The one and only NHL playoffs thread

[Guest CanadianChris]

Nash just tied it for the Blues. Damn, that was a shitty goal for Cloutier.

[Guest LaParkaMarka]

Nash puts himself over yet again. 1-1.

[Urban Warfare]

well the big line comes up huge. 4-1 canucks. naslund,bertuzzi and morrison have scored along with sopel.

[Guest bob_barron]

Lesson learned for the day: Do not FUCK with Vancouver

[Guest starvenger]

Nash puts himself over yet again. 1-1.

I don't know which Nash I hate more, Kevin or Tyson. I'd like Steve more if he'd mulletize his hair...

[Guest treble charged]

Heh, Greg Millen almost called Tyson Nash 'Steve' during the replay of the goal.

[Urban Warfare]

4-2 now, and the canucks are letting the blues back into the game. they are taking stupid penalties.

[Guest bob_barron]

Can't these guys just put them away and make me breath easy for the first time this series?

[Urban Warfare]

well, it looks like they could blow it, 4-3 with about 55 seconds left

[Urban Warfare]

maybe not, 5-3 on a blast top corner. Salo gets the goal.

[Guest treble charged]

That sure was a nice shot.

[Guest starvenger]

Is it just me, or does it seem that a lot of the chaotic games have Kerry Fraser as the ref?

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin]

Phew I got scared for a sec but game 6 wil lhappen.

[Guest redbaron51]

how many think that Drake (I think) will get suspended for that boarding call at the last seconds of the game?

[Urban Warfare]

Well i didnt see the hit, but if it was bad, and at the end of a game, i would think its worth at least 1 game

[Guest treble charged]

It was enough to draw a 5 minute major, so a suspension wouldn't be too surprising, but I think he'll wind up with a fine, if anything.

[Guest bob_barron]

TORONTO (CP) -- Tie Domi will have a larger role but the Toronto Maple Leafs won't know until game time what part Alexander Mogilny might play in Game 5 of their first-round NHL playoff series against the Flyers in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon.

 

Domi was left on the bench when coach Pat Quinn opted to use only three forward lines during most of the three overtime periods in Wednesday's 3-2 Flyers win that evened the series 2-2.

 

Not getting a chance to contribute with that game on the line stung Domi, who has had the best season of his career.

 

But he didn't sulk. He offered words of encouragement to teammates coming off the ice. He emerged as a consumate team player.

 

"Obviously, Pat felt he had three lines in a groove," Domi said after practice Friday. "I respect his decision and have no problem with it.

 

 

Domi has nothing but winning on his mind.

 

 

"It's pretty selfish to think about whether you're going to play or not play. This is the time of year where sacrifices are to be made, and I'm willing to sacrifice. You just try to be supportive and be a cheerleader. As long as we come out on top, I don't really care."

 

Quinn huddled with Domi and played him on a line with Darcy Tucker and Travis Green for a full workout Friday before the team's flight to Philadelphia. It's a line that could do some physical damage.

 

"He talked to me and said, `You're going to be a big part of the next game,"' Domi said of the message he received from Quinn.

 

As for Mogilny, who scored five goals in the opening three games and missed Game 4 as a precaution after he was felled by a stick to the chin in Game 3, his availability depends on whether he's free of headaches.

 

"If there's any recurrence of the headaches, then he's still not over it," said Quinn. "I don't think you should fool with those types of injuries."

 

Mogilny looked fine on the ice. But he did Tuesday, too, before feeling out of sorts later in the day and not passing the necessary tests.

 

His teammates are talking as if he'll be in the Game 5 lineup.

 

"It's nice to see he's skating and should be OK," said captain Mats Sundin. "Having him back is going to spark our team."

 

Gary Roberts did not step on the ice on Friday but Quinn said he was merely giving a bruised foot additional rest. He'll play Saturday, said Quinn.

 

"I'm fine," said Roberts.

 

"Just old," Green chirped when he overheard Roberts.

 

The Leafs have to play smarter in their own end.

 

"We've been running around like a fire brigade," said Quinn.

 

The Tucker-Green-Domi unit should provide leadership in the aggressive forechecking department, which was a key to Toronto's two series wins.

 

They'll target Flyers defencemen Eric Desjardins, Dmitry Yushkevich, Eric Weinrich, Chris Therien, Kim Johnsson and Marcus Ragnarsson.

 

"We knew it was going to be a rock 'em sock 'em series," said Green. "We've got a best-of-three in front of us and we're confident we can pull it out."

 

Tucker has no doubt Domi will be pumped.

 

"Tie is always ready to go," he said.

 

On the shots disparity that favours the Flyers in the series, the Leafs couldn't care less.

 

"It's 2-2 in the series and that's all that matters," said Tucker.

 

Chipping in with a goal or two would be a major plus for the unit.

 

"A big reason this team has had success is that we've got guys on the third and fourth lines capable of scoring," said Green, who scored Wednesday.

 

The Leafs had three power-play chances to eight for the Flyers in Game 4, and that can't continue, says Domi.

 

"Fortunately, our penalty killing has been great, and Eddie (Belfour) has been great," he said. "Obviously, we want to stay out of the box.

 

"Momentum is a big thing and when you give a team momentum on a power play like we did in Games 2 and 4 . . . we have to play five-on-five more.

 

"It's those slashing and hooking calls that are frustrating. The ones that are taken stopping goals and playing aggressive are one thing, it's the pussy-footing ones that are frustrating."

 

Expect to see Domi pestering goaltender Roman Cechmanek.

 

"We're getting guys going to the net, we've just got to get guys to stop there," he said.

 

Mogilny would line up with Sundin and Roberts, Robert Reichel would be between Owen Nolan and Jonas Hoglund, and Tom Fitzgerald would skate with Mikael Renberg and Paul Healey if Quinn maintains the combinations he favoured in Friday's workout.

[Guest starvenger]

Domi has nothing but winning on his mind.

I think most people would argue this point, since many say that Domi lacks a brain inside that giant skull of his...

[Guest LaParkaMarka]

You know the Canucks won when: LaParkaMarka is still mostly drunk. "Go Canucks whoo" is a suprisingly effective pick up line.

 

+1

[Guest bob_barron]

I was afraid to watch since I feared I was bad luck so I only watched when the Canucks had a two goal lead

[Guest treble charged]

Thank God, Mogilny's in today.

[Guest starvenger]

Damn ABC. Thanks to regional programming I'm getting Avs-Wild...

[Guest starvenger]

Fuuuuuck. 2-1 Flyers

[Guest bob_barron]

I'm debating whether to watch or not

[Guest MaxPower27]

Go Flyers, Go!

 

Belfour didn't even see the first goal.

[Urban Warfare]

2-0 wild in the 2nd period

[Guest bob_barron]

This Leafs game is putting me to sleep.

 

Stupid goalposts

[Guest MaxPower27]

3-1 Flyers heading into the 3rd

[Urban Warfare]

unbeleivable. 3-0 wild, hopefully they choke in the 3rd.

[Guest treble charged]

Well, looks like the Leafs are going to have to win 2 in a row now. That's ok, they can do it.