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NHL Playoff Thread

NMT, I was not trying to call u out, I know u and I have gone back and forth in this. While I agree with some of ur points, I still disagree with some, but we all know what they say about opinions ;). I know u wont like this, but I will say that my opinion is that IF the Bolts can continue to win in this series, and unless someone goes nuts in the next few games, Hedman may be a Conn Smythe winner. I know what Johnson did through the first parts of the playoffs, but Hedman is the man that's on top right now.

One more thing, on the topic of the Olympics, one of the reason Hedman was likely left off was very political. Hedman had jilted his home country in other international play. This was likely one of the reasons he was left off team. It was not necessarily his play.
 
Hey no worries, I don't consider it a call-out at all. Y'all are diehard fans so I'm just trying to offer an alternative as to how things are viewed by those who do it for a living. I don't take this personally, which includes who would win playoff MVP.

I'm offering real feedback from people who work in the biz. You're right it is all opinion (hockey is so hard to statistically quantify) but when a bunch of different people agree and it jives with my own eyes, I'm going to listen.

This report would disagree with your political explanation, which also doesn't account for all-star and Norris absences. Just sayin'

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/victor-hedman-is-not-snubbing-the-swedish-world-championship-team/

If he can become more poised and better conserve energy down low then the next level is right there for the taking. Physical attributes are unquestioned.
 
NMT,
Yourarticle is from after the Olympics, and regarding the 2014 Worlds. My political reference was regarding him snubbing the team in competitions previous to the Olympics. As far as All-Star consideration, I would argue that Hedman would have easily been on the team this year if not for his broken finger that sideline him for 18 games earlier in the season. His start was tops among D-men in the league. As for Norris consideration, I don't think I have ever said that he should be a Norris winner or even a candidate. There are guys who are way ahead of him on that list. However, if he continues to play the way he has played late in this season, he may be in that class in the future.
 
The word tonight is back spasms. Can't imagine that was the issue the other night, but who knows.
 
The goalie was not an issue tonight. The Lightning offense just did not see to have that same zip as the previous game. Only in the last couple of minutes did we seem to be aggressive. Of course we had to being down by one.
 
Thought Vasy played pretty good, especially for the situation. Little unlucky to poke that puck away only to have it go right back to his stick on the second goal. Of course he did get 3 post/crossbar saves too. I thought Chicago played their best defensive game tonight. Even though Bolts were in their zone much of the night they just weren't getting the grade A opportunities until the very end. Chicago did a great job of getting a stick in on the Bolts as they tried to move toward net. Even Stamkos chance at very end on an open net was tipped away.
 
Wondering how this series is tied 2-2. The Hawks' first period was like a morgue. Seabrook was a mental case, guys weren't skating, Tampa's forwards were controlling the game.

Could easily be the Cup on flight back to a parade right now. Crawford made some great plays. It will be cold comfort to you folks but Tampa is the better team and have faith that will win out.
 
nolealum99 said:
NMT,
Yourarticle is from after the Olympics, and regarding the 2014 Worlds. My political reference was regarding him snubbing the team in competitions previous to the Olympics. As far as All-Star consideration, I would argue that Hedman would have easily been on the team this year if not for his broken finger that sideline him for 18 games earlier in the season. His start was tops among D-men in the league. As for Norris consideration, I don't think I have ever said that he should be a Norris winner or even a candidate. There are guys who are way ahead of him on that list. However, if he continues to play the way he has played late in this season, he may be in that class in the future.
Click to expand...

I stand corrected - sorry about that error. I'm not going to get into semantics about who said what. The defensive issues remain I can guarantee you at least 1 playoff team this year went right after that and took a more talented Bolts' team to the limit as a result. I know this for a fact. The best thing about Hedman's offensive game is decisive aggressive play. He either stays or goes and does it with conviction. It's the exact opposite in the d-zone. Maybe he can learn.

As for Conn-Smythe, right now I'd give it to the triplets. Who cares if it's supposed to be 1 person. That line has been by far the most excellent performance of the playoffs. They have literally controlled both ends of the ice for long stretches.

If pressed for just 1 single person, then Duncan Keith gets my vote. He has more TOI, more points, more GWG, and better +/- than Hedman, all in fewer games played.
 
Holy cow!!!! What was Bishop doing that far out of the goal. I recall only one other time seeing a Lightning goalie do that and that was Puppa. That ended with a goal for the other team as well.
 
