The 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs thread

[Tawren 0]

Quick goals by Nieminen and Iginla, and it is now 4-1 Flames with 7:00 or so to go in the 3rd.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Congrats to the Calgary Flames, as they are now 2-0 in their series against the Sharks.

 

And the Sharks will have their work cut out for them as they much face the Flames with the possibity of it being ended in Game 4 at their home.

 

They are going to having a very uphill battle for them.

[Lightning Flik 0]

To anyone thinking that the Sharks will prevail in the series against Calgary, some statistics I heard from The Score (a Canadian sports network).

 

Only 13% of teams that go down 2-0 in a series have come back to win their respective series.

 

Less than 7% of teams that go down 2-0 from their home games, have gone on to win their series.

 

That said, the numbers do not look to be in the Sharks favor.

[packwingfn 0]

Numebrs don't mean anything. And I dont care who wins that series.

[The Czech Republic 0]

If this is a Calgary sweep it's gonna be like mad in the Saddledome when the game is over. I wanna see that. As for the Sharks, I guess they've got a little fight in them at this point, but if they lose Game 3, they are done. They've jumped the shark. Hahahahahaha I slay me

[LaParkaMarka 0]

I agree with pack. It's not impossible to come back from 2-0...didn't Montreal just do that against Boston? The Sharks are a scrappy team, and they aren't going to roll over and die.

[The Czech Republic 0]

I agree with pack. It's not impossible to come back from 2-0...didn't Montreal just do that against Boston? The Sharks are a scrappy team, and they aren't going to roll over and die.

The teams in the NBA that have made their 2-0 comebacks lost on the road and won at home. The Sharks have to take two from Calgary, in Calgary, which by nature of being in Canada is great home ice, anot to mention the Flames have now won four straight games, whilst the Sharks have lost two and were sputtering against the Avs last series. It looks good for the Flames.

[Lightning Flik 0]

You know, I was just stating stats.

 

And yes, Montreal came back from a 2-0 series. However, that was with Boston at home for the first two games. They did not do the secondary stat.

 

And I'm not suggesting that the Sharks can't do the same thing the Canadiens did. I'm just saying that, they are going to have a hard time in doing so. Even moreso as they are in Calgary for the next two, and you've got not only Calgary Flames fans, but also the rest of Alberta rooting them, so the Saddledome will be as loud as the Coliseum (what the hell are we calling that place now) can get, it'll be hard to hear and just pump the Flames up.

 

If this ends in a sweep, Calgary will win the Stanley Cup. As whoever comes out of the East will have probably fought long and hard to win. Meaning that they'll be running on adrenaline. Which isn't too good, since Calgary will be running on adrenaline AND rest.

 

Gotta admit, I've liked these playoffs better than I have the last five years.

[Red Baron 0]

Montreal knew they could defeat Boston because in game 2, Boston wasn't playing all that well, and was able to win the series against them, from shady defence and a half decent goaltender.

 

Calgary is just one team that is firing on all cylanders and not stoping anytime soon, and have yet to really show any flaws in the past 6 games.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Ok... Just what the hell is this I hear about Philly's coach having some words with some of the Tampa Bay players on the ice?

 

I just caught the end of it, with Torterella (however you spell it), going on a furious speel of how it was bullshit and cowardly, and so I'm really interested in what the hell is going on.

[starvenger 0]

Ok... Just what the hell is this I hear about Philly's coach having some words with some of the Tampa Bay players on the ice?

 

I just caught the end of it, with Torterella (however you spell it), going on a furious speel of how it was bullshit and cowardly, and so I'm really interested in what the hell is going on.

Honestly, I think it's just a psychological ploy by Hitchcock...

[LaParkaMarka 0]

I'm calling BS on the whole "home team advantage" in Hockey. This isn't NFL, where 60000 screaming people can disrupt the audibles of the road team's offense. Hockey players can feed off of boos just as much as cheering.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

Exactly. There is very little home ice advantage in hockey anymore.

 

On a side note, back in 2002 (?-too lazy to research for certain), the Wings lost the opening two games at home before coming back to defeat the Canucks.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

You're right, Brush. Canucks won two straight at Joe Louis, fans were chanting "sweep" in game three, and then Cloutier let in that 50-footer of death. Wings win four straight.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

I'm not trying to toot my home team's horn...

 

But the Flyers have played superb at home during this playoffs.

 

I was at Game 1 and 2 Vs. The Devils @ home. Scores were close, but the physical play dominated by Philly, goaltending was superb, DEFENSE WAS AMAZING, and they WON BOTH GAMES.

