2008 Stanley Cup playoffs - first round

[cd213 0]

So, I was listening to the pre-game tonight, and hearing about how the Penguins still didn't have much playoff experience, and everyone was counting the Senators out, and how this was like the start of the playoff run when they were huge underdogs and still managed to take Buffalo to a seventh game in 1997 and then beat New Jersey the following year, made me think the Sens could still pull off an upset.

 

Then the game started.

 

This is an honest question. For the playoffs, who would you rather have in net, Gerber or Emery?

Ron Tugnutt.

 

I don't know why, but that made me giggle a little (and no it had nothing to do with the name).

[cd213 0]

I know the HD talk isn't that big around here, but I have to ask, is there anything better then watching hockey on HD? If there is, I'd be hard pressed to find it (maybe a great horror film).

[AntiLeaf33 0]

I know the HD talk isn't that big around here, but I have to ask, is there anything better then watching hockey on HD? If there is, I'd be hard pressed to find it (maybe a great horror film).

 

HD has me spoiled with hockey. When ever I have to go somewhere and watch a game in SD it feel like I'm only getting half of the experience.

[CanadianChris 0]

I'm the same way. I've actually decided not to watch games because they weren't in HD.

 

I must say, though, that I discovered one thing better than hockey in HD today, and that's The Masters in HD.

[cd213 0]

I'm the same way. I've actually decided not to watch games because they weren't in HD.

 

I must say, though, that I discovered one thing better than hockey in HD today, and that's The Masters in HD.

 

I'll have to check that out. I like all sports that I understand the rules to. I've caught some golf in HD. NASCAR is pretty good in HD as well.

[cd213 0]

And Game 1 is in the books. Rangers take care of the Devils 4-1. Gomez with an amazing game, had 3 assists. King Hank was amazing in goal. If we keep playing like that, we can take this series. I expect the next game to be a lot closer though.

[CanadianChris 0]

Not quite in the books in Pittsburgh, but the third goal for the Penguins should seal it. The Senators have NO scoring punch whatsoever, failing to generate a decent scoring chance on two lengthy 5-on-3 opportunities, and no real defensive presence to speak of either. Gerber kept Ottawa in the game almost by himself in the second, but it wasn't nearly enough.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

The Penguins looked amazing all game and it would've been 8-0 if the Pens weren't shorthanded the entire game. However, hard to tell if that says that much about them or more about how depleted the Sens are by this point.

[the max 0]

Hopefully Bruins/Scabs doesn't go the same way tomorrow night.

 

Marc Savard cleared for contact as well, it's still "officially" unknown whether or not he'll play, but knowing the Marc Savard that the Bruins signed, he'll probably be in the lineup ready to go. Same for Metropolit. Bergeron is still out for game 1, but I feel giddy with him potentially looming for game 3 in Boston.

[Red Baron 0]

Look for Komisarek to be back on the ice as well tomorrow night.

 

Joe Sakic passed Maurice Richard for most OT Goals in the playoffs with eight. Actually that whole overtime frame between Colorado and Minnesota was awesome.

[Fartsauce 0]

I actually stopped watching the Calgary/San Jose game to watch the overtime between the Avs and Wild. Really awesome back and forth hockey. Theodore's save on Burns was awesome. I never in a million years would have thought a game involving Minnesota could get that exciting.

[CanadianChris 0]

I actually stopped watching the Calgary/San Jose game to watch the overtime between the Avs and Wild. Really awesome back and forth hockey. Theodore's save on Burns was awesome. I never in a million years would have thought a game involving Minnesota could get that exciting.

They had a couple of really good games against Colorado when they upset the Avs in '03. Maybe it's just this matchup.

[Nightwing 0]

The ending in San Jose/Calgary is what makes playoff hockey the best sporting experience out there. I've never been so tense about two teams I don't care about, and Kipper was absolutely ridiculous in goal.

[CanadianChris 0]

I'd say the Canadiens were ready for this series to start.

