The NHL Playoff Thread

[Youngblood]

And only cuz CFH hasn't been in here yet, to even so much as offer a begrudging 'congrats'...

[OumaFan]

What's with the beards? Is this an I'm a man kind of thing, Canadian style? The guy in the middle, I guess the captain (is that Crosby?) seems to have failed epically as far as that goes.

[Youngblood]

What's with the beards? Is this an I'm a man kind of thing, Canadian style? The guy in the middle, I guess the captain (is that Crosby?) seems to have failed epically as far as that goes.

Is a playoff tradition, to grow a beard. Superstition is all. Crosby has the C on his jersey. Guessing that is all nature could muster in the facial hair dept.

[Wadeb_21]

Man that third period had me nervous the Pens were playing straight defense. I don't think the puck left there side much at all. Nice to see them go into Detroit and take the one that matters most.

[CFH]

Good for Pitts, I was listening on the radio and it sounded like they controlled much of the play until the third period. As much as I dislike the team and many of their players, it's great to see hockey as well supported as it is in Pittsburgh. They deserved to win and I won't be shedding any tears for Detroit.

I want to bitch about one thing, it has nothing to do with Pitts winning or anything like that, but I HATE the fact that the rules of hockey change depending on the time of year and the situation. In the NFL, a pass interference penalty (for example) is called the same way in the Superbowl as it is in preseason. This makes the game better for both players and fans because of the consistency and legitimacy of the calls. However, in hockey, what is ruled a penalty changes not only from game to game, but within games themselves. During the regular season, everything - even the most ridiculous of penalties - is called. However, in the playoffs the rules tend to inexplicitly change. What was a penalty during the regular season suddenly is not a penalty anymore. Furthermore, in the latter stages of the game what was a penalty in the first period is no longer one in the third. It drives me crazy.

Anyways, enough of my ranting. Good for Pitts, I hope they never win another one.

[Youngblood]

Yes, I was pretty surprised pittsburgh won in spite of the obviously bias officiating in game 7 for Detroit. lol

I understand what they do, with the officiating, and sorta agree with it. It is a long season, where rivalries and tempers are often spawned and feuled. Much like a child, or maybe a repeat criminal offender need harsher treatment them the norm to correct abhorrent behaviour, so works the NHL. It is a long season. Where it sees problems, it focuses on those problems and strictly punishes to deter it getting out of hand.

In the playoffs, they try to let the teams play with less of that. This should be the accumulation of their seasons goals of creating a mindset for tolerable play. And who wants to watch a playoff penalty filled game based on minor infractions? No one that I can think of.

That's how I see it.

[Youngblood]

Man that third period had me nervous the Pens were playing straight defense. I don't think the puck left there side much at all. Nice to see them go into Detroit and take the one that matters most.

Yea I hate when teams do that. Pens did it twice in this series, and it worked both times, games 5 and 7. Each time I cringed watching them protect a lead, because that usually mean that defensive play is letting offence come to them, and as you say, therefore on their side of the ice. It backfires too often and is ugly to watch. But guess it worked this time.

Yea, I'm pretty happy for the Pens. Detroit has won 4/12 last Stanley Cups. That's plenty.

[CFH]

Yes, I was pretty surprised pittsburgh won in spite of the obviously bias officiating in game 7 for Detroit. lol

I understand what they do, with the officiating, and sorta agree with it. It is a long season, where rivalries and tempers are often spawned and feuled. Much like a child, or maybe a repeat criminal offender need harsher treatment them the norm to correct abhorrent behaviour, so works the NHL. Where it sees problems, it focuses on those problems and strictly punishes to deter it getting out of hand.

In the playoffs, they try to let the teams play with less of that. This should be the accumulation of their seasons goals of creating a mindset for tolerable play. And who wants to watch a playoff penalty filled game based on minor infractions? No one that I can think of.

That's how I see it.

