2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
 

So I guess this will be the official thread for the playoffs since we don't have one yet. We don't do anything for it like with the NFL playoffs, correct? This is usually just for discuss if I recall.


I'm very excited about the Flyers and Penguins first round matchup. This should be the most intense series in the Eastern Conference in the first round. I think that the Flyers, Penguins, Bruins, and Rangers are the four teams that have a chance at contending for the cup this year. It's strange that top four teams in the East were all from the Atlantic Division, although Boston did tie New Jersey in the end. I guess that just means that most of the Eastern Conference was pretty weak this year.

The Western Conference should have some pretty tight matchups between Detroit vs. Nashville and St. Louis vs. San Jose. I know that San Jose isn't as good this year, but they showed some resilience beating the Stars and Kings in two back to back home and home series. I'd keep my eye out for them. Obviously Vancouver will get a lot of attention from most of you, and they did pull through and get the president's trophy once again. Should be an interesting playoff this year.

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Go Canucks Go


The Philly vs Pens series will be good fun to watch!

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LA's goalie sketches me out. Vancouver split 2-2 in their season series.

I think I read LA only had 155 goals against this season..which is insane. Last year, Vancouver had the best GAA with 180 something...so ya, hopefully Raymond up on the 2nd line will be able to split D and aid in the rush.

I kind of would like to see Dan and Henrik on separate lines. It would pull apart the LA defense and put a playmaker with Booth and Kesler who are shoot first guys.

As much as Quick presents a possible stopping force, I think LA is the better bet for Van in the first round than San Jose. Would prefer to see an intact lineup at least heading into the 2nd round.

should be great hockey. Hoping Ovechkin downs Boston and their mutant.

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Everyone needs to Canuck-Up ... what the hell, people?

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Look how sexy my avatar is

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Fly Guys come through!

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That was an awesome game. They have come back in games all season, including the last game in Philly between the Penguins and the Flyers where they won with less than a second left in OT. I was there and it was nuts.

It's good that they're resilient and can come back, but I wish they would stop making it so hard for themselves.

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First goal was harsh offside though.

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Too early to panic?

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Let's go Blues!

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Yeah, I know. It seems like the refs always screw up somewhere. I don't know how they missed it.

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Something akin to panic the way Carter casually skate-passed as if it was just another anthem sung.

okay, panic.

I panic in November when they're not leading the NW division.

Booth's going to score.


edit: Noice shorthanded goal by Talbot

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Fuck that goal.

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Flyers win game 2 with a score of 8-5. That's two road wins to start the series! Giroux had 6 points with 3 goals(one empty netter) and 3 assists. And Couturier had 4 points with 3 goals and an assist. They were his first playoff goals. They also had to come back from a 2-0 deficit in the first period, just like in the first game as well. I had no clue that they could pass the way they did.

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I suppose this is why it's best-of-seven. I take solace in that for now.

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So how much of this is attributable to D. Sedin's absence?

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I'd say a lot of the lack of offensive pressure is definitely because of that. There was one specific moment where you could easily notice Daniel missing; when Henrik was skating back and forth behind the net 2 or 3 times. It was like he was just waiting for Daniel to get open. Even looking on the ice you could see the giant hole where Daniel would have been.

As for the defensive end; they're just eating a whole lotta poop. I don't know what's up with Edler, but he's making bad plays, and not hitting at all.


The one thing that frustrates me most about the Canucks right now is that they have the one play where the D skates it up, drops it back, and they pass it up to the opposite wing and then dump it in - or pass back across the blue line - but every team has gotten wise to it by now. It's a great play and it works - but not when it's all you do every time.

It's like they're playing the game from a playbook, and not thinking for themselves when they're out there. They're just going through the motions. Even if they could see the mistake coming, they'd make that shitty intercepted pass, or they'd dump it in when there was no pressure - because that's what the play called for. I say they need to scrap that, and play by creativity again. Play by the flow of the game, rather than the drills you run in practice.

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http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/opin...uto-188981.jpgI wonder how much of it is Alain's coaching. Shouldn't there be time outs n shit? He's obviously choked about Daniel's concussion.

He seems discouraged considering the lack of twin #1. I know the coach isn't playing, but the whole team's sleeping.
Raymond looks good out there, and Hansen was good yesterday.

What do you guys think about the starting goalie situation. Go with Lu or Cory?
Tough call, but something seems depressing the way Lou floundered on his stomach on that wrap around. Any goalie in the league would have known that that far post was priority. Was he making a point?

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I'm half commenting directly, half ranting at the way Lou gets treated.

I think AV'd be crazy to not start Lou. It's not like he's been the one losing them games. Sure he's let in some goals - but the team has only scored once or twice. It doesn't matter how few goals Lou lets in if the team isn't scoring in front of him.
The reason you can tell Lou is playing well is if people aren't talking shit about him, but talking about the lack of scoring.
There seem to only be ways most fans look at Lou, either he's a bum and we should trade him when they lose - or the team in front of him is playing so well in spite of him.
This infuriates me because people seem to forget he won Canada a gold medal. Not Crosby. Brodeur was shitting the bed until Lou stepped in and allowed Canada to get to where they got to. Do people ever attribute that with Luongo? Of course not. Because he succeeded at something. Even if he wins a cup, the school of thought would immediately turn to "Well he didn't get the Conn Smythe/Well he doesn't have two cups."