[treble 0]

Oh God, do I want Montreal to lose. I can't stand this, from the media slurpin' them for the last few months to the fans singing 4 minutes into the game.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Oh God, do I want Montreal to lose. I can't stand this, from the media slurpin' them for the last few months to the fans singing 4 minutes into the game.

 

My buddy, a Sens fan, texted me to the same effect - why the hate for the singing? It's the fuckin playoffs, and it's been a little shy of two years since our last playoff game.

 

Edit: The fuck? Why/when have my sig and avatar been reset? I deleted some cookies the other day when my internet was clunky, is that it? Or is this part of the email address login rigamarole? Or, Treble-based sabotage since I'm a Habs fan? Yeah, Baron doesn't have the Falkland thing anymore - Treble's fingerprints are all over this.

[treble 0]

Little bit of a board hiccup yesterday, everything was reset back to January or something.

 

I'm just annoyed at how the media's been all over the Habs' nuts over the past little while. Especially all the praise they've given to Kovalev.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Little bit of a board hiccup yesterday, everything was reset back to January or something.

 

I'm just annoyed at how the media's been all over the Habs' nuts over the past little while. Especially all the praise they've given to Kovalev.

 

Not that two wrongs make a right, but if the Leafs finished the year in fir.....hahaha, I can't even finish that statement.

 

However, the Kovalev thing is fair of you. Balanced scoring, competent defence, solid goaltending, and great special teams got the Habs into the playoffs, not just Kovalev.

[treble 0]

I'm convinced the Leafs would NEVER get this kind of coverage. Yeah, they get a lot of press, but even when they're going well, I can never remember it like this (maybe it was in '93, but I wasn't even 10 yet, so I don't remember much).

 

Anyway, the Kovalev stuff is what gets me the most. They're basically ignoring the fact that the knock on him is that he only played well when he felt like it. Are we supposed to grovel at his feet because he decided to try hard this year? I can't deny that he can be a great player, but I don't like that they gloss over the part about him picking and choosing when it's time to go all out.

 

Also, 90% of my family are Habs fans, so them going out early is best case scenario for me.

[CanadianChris 0]

I'm convinced the Leafs would NEVER get this kind of coverage. Yeah, they get a lot of press, but even when they're going well, I can never remember it like this (maybe it was in '93, but I wasn't even 10 yet, so I don't remember much).

'93 was different, because the Internet was still an embryo back then, so we were still a few years away from the 24-hour news cycle, and also because the Leafs only finished 3rd in the Norris. Once the Leafs got by the Red Wings, though, the country was going nuts for them. Gilmour was a small god.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Gilmour was a small god.

Pun intended?

 

The Flames just killed 85 minutes of 5-on-3 (it was actually three, during most of which Sarich had no stick), and are now shorthanded again. Kipper is reminiscent of 04. As it happens, with the Jays game going 12, every bit of Flames hockey I've seen tonight, they've been shorthanded.

 

Fuck. 2-0. Yep, Sharks on the PP.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

When does Ron MacLean sleep during the playoffs, if ever?

[Red Baron 0]

I'm convinced the Leafs would NEVER get this kind of coverage. Yeah, they get a lot of press, but even when they're going well, I can never remember it like this (maybe it was in '93, but I wasn't even 10 yet, so I don't remember much).

 

Anyway, the Kovalev stuff is what gets me the most. They're basically ignoring the fact that the knock on him is that he only played well when he felt like it. Are we supposed to grovel at his feet because he decided to try hard this year? I can't deny that he can be a great player, but I don't like that they gloss over the part about him picking and choosing when it's time to go all out.

 

Also, 90% of my family are Habs fans, so them going out early is best case scenario for me.

 

 

Bullshit.

 

Toronto had media hype from 98-2004. Especially the two years they were at the Conference Finals, and its still like that on any show. Why isn't JFJ getting fired yet, should Sundin be traded? Who should they get rid of next? Maybe it is more negative side of the Leaf coverage, but they are still getting coverage. Besides Montreal wasn't the most covered team in the NHL this year in terms of analysists. The demise of the Ottawa Senators took a lot of talk from January to now, and at the beginning of the season, they were considered to be the greatest team ever assembled.

