surprised to see anyone thinking the Penguins are a easy matchup in the playoffs. Regardless of whether or not they end out with home ice in the first round or not, I will be picking them among the favourites for the East.

/me

[Asher]

Originally posted by Sparrowhawk
I am dumbfounded by this. You don't think Fleury is/will be a top NHL Goalie? His stats may not support it, but I would be pleased to build a team for the future around Fleury in net and would have no problems going into the playoffs this year based upon his play so far.

I have my doubts -- he has been anything but consistent and is showing signs of wear n' tear.

There's actually a good article about this today.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=Aqh14vf3jorGR5za4jfVOr97vLYF?slug=theresahol einpittsburghs&prov=tsn&type=lgns

There's a hole in Pittsburgh's goal
By Kara Yorio - SportingNews

How does a team go on a 16-game point streak and still have people talking about its vulnerabilities? Easy. By giving up four or more goals in seven games of that streak.

From January 13 to February 18, the Penguins went 14-0-2. They were the hottest team in the league and were pressing the Devils for first place in the Atlantic Division. And they were proving a couple of things with their exciting, high-scoring victories, even as goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was struggling a bit.

First, this team is unbelievably talented on offense. If an opponent doesn't have an answer for the top line of Ryan Malone, Sidney Crosby and Mark Recchi and gives these skilled players power-play chances, defeat is all but assured. Second, this young team has matured quickly.

"We would've lost a game like this the first couple of months of the season," Recchi, a 17-year veteran, said after the Penguins held on for a chaotic 5-4 win over the Devils on February 16. "We would have found a way to shoot ourselves in the foot instead of finding a way to win. That just shows maturity on the part of all these young guys -- learning, wanting to get better and wanting to grow as a team."

I admit I wasn't a believer in this team's playoff chances. I was sure the offense would keep them in the mix for the final playoff spot in the East but the weak defense and young goaltender would keep them from getting in this season.

I was wrong: The Penguins will make the playoffs and could end up with home-ice advantage. But I wasn't all that wrong. Once in the playoffs, that offense might not overcome the team's issues in its own zone, chief among them Fleury.

At times, Fleury, 22, has looked like the big-game goaltender playoff teams need. But more recently, he hasn't. The point streak ended with a 6-5 decision against the Islanders in which Fleury looked lost for most of the afternoon. He was benched last week in favor of backup Jocelyn Thibault, but the Penguins aren't going to ride Thibault in the postseason.

Come playoff time, the Penguins are going to face conservative strategies because few teams will be willing to trade chances. Checking lines will try to contain Pittsburgh's top line. Every save will be important -- the big and the routine. That's how teams win in the playoffs.

Pittsburgh will play past the regular season a year earlier than most thought, but its playoff chances may hinge more on Fleury than Crosby -- and right now, that can't be a comforting thought for Penguins fans.

[Asher]

FREE AT LAST!!!!

[Asher]

How Lowe can they Go?

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2007/03/01/3681802.html

Oilers fan complains of ‘Lowe’ tactics
Forced by officials to remove ‘venting’ message from jersey

By AJAY BHARDWAJ, Sun Media



An Oilers fan who protested the Ryan Smyth trade by taping an anti-Kevin Lowe slogan to his team jersey claims he was forced by team officials to remove it.

Robert Vaughan used orange duct tape to spell out “Trade Lowe” on the back of his jersey when he attended the Oilers-Phoenix Coyotes game Tuesday night at Rexall Place.

He says he was stopped and taken to a small room in the bowels of the arena where two men, identifying themselves as representatives of the Oilers, told him the sign was offensive to management. “They want all the fans to be like rabbits and sheep,” said Vaughan, who’s owned season tickets for six years and is considering whether to renew them. “I feel violated.”

Moments after he and his nephew walked into the main concourse, he says he was tapped on the shoulder by two men in suits. They identified themselves as representatives of the Oilers and asked Vaughan and his nephew to accompany them.

Vaughan says they were taken to a room where the men told him to rip off the duct tape. He said he refused and tried walking to the door, when one of the broad-shouldered men blocked it. “He bluntly said I was not going to leave with that written on my back,” said Vaughan. “I said, ‘Are you threatening me?’ ”

The two parties argued for the better part of 25 minutes before Vaughan agreed to rip the lettering off his jersey.

“I’m choked,” Vaughan said. “I’m extremely disappointed and I want a letter of apology from the Oilers. I bleed copper and blue. They took away my freedom of speech.”

While he didn’t disagree with the decision to trade Smyth, Vaughan said he was disappointed with what the team received in return for the heart-and-soul winger. “I was venting,” he said.

The Oilers did not return repeated phone calls yesterday.

[/q]

[Guynemer]

My players keep ending up on the DL...

[Asher]

(You mean IR?)

[Guynemer]

Same thing.

[Asher]

On the down low

[Asher]

Wow.... post-Smyth, 2 shutouts in a row.

Even worse since Minnie got in VERY late last night after a rough game in Calgary + plane troubles...

[notyoueither]

Yep, the Oilers are in a good sulk/suck.