 

Game 5 Vs. Devils, did the same, and won the game.

 

The Flyers also took on a helluva tough team in Toronto and won Games 1 and 2 at home. They also won game 5 at HOME.

 

Tonight...

 

I predict the feared "Lightning" are proven to be a "Flash" in the Pan.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

HOLY SHIT.

 

Sorry if its been described, but Don "Minor League Looking Coach" whatever his last name is just ripped on Hitchcock's apparent words for the Lightning on the ice. Here's some highlights..

 

"He wears a suit, just like me..."

"Shut yer' yap!"

"I know how he works..."

"This is chicken-shit."

"SHUT YER MOUTH!"

"I know how Philadelphia works. They like to hear about themselves."

 

Whatever, friggin asshole. Go have a controversy and nearly lose one of your top players again.

 

Honestly, I know the Lightning are good. But this coach is a real pussy. He keeps stressing how great both teams are, then throws in little jabs at Hitchcock. he should pay more attention to the "Berlin Wall" not giving up 6 goals at home in like 2 periods in the Eastern Conference Finals.

 

LET'S GO FLYERS!!!!

[nl5xsk1 0]

By 'Don "Minor League Looking Coach"' do you mean John Tortorella, the candidate for the Adams Trophy? The guy who's team finished #2 overall, #1 in the East? An yet you refer to him as "Minor League Looking Coach"? Do you mean his fashion sense, or his beard or what? Because don't tell me you consider yourself an actual hockey fan and then sell him short in term's of abilities as a coach.

 

Hitch was out of line, his panties were in a not b/c the video guys were replaying the Brashear hit repeatedly to get the fans agitated, and he was screaming at the Lightning as a result. And the league reprimanded the video guys in TB. But Hitchcock should know to let the players deal with players, and the coaches with the other coaches (see Crawford-vs-Bowman, Granato-vs-Crawford, or Therien-vs-Ftorek for past examples). Also, the only quote you reference that's not accurate is the last one ("I know how Philadelphia works. They like to hear about themselves."). The rest are accurate.

[Red Baron 0]

or Pat Burns and Barry "The Mullet" Melrose in the 93 season, or Herb Brooks and Jacques Demairs way back in the 80's.

 

 

The league needs more coaches like Tortorella, Sutter, Trotz, Crawford, Quenville, instead of Hitchcock and Quinn

[Just John 0]

That Flyers/Lightning game got ugly at the end. I loved how the announcers tried to cover for Radimojevic (probably butchered his name) by saying he was the better man for not fighting back after he got his ass kicked by Andre Roy.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

OMG~! 4 GOALS AGAINST! WORST GOALTENDING EVER! SERIES IS AS GOOD AS OVER! TBAY WILL WIN EASY!~~~!!!~!~!~~!~!~!~!

 

 

Nl5xsk1, I think Sledgehammer proved he is not really a hockey fan with his last two posts. The first one praising how dominant Philly is at home while failing to realize that T-Bay is undefeated on the road in the playoffs. The second post he states that Tampa should worry about the Bulin Wall (Berlin??) giving up six goals when he only gave up four.

 

Not to mention all his statements regarding Tortorella. (Although admittedly he could use to lose the goatee)

 

On a side note, the Eastern final is shaping up excellently. Normally, I'm not really a big fan of watching sunbelt teams (even if I enjoy actually watching the team, its their location that bugs me. If Tampa played out of an actual hockey town, I would enjoy them more. Guess it's the tradionalist in me). However, this series is really entertaining.

 

Not to mention the great series in the West. How awesome would the Flames in the final be?

[the max 0]

Flames in the final would be awesome, and I'm not even from Canada.

[nl5xsk1 0]

A few random thoughts ...

 

Brush with Greatness, I totally agree with you on the Sunbelt teams ... but it's not just their location, it's the fact that I consider the over-expansion of hockey one of the things that is most hurting the game. How the sport went from 16 teams to 30 so quickly is beyond me (well, I know exactly why it is {Bettman's an idiot} but it still boggles my mind). The fact that California & Florida combine to have almost as many teams as Canada is a joke. Unless teams like Anaheim and Florida were relocated to Quebec City, Winnipeg or Hartford, I'd rather they just contract. (**I also agree with you about SledgehammerUH, but I don't want to kick a man when he's down)

 

The 'fights' at the end of the Philly-TB game were jokes. How does anyone consider Brashear a tough guy anymore? He took a run at every guy except the one that would fight him (Roy). If he wanted to send a message or retaliate or something like that, why not choose a partner that actually would want to fight?? I remember watching him take cheap shots at PJ Stock (who's all of 5'10, 185) and then scurry to the bench before Stock could get revenge. Biggest pussy in hockey.

