NHL 2011 PLAYOFFS

lukin2006

jackrabbit slim wrote:

hawks got heart. No doubt. Man if the Canucks blows this...

Yes they do...but they are not afraid to get dirty and go to the net.

If the Hawks win this series I can see them going a long ways.

polaris_x

lukin2006 wrote:

I get why people on jumping on Luongo but what about the twins...how many times in that overtime did they come into the Chicago zone trying to make all the moves and the perfect pass...look at Chicago, they were just putting the puck to the net and going in after it. Chicago is playing playoff hockey...Vancouver is not.

Who else were we to use in goal in the Olympics? At 1 time goaltending was a strong point for Canada, not so much anymore...but I do see that starting to emerge again with Price and Fleury but they are no where near as good as Roy and Brodeur.

vancouver totally outplayed chicago ... the twins were pretty good - you have to make those plays ... chicago blocked like 30 shots yesterday ... not one could get the puck to the net ... the twins created scoring chances ...

the reality is they need to not let in bad goals ... all 4 yesterday were bad goals ... luongo is just not a big game goalie ...

fife

lukin2006 wrote:

I get why people on jumping on Luongo but what about the twins...how many times in that overtime did they come into the Chicago zone trying to make all the moves and the perfect pass...look at Chicago, they were just putting the puck to the net and going in after it. Chicago is playing playoff hockey...Vancouver is not.

Who else were we to use in goal in the Olympics? At 1 time goaltending was a strong point for Canada, not so much anymore...but I do see that starting to emerge again with Price and Fleury but they are no where near as good as Roy and Brodeur.

I agree that the twins are not playing well either but i don't think you can say that they are the reason that Vancouver is losing. the twins have always played that way. the reason the black hawks are throwing every thing at the net is because Lou is not playing well. he is being outplayed by Crawford who is a rookie.

as for the goalie situation in Canada, i actually think that we are getting better. I really like cam Ward, i really like price and also Fleury but your right they are not a Roy or Brodeur but they are 2 of the best goalies of all time and not easily replaced.

lukin2006

polaris_x wrote:

lukin2006 wrote:

I get why people on jumping on Luongo but what about the twins...how many times in that overtime did they come into the Chicago zone trying to make all the moves and the perfect pass...look at Chicago, they were just putting the puck to the net and going in after it. Chicago is playing playoff hockey...Vancouver is not.

Who else were we to use in goal in the Olympics? At 1 time goaltending was a strong point for Canada, not so much anymore...but I do see that starting to emerge again with Price and Fleury but they are no where near as good as Roy and Brodeur.

vancouver totally outplayed chicago ... the twins were pretty good - you have to make those plays ... chicago blocked like 30 shots yesterday ... not one could get the puck to the net ... the twins created scoring chances ...

the reality is they need to not let in bad goals ... all 4 yesterday were bad goals ... luongo is just not a big game goalie ...

The twins are pretty good from 10-15 feet away from the net, Toews, Kane, Sharp, Bowland are excellent right in front of the net...in close games, playoff hockey, grittier teams are often more successful...imo.

I thought the Canucks were good enough to win the cup...still think they are...but I think they have to get to the net, they are not getting nearly enough traffic in front of Chicago's net

Nothing they can do about the goaltending situation now. It was a bold move by their coach not to go with Luongo yesterday...but you are paying the guy over 5 million a year to come up big in games like that, he's been in tough games before. Vancouver better learn to live with LU because he's signed for a loooooong time.

fife

polaris_x wrote:

luongo is definitely not that great a goaltender ... honestly, i think canada would have steamrolled in the olympics if not for him ...

some great hockey yesterday ... flyers vs. sabres ... i mean - wow ... that was some killer hockey ... flyers definitely have the offensive guns and just need someone who can stop a puck every now and then ...

canucks completely outplayed the hawks ... but 4 bad goals and you are facing all those demons ...

