It's here! The NHL 2003-04 playoff thread

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by bbor

He was even better in last seasons play-offs and they still blamed him.

Yeah, I remember having to make a similar comment in last year's playoff thread.

SI

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Sorry, H_B, Hurst, and all the Wings fans out there. It really sucks when you have high hopes and they don't pan out (KU basketball every year, last year with the Cubs, the year Randy Johnson went to the Astros, practically every season with the Oilers, a couple of years with the Rockets before and after the title), so I'm going to spend the next 24 hours not bagging on Wings fans. That night when your team that you thought could win the title gets bounced once and for all, the only thing left is shock and that crappy feeling that you really can't come back now because it really is over.

So, my 24 hour no Wing bashing starts now. Then it's back to business as usual.

SI

That's okay, Mr. Jagermeister has helped me make amends with the loss.

I am more concerned with H_B. I hope he is doing ok.

[sterlingice]

In fact, here is my exact quote from last season " Damn straight. Nothing like blaming a guy for the offense scoring 1.5 goals per game." after it was suggested he was going to be blamed for last season's loss.

SI

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

In fact, here is my exact quote from last season " Damn straight. Nothing like blaming a guy for the offense scoring 1.5 goals per game." after it was suggested he was going to be blamed for last season's loss.

SI

I admit, I was guilty.

[klayman]

Originally Posted by bbor

He was even better in last seasons play-offs and they still blamed him.

Yeah, but they're Red Wing fans so it is perfectly logical for them to be illogical. Sort of what it is like being a Leaf fan.

Seriously, Hull had no desire to even play. Hatcher was brutal. Zetterberg thought he could take on all 5 Flames on the ice by himself. Shanahan was invisible. Even if you throw Hasek in net, I don't see how the outcome of the series changes any.

[Vince]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

Congrats to the Flames.

It is going to be really hard not to root for them being a Western conference guy and despising Colorado.

Come on...give my Sharks a chance. SOMEONE has to.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Vince

Come on...give my Sharks a chance. SOMEONE has to.

I'd still rather be in their shoes than the Avs. But each game that they don't close out in the Avs in makes it so much harder the next game. They really needed game 5 since game 6 is in Colorado and the crowd does give a little boost in hockey. Still, home ice isn't that important.

They won the first three games 10-3 and have lost a pair of OT squeakers they were one bounce away from winning. They looked like the better team in the first two games but they've been asking Nabokov to win the last three games so you hope they snap out of that.

SI

[Tekneek]

Originally Posted by klayman

Hatcher showing his true colors.

It was very fitting that he was the man who blew his coverage on the game-winning goal. Don't watch the puck, Hatcher, play your man. Maybe he should concentrate on the basics instead of seeing how many infractions he can get away with in such a crucial game.

[Ksyrup]

I fell asleep at the end of regulation, woke up an hour later, rubbed my eyes, and watched Gelinas score 6 seconds later. Kinda like being shot in the back of the head, instead of being tortured for an hour.

That's about the best spin I can put on it.

[ice4277]

Well, another disappointing end to the season, and this time, it really does have to be the end for this team as we know it. No heart and a lack of commitment really showed through in this series. Props to the Flames, I don't think I've ever seen a team hustle every minute of every game like they did. They are going to be a very tough team to beat in the next round.

As for the future of the Wings, I think Lewis will be gone, but I haven't decided whether or not I would agree with such a move. I haven't heard anybody blaming CuJo for this series; talk around Detroit has been about the lack of hustle and energy the players have shown. Too many guys winding down in the twilight of their careers, truthfully I thought this was going to happen two years ago, it took a little longer than I thought but I can't see how anybody can truly be surprised that something like this could happen. With so many players out of contract at the end of this year, it is going to be a VERY different Wings team that takes to the ice next time, whenever that may be. Again, congrats Flames and Flames fans, you guys deserve to have your shot at the Cup. I'll be pulling for you from here on out.

[sachmo71]

If Colorado goes out early, it will illustrate yet again that big spending isn't everything.

I have to admit it's a little funny to hear Wings fans grumbling about Hatcher...get used to it.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by ice4277

it is going to be a VERY different Wings team that takes to the ice next time, whenever that may be.

That the other reason why this team is over. If there's a protracted strike, I don't think I want most of those guys back, 1.5-2 years older.