 

I hope both series go the full 7 games, although I don't think either will. Even if SJ manages to win game 4 (which is unlikely) I think that Calgary has too much momentum going behind them, and they'd be able to rap it up in 6. Same with TB, regardless of who wins game 4, I could see them winning in either 5 or 6.

[The Czech Republic 0]

I totally agree with you on the Sunbelt teams ... but it's not just their location, it's the fact that I consider the over-expansion of hockey one of the things that is most hurting the game. How the sport went from 16 teams to 30 so quickly is beyond me (well, I know exactly why it is {Bettman's an idiot} but it still boggles my mind).

It's a sad irony, but Wayne Gretzky is to blame for Sun Belt expansion. If he wasn't traded out of Edmonton, the L.A. Kings would kept sucking up the joint with 4,000 a night coming to watch them get beat by Winnipeg and Calgary in their ugly Lakers-esque sweaters. But then they got the Great One and everyone decided to watch them beat Winnipeg and Calgary in their ugly Raiders-esque sweaters.

 

Bettman is an idiot. The teams that came into being under his watch are:

Dallas Stars

Anaheim Mighty Ducks

Florida Panthers

Colorado Avalanche

Phoenix Coyotes

Carolina Hurricanes

Nashville Predators

Atlanta Thrashers

Columbus Blue Jackets

Minnesota Wild

 

Congratulations, Gary, maybe 3 out of 10 aren't an embarassment to the sport.

[tbondrage99 0]

Bettman is an idiot. The teams that came into being under his watch are:

Dallas Stars

Anaheim Mighty Ducks

Florida Panthers

Colorado Avalanche

Phoenix Coyotes

Carolina Hurricanes

Nashville Predators

Atlanta Thrashers

Columbus Blue Jackets

Minnesota Wild

 

Congratulations, Gary, maybe 3 out of 10 aren't an embarassment to the sport.

In all fairness, The Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Phoenix Coyotes, & Carolina Hurricanes were all around before they just moved from Minnesota, Quebec, Wennipeg, and Hartford repectivly to where they are now, but the point still stands Bettman is a complete and utter idiot.

[The Czech Republic 0]

In all fairness, The Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Phoenix Coyotes, & Carolina Hurricanes were all around before they just moved from Minnesota, Quebec, Wennipeg, and Hartford repectivly to where they are now, but the point still stands Bettman is a complete and utter idiot.

I'm aware. I'm just saying those markets came into being with the losses of the four you mentioned. Bad losses too, since with hockey especially, it's more of a per capita thing than gross numbers when it comes to market size. On a related and stupid note, I remember reading that the Carolina Hurricanes don't consider themselves to be part of the Hartford Whalers. Granted, it's not good history there, but it's better than nothing.

 

On Bettman: for the Gordie Howe episode of Sportscentury, Bettman lamented not having Gordie in the NHL during his reign as commissioner, as follows:

"It's a shame that Gordie Howe wasn't around recently, because he was just great, I mean, "Mr. Hockey," that's something you can really market."

 

You stupid fuck.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Brush with Greatness, you're a fool.

 

I praised Philly's (once) undefeated home schedule, while also realizing the two teams the Lightning have played in the previous 2 rounds, on the road, are a joke. Islanders? Canadiens? Come on, now.

 

You're "conclusions" are foolish.

[CanadianChris 0]

Brush with Greatness, you're a fool.

 

I praised Philly's (once) undefeated home schedule, while also realizing the two teams the Lightning have played in the previous 2 rounds, on the road, are a joke. Islanders? Canadiens? Come on, now.

 

You're "conclusions" are foolish.

Right, because it's not like the Canadiens won any road games against Boston in round 1, or won the series IN Boston.

 

Oh, wait...they DID.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Good win for the Flyers today. Game 5 will be pivotal in this series, I feel whoever wins that game is winning the series.

 

Man what a great day for Philly. Phils win and move into a tie for 1st, Flyers tie up the ECF, and Smarty Jones just blows everyone out in the Preakness.

[MrRant 0]

Brush with Greatness, you're a fool.

 

I praised Philly's (once) undefeated home schedule, while also realizing the two teams the Lightning have played in the previous 2 rounds, on the road, are a joke. Islanders? Canadiens? Come on, now.

 

You're "conclusions" are foolish.

Wait... aren't you the Eagles fanboy that mysteriously disappeared?

[Urban Warfare 0]

Good move by Sutter to take Kiprusoff out. He needs rest for a pivitol Game 5 in San Jose.