I thought the Flyers game was really good and entertaining but i was upset about the refs in that game. I think they called some bullshit calls and missed some easy calls. I believe that Richards hit was really bad and he deserve to be kicked out of the game (which is hard for me to say since i am a Flyers fan) also, i believe that Myers should have gotten a penalty for punching Pronger. I sometimes wish that the refs would make up their mind. if your going to be strict than be strict but don't pick which calls to make. the Flyers are still my pick to come out of the East but they need to play better and can't always go down early in the games.

polaris_x

fife wrote:

I thought the Flyers game was really good and entertaining but i was upset about the refs in that game. I think they called some bullshit calls and missed some easy calls. I believe that Richards hit was really bad and he deserve to be kicked out of the game (which is hard for me to say since i am a Flyers fan) also, i believe that Myers should have gotten a penalty for punching Pronger. I sometimes wish that the refs would make up their mind. if your going to be strict than be strict but don't pick which calls to make. the Flyers are still my pick to come out of the East but they need to play better and can't always go down early in the games.

hockey is the toughest game to ref .. game moves so fast and everyone is trying to get every advantage possible ... i mean, they basically allow cross-checking if you stand in front of the net ... personally, i thought the richards hit was borderline ... and based on the rules, it was not a major penalty ... you gotta remember players will exaggerate this stuff to get the calls ... thing is if they called every little thing - it would be disastrous ... it's a tough job ...

i just think the refs don't want to decide the games ... and in the games i watched, there have been some bad calls for sure but they aren't one-sided ...

Johnny Abruzzo

Big Drop wrote:

4 games to win. I don't even think about celebrating until 5 minutes after the 4th win. I've seen too much happen in my life. After all, I've seen Philly beat us in a series because a goal that went through the side of the net counted.

I'm really curious what you're talking about. I'm pretty sure the last 3 times the Flyers beat the Sabres (1995, 1997, 2000) were in 5 convincing games. So it would be hard to blame a whole series on one goal when your team only won 1 game anyway. :?

restlesssoul

From Schneider: "Just cramped up real bad. I could feel it coming after the second...It was real frustrating...Its something that used to happen to me in the AHL. A lot of nervous energy, probably sweating a little more than normal, got a little dehydrated."

It was an amazing game, great storylines. We should have won that thing in regulation, I don't see how you can look at the decision to play Shneider as anything but a mistake. Those two goals were atrocious. Bush League play that doesnt belong in the playoffs. Lou would not have handled the puck like that and would have saved all else. Can't believe this thing is going to game 7. My fandom has never been tested so much.

We are blowing a 3-0 lead to a the team that has kicked us out the past two years, we win the presidents trophy this year, they don't even EARN getting in the playoffs, its just unthinkable if we make it three years in a row, combined with another Presidents Trophy winner that doesnt get out of the first round. The city will never live this one down. Unfortunately, Coach V will be let go too. He doesnt deserve that.

Go Canucks Go?

Johnny Abruzzo

restlesssoul wrote:

From Schneider: "Just cramped up real bad. I could feel it coming after the second...It was real frustrating...Its something that used to happen to me in the AHL. A lot of nervous energy, probably sweating a little more than normal, got a little dehydrated."

It was an amazing game, great storylines. We should have won that thing in regulation, I don't see how you can look at the decision to play Shneider as anything but a mistake. Those two goals were atrocious. Bush League play that doesnt belong in the playoffs. Lou would not have handled the puck like that and would have saved all else. Can't believe this thing is going to game 7. My fandom has never been tested so much.

We are blowing a 3-0 lead to a the team that has kicked us out the past two years, we win the presidents trophy this year, they don't even EARN getting in the playoffs, its just unthinkable if we make it three years in a row, combined with another Presidents Trophy winner that doesnt get out of the first round. The city will never live this one down. Unfortunately, Coach V will be let go too. He doesnt deserve that.

Go Canucks Go?

Yes, GO CANUCKS GO! Nobody else comes back from 3-0 in this league!

pjfan021

restlesssoul wrote:

From Schneider: "Just cramped up real bad. I could feel it coming after the second...It was real frustrating...Its something that used to happen to me in the AHL. A lot of nervous energy, probably sweating a little more than normal, got a little dehydrated."

It was an amazing game, great storylines. We should have won that thing in regulation, I don't see how you can look at the decision to play Shneider as anything but a mistake. Those two goals were atrocious. Bush League play that doesnt belong in the playoffs. Lou would not have handled the puck like that and would have saved all else. Can't believe this thing is going to game 7. My fandom has never been tested so much.