[Maple Leafs]

Martin Gelinas... WTF? Three series-winning OT goals in three years? Someobody stop that guy.

Go Flames, but I'm not here to rub it in for the Wings fan. I've always liked Detroit, the Leafs/Wings rivalry was always a great one without most of the sideshow junk you see elsewhere. Wings fans suffered for a long time before they got their Cup, so I didn't mind seeing them get a few more. A loss in the playoffs always hurts, no matter who it comes it against. Sorry guys.

Just please don't hang Cujo out to dry. It was one thing to do it last year, but to blame a goalie for a pair of 1-0 losses is just wrong.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by bbor

He was even better in last seasons play-offs and they still blamed him.

ditto his last playoffs with the Leafs.
the guy just doesn't get enough respect, IMO.

[Honolulu_Blue]

So it ends. Not with a bang, but with a whimper.

It has been a hell of a ride. It will be interesting to see how the Wings will re-invent themselves. There will be no telling for certain until the labor dispute is resolved.

Calgary were the better team in Game 6, by a good margin, and likely throughout the series. They played some great hockey and deserved the win. I wish them the best of luck and would love to see them go on and win it all.

Curtis Joseph was the Wings best player, by far, last night. He stopped everything he could. He had no chance on that last one, it was a defensive breakdown. There is no way the blame for losing this series can fall on his shoulders. If the team in front of you can't score a goal, there is little a goalie can do.

Congrats, Karim!

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by klayman

And all is right in the world tonight. God bless Martin Gelinas.

Sorry H_B.

No worries, K-man.

Can't argue that from a totally objective point of view, this would be a very good things, small market, hard-working Canadian franchise upsetting the big market, power-house.

It's good to see the Flames back in the thick of things. One of the first playoffs I really remember was the 88-89 season. So, the Flames were always a special team in a way.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Sorry, H_B, Hurst, and all the Wings fans out there. It really sucks when you have high hopes and they don't pan out (KU basketball every year, last year with the Cubs, the year Randy Johnson went to the Astros, practically every season with the Oilers, a couple of years with the Rockets before and after the title), so I'm going to spend the next 24 hours not bagging on Wings fans. That night when your team that you thought could win the title gets bounced once and for all, the only thing left is shock and that crappy feeling that you really can't come back now because it really is over.

So, my 24 hour no Wing bashing starts now. Then it's back to business as usual.

SI

Thanks for the 24 hour reprvie, SI. It's much appreciated. After the 24 hours are up, I do fully expect, nay, demand things return to normal!

[Maple Leafs]

Hey guys... thought some of you might find this site interesting. Maybe it says more about me than I want to reveal, but I could spend hours combing through this stuff:

http://www.whowins.com/

Basically, it's an exhaustive study of seven-game series. For example, I now know that the 2004 Maple Leafs became the 18th team in pro-sports history to win a best of seven series by winning games 2, 3, 5 and 7.

I also now know that the Avs have become the eleventh team in NHL history to win games 4 and 5 after losing games 1, 2 and 3. Two of those ten teams, of course, completed the comeback. Teams in that situation are also 5-5 all-time in game six.

Is any of this useful? Probably not, but it's still pretty damn cool...

[Honolulu_Blue]

One last thing. Besides CuJo, the best Wing on the ice, bar none, was Kris Draper. He was everywhere last night. He had the best (only?) scoring chances, showed great speed, and created opportunities. He really had a great season and playoffs. Not bad for a guy traded for a buck.

[Simms]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Hey guys... thought some of you might find this site interesting. Maybe it says more about me than I want to reveal, but I could spend hours combing through this stuff:

http://www.whowins.com/

That is freaking cool.

Also...not to hijack the Flames/Wings love/hate-fest, I thought of another good Leaf trivia question last night.

ML, given your encyclopaedic knowledge of pre-faceoff programming on CBC telecasts, I'm going to hope you didn't ask this one because you don't actually know it, as opposed to you just forgot about it (it'd make me feel smart again). But it's certainly no more obscure than most of the ones you posted.

1994, Leafs/Canucks, Game 5. Prior to the national anthem, closet homer Ron McLean, obviously bribed by the Canuck faithful to exhibit some semblance of objective journalism, went out of his way to jinx the Leafs.

