The NHL Playoff Thread 2008/09

milarso wrote:

Songburst wrote:

The Detroit Red Wings are by far the least exciting team in the NHL to watch. Talented? Yes. Winners? No doubt. Boring? I would amost rather watch a basketball game than watch a Wings game.

Since work has slowed down a little this year and I have time to watch some games, I had better not be subjected to a long Wings run in the playoffs.

Columbus in 6.

So... let me get this right... because you think they are boring to watch, the Red Wings (the defending champion and holder of the second best record in the Western Conference) is going to lose to a team making it's first playoff appearance in franchise history?

Great logic and general insight into the game... :roll:

And I'd really like to know what you deem "exciting". Apparently it's not winning. And it must not be scoring either. Just for the record, Detroit has scored more goals than any other team in the league this year, by like 20. I guess that's just not "exciting" enough...

Exciting hockey is not about winning or scoring, it's about playing an emotional game. That's what makes it entertaining. I could give a shit if my favourite team went 82-0 if they played Wings-style hockey. Detroit never shows any emotion when they play. They never initiate. They never retaliate. They never respond to a dirty hit. They just wait patiently, take their lumps, get their power plays, score their goals, win the game and lull everybody to sleep in doing so. I haven't seen them play with emotion in a long time.

Surely you remember the Detroit - Colorado games of the mid 90s? Those were always good hockey games, played with emotion and it didn't matter how many goals were scored to make it an entertaining game. Detroit just doesn't play any games on that emotional level (or any level even remotely close) anymore.

holy shit

oh all ye of little faith

i believe the NYRs defense can handle the top line(s) of WASH s attacks,

and im even more fully at ease and comfortable that our goaltenmding outshines their mediocre candidates.




If there is going to be an X-factor in the series, it will be Sean Avery. The player who should be wearing number 36 instead 16 (for three sixes -- 666, the mark of the beast) has demonstrated in the last two playoff years what his impact can be, as well as what it may not be. In each first round Ranger win those two seasons, Avery drove the opposition's key player to distraction -- Ilya Kovalchuk in a sweep of Atlanta two years ago, Martin Brodeur in a near-sweep of the Devils last year, both Ranger upsets. But just as emphatically as he catalyzed those wins, he was made a non-factor in each second round loss when opponents chose to ignore him. How will Ovechkin and the Caps react? Will the fact that their coach had Avery in the minors make a difference?

One other factor needs to be highlighted going into the series. Look at the scoring lists of the two teams. There is huge difference in the top four, but after that, the numbers are even -- the Caps' top four were all among the league's top 30 scorers, the Rangers had no one in the top 60. But except for slap-happy Alexander Semin, the other three top Washington scorers -- Ovechkin, linemate Nicklas Backstrom, and defenseman Mike Green -- generally play on the same unit. The Rangers' top scorers are liberally sprinkled across three lines. There is, it would seem, more of an opportunity for Lundqvist and the Rangers to shut down the Caps' top unit and/or offset it with their more balanced attack. On the other hand, this is playoff hockey, where dark horses usually have an unpredictable impact (anyone remember Bobby Sheehan?).









New York Rangers in 5

Songburst wrote:

Exciting hockey is not about winning or scoring, it's about playing an emotional game. That's what makes it entertaining. I could give a shit if my favourite team went 82-0 if they played Wings-style hockey. Detroit never shows any emotion when they play. They never initiate. They never retaliate. They never respond to a dirty hit. They just wait patiently, take their lumps, get their power plays, score their goals, win the game and lull everybody to sleep in doing so. I haven't seen them play with emotion in a long time.

Surely you remember the Detroit - Colorado games of the mid 90s? Those were always good hockey games, played with emotion and it didn't matter how many goals were scored to make it an entertaining game. Detroit just doesn't play any games on that emotional level (or any level even remotely close) anymore.

"Exciting hockey is not about winning..."- Probably the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard when it comes to sports. I'm so sure you're team would go undefeated and you wouldn't care, basically because, they don't play dirty, or how you say it "with emotion".

And the sad thing is, you don't even know what you are talking about. The Wings don't take bad penalties, but they don't get pushed around either. They don't fight, but they don't have to. Last year during the playoffs Nick Kronwall knocked the shit out of anyone that came near him. But that's not "emotional" enough for you...

And yes, I do remember the Detroit-Colorado games of the mid 90's. And you would be a fool to tell me that the game hasn't changed since then, and that you could be successful with that kind of retaliation-based, bang em up style of play. Sorry, I forgot, being successful isn't as important to you. Taking penalties and retaliating is much more exciting...

Bathgate66 wrote:

holy shit

oh all ye of little faith

i believe the NYRs defense can handle the top line(s) of WASH s attacks,

and im even more fully at ease and comfortable that our goaltenmding outshines their mediocre candidates.