We are blowing a 3-0 lead to a the team that has kicked us out the past two years, we win the presidents trophy this year, they don't even EARN getting in the playoffs, its just unthinkable if we make it three years in a row, combined with another Presidents Trophy winner that doesnt get out of the first round. The city will never live this one down. Unfortunately, Coach V will be let go too. He doesnt deserve that.

Go Canucks Go?

Since when did the blackhawks not earn their playoff spot? I believed we played 82 games like everyone else and had the points to qualify...just cause dallas blew their chance doesn't mean the hawks don't deserve to be there. I think this series proves that we deserve to be there; we didn't dominate like last year but we sure as shit have showed how tough of a team we are. If we win game 7, we're taking this far.

fife

polaris_x wrote:

fife wrote:

I thought the Flyers game was really good and entertaining but i was upset about the refs in that game. I think they called some bullshit calls and missed some easy calls. I believe that Richards hit was really bad and he deserve to be kicked out of the game (which is hard for me to say since i am a Flyers fan) also, i believe that Myers should have gotten a penalty for punching Pronger. I sometimes wish that the refs would make up their mind. if your going to be strict than be strict but don't pick which calls to make. the Flyers are still my pick to come out of the East but they need to play better and can't always go down early in the games.

hockey is the toughest game to ref .. game moves so fast and everyone is trying to get every advantage possible ... i mean, they basically allow cross-checking if you stand in front of the net ... personally, i thought the richards hit was borderline ... and based on the rules, it was not a major penalty ... you gotta remember players will exaggerate this stuff to get the calls ... thing is if they called every little thing - it would be disastrous ... it's a tough job ...

i just think the refs don't want to decide the games ... and in the games i watched, there have been some bad calls for sure but they aren't one-sided ...

I agree that it is a hard job but completely missing calls when you have 2 refs on the ice is not good. just yesterday when philly had the 5-3 in the second and all of a sudden its a 5-3 for the sabres on very questionable calls is wrong and could have ended the game. when i first saw the hit by Richards i didn;t think it was that bad but when i saw the review it was really bad as he direct the player to the board. yes i will admit that i have the advantage on a review that the refs don't get. I won't say they have been one-sided but bad calls on both sides of the ice.

MayDay10

That Richards hit was garbage and it is exactly what the league wants/needs to eliminate. No excuse for that. He decked him from behind, face first into the boards... and it wasnt one of those plays where the guy turns toward the boards at the last second.

But I do understand you nearly have to commit murder to get suspended for a Game 7 in the playoffs.

fife

MayDay10 wrote:

That Richards hit was garbage and it is exactly what the league wants/needs to eliminate. No excuse for that. He decked him from behind, face first into the boards... and it wasnt one of those plays where the guy turns toward the boards at the last second.

But I do understand you nearly have to commit murder to get suspended for a Game 7 in the playoffs.

it really was from behind but i agree with what you have said. I still believe that Richarsd believed that the player was going to go up the ice and if he did the hit would have been clean. Richards has to take the blame. I also believed that the elbow from Myers was also a bad hit and should have been a penalty along with Myers punching Pronger.

Break The Sky

MayDay10 wrote:

That Richards hit was garbage and it is exactly what the league wants/needs to eliminate. No excuse for that. He decked him from behind, face first into the boards... and it wasnt one of those plays where the guy turns toward the boards at the last second.

But I do understand you nearly have to commit murder to get suspended for a Game 7 in the playoffs.

Any update on Connolly? For all Lindy lets us know Richards did almost commit murder.

MayDay10

Big Drop wrote:

MayDay10 wrote:

That Richards hit was garbage and it is exactly what the league wants/needs to eliminate. No excuse for that. He decked him from behind, face first into the boards... and it wasnt one of those plays where the guy turns toward the boards at the last second.

But I do understand you nearly have to commit murder to get suspended for a Game 7 in the playoffs.

Any update on Connolly? For all Lindy lets us know Richards did almost commit murder.

Ruff said he is out and isnt doing good. There is speculation it is a shoulder injury but who knows.

Derek Roy is coming back though which is very interesting.

Hecht and Sekera also practiced today.

Break The Sky

MayDay10 wrote:

Big Drop wrote:

MayDay10 wrote:

That Richards hit was garbage and it is exactly what the league wants/needs to eliminate. No excuse for that. He decked him from behind, face first into the boards... and it wasnt one of those plays where the guy turns toward the boards at the last second.