What "paranormal" event took place on-camera, thereby sealing the Leafs fate and dooming any chance they had at a comeback in the series?

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Simms

What "paranormal" event took place on-camera, thereby sealing the Leafs fate and dooming any chance they had at a comeback in the series?

I have no idea. That was one of the few games I didn't get to see in it's entirety (had a hockey game that night and actually went for some reason). I think I saw the opening, but I can't remember what happened. Good question, though.

Here's an interesting fact I dug up, inspired by Johnny's Randy Wood question. In the last 15 years, the Leafs have played a game six at home when trailing a series 3-2 four times: 1994 vs. SJ, 1995 vs. CHI, 2002 vs. CAR and 2003 vs. PHI. All four of those games went into overtime.

Sign of things to come?

[Simms]

I use "paranormal" in quotation marks because it was really only "psychic" in hindsight.

But as the players were coming onto the ice, McLean was standing in between sections with a young Canucks fan. Behind them, the crowd is roaring and everybody's waving those g*ddamn white towels. To conclude the brief interview, McLean asks the kid if he has a prediction for the game. He looks into the camera and says, "4-3 Canucks in OT!"

The Leafs, naturally, would go on to lose 4-3....in overtime.

[Karim]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Congrats, Karim!

I'd like to take credit but...

This team is the gritiest most resilient team to ever come through Calgary.

I think you could have used a few more Drapers, Maltbies and Holmstroms because guys like Hull, Shanahan, Datsyuk were invisible while Zetterberg was trying to do everything himself.

Lang is much more the player than I ever thought. Not seeing him much when he was out east, I thought he rode Jagr's coattails but no way. If he hadn't had a broken hand...

It will be interesting to see what happens to the Wings with a new CBA. I think Hull is definitely gone; he showed no passion at all.

Calgary obviously doesn't care who they play but I think they match up better against Colorado. Goaltending and coaching leans in our favour and we tend to do a good job bottling up skilled players. Plus anytime you can get a Colorado team without Blake, you take it.

San Jose, although great story lines with Sutter and Kirprusoff, plays too similar to Calgary. I don't know how we'd handle that.

[sachmo71]

Hull is speaking of retiring, especially if there is a lockout.

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

I have no idea. That was one of the few games I didn't get to see in it's entirety (had a hockey game that night and actually went for some reason). I think I saw the opening, but I can't remember what happened. Good question, though.

Here's an interesting fact I dug up, inspired by Johnny's Randy Wood question. In the last 15 years, the Leafs have played a game six at home when trailing a series 3-2 four times: 1994 vs. SJ, 1995 vs. CHI, 2002 vs. CAR and 2003 vs. PHI. All four of those games went into overtime.

Sign of things to come?

Well the only one we lost was too the Canes and Martin Gelinas......Gartner scored against SJ......Wood against Chicago.....and Travis Green against Philly....Although we did lose the last 3 series.....

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Simms

I use "paranormal" in quotation marks because it was really only "psychic" in hindsight.

But as the players were coming onto the ice, McLean was standing in between sections with a young Canucks fan. Behind them, the crowd is roaring and everybody's waving those g*ddamn white towels. To conclude the brief interview, McLean asks the kid if he has a prediction for the game. He looks into the camera and says, "4-3 Canucks in OT!"

The Leafs, naturally, would go on to lose 4-3....in overtime.

Let's find that kid, and kill him.

[klayman]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Let's find that kid, and kill him.

Hehe...it was me!

[bbor]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

Hull is speaking of retiring, especially if there is a lockout.

Hull speaks too much

ML...I can't get any of those damn question you asked...besides the ones that have been answered already

And please tell me the answer to the Kelvington question....i can't remember the 3rd NHL'er to come out of that town.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

Hull is speaking of retiring, especially if there is a lockout.

He started his retirement a month too early.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

He started his retirement a month too early.

No crap.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Simms

I use "paranormal" in quotation marks because it was really only "psychic" in hindsight.

But as the players were coming onto the ice, McLean was standing in between sections with a young Canucks fan. Behind them, the crowd is roaring and everybody's waving those g*ddamn white towels. To conclude the brief interview, McLean asks the kid if he has a prediction for the game. He looks into the camera and says, "4-3 Canucks in OT!"

The Leafs, naturally, would go on to lose 4-3....in overtime.