As a Vancouver fan I shudder to think how fucking horrible the team would be doing if we didn't have Luongo all these years. As a fan, nobody should talk shit about him. You support your team through everything. Sure they're professionals, but they're still people. Nobody likes being talked down to, and there's only so much shit talking someone can take. Why would you want to risk making a superstar goaltender despise the fans and the city he lives/plays in because everyone is always breathing down his neck and giving him shit. No wonder the guy is a head case. Nobody here lets him have any success. When he wins, it was a good team victory. When he loses, he played like shit and Schnieds should be put in. There's never really any middleground that the "fans" give Lou. I understand it's because most people have such unrealistic expectations for him, and apparently expect 82 consecutive starts and 82 shutouts, and a few hat-tricks thrown in there between ripping tickets and selling popcorn - but come the fuck on.

And with that far post thing he had a Lou moment. That's just what he does. You could tell the flow of the game - you know the game was lost at that point. So from his perspective maybe he's thinking "Why the fuck do I want to exert myself at the end of the game and possibly injure my leg by frantically stretching for the far post", or maybe he just thought "fuck it, this game is lost."

I'm not defending him on it or anything. It's the playoffs. It should be 110% 100% of the time. if you're not pouring sweat and sucking wind, you're not playing hard enough.
To me, it just looks like they're so dejected that they have to go through 3 rounds to get to where they expect to be.
Being that they are the best team for the last 2 seasons I haven't lost hope, and I'm not panicking (yet).
What does scare me - is that if they get knocked out - everyone will scream for an overhaul despite the fact they have been the best team in the league 2 years in a row. Being the statistically best team out of 30 teams in an 82 game season 2 years in a row - that's pretty fucking impressive in any sport except hockey because everyone puts all stock in the Cup. I'm not saying the Cup isn't important. It's the fucking Cup.
I've just always thought that the President's trophy winners should also get celebrated; much like how in Soccer the league winners get celebrated, not completely glanced over.

ramble ramble ramble.

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Ya, I voted for Lou to start, simply because a Cory 20-8 record shouldn't be what the team needs in net to perform. It's their onus.

When Lou had that moment, I was having it too..kinda. Burrows and Kesler need to be the core that they are. Personally, Henrik has looked slow moving the puck. Almost as if he's got strings holding him back.

They need that damn first goal soo bad.

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Better win tonight.

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well, LA just proved it's possible to win 3 in a row...

Booth and Hamhuis have brought their game. Hansen and Raymond are playing their roles. They had the right idea, except there were too many times where a shot low or a shot-pass would have been more appropriate than sweater shots. Especially wrist shot sweaters. Quick didn't really let any of those rebound.
Burrows needed to do the Elias maneuver and wait it up high over the goalie. That was the closest.

But ya, Booth looks like the only cup contender on the team. Maybe Hamhuis.

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Now.
Now is the time for panic.

Game 4 lands on my birthday.
That will be a very stressful day.

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haha. Wed is the first day I'm done exams. De-stress.

I'd like to see Booth play with Hank. Kesler looks like a flop. No developed shot over the summer. Been a bummer all season, and while his dive from Willie's cross check was a little cringe worthy, he did the right thing imo after that soccer dive that put Lappy in the box. He just overdid it. All he had to do was drop a knee, not flounder like a fish.

Seriously, Booth has skill. He has the ability to score, but he has no playmaker on his line. I'm getting sick of watching kesler ignore the 2 on 1's and drag a wrister, from the top of the circle or into a defenseman's body.
Hank-Burrows-Booth
Kesler-Raymond-Lappy
Paulsson-Hansen-Higgins
and for good measure, throw Kassian on the PP or some opportunity to goon in front of Quick. That's why we're not scoring. No one's charging and maintaining position there...except Booth again who just hasn't had that finish.

Kesler needs to realize that he's not the same player as last season. Not top 10 stuff this year. So be a little prick and do the dirty at the net. And don't dive, work hard to draw the penalty. That's what he excelled at last playoffs and season.

Some Edmonton hooker must have slipped Edler a time-release ecstasy pill that last game. (It was sick to see Brown all alone on the far side. What did Edler think he was covering besides shneids eyes?)

And, while that hit on Hank was clean.... it kind of wasn't in the sense that the player was vulnerable. Now, I know that's not criteria for a call alone, but I've looped the replay enough times to see that Hank was turning full speed, but wasn't around enough to know Brown was coming in. Seriously, it was a hit from behind, with the man neck swivelling just in time to get cranked. If anything, after the Ottawa NY game, the refs should have called it straight for the sole reason that Hank is a league star and these playoffs have been playing towards UFC. Not against big hits, but Brown did a dirty thing there, whether you think it was clean or not.

