2008 Stanley Cup playoffs - first round

[Nightwing 0]

Thanks!

[Red Baron 0]

I agree, that Boston has pushed Montreal to the limits, and Carey Price played unreal in this series. I don't like all the diving out there, but its not like Boston has gotten away with murder out there as well.

 

Kessel can be a huge threat if Boston was a run and gun team.

[Red Baron 0]

As much as I want Phili to win the next game, the idea of Pittsburgh/Washington would be fantastic.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Fucking Flyers are gonna blow this series. They controlled the 1st half of this game, then reverted to how they played in game 5.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I'm just really, really glad that the Habs legitimately won a game. They dove A LOT during this series, and this was probably the only game outside #1 that they didn't dive or fuck-up their way to a victory.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Im gonna have to watch the Caps game 7..game 7's in hockey are always great.

[Star Ocean 3 0]

Ducks were too cocky. They had that feeling of entitlement since the two stars came back, that it was a given to get past this series. I can't blame the penalties, because those have always been there. Maybe Burke's whining created that attitude within the team. Or Bertuzzi, not because of his cursed past, but because he did nothing this season. Most of all, I blame myself for not being there for them.

[the max 0]

Montreal didn't deserve to win that series. They played like shit for five games and still fell ass backwards into lucky bounces and gift calls. They're going to be eaten alive in the next round. They'll either draw Philadelphia or the Rags, both of whom are better overall teams than Montreal who didn't have their point total inflated by destroying a division rival all season.

 

That said, even though the Bruins laid an egg in game 7, they have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. They were the better team in the series, they just ran into a better goaltender. That happens. If Chiarelli addresses the offensive woes in the offseason and brings in another good puck-moving defenseman, they're going to be a very, very good team next year. It sucked watching them lose to the less deserving team like they did, but the future really looks bright. Krejci, Kessel, Lucic, Sobotka and Stuart all played like they belonged in the playoffs. Too bad a gutless team like Montreal had to get some lucky bounces and ultimately the series win.

[Red Baron 0]

Phili doesn't seem like a threat out there. They are slower than Boston, especially on the defence.

 

 

Montreal is going to get smoked by the Rags next round.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Montreal didn't deserve to win that series. They played like shit for five games and still fell ass backwards into lucky bounces and gift calls. They're going to be eaten alive in the next round. They'll either draw Philadelphia or the Rags, both of whom are better overall teams than Montreal who didn't have their point total inflated by destroying a division rival all season.

 

That said, even though the Bruins laid an egg in game 7, they have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. They were the better team in the series, they just ran into a better goaltender. That happens. If Chiarelli addresses the offensive woes in the offseason and brings in another good puck-moving defenseman, they're going to be a very, very good team next year. It sucked watching them lose to the less deserving team like they did, but the future really looks bright. Krejci, Kessel, Lucic, Sobotka and Stuart all played like they belonged in the playoffs. Too bad a gutless team like Montreal had to get some lucky bounces and ultimately the series win.

 

 

 

The Bruins, as you said, deserve a hell of a lot of praise. They took the East's best team to the limit, and out played them for five or six games.

 

 

Having said that, I welcome the Flyers (hopefully). Can Philly possibly revert the regular-season trend the way Boston did? I fucking hope not. I'm also not eager to beat the Rangers moreso than a Pens-Caps series, as cool as that would be.

[Nightwing 0]

Hopefully this isn't posted somewhere else, because it isn't in this thread. But here is Hitler reacting to the Canucks missing the playoffs.

[the pinjockey 0]

Having said that, I welcome the Flyers (hopefully). Can Philly possibly revert the regular-season trend the way Boston did? I fucking hope not.

 

I seriously doubt they would pose any challenge to Montreal. Their team defense is just horrible right now. They can be cycled on for days in their own zone.

 

Here is a sadly, amusing list that Bill Meltzer over on Eklund's site (yes, there is at least one very good writer over there) made up to show the Philly defensive pairings on every Washington goal. See if you can find the common trends.

Game 1

Modry and Smith out for Brashear's goal (ESG)

Modry and Smith out for Steckel's goal (ESG)

Modry and Smith out for Green's first goal (ESG)

Modry and Smith out for Green's second goal (PPG)

Modry and Kukkonen out for Ovechkin's goal (ESG)

 

Game 2 (2-0 shutout)

 

Game 3

Modry and Smith out for Fehr's goal (ESG)

Modry and Smith out for Green's goal (PPG)

Modry and Smith out for Laich's goal (ESG)

 

Game 4

Modry and Smith out for Bäckström's goal (PPG)

Modry and Smith out for Semin's goal (PPG)

Modry and Smith out for Eminger's goal (ESG)

 

Game 5

Modry and Smith out for Bäckström's goal (5-on-3 PPG)

Timonen and Coburn out for Fedorov's goal (ESG)

Hatcher and Jones out for Semin's goal (PPG)

 

Game 6 (Modry finally, mercifully benched thus accounting for the lack of his presence in this game)

Kukkonen and Smith out for Bäckström's goal (ESG)

Hatcher and Smith out for Semin's goal (ESG)

Timonen and Coburn out for Ovechkin's first goal (ESG)

Timonen and Coburn out for Ovechkin's second goal (PPG)

 

[Zetterberg is God 0]

Chara, Lidstrom and Phaneuf named Norris trophy finalists

[Red Baron 0]

You might as well just hand it to Lidstrom

[Nightwing 0]

They need to make Dion Phaneuf some sort of trophy to win, because he really does deserve recognition for his great play but he has the bad luck to be in Lidstrom's shadow.

[Red Baron 0]

They need to make Dion Phaneuf some sort of trophy to win, because he really does deserve recognition for his great play but he has the bad luck to be in Lidstrom's shadow.

 

I Think Pierre McGuire just got a hard on and jizzed over that idea.

[the max 0]

They need to make Dion Phaneuf some sort of trophy to win

 

They call it "Getting an NHL paycheck".

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

They need to make Dion Phaneuf some sort of trophy to win

 

They call it "Getting an NHL paycheck".

 

How about the Hart or Stanley Cup?

[the max 0]

They need to make Dion Phaneuf some sort of trophy to win

 

They call it "Getting an NHL paycheck".

 

How about the Hart or Stanley Cup?

 

The Hart? Really?

[Red Baron 0]

Maybe in a few years, but I doubt it.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

That last Flyers goal was a bunch of BS.

 

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I couldn't believe they allowed that goal to stand.

 

Lucky for the Caps Biron is still a shitty goaltender.

[packwingfn 0]

Incidental contact.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Baron and I have been tossing this one around for a few days: Who has the most Cups among active players? Hockey-reference.com couldn't answer it, but we're surrrrrrrre it's Niedermayer.

[the pinjockey 0]

A NY Daily News article after last season's playoffs says it is Niedermayer with 4.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/2..._cup_print.html

 

I can't believe the Caps haven't put this one away yet.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Overtime in Game 7..ooh

[CanadianChris 0]

A NY Daily News article after last season's playoffs says it is Niedermayer with 4.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/2..._cup_print.html

If the Red Wings win, five players will tie him (Lidstrom, Holmstrom, Maltby, Draper and McCarty). From what I can tell, I think Mathieu Dandenault is the only other guy with a chance at a fourth.

[CanadianChris 0]

Well, that sucked.

[Nightwing 0]

And everyone at ESPN will now go back to ignoring the NHL, as per usual.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Yes!