NHL Thread

[Thrice]

Wow that Tampa Game was a bit wild. Stamkos tying it up, then Malone finishing it up for a 3-0 series lead! Its been a very entertaining playoff this year.

[Thom Yorke]

^ I agree, it's been an excellent postseason so far. Very exciting.

Not that I'm looking passed the Flyers (I've learned not to do that), but IF the Bruins advance to the ECF, I can't wait to get at Tampa. The Bruins have absolutely owned them this year and historically. I think it would be a 4 or 5 game series with the Bruins coming out on top.

[Husky McDump]

The NHL playoffs this year have rokd my sox, I'm gonna feel so bad when Ovy loses again. There is a way to come back from a 0-3 start but damn...

we'll see what happens I guess.

[pourmeanother]

Originally Posted by Thom Yorke

^ I agree, it's been an excellent postseason so far. Very exciting.

Not that I'm looking passed the Flyers (I've learned not to do that), but IF the Bruins advance to the ECF, I can't wait to get at Tampa. The Bruins have absolutely owned them this year and historically. I think it would be a 4 or 5 game series with the Bruins coming out on top.

I would also be picking the Bruins in that series, but in 4? I wouldn't take Tampa so lightly. They also got mostly whooped on by the Caps in the season. By the Conference Final I think you mostly throw the past out the window, especially since they are a different team with Roloson playing lights out right now... it wouldn't be the first time he helped carry a team to the finals. Then again, my changed picks this round have been basically spot on wrong- so I guess I'll just say there's tons of hockey left to be played, and anything can happen at this point.

[Laces Out Dan!]

Another crazy tight game in Nashville last night, but we managed to pull it off. We almost outshoot the Preds 2-1 in everygame and Rinne still manages to make it a game. Im also excited to see Detroit and Washington on the verge of defeat.

[Thom Yorke]

I just have little respect for Tampa to be honest. I think they've been very lucky to be in the position that they are. Sure, they deserve some credit, but beating a severely depleted Penguins line-up and relying so heavily on goaltending doesn't bode too well. And probably their greatest strength (their PK) wouldn't even have any effect on the Bruins because the Bruins don't do powerplays anyways.

Almost every year the Conference Finals end up having at least one blowout, and I think the Bruins (or the Flyers, if they come back) will have absolutely no trouble knocking them off.

[pourmeanother]

Originally Posted by Thom Yorke

I just have little respect for Tampa to be honest. I think they've been very lucky to be in the position that they are. Sure, they deserve some credit, but beating a severely depleted Penguins line-up and relying so heavily on goaltending doesn't bode too well. And probably their greatest strength (their PK) wouldn't even have any effect on the Bruins because the Bruins don't do powerplays anyways.

Almost every year the Conference Finals end up having at least one blowout, and I think the Bruins (or the Flyers, if they come back) will have absolutely no trouble knocking them off.

I think they deserve more than a little credit. The Penguins were a tough out even without Crosby and Malkin. Now they are on the verge of sweeping the Caps- one of the best teams in the NHL since making a strategic change to focus on defense.

Roloson has been making the big saves, but they are hardly only relying on their netminder- of the remaining teams in the playoffs they are the second highest scoring behind Detroit this postseason. On top of that they have been the stingiest of any of the 16 participants up to this point.

Write them off, but if Boston goes into the series with the same mentality you have about Tampa the Bruins would get blown out of the water.

[Thom Yorke]

Originally Posted by pourmeanother

I think they deserve more than a little credit. The Penguins were a tough out even without Crosby and Malkin. Now they are on the verge of sweeping the Caps- one of the best teams in the NHL since making a strategic change to focus on defense.

Roloson has been making the big saves, but they are hardly only relying on their netminder- of the remaining teams in the playoffs they are the second highest scoring behind Detroit this postseason. On top of that they have been the stingiest of any of the 16 participants up to this point.

Write them off, but if Boston goes into the series with the same mentality you have about Tampa the Bruins would get blown out of the water.

I'm sure they wouldn't. I don't know how any team would after what happened last year. If they go into the series with that mentality, I would feel very confident in them winning.

With the parity in the league, sure, anything could happen, but when I was looking over all the playoff teams before they started I was thinking there isn't one team that I think the Bruins match up better against than the Lightning. That hasn't changed since the playoffs started.

[Thom Yorke]

Pure domination by the B's today. Great to see. The faceoff stats in particular were ridiculous: Bergeron - 17/19, Campbell - 11/12, Krejci - 8/8, Bruins - 43/55.

[Thom Yorke]

It seems like teams blowing big leads is happening a ton in the new NHL. Depending on what happens in Detroit, it could be 3 game 7's in 2 years after a team was up 3-0. Plenty of blown 3-1 series leads as well.