The NHL Playoff Thread

[wesrman]

The Bruins (my 2nd favorite team) eliminate hated the Canadiens, sweeping them in four games. The Habs were badly outclassed throughout the series and that makes me very happy.

You're not allowed to have a 2nd fav team so stop saying that. :P

[CFH]

The Bruins (my 2nd favorite team) eliminate hated the Canadiens, sweeping them in four games. The Habs were badly outclassed throughout the series and that makes me very happy.

You're not allowed to have a 2nd fav team so stop saying that. :P

I have three teams I cheer for, so fuck you .

The Bruins were my favorite team when I was a kid. Half my family cheers for the Habs, the other half for the Bruins. My Gramps, who used to take me to all my practices/games was a big Bruins/Canucks fan. I started following the Red Wings when they got Yzerman, who's my favorite player of all time, but even since he retired I've had trouble cheering for them like I used to; they're been so good for so long that I've gotten sick of their dominance.

The Canucks are my favorite team in all of sports though. When I quit hard drugs, I needed something to do to kill time so started watching the 'Nucks so I'd have something to talk about with the guys at work and I became a huge Canucks fan. Ever since then, they've been my team.

There's your explanation .

PS: The Leafs suck.

[wesrman]

PS: The Leafs suck.

Maybe they do, but its easy to like a winning team when you have 14 to choose from. I pick one team and hope every other one fails miserably.

WTF?? Calgary is getting raped. You watching this shit??

[CFH]

PS: The Leafs suck.

Maybe they do, but its easy to like a winning team when you have 14 to choose from. I pick one team and hope every other one fails miserably.

WTF?? Calgary is getting raped. You watching this shit??

No, I'm trying to watch the Froch - Taylor fight (with little success). I do love to watch the Shames lose though.

As for cheering for a losing team, as a Canucks fan I know all about that.

[wesrman]

If im nothing else in life, im loyal..lol.

See the Philly/Pitts game earlier?? Philly was up 3-0 and lost. HAHA fuck them.

[CFH]

I didn't see the game, but that news makes me very happy, I HATE Philly. I picked the Pens to make it to the final this year (hopefully against the Canucks).

Loyalty is a very important trait.

[Youngblood]

[Cortez The Killer]

I have been following the penguins. Not sure if they've improved much since last year, when they were kind of lucky to get asfar in the playoffs as they did.

But Malkin is really performing in this years in the playoffs and that makes a world of difference. Plus I like the addition of Kunitz a lot, he was lighting flyers up left and right in the first few games of the series.

[CFH]

As of tonight, the second round match-ups in the West are set.

Detroit (2) - Anaheim (
Vancouver (3) - Chicago (6)

I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I'm absolutely amazed that the Sharks choked again. They need to get rid of Thornton and/or Marleau while they can get something decent for them, because they have now repeatedly proved their inability to consistently elevate their games when it matters the most. To be fair though, Nabakov deserves much of the blame as well, he was out-played by Hiller by a large margin.

Flames go out again in the first round, this makes me a very happy man.

[CFH]

Here's my opinion on the series:

Detroit - Anaheim: This is a really intriguing match-up. I really think the Red Wings will win, probably in 6 or 7 games, but I think they'll emerge from this series so banged up that the winner of the Vancouver - Chicago will have an excellent chance of pulling the upset and advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals. I just think Anaheim's physicality combined with the fatigue that comes along with the short off-season which results from winning the cup make this one very close to call. However, Detroit's offense and defense are among the best in the league and I think their depth carries them to a victory if (and it's a big if) Osgood can stop the puck with any regularity.

Vancouver - Chicago: This is a hard one for my to analyze objectively, as I live and die with the Canucks. During the regular season, the Canucks demonstrated they were able to defeat Chicago handily in a playoff-like atmosphere, and I think their defense and Luongo (the best goalie in hockey - his playoff numbers are staggering) will prevail over the high-flying but inexperienced Blackhawks. It's going 6 or 7 though, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Chicago come out on top in the end.

[CFH]

Late in the season, the Canucks played the Blackhawks in what was a very important game. The Canucks desperately needed a victory and it looked very likely that these two teams would meet in the first round. The Canucks beat the Blackhawks 4-0 and a full on line-brawl (complete with hair-pulling) broke out between the Blackhawk's tough 4th line and the Canucks' top line (though the Sedin twins did little) after Luongo took a punch/shove to the face. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8YHuTs-C_w

[CFH]

The round 2 match-ups in the East are now set:

Boston (1) - Carolina (6): Carolina has been on fire lately, but the Bruins are going to be too much for the 'Canes in my opinion. Cam Ward will continue his outstanding play, but it won't be enough to carry Carolina to the Conference finals. Boston in 6

Washington (2) - Penguins (5): Ovechkin - Crosby, the match-up the NHL execs dreamed about (though it's probably happening a round earlier than they hoped). The Pens are my pick to emerge from the East, I think they exploit the young, inexperienced Washington goaltending and win in 6. The Penguins just have too much skill, firepower, and experience.

[CFH]

Quick playoff update before I go out drinking with the missus:

Canucks leading the Blackhawks 2 games to 1 in their series.

Red Wings and Ducks are tied 1 - 1, they're playing game 3 as I type this.

The Capitals are leading the Penguins 2 to 0. Woohoo, go Ovie.

The Bruins and Hurricanes are tied 1 - 1 in their series.

[Youngblood]

F Ovechkin.

F The Caps.

Barrrr humbug.

Oh, and F you too for liking it. I hope the entire Canucks come down with a new evolved strain of Pig flu and die a slow, miserable death. Kinda sorta.

[Youngblood]

^^ Well that was a bit harsh. Maybe just a cold or sumthin.

God I'm so cranky lately.

I need to fix it somehow. Hopefully my next fight will clear that up. I mean, I am ofc kidding in 99% of my posts, but feel mean-spirited in the same breath...