And that little boy was...

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by bbor

And please tell me the answer to the Kelvington question....i can't remember the 3rd NHL'er to come out of that town.

It was Kelly Chase.

I'll try to post the other answers later.

[Simms]

A rally cry for tonight, if you will....

hxxp://www.thefobl.com/downloads/LeafsFlyers.mp3

Totally clean...no fear in listening at work.

That said, I am posting this here with the knowledge that this thread gets far less traffic than FOFC at large. Please feel to listen/download as you wish if you're reading this, but I am paying for the bandwidth, so I would ask that you all not go "public" with this link or otherwise e-mail it to your 50 closest friends.

I've yet to see this make the rounds, so apologies if I'm just way behind the times and you've already heard this a couple dozen times....

[Vince]

Sharks need to win tonight...I don't know if we can overcome the momentum that will have built up in game 7, even if we are at the Shark Tank. Nobody talk about the fact that we're already up against a lot of momentum, AND in Colorado tonight. Ok?

Man do I hate the Avalanche.

[bbor]

A calgary/SJ series would be sick....2 teams that play fast no trap hockey...i'd love it.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Vince

Nobody talk about the fact that we're already up against a lot of momentum, AND in Colorado tonight. Ok?.

ok

Colorado, for a team that has sold out almost every game in their existence in Denver, and has the additional "thin air" advantage, really does a shitty job of cashing in on their home ice advantage.

Plus, the momentum shifting to Colorado probably hurts them more than helps them.

Originally Posted by Vince

Man do I hate the Avalanche.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by bbor

A calgary/SJ series would be sick....2 teams that play fast no trap hockey...i'd love it.

I think they are actually the same team.

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by Simms

A rally cry for tonight, if you will....

hxxp://www.thefobl.com/downloads/LeafsFlyers.mp3

Totally clean...no fear in listening at work.

That said, I am posting this here with the knowledge that this thread gets far less traffic than FOFC at large. Please feel to listen/download as you wish if you're reading this, but I am paying for the bandwidth, so I would ask that you all not go "public" with this link or otherwise e-mail it to your 50 closest friends.

I've yet to see this make the rounds, so apologies if I'm just way behind the times and you've already heard this a couple dozen times....

That is awsome.......anyone remember that music video with the leafs in the 92-93 season.....theres a clip of it on my 92-93 video.......hehe.....though this song is much better...

[Maple Leafs]

Hardcore Leafs Trivia -- the answers.

TOR/DET, 1993
Each game in Detroit, HNIC would start it's broadcast with a shot of which Leaf standing silently by himself in the hallway prior to the game (5 points)?
Johnny had this one right. It was indeed Pat Burns who was shown, standing by himself, staring into the distance before each game.

TOR/DET, 1993, game four
After losing games one and two to the Wings in blowouts, the Leafs come home needing to win both games to stay in the series. The turning point of game four, and perhaps the entire series, was a thundering open-ice hit. Who threw the hit (1 point), and which Wing was on the receiving end (2 points)?
I thought this was the easy one. The hitter, of course, was Wendel Clark. The poor sap on the receiving end was big Bob Probert. Probie had been running aroud for the first few games, but the Leafs didn't seem too afraid of him after Wendel laid him out.

TOR/STL, 1993, game one
Everyone remembers Curtis Joseph's brilliant goaltending in the double-overtime Game One classic. But which future NHL starter had to come in to play goal during overtime when Joseph had to leave the game (2 points)? Which Leaf knocked CuJo out of the game and how (5 points)?
Mike Foligno kicked Joseph in the head while going to the net (accidentally, of course... it would be four more years before Nick Kypreos showed us how to intentionally injure a Blues goalie in the playoffs). Guy Hebert came into the game in relief and robbed Mark Osborne before Joseph returned.

TOR/LA, 1993, game one
We all remember the classic Clark/McSorely fight after Marty decked Gilmour. But there was a second fight going on at the same time, which can only be seen in the background of the HNIC broadcast. Which two players were involved (3 points)?
It was noted tough guys Todd Gill and Dave Taylor.