Weird game. Tampa just kind of snakebit. Both goalies with a huge puckhandling gaffe but on Chicago cashes in. Both goalies leave a juicy rebound but Tampa can't find the puck while Vermette gets the GWG.

Not much to do about that but keep plugging away.
 
Tampa Bay as a team had numerous gaffes out there last night.

A stat I heard last night after the game was when a series is tied at 2-2 the team that wins to go up 3-2 has won the series 16 of the last 23 times that has occurred. I think I am repeating that correctly.

Not good odds for the Lightning,
 
It will be tough now, but if a team has shown resiliency in this year's playoffs, it's the Bolts. They have won in some tough building on the road this year. Let's hope its one more. Win or you are making your tee times tomorrow. The Bishop mistake I see more as a communication error more than anything. Granted, that time did not really warrant him coming out of goal to play that, since Hedman was going to beat Sharp to the puck, but he has been known to wander a little bit to make plays. Maybe he saw something he like up ice, I do not know. But you have to put the puck in the net and Tampa only managed to score once, so Chicago deserved to win that one. The bigger problem I see going forward is the health of Kucherov. I have to think that his collision resulted in some kind of shoulder or collarbone injury. With him down and Johnson ailing, 2/3 of the vaunted triplet line is essentially out. The other night it was a few different guys going with the triplet line, with Stamkos getting quite a bit of time in 2nd half of the game with Johnson and Palat. It will be hard to keep a team with as much poise and D play as Chicago has, from closing the door tonight, but I really want to believe that the Bolts can bring this back to home ice for game 7.
 
Well put Alum, especially about the triplet line. Stamkos and Johnson will need to deliver big time. Will Kucherov play? Will Bishop play? The Bolts have at times played better on the road this year, and it's continued in the playoffs, let's hope the trend continues tonight!
 
Kucherov is a problem if out. That's why that line gets the Conn-Smythe if Tampa wins. Drouin can sub for some of the skill but doesn't have the skating or neutral zone gaps, hence the whole structure deteriorates. That has ripple effects in how the D would skate and move the puck. For Tampa it all starts with how the forwards skate within a defensive construct. That drives everything else they do.

I don't know what happened on the Bishop play but he had no business being out there. The funny part is once hew saw Hedman had the clear advantage and angle, Bishop kept going! Just a complete brain cramp.

Corey Crawford is playing some good hockey. I still see this as about 60/40 odds for Chicago, it's far from over.
 
hatsbo said:
Well put Alum, especially about the triplet line. Stamkos and Johnson will need to deliver big time. Will Kucherov play? Will Bishop play? The Bolts have at times played better on the road this year, and it's continued in the playoffs, let's hope the trend continues tonight!
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I don't think there is any way Bishop doesn't go. Other than the one big gaffe, I thought he played very well and made some good saves. I don't know about Kucherov. He travelled with team, but not coming back for any part of that game the other night makes me think he is hurt pretty bad. Bolts are 8-4 on the road in the playoffs and 3-0 in elimination games so far, lets hope that keeps up. Obviously playoffs are different than regular season, but it amazes me that the Bolts actually have a losing record at home in the playoffs (6-7) after the best home record in the league during the regular season.
 
Well, after years of the Manchester Monarchs inability to go deep into the AHL playoffs, and as the door is hitting their asses on their way out, the Monarchs are the new lease holders of the Calder Cup!!!! The princes finished off Utica, 4 games to 1, in Utica, to claim the championship. The AHL's format of 2-3-2, enabled Manchester to win on the road. If the format was 2-2-1-1-1, then there was a chance that Manch could have won their last home game to claim the championship. We would have gone to games 6 and 7, if necessary. I have no hard feelings that they are leaving for California, as are 4 other AHL franchises, as it makes complete business sense. Boston's AHL franchise is 45 minutes south I-95, in Providence, RI. There will be a Manchester Monarch team in 2015/16, as the Kings ECHL franchise will relocate to Manchester and keep the same team name and colors, as the local faithful has purchased thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. The championship banner will hang here in Manchester. I expect attendance to drastically drop from the current average of 5,600.

One of the reasons, that I believe that Manchester made a strong run for the Cup this year, is that the Kings missed the playoffs and quite a few "fringe" NHL players were sent down to Manchester, and not only did they play well, they played great!!!!