But I do understand you nearly have to commit murder to get suspended for a Game 7 in the playoffs.

Any update on Connolly? For all Lindy lets us know Richards did almost commit murder.

Ruff said he is out and isnt doing good. There is speculation it is a shoulder injury but who knows.

Derek Roy is coming back though which is very interesting.

Hecht and Sekera also practiced today.

The NHL is so full of hot air it's no wonder that no one wants to watch it. I just read that Richards won't even have a hearing for disciplinary action. I think it's real interesting that Ed Snider, chairman for the Flyers, is a member of the NHL competition committee and that he himself implied that he might have some sway over whether Richards will receive further disciplinary action for his hit on Connolly.

The whole situation makes me sick to my stomach, in a very literal sense.

MayDay10

dont forget that Snider/Comcast just forked over Billions of dollars for the TV rights too.

fife

The NHL is so full of hot air it's no wonder that no one wants to watch it. I just read that Richards won't even have a hearing for disciplinary action. I think it's real interesting that Ed Snider, chairman for the Flyers, is a member of the NHL competition committee and that he himself implied that he might have some sway over whether Richards will receive further disciplinary action for his hit on Connolly.

The whole situation makes me sick to my stomach, in a very literal sense.[/quote]

Lets be fair, philly does get alot of suspension so i would not put too much stock on Snider being on the committee.

Break The Sky

The smut that gets published along side of something like this almost makes me more sick than the actual hit. I absolutely love the Puck Daddy article here about the hit.Wyshynski says in the article that he thinks the hit is clean and so does some blogger from Buffalo I've never heard of. Apparently in his eyes that's all that's needed to justify Richard's hit. I think it's awful funny coming from a blog where the only posts worth any salt whatsoever are the ones about jersey fouls because the author can be completely devoid of any hockey knowledge and the article can still be funny.

Unlike Puck Daddy, I know the rules for hockey, because I love hockey. If you say Boarding, I'll tell you rule #41. If you say Faceoff infraction, I'll say rule ##76. If you say illegal equipment, I'll say rule #12.

As mad as I am about the Richards hit, I was over it about as soon as it happened, because I forced myself to come to terms with the fact that there would be no repercussions for it. Phantom Pain has already listened to me bitch about it and I don't want to bitch about it in front of any more Flyers fans because they're not the ones who did it and I don't have a problem with any of them.

What angers me is how rule #41 is written to be intentionally ambiguous and how the referees and the rest of the league are too gutless to climb out from behind the protection of the ambiguity of rule #41 and actually make the call that happened.

Rule #41

There is actually leeway written into the rule to blame the fouled player for being boarded. It blows my mind how 90% of the time this is how the referees interpret the rule. I have never seen any NHL player arbitrarily standing away from a play with their head against the glass looking for their mom in the crowd and had another play come and hit them from behind. That's about the only occasion I can see a boarded player being blamed for the hit. What Richards did on Sunday was 100% on his shoulders and once again the league turtled back inside their shell away from the pressure of having to make important decisions.

What irks me further is the complete lack of ambiguity of Rule #43. Rule #43 states that when a player is checked from behind, the player which made an infraction upon the rule is automatically assessed a major and game misconduct and will automatically be suspended for one game if that player has committed the penalty multiple times within the same playoff series. What this dichotomy between rule #41 and #43 does is reward a player for committing a rule #41 penalty even though it is the more dangerous of the two. If Connolly's head didn't smash into the boards, the referees would have had no choice but to call a rule #43 infraction and Richards would have been gone from the game in the second period.

Meanwhile, there are major news outlets publishing articles about how Ruff is whining again, offering nothing but bias slander, and I'm typing all this from my kitchen table.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; how long until we rename the Masterton memorial trophy because someone else dies out on the ice? At this rate, it can't be very far away.

Johnny Abruzzo

fife wrote:

Lets be fair, philly does get alot of suspension so i would not put too much stock on Snider being on the committee.

He's (she?) right. Snider is on the committee. He said he it wasn't the type of hit they were cracking down on. They're looking at head shots and more intentional and that Richards was more of an accidental thing. I'm just the messenger - the hit was pretty nasty. Probably a 5-min penalty would be justified but I don't know about a suspension. I'll go watch it again.