TOR/LA, 1993, game five
The Leafs took the lead in the series on Glenn Anderson's overtime goal. Which King's half-hearted defensive effort allowed Anderson to be wide open to swat home the winning goal (3 points)?
"Half-hearted defensive effort"? Who else could it be but Wayne Gretzky, who left his old buddy all alone to score the winner, making Anderson a Leaf hero for exactly one game (see below). Gretzky later explained that he didn't try too hard because he knew the refs would let the Kings win the next game.

TOR/LA, 1993, game six
Anyway, the high-stick wasn't the only reason the Leafs lost. Some fans forget that Kings OT goal actually came on the powerplay. Which Leaf was in the box for boarding at the time of the goal (2 points)? Who did he hit (5 points)? And what was the ad on the boards that he hit him into (10 points)?
Anderson hammered Rob Blake into the boards for the dumbest penalty of all time. Showing his sense of irony, Anderson made sure he put Blake directly into the Target bullseye. Thanks for nothing Glenn, you bum.

TOR/LA, 1993, game seven
HNIC opened it's broadcast of what Wayne Gretkzy would later call his "greatest game ever" and Leaf fans would later call "the game that should never have happened, Fraser, you bastard" with a montage set to the theme song of what classic sports movie? (10 points)
It was the theme to Hoosiers. Great song, but now I can't watch that movie without getting mad.

TOR/CHI, 1994, game two
With a 1-0 victory, the Leafs take a 2-0 series lead on Todd Gill's OT goal. Gill beats Hawks' goalie Eddie Belfour through the five-hole with a slapshot from the point, despite no traffic around the net, no deflections, and no screen. After the goal, Belfour goes ballistic. Why (5 points)?
This was one of my all-time favorite Leaf moments. With both Potvin and Belfour looking unbeatable, it seemed like the game could last forever. But as Gill wound up for a harmless point shot, Wendel Clark reached from behind the net with his stick and tapped the top of Belfour's goalstick. The nudge was just enough to cause Belfour's stick to lift up for a second, leaving his five-hole open. Game over. Belfour went nuts, but the ref never saw the interference.

TOR/SJ, 1994
What was unusual about the format of the TOR/SJ and later the TOR/VAN series (1 point)?
It was a 2-3-2 (see a few posts above for the explanation of why).

TOR/SJ, 1994, game six
With the Leafs down 3-games-to-2 and facing elimination, HNIC opened it's broadcast of game six with a video montage set to what appropriate musical selection (10 points)? Which Shark almost eliminated the Leafs, hitting the crossbar in overtime (5 points)? What song played at MLG when the Leafs scored to win the game (10 points)?
HNIC went with an appropriate choice: Don Henley's "I Will Not Go Quietly". It turns out the Leafs didn't. Moments after Johan Garpenlov hit the crossbar, Mike Gartner scored to end it and the Leafs celebrated to the sounds of "Taking Care of Business".

TOR/SJ, 1994, game seven
The Leafs beat the Sharks 4-2 to win the series. What was unusual about the final seconds of this game (5 points)?
I'm surprised nobody remembers this. As the clock ticked down the final moments of an apparent 4-1 victory, the Leafs managed to score in their own net with no time left during the celebration. Make the final 4-2. I hope nobody had under on that 5.5 line.

[Simms]

Upbeat musical soundtrack for the open tonight....nary a sound from McLean.

We're in good shape.

[Vince]

Thanks for the answers ML...I was curious myself as to the Toronto-SJ answers...wasn't the biggest sports fan back then, and while I loved the Sharks...I don't remember much about the early years. And I call myself a Sharks fan

[Vince]

Nothing like drinking a beer, looking over the IHOF draft, and preparing for the Sharks/Avalanche game. Go Sharks!

[kingfc22]

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kingfc22]

And another GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kingfc22]

Goodbye Colorado!!!! Bring on the Flames.

When are the Avs going to wake up in this game?

[Simms]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Here's an interesting fact I dug up, inspired by Johnny's Randy Wood question. In the last 15 years, the Leafs have played a game six at home when trailing a series 3-2 four times: 1994 vs. SJ, 1995 vs. CHI, 2002 vs. CAR and 2003 vs. PHI. All four of those games went into overtime.

Sign of things to come?

Nice call, Rain Man.

[Simms]

[sachmo71]

Gah...sorry guys.

[Dr. Sak]

I heart JR!!!

Great series Leafs!

[Maple Leafs]

Crap.

(Slumps over. Briefly looks up...)

Crap.

(Slump)