NHL'13/'14 Thread

[STDiva]

Rangers are going to be in tough against the refs next series. Habs are just a mediocre team getting carried by Price and favourable calls.

 

[Jagger69]

Habs are just a mediocre team getting carried by Price and favourable calls.

Oh please. Did you watch the games? Montreal made plays against Boston the whole series when it counted. Price was great and Rask wasn't (neither was Chara when he knocked in the 3rd goal that put the game away tonight). You're not going to beat Boston in a 7 game series by being a mediocre team and there were favorable calls both ways so please don't play the ref card here, Diva. I was incredibly impressed with Montreal in this series. I thought their sweep of the Bolts might have been an opportunistic fluke but it appears to not be the case.

What a terrific series. Both teams gave it their all. I think the Rangers will have their hands full when they take on the Habs in the conference finals. Unlikely pairing to say the least. Now, let's go Ducks....

 

[STDiva]

Besides game 6, Montreal was heavily outplayed every game. What did they have 18 shots tonight? Price stole that series. Bruins hit 10 posts against Montreal. It looked like they were on the PP for most of the series. Good for the habs, but the better team definitely didn't win. That's the NHL I guess. Great goalie can win it for ya.

C'mon Chicago, Anaheim or L.A. Anybody but Montreal.

And Iginla has to feel cursed. Poor guy. Really want to see him win a cup.

 

[thapie]

i think iggy will go elsewhere next year too after this bruins loss

 

[Jagger69]

Besides game 6, Montreal was heavily outplayed every game. What did they have 18 shots tonight? Price stole that series. Bruins hit 10 posts against Montreal. It looked like they were on the PP for most of the series. Good for the habs, but the better team definitely didn't win. That's the NHL I guess. Great goalie can win it for ya.

C'mon Chicago, Anaheim or L.A. Anybody but Montreal.

And Iginla has to feel cursed. Poor guy. Really want to see him win a cup.

I respectfully disagree. It drives me wild when someone says "the better team didn't win the series". You don't win a 7-game series (including a game 7 in Boston) in the NHL without being the better team. I don't care about hitting posts (my Blues led the NHL in that department this past year....all that means is they have trouble finding the back of the net) or the fact that their goaltending was superior (if Rask would have stood on his head all series, would that mean anything different than when Price does it?). Montreal played dogged defense, got timely goals and great goaltending that translated to a series win. That just happens to be the correct formula for beating the Bruins. They were the better team in the series beyond a doubt. The scoreboard says so.

I totally understand not liking another team (see some of my prior posts about LA and Chicago) but you have to swallow your pride and give them their due when they display greatness. Take it from someone who is used to losing for 47 consecutive years....to do otherwise is just poor sportsmanship in my opinion.

 

[feller469]

Montreal was clearly better in Game 7 and in most of the series. You can say that they should have been up 2-0 in the series. Bruins were slow, flat and hesitant. Didn't recognize them. Habs did it to them again.

I hate Montreal more than I despise the Rangers. May have to root for Chicago the rest of the way.

 

[STDiva]

St Louis extends Brian Elliot and will let Miller walk as a free agent. What a failure of a trade for the Blues.

 

[Jagger69]

St Louis extends Brian Elliot and will let Miller walk as a free agent. What a failure of a trade for the Blues.

Indeed. Miller is a myth. He had one shining moment in the Olympics and that's it. But hey, it was worth a shot. This was the best chance at contending for the Cup that we've had in years. Out goaltending was suspect so Armstrong went for it and it backfired. Luckily, our core group of players is intact and, by letting Miller walk, we save giving up and extra 1st rounder. Mistake? For sure. But this decision to cut our losses and move on is the right one. Elliott is s solid goalie and Jake Allen was the AHL goaltender of the year so we'll be fine between the pipes next season. What we need to find is another goal-scorer to complement Tarasenko, Backes, Oshie and Schwartz.

 

[STDiva]

I didn't know the 1st round pick was conditional. Not nearly as bad a trade now.

In other news, with no Price to save the Habs, their mediocrity is on full display.

 

[Jagger69]

Yes, it appears that when Price went down, so did the Habs. Little mystery remaining in these playoffs in my mind. Chicago racks up another Cup is where I would put my money.

 

[Jagger69]

If (when?) the Hawks win tonight....is the series over or does LA have a chance to win 4 of the next 5? I say it's over.

 

[STDiva]

If Anybody can steal a series, it's Quick. He loses a couple than goes on a winning streak. He did it against SJ and ANA. I can see LA tying the series at 2-2 and losing in 6.

 

[Jagger69]

If Anybody can steal a series, it's Quick. He loses a couple than goes on a winning streak. He did it against SJ and ANA. I can see LA tying the series at 2-2 and losing in 6.

Could be. Chicago just doesn't lose at home. I hate 'em but I sure do admire 'em. Guess I'll be a temporary Ranger fan in a week or so.

 

[Jagger69]

BLackhawks score hightlight-reel goals on the stretch pass which they have perfected to a fine art since the two-line offside pass has been shitcanned and the Kings score a garbage goal that they didn't even mean to get. Advantage: Blackhawks. Crawford isn't Quick but he doesn't need to be. He's good enough to win. The Hawks are so good it is obscene.

 

[STDiva]

I assume you posted that before the 3rd period started, Jagger?

 

[Jagger69]

I assume you posted that before the 3rd period started, Jagger?

Good guess, Diva! Man....maybe I have figured out how to jinx these fuckers!! Too late for my Blues and I hate the Kings as bad as I do the Hawks so....what's the point? :dunno: :1orglaugh

All joking aside, that was the worst single-game collapse I have seen in the playoffs so far this year (the Sharks blowing a 3-0 series lead in the first round was the worst total collapse). This changes everything. They have got to be worried now. Overconfidence and they took they foot off the gas or did LA just shift their game into a higher gear?? Maybe a little of both.

The Hawks have to feel like they got run over by a truck. No Chelsea Dagger the whole 3rd period!

 

[Jagger69]

WOW....what a performance by Tokarski tonight! The Habs showed a lot of character to pull this one off on the road in the Garden. I really thought that after the Rangers had tied it with less than a minute to play that it was all over. Montreal kept throwing the puck at the net which was the answer to finding the twine for both teams. Tokarski's 35 saves was the difference....the Rangers blew at least 5 or 6 point-blank chances to put the puck in the net and were denied time after time. Great game....can't wait for game #4.

 

[feller469]

If a Ranger hit a Canadien like like that in Montreal, there would have been a call for assault charges. I fucking hate that franchise.

 

[Jagger69]

Looks like the 3rd period of game 2 changed this series in a big way. Suddenly, LA looks too physical for the Hawks to counter with their finesse and precision. Plus, Crawford has been less than stellar. Coach Q better think of something fast or it's going to be the Kings going to the Cup finals.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Quick and the Kings look in pretty good shape. I see the Hawks winning at least one more, though. Nice to see my favorite player on the planet Gaborik leading the PS in goals. He's still elite.