NHL Playoffs thread

[regexcellent]

Senators had better beat the Rangers tomorrow. I'm happy if New York City doesn't advance.

[-Jrabbit]

Watching the Hawks has been mostly depressing (esp. the PP), but at least they've gotten it back home for G6, outlasting Vancouver and Detroit. Pyrrhic victory, most likely.

I was checking to see if there was rioting in Vancouver, but apparently the populace is so demoralized that they can't be bothered. But what did turn up was this interesting article...

Police make new arrest in Stanley Cup riots

KATE HAMMER
Globe and Mail Update
Published Sunday, Apr. 22, 2012 2:58PM EDT
Last updated Monday, Apr. 23, 2012 12:16AM EDT

Police have arrested a man with an alleged history of post-hockey-game rioting in Alberta on new charges relating to Vancouver's Stanley Cup riots.

Andrew Comber, 38, is alleged to have dressed in green, tossed a flaming stuffed bear onto an overturned truck on West Georgia Street, and repeatedly taunted police following the Canucks' Game 7 loss in the Stanley Cup final.

He was arrested at his home Saturday by RCMP officers based in Salmon Arm, 100 km east of Kamloops, according to Vancouver police. The new charges against him include participating in a riot, mischief and arson.

Mr. Comber is also wanted in Alberta for numerous charges stemming from a 2004 incident following a Calgary Flames hockey game. Those charges include assaulting a peace officer, mischief and theft under $5,000, according to police.

[Asher]

BC Residents are scum.

Speaking of, where did Ben go?

[Garth Vader]

Damn. There goes my finals prediction.

Ditto

[Ben Kenobi]

Oh, Ben. God must hate you to give you a team with no killer instinct or heart.

Actually, up until the last few years, the Canucks always outperformed their seed.

That chokejob was unbelievable. I can't believe they did the same thing the Sharks did, go into the third period with a lead and then choke it away in the last 5 minutes.

Can't say Schnieder brought anything to the team that Luongo didn't. Team needs an overhaul of their forwards. Everyone of their forwards is going to be on the chopping block including the Sedins. The problem isn't defense, or goaltending, the problem is the forward corps.

[Ben Kenobi]

Watching the Hawks has been mostly depressing (esp. the PP), but at least they've gotten it back home for G6, outlasting Vancouver and Detroit. Pyrrhic victory, most likely.

You're also playing Phoenix of all teams. Hawks/Caps are the last teams that actually play offense that are alive.

If the Caps lose and the Hawks lose, that means that the last 8 will have exactly one team that can score, Philly, and 7 teams that all play the trap.

[Ben Kenobi]

The Canucks have only 1 player in the top 90 for playoff scoring?

Only player who's ever been worth a damn in the playoffs. Linden. Iginla, playoff God has 49 playoff points, and would be ranked 7th if he were a Canuck, behind Cliff Ronning.

The amazing thing for me is that Henrik Sedin has 71 points with a -15. That's Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau levels of terribleness in the playoffs.

[Asher]

Choke.

[Demonbinder]

What are the odds on the Phoenix-Chicago game going to OT again?

[Ming]

So far... five games in a row... hasn't happened since 1951... I wonder if 6 would be a record?

[Guynemer]

Just a few quick facts about our pool as the first round winds down...

Of 13 players...

only 2 picked the Senators over the Rangers
exactly zero picked the Capitals over the Bruins
only 1 picked the Panthers over the Devils
only 1 picked the Flyers over the Penguins
No one backed the Coyotes over the Blackhawks
4 picked the Sharks over the Blues
The remaining West series split 7-6 in favor of the Canucks over the Kings and the Red Wings over the Predators

Already, five players have lost both of their conference champion picks (as well as their Stanley Cup pick, obviously), while three more players have lost their Cup champs but still have one conference champ alive (though two are clinging to life in the first round still); these numbers are subject to revision as four series are still in action, and only FLA-NJD is inconsequential to our championship picks.

Of the four series complete so far, only Ming (Flyers in 6), Kontiki and demonbinder (Blues in 5) have managed to get even one series exactly right.

Garth Vader is the only player to have three of the completed series right so far (missing only on the b-a-n-a-n-a-s bananas PIT-PHI series), while only one player (Ben Kenobi) is 0 for 4 thus far.



The Penguins were the most popular East pick (7; NYR and BOS 3 a piece) and tied at 3 with Vancouver for most popular Stanley Cup pick; the Canucks, Blues, and Blackhawks were each picked 3 times to come out of the West (with the Sharks twice, and Kings and Red Wings once each). Other Cup picks include CHI 2, DET 1, SJ 1, LA 1, NYR 1, STL 1.

[Demonbinder]

So far... five games in a row... hasn't happened since 1951... I wonder if 6 would be a record?

Yes, it would be:

MOST OVERTIME GAMES, ONE SERIES
5 -- Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens in 1951. Toronto won F 4-1.
4 -- Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins in 1933. Toronto won SF 3-2.
-- Boston Bruins, New York Rangers in 1939. Boston won SF 4-3.
-- St. Louis Blues, Minnesota North Stars in 1968. St. Louis won SF 4-3.
-- Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues in 1999. Dallas won CSF 4-2.
-- Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers in 2001. Dallas won CQF 4-2.
-- Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks in 2008. Dallas won CSF 4-2.

From NHL.com

[Demonbinder]

It's like some of the other games. Hawks outplaying them but can't get anything past Smith, at least early. Backs against the wall now.

So that's it. Mike Smith just played great and was the difference in the games, esp. after the Hawks lost Hossa. Quite a year. Hope they make the moves they need to do better next year.

[-Jrabbit]

Mike Smith throwing a shutout. Fitting.

Tee times for the Hawks.

[Flubber]

Just a few quick facts about our pool as the first round winds down...

.

It appears random selections would have done as well as most of us- I think I am 2 for 4 in the West and 0 for 2 in the East with hope to get to .500 pinned on BOs and Ott