Bruce Boudreau used Manchester as a stepping stone to the NHL. His teams always had decent records in the regular season and he sent several players west to the Kings. He was replaced after some of his best teams failed to make it out of the first or second rounds of the playoffs. He went to Hersey where he won the Calder Cup, and then he was promoted to Washington, where he ran into the same problem, as I believe the Caps won the Presidents Trophy but lost in the early rounds of the NHL playoffs. This year, his Anaheim team finished with the 3rd best record in the NHL, but lost in seven games to Chicago in the Western Conference finals. Jon Cooper won the Calder Cup with Norfolk (Norfolk is now the Anaheim Ducks top minor league team and will be moving to San Diego, and like Manchester, the Ducks ECHL team will move to Norfolk and still keep the Admirals name and colors) in 2012 and now is 2 games away from winning the Stanley Cup. Detroit just hired their AHL coach, Jeff Blashill, to stand behind the Red Wings bench. Is the NHL, Mike Stothers'-current Monarchs head coach-next stop (next stop, other than the Monarchs new home in Ontario, California)?

If there is an AHL team that is struggling in your area, don't be shy to send them this way, as it was great to see so many players get their name on Lord Stanley's Cup that once or twice called Manchester their home!
 
Ugh, so brutal to be so close and then lose it. Lightning had so many chances, but Chicago cashed in on theirs.
 
All the early chances the Lightning had were stopped by Crawford. I knew that we were probably not going to win the game. And then when you have missed chances like Stahlman's whiff on that pass and point blank shot to a wide open net, that all compounded to help Chicago to the title.
 
This game was just like the rest in this series. Both teams had chance to break the 0-0 tie early. Bolts had good chances and Hawks did too. Once the Hawks go the goal I was very down as whoever scores first in this series is almost a lock to hold on. The Bolts had chances in this series and got beat by a team who has been there and knows how to win. I will be honest with you, this one stings a little bit. Even though each series went almost the distance, the Bolts were playing well and I thought the had a really good chance of bringing this one home. I think they will have more chances as this is a very good, young team with a core that is around for a little while, but with the Cup you never know if you are ever gonna get another chance. The key this offseason to me is getting Stamkos the extension to get him locked up. I think this playoffs will be the lesson and the wake-up he needs to really elevate his game in the future. He did all the off-ice things that a leader should do and he talked a really good game. And while you could tell he was all over the ice and never quitting, he just didn't do what he needed to do to bury a goal and lift his team on the ice. I hate the fact as fans we get so invested in this. I shouldn't be this disappointed today, but I love my Bolts and can't wait till next season right now. Congrats to the Hawks who deserved it the way they closed this one out.
 
Hats off to both teams. Really in the end, the differences were tiny. I don't know stats but faceoffs really stood out to me, as I mentioned would be a way for Chicago to gain advantage.

I know that's small consolation to Bolts' fans but you can be proud of how hard the team worked. How many shots got sent just wide??

You've got a good GM, a good coach, and a nice young nucleus. You could see some guys mature right in front of your eyes throughout the playoffs. And they know all they gotta do is make the playoffs, and can lean on experiences.

Congrats to Chicago. Keith was poised the entire playoffs.
 
Was that the first time that someone had a 2 goal lead in the series? What about the 8 minutes of nonstop hockey in the 2nd period of Game 5 (I think it was Game 5).

I was really rooting for the Lightning. I think if Stamkos gets that puck under the bar, then there would be a Game 7, which it wouldn't haven't gotten any better than that. If Lebron were to put up 101 points in tonight's game, I would still choose a Stanley Cup Game 7 over the NBA finals with Lebron going all centurion on everyone.
 
Yup, that was the first two goal lead in this series and the first game where the game winning goal was not in the third period.
 
Awesome run but the bolts. Chicago is just so clutch. The big time players played big for the Hawks, it's amazing to watch. They look shaky early in a series then after crunch time they turn it on. It was also very fun to see Stammer grow into a NHL elite, not that we didn't know that but I feel he took it to a different level This year. Between Him and Hedman they are going to be a force for years in the east. The Bruins have their work cut out for them.
 
Bill From Tampa said:
Holy cow!!!! What was Bishop doing that far out of the goal. I recall only one other time seeing a Lightning goalie do that and that was Puppa. That ended with a goal for the other team as well.
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You don't see that name much, Darren Puppa. I remember being a little kid at Bruins games and the balcony would give him the constant Puppa, Puppa chant. Classic stuff.
 
NMT,
The faceoff disparity was ridiculous!!! I'm running from memory here, but there was a 3 goal differential in the series, hits and blocked shots were almost dead even. Faceoffs were ridiculously tilted toward the Hawks. I think a small portion of that was the fact that Johnson took exactly 1 faceoff after the start of game 2, which coincides with the broken thumb/wrist. Of course you have to have others as well. That is something they struggled with against NY which is probably why u mentioned it going into this series.
 