Anyway, I think it's actually going to work in favour of the nucks for game 4 cuz Brown's gonna have a target on his jersey and the whole team will be all-or-nothing. Make the LA team hurt, good chance they'll win. As we saw last night, when they're on all cylinders the team is markedly better than whatever LA can bring.

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Me and my bro were talking about that -

It's not so much that he dove - he just didn't attempt to stop himself from falling after he got pushed into the boards.
it was still laughable. But it wasn't really a diiiiiiiiiiive.


At first I was chalking Kes' lack of success compared to the 40-something goals and 70-something points he had last year to the fact they were in the Playoffs so late last year and he hadn't geared up - but now I have a new theory. And that theory is that his daughter is growing up, so his mind probably isn't 100% on hockey 100% of the time anymore.
Last year he said he was playing less chippy because he wanted to set a good example for his daughter. Maybe he needs full-chippyness to be successful. Because this 'good example for my daughter' shit isn't doing it.

I thought it was Pahlsson who hit him and just skated away and left him open. I've been cursing that poor man's name for nothing.

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Come on Flyers!

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They forgot how to play like they did in the first three games. No defense once again though. This series is getting kind of ridiculous.. Whichever team wins the series, should be the Flyers, won't matchup at all versus the Rangers or the Bruins.

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Jesus, 9-3 in the 2nd. This is a stupidly high scoring series

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Haha, what a weird series. There's really no reason to try and predict what's gonna happen. Have to set the over/under on about 12 goals a game though. Still feel like the Flyers will find a way to win one of these next 2.

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Every game has had such high scores I have to question the goalies in it.

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F**KIN' FINALLY!

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What I liked most about the Flyers game is that despite leading 3-0 in the series against the Penguins - the fans started to boo the Flyers in the 2nd because they weren't the ones doing the blowing (out).

It pleases me to know that Vancouver fans aren't the only fickle retards.


I find it crazy how even though Luongo is on the Canucks, he can still let in a lot of goals for every other team. What a horrible goalie.

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The fans were booing because the Flyers decided to stop playing defense and were horrible with their goaltending. They also gave up halfway through the second period. We only boo our team when we expect more out of them, not because we expect them to be blowing out other teams. If they won 4-3 again we'd be happy.

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Penguins stay alive and bye bye to the Red Wings.

I think my tv is broken the, it said the penguins / flyers game was 3 - 2

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Torres got 25 games for that hit.
That's a massive suspension, but I've always been in favour of the idea of getting away from the stupid 3-5 game suspensions. If you're missing 25 games opposed to 3, you'll probably re-evaluate the types of hits you make.


On one hand I'm terrified it could take massive hits out of the game (rather than taking out the dirty hits), but on the other hand I figure it's good to try to deter players from blatantly injuring other players. There has seemed to be a lot more of that going on this year.


edit:

Here's a quote from the statement that Brendan Banahan released.

If they get knocked out pretty quick this year - all of that money can add up fast.

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Ottawa is poised to upset the Rangers.

Florida might win a series.

Pittsburg and Philly score a million goals a piece.

Nashville knocks out Detroit in the first round.

Boston may be knocked out in first round.

Canucks on verge of defeat, must pull off reverse sweep to stay alive.

These playoffs are pretty crazy so far.

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Philly fans get a lot of crap. For the most part, it's because they're smarter about sports than the talking heads on the TV or Radio. They know the Flyers are in trouble right now, leading the series or not.

Also, Philly fans are unique in that they value hard work over winning. Losing, while leaving your body and soul on the field of play, is as respected as winning. Lose by giving up or showing weakness? Ooooooohhh... that's a doomsday scenario. See: Donovan McNabb.

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I'm liking the earlier start time tonight.

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Good so far for the Flyers. I want all the low seeds to win in the East. The Flyers would be the highest seed as a number 5 if NJ, DC, and Ottawa can pull it off!

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(Giroux is ridiculous. It still amazes me how underrated he was this year. But 14 points in 6 playoff games? Fuck me.)

Rant rant rant.

After hearing every anti-Vancouver fan (or anti-Luongo fan, I suppose) cry for trades over the last 2 years for "poor play" (for a superstar) - what should happen to Fleury?

Surly if the "trade Lou" talk starts 5 minutes after a single loss even in the regular season - Fleury can't get off the hook with the media, and the non-home-team-fans after letting in 26 goals, and having something like a 4.50 GAA in 6 games.
He's a superstar goalie, too. If not superstar-ier than Lou, because he has a cup - and Vancouver fans seem to attribute goalie-worth to rings. It's crazy how Fleury's previous cup win didn't help him currently stop a puck. Fucking nuts!

I know.
Trade Lou for Fleury.
That way all the cunts here in Vancouver get their coveted goaltender who already has a cup ring, and Pittsburgh gets a goalie who still has the want and desire to prove his worth to everyone who constantly shits in his mouth.

Then our fans can shut the fuck up about a goalie with a cup at least until Fleury loses game 2 next year and then start crying for "Trade Fleury", and Luongo can finally succeed in a city that doesn't rape it's goaltenders to sleep with their own tears as lube.