But the rules can't change based on the circumstances, that's a ridiculous standard (or lack thereof). I'm not talking about refs controlling tempers etc., that's fine as long as it's done in an equitable manner. However, when a player gets called for a hook in the season they should be called for the same hook in the post-season, it's unfair for the players (who universally cry out for consistency) and no other major sport changes their rules based on what time of year it is. The same thing should be the case during a game. I literally cannot count how many times I've seen an identical play called for a penalty in the first and second period and not called in the third. It's ridiculous and it makes a lot of fans want to throw up their hands in disgust.

Futhermore, I think this inconsistency actually leads to more penalities and a general worsening of the quality of the product on the ice. Players do not know which standards they will be held to an as such are unsure of how to act. As for the rules being different in the playoffs, penalties, powerplays etc. directly result in who is included in the playoffs (teams with shitty special teams almost never make the post-season), so why should the standard suddenly be changed? I don't want to see a penalty-fest in the playoffs either, but I want consistency.

[Youngblood]

Yes, I was pretty surprised pittsburgh won in spite of the obviously bias officiating in game 7 for Detroit. lol

I understand what they do, with the officiating, and sorta agree with it. It is a long season, where rivalries and tempers are often spawned and feuled. Much like a child, or maybe a repeat criminal offender need harsher treatment them the norm to correct abhorrent behaviour, so works the NHL. Where it sees problems, it focuses on those problems and strictly punishes to deter it getting out of hand.

In the playoffs, they try to let the teams play with less of that. This should be the accumulation of their seasons goals of creating a mindset for tolerable play. And who wants to watch a playoff penalty filled game based on minor infractions? No one that I can think of.

That's how I see it.

But the rules can't change based on the circumstances, that's a ridiculous standard (or lack thereof). I'm not talking about refs controlling tempers etc., that's fine as long as it's done in an equitable manner. However, when a player gets called for a hook in the season they should be called for the same hook in the post-season, it's unfair for the players (who universally cry out for consistency) and no other major sport changes their rules based on what time of year it is. The same thing should be the case during a game. I literally cannot count how many times I've seen an identical play called for a penalty in the first and second period and not called in the third. It's ridiculous and it makes a lot of fans want to throw up their hands in disgust.

Futhermore, I think this inconsistency actually leads to more penalities and a general worsening of the quality of the product on the ice. Players do not know which standards they will be held to an as such are unsure of how to act. As for the rules being different in the playoffs, penalties, powerplays etc. directly result in who is included in the playoffs (teams with shitty special teams almost never make the post-season), so why should the standard suddenly be changed? I don't want to see a penalty-fest in the playoffs either, but I want consistency.

We'll have to agree to disagree then.

[CFH]

Man that third period had me nervous the Pens were playing straight defense. I don't think the puck left there side much at all. Nice to see them go into Detroit and take the one that matters most.

Yea I hate when teams do that. Pens did it twice in this series, and it worked both times, games 5 and 7. Each time I cringed watching them protect a lead, because that usually mean that defensive play is coming to them, and as you say, therefore on their side of the ice. It backfires too often and is ugly to watch. But guess it worked this time.

Yea, I'm pretty happy for the Pens. Detroit has won 4/12 last Stanley Cups. That's plenty.

As a Canucks fan I have seen far too much of that trapping bullshit and it almost never works. When the team continued playing the same style that had led to them getting the lead, they almost always won. However, when they started trapping you knew they were fucking every time (the Canucks that is). Alain Vingeault is the most overrated coach in the sport and I would love to see the Canucks fire him and hire Tippet (which will never happen as for some reason Gilles seems to be in love with him).

[CFH]

Yes, I was pretty surprised pittsburgh won in spite of the obviously bias officiating in game 7 for Detroit. lol

I understand what they do, with the officiating, and sorta agree with it. It is a long season, where rivalries and tempers are often spawned and feuled. Much like a child, or maybe a repeat criminal offender need harsher treatment them the norm to correct abhorrent behaviour, so works the NHL. Where it sees problems, it focuses on those problems and strictly punishes to deter it getting out of hand.