Chicago seemed to get all the important ones. Toews is amazing at that and they have others.

I still say Tampa is right on par and if they played 7 more games, a couple bounces here or there would do it. I do think Bishop needs to work on his rebound control.

More than anything, I was impressed with Jon Cooper. He got a bit out-coached early in the Detroit series but that's the master Mike Babcock at work. Cooper didn't panic, he made the subtle adjustments and trusted his guys and his system. I know Tampa had a run in 2011 but this time they looked much more focused and on the same page in all 3 zones.
 
nolealum99 said:
NMT,
The faceoff disparity was ridiculous!!! I'm running from memory here, but there was a 3 goal differential in the series, hits and blocked shots were almost dead even. Faceoffs were ridiculously tilted toward the Hawks.
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27-30 .474%
35-19 .648%
39-28 .582%
38-20 .655%
36-26 .581%
42-20 .677%
217-143 .603%

timbo37059 said:
You don't see that name much, Daren Puppa. I remember being a little kid at Bruins games and the balcony would give him the constant Puppa, Puppa chant. Classic stuff.
Click to expand...

Puppa Scoopa! That's what we would call him when someone on the B's would take a shit shot and Puppa would scoop it up!

Another great name was Ron Tugnutt, Tuuuuuuug-nuuuuuuuuuuuutt! About a week after I turned 21, my sister's boyfriend had tix against the Nordiques. He was going to take me but my buddies were taking me out for my 21st. My sister couldn't tell the difference between a hockey puck and a football. My sister ended up going instead of me and Tugnett makes 70 friggin saves in a 3-3 tie (there were no pink hat shootouts at the time, although my sister was now an official member of the pink hat brigade), at the time, the 70 saves were the 2nd most saves in an NHL regular season game.
good-hockey-goalie-smiley-emoticon.gif
 
Manch. said:
27-30 .474%
35-19 .648%
39-28 .582%
38-20 .655%
36-26 .581%
42-20 .677%
217-143 .603%



Puppa Scoopa! That's what we would call him when someone on the B's would take a shit shot and Puppa would scoop it up!

Another great name was Ron Tugnutt, Tuuuuuuug-nuuuuuuuuuuuutt! About a week after I turned 21, my sister's boyfriend had tix against the Nordiques. He was going to take me but my buddies were taking me out for my 21st. My sister couldn't tell the difference between a hockey puck and a football. My sister ended up going instead of me and Tugnett makes 70 friggin saves in a 3-3 tie (there were no pink hat shootouts at the time, although my sister was now an official member of the pink hat brigade), at the time, the 70 saves were the 2nd most saves in an NHL regular season game.
good-hockey-goalie-smiley-emoticon.gif
Click to expand...
I remember that game. 7th player award that night to if I remember correctly. He was decent those nordiques teams were bad. Young Joe Sakic and Mats Sundin.
 
timbo37059 said:
I remember that game. 7th player award that night to if I remember correctly. He was decent those nordiques teams were bad. Young Joe Sakic and Mats Sundin.
Click to expand...

Gosh those teams were bad. They also got Valeri Kaminski and had one talented D I forget. I think they picked 1st or 2nd overall like 5 out of 6 years. Les Nordiques!
 
JacksonvilleBlue904 said:
Going to need a more legit source than hockeyfeed. Com but I believe any rumors like that
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Not only hockeyfeed.com, but the fact that article quotes Don Cherry. Don Cherry is absolutely irrelevant to hockey anymore. Everyone person in the media thinks Don Cherry is an absolute joke nowdays, which he is. Don Cherry has less inside info on the Bolts than I do. He and Barry Melrose are the same ilk. Almost persona non grata anymore.
 
I'm hearing he wants to go to Toronto. He is from there, they have a elite coach and he didn't get along with Cooper.

I love Grapes he is a fixture of hockey night in Canada. Nothing like Berry Melrose IMO.
 
You could hold a Don Cherry career eulogy at a bar and 1000's would show up, lining out the door just for the chance to hear him tell a story.

Nobody would show for Barry other than the hair grease company sponsors.
 
NoleMoreTears said:
You could hold a Don Cherry career eulogy at a bar and 1000's would show up, lining out the door just for the chance to hear him tell a story.

Nobody would show for Barry other than the hair grease company sponsors.
Click to expand...
Agree it is ESPN mocking hockey IMO. He did zero analysis and a box score.
 
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