Maybe they can, but it is even more likely that they're simply going to outscore you, even with their shoddy goaltending.

PS: Avery is a twat - common knowledge.

singularity wrote:

Rygar wrote:

Bathgate66 wrote:

holy shit

oh all ye of little faith

i believe the NYRs defense can handle the top line(s) of WASH s attacks,

and im even more fully at ease and comfortable that our goaltenmding outshines their mediocre candidates.

Maybe they can, but it is even more likely that they're simply going to outscore you, even with their shoddy goaltending.

PS: Avery is a twat - common knowledge.

thats why i am a little weary about this series. the rangers have faced shoddy goaltending throughout the year and still could not bury the puck for the life of them. when their offense is cold, its cold... doesn't make a difference who is in goal. all depends on what rangers team shows up. staal had a great two round last year for the rangers and he will be the man on ovechkin, will be a great test.

if washington spends as much time paying attention to avery like you do, we should breeze right by into the second round.

I'll give you that one :P
It isn't Avery that bugs me, it's the fact that anyone actually cheers for him. Well that isn't quite true. Avery bugs me.

Theodore is a giant question mark in goal for the Caps, and I would not use the word 'reliable' in the same sentence with him (except for a sentence like this one, explaining why he isn't...), but he has his hot streaks.

milarso wrote:

Songburst wrote:

Exciting hockey is not about winning or scoring, it's about playing an emotional game. That's what makes it entertaining. I could give a shit if my favourite team went 82-0 if they played Wings-style hockey. Detroit never shows any emotion when they play. They never initiate. They never retaliate. They never respond to a dirty hit. They just wait patiently, take their lumps, get their power plays, score their goals, win the game and lull everybody to sleep in doing so. I haven't seen them play with emotion in a long time.

Surely you remember the Detroit - Colorado games of the mid 90s? Those were always good hockey games, played with emotion and it didn't matter how many goals were scored to make it an entertaining game. Detroit just doesn't play any games on that emotional level (or any level even remotely close) anymore.

"Exciting hockey is not about winning..."- Probably the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard when it comes to sports. I'm so sure you're team would go undefeated and you wouldn't care, basically because, they don't play dirty, or how you say it "with emotion".

And the sad thing is, you don't even know what you are talking about. The Wings don't take bad penalties, but they don't get pushed around either. They don't fight, but they don't have to. Last year during the playoffs Nick Kronwall knocked the shit out of anyone that came near him. But that's not "emotional" enough for you...

And yes, I do remember the Detroit-Colorado games of the mid 90's. And you would be a fool to tell me that the game hasn't changed since then, and that you could be successful with that kind of retaliation-based, bang em up style of play. Sorry, I forgot, being successful isn't as important to you. Taking penalties and retaliating is much more exciting...

Whatever. Detroit is fucking boring to watch. Kronwall didn't knock the shit out of anybody -- he was just the only Wing who attempted a body check.

If you think that winning is exciting, watch the exciting games of the teams that were coached by Jacques Lemaire. He won 2 or 3 Stanley Cups and his teams were all god awful to watch.

milarso wrote:

Songburst wrote:

If you think that winning is exciting, watch the exciting games of the teams that were coached by Jacques Lemaire. He won 2 or 3 Stanley Cups and his teams were all god awful to watch.

Lemaire only won one Cup. And it was in a strike shortened season. Besides that he never even made it to another SC final. Nice try though.
I understand you have an opinion, but if you could refrain from just making shit up to support it, that would be great.

Lol. Thank you google. It still doesn't make Detroit hockey any more bearable to watch.

milarso wrote:

I hear you. It's clear I'm not going to convert you.
I guess we'll just have to cancel one another out with our cheering.
Here's hoping Marian Hossa and Nick Lidstrom start dropping the gloves and restore your faith.

It's not even about dropping the gloves. There is an intensity in some games that you just never see in Detroit games anymore. There is no character on their team. There is nobody to root for -- nobody to hate. They are just a really bland hockey team (albeit a winning bland hockey team).

But what do I know? I picked Carolina to come out of the east in my work pool. Oops.

ledvedderman wrote:

Fuck the 'nucks! Go Blues!

This is what's going to heppen to Demitra and the Sedin twins...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIIpCbE1VCc

that oshie hit on Nash is wicked!!! Nash ain't no small fry neither.

but the canucks will have blues fans singing the blues shortly. another fruitless postseason for ol St Louis Im afraid. hhahahahahhahahahhahaaa blues suck.

i enjoyed a great game 7 at the garage back in 2003.....you remember that one? oh yeah, i do. haahhahahahhaa bertuzzi's hit on jackman? oh yeah.