In the playoffs, they try to let the teams play with less of that. This should be the accumulation of their seasons goals of creating a mindset for tolerable play. And who wants to watch a playoff penalty filled game based on minor infractions? No one that I can think of.

That's how I see it.

But the rules can't change based on the circumstances, that's a ridiculous standard (or lack thereof). I'm not talking about refs controlling tempers etc., that's fine as long as it's done in an equitable manner. However, when a player gets called for a hook in the season they should be called for the same hook in the post-season, it's unfair for the players (who universally cry out for consistency) and no other major sport changes their rules based on what time of year it is. The same thing should be the case during a game. I literally cannot count how many times I've seen an identical play called for a penalty in the first and second period and not called in the third. It's ridiculous and it makes a lot of fans want to throw up their hands in disgust.

Futhermore, I think this inconsistency actually leads to more penalities and a general worsening of the quality of the product on the ice. Players do not know which standards they will be held to an as such are unsure of how to act. As for the rules being different in the playoffs, penalties, powerplays etc. directly result in who is included in the playoffs (teams with shitty special teams almost never make the post-season), so why should the standard suddenly be changed? I don't want to see a penalty-fest in the playoffs either, but I want consistency.

We'll have to agree to disagree then.

I don't agree with that (Simpsons quote).

[Youngblood]

But the rules can't change based on the circumstances, that's a ridiculous standard (or lack thereof). I'm not talking about refs controlling tempers etc., that's fine as long as it's done in an equitable manner. However, when a player gets called for a hook in the season they should be called for the same hook in the post-season, it's unfair for the players (who universally cry out for consistency) and no other major sport changes their rules based on what time of year it is. The same thing should be the case during a game. I literally cannot count how many times I've seen an identical play called for a penalty in the first and second period and not called in the third. It's ridiculous and it makes a lot of fans want to throw up their hands in disgust.

Futhermore, I think this inconsistency actually leads to more penalities and a general worsening of the quality of the product on the ice. Players do not know which standards they will be held to an as such are unsure of how to act. As for the rules being different in the playoffs, penalties, powerplays etc. directly result in who is included in the playoffs (teams with shitty special teams almost never make the post-season), so why should the standard suddenly be changed? I don't want to see a penalty-fest in the playoffs either, but I want consistency.

We'll have to agree to disagree then.

I don't agree with that (Simpsons quote).

We'll have to agree to disagree with that. (Simpsons, really?)

[CFH]

We'll have to agree to disagree then.

I don't agree with that (Simpsons quote).

We'll have to agree to disagree with that. (Simpsons, really?)

Ever see the episode where the teachers go on strike? Flanders (I think) is trying to get Principal Skinner and Ms. Krabappel talking and he say "...well, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree" and Skinner responds "I don't agree with that..."

[Youngblood]

I don't agree with that (Simpsons quote).

We'll have to agree to disagree with that. (Simpsons, really?)

Ever see the episode where the teachers go on strike? Flanders (I think) is trying to get Principal Skinner and Ms. Krabappel talking and he say "...well, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree" and Skinner responds "I don't agree with that..."

No, and I don't like where this thread is headed. Don't make me make you ban me from this thread by flooding it with glorious, and victorious Pens Cup celebrations.

[CFH]

We'll have to agree to disagree with that. (Simpsons, really?)

Ever see the episode where the teachers go on strike? Flanders (I think) is trying to get Principal Skinner and Ms. Krabappel talking and he say "...well, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree" and Skinner responds "I don't agree with that..."

No, and I don't like where this thread is headed. Don't make me make you ban me from this thread by flooding it with glorious, and victorious Pens Cup celebrations.

Well, I'm not sure where this thread is headed exactly, mostly towards redundancy I would imagine. As for the Pens pics, go right ahead. I don't really mind that they won the cup, they deserved it. Now if they had beaten the Canucks I would be legitimately upset.

I don't know if I could ban you from this thread. I mean, obviously I could, but this is an largely unmoderated board so unless you were posting racist or illegal stuff I don't know if I could justifiably do it. However, if you were rabidly spamming I supposed I would be justified. Maybe.