 

 

You can't help to say that Kovalev was the catalyst of the Habs success. (1st in the PP, lead the team in scoring, helped Plekanec, Kostitsyns) but there were other factors. Carey Price emerging as a superstar, Andrei Markov having a Norris-like season. A huge improvement on the 5-5 with the addition of Roman Hamilrik. Mark Streit plays well both on offence and defence, and Mike Komisarek is playing like a beast this season. The Habs have one of the best balanced offence in the league.

 

 

 

 

 

Rant over, Dallas is running circles around Anaheim. This can be a very quick series.

[Zetterberg is God 0]

Good to see Detroit get that first win. I thought the Tootoo goal was going to swing the momentum but Zetterberg and Datsyuk made sure that it didn't.

[Red Baron 0]

What a play by Zetterberg poke-checking the opposition and getting the GWG.

 

[treble 0]

I'm convinced the Leafs would NEVER get this kind of coverage. Yeah, they get a lot of press, but even when they're going well, I can never remember it like this (maybe it was in '93, but I wasn't even 10 yet, so I don't remember much).

 

Anyway, the Kovalev stuff is what gets me the most. They're basically ignoring the fact that the knock on him is that he only played well when he felt like it. Are we supposed to grovel at his feet because he decided to try hard this year? I can't deny that he can be a great player, but I don't like that they gloss over the part about him picking and choosing when it's time to go all out.

 

Also, 90% of my family are Habs fans, so them going out early is best case scenario for me.

 

 

Bullshit.

 

Toronto had media hype from 98-2004. Especially the two years they were at the Conference Finals, and its still like that on any show. Why isn't JFJ getting fired yet, should Sundin be traded? Who should they get rid of next? Maybe it is more negative side of the Leaf coverage, but they are still getting coverage. Besides Montreal wasn't the most covered team in the NHL this year in terms of analysists. The demise of the Ottawa Senators took a lot of talk from January to now, and at the beginning of the season, they were considered to be the greatest team ever assembled.

 

 

You can't help to say that Kovalev was the catalyst of the Habs success. (1st in the PP, lead the team in scoring, helped Plekanec, Kostitsyns) but there were other factors. Carey Price emerging as a superstar, Andrei Markov having a Norris-like season. A huge improvement on the 5-5 with the addition of Roman Hamilrik. Mark Streit plays well both on offence and defence, and Mike Komisarek is playing like a beast this season. The Habs have one of the best balanced offence in the league.

What I'm saying is that the Leafs have never gotten this kind of coverage. Obviously they get the most press, but never this 're-birth of a franchise' or whatever bs they've been pumping out when talking about the Habs the past few months.

 

And I'm not disputing that Kovalev has been a big part of the Habs good season, just that I don't like that the media seem to be ignoring the fact that a lot of them were calling him a piece of shit for the last few years.

[Red Baron 0]

agreed, on that. What would happen if say Toronto wins the Eastern Conference next year due to the massive success of Bryan McCabe. (Face it, he's comin back next year.)

 

Maybe its also Toronto has been on a tailspin for the...oh past 40 years

 

Few reasons why I want Montreal to win:

 

I'm a Habs fan.

Stick it to any Leaf/Sabres fan.

I want to see the Headline at the Toronto Sun.

Bob McCowen to fuck right off.

Bringing the cup back to a Canadien team.

[Agent_Bond34 0]

The ending in San Jose/Calgary is what makes playoff hockey the best sporting experience out there. I've never been so tense about two teams I don't care about, and Kipper was absolutely ridiculous in goal.

 

From what I had heard on Fox Sports Radio, Nabokov was as well for San Jose.

[Star Ocean 3 0]

I can't wait 'till the playoffs start.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

The ending in San Jose/Calgary is what makes playoff hockey the best sporting experience out there. I've never been so tense about two teams I don't care about, and Kipper was absolutely ridiculous in goal.

 

From what I had heard on Fox Sports Radio, Nabokov was as well for San Jose.

 

 

Nabokov robbed 2 or 3 sure fire goals away from the Flames.