The OFFICIAL 2008-09 NHL Playoffs Thread

[Dr. Sak]

HONK HONK HONK

GO CAPS GO

HONK HONK HONK

GO CAPS GO

[Dr. Sak]

Nice save Henrik.

[sterlingice]

And this is going to be a fun and frantic last 5 minutes as we're talking about playing for playoff lives

SI

[sterlingice]

And the Caps win!

SI

[miked]

Awesome...even if the Devils lose, watching the Rangers melt down with 4 minutes left and seeing Avery limp off the ice made my night.

[Dr. Sak]

Yeah my team blew a 3-0 lead in one game...the Rags blew a 3-1 series lead...makes me feel a bit better.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Great effort by the Rangers tonight. They gave it their all, but the Caps were just the better team.

[miked]

Due to contractual obligations, we cannot show you the Devils-Canes game.

Whiskey
Tango
Foxtrot

We are in Atlanta, a closer market for CAR than WAS or NYR. They've shown like 1 NJ-CAR game on versus. I hate this crap.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by miked

Due to contractual obligations, we cannot show you the Devils-Canes game.

Whiskey
Tango
Foxtrot

We are in Atlanta, a closer market for CAR than WAS or NYR. They've shown like 1 NJ-CAR game on versus. I hate this crap.

I don't feel like we're getting too much less hockey coverage with Versus than back in the ESPN days. It's been a while though.

[Dr. Sak]

Playoffs is another reason why Centre Ice is great..I get all the games plus I get baseball for free till hockey playoffs is over. So it's win win!

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

Playoffs is another reason why Centre Ice is great..I get all the games plus I get baseball for free till hockey playoffs is over. So it's win win!

Yeah, this is really where the Centre Ice package earns its keep. For the most part between the games on Versus, Wings games and getting CBC, I get enough hockey on the local channels during the regular season.

[Fidatelo]

Well, I've officially cursed another team into blowing a 3-1 series lead. Good grief.

Great game tonight though, was a blast to watch, until the five minute mark of the third. Then it just got depressing. I can't believe they couldn't even get possession in the last 2 minutes to pull Henrik.

As for Henrik, he made some phenomenal saves tonight. If Sather can ever put together a decent first line, they could go far.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Great goal by Carolina to tie it up at 3-3.

[Lathum]

fuck me

[sterlingice]

We aren't getting it here in Richmond either. They have the Caps post game press conference

SI

[Lathum]

unreal.

first and last goal is all on Marty.

[DeToxRox]

STAALLL

[sterlingice]

What's the sports streaming website?

SI

[Lathum]

so fucking sick

[sterlingice]

Oh man. Maybe the best game of the year so far and no tv on it

SI

[Peregrine]

Go Canes! What a last minute!

[TheNorm]

I got over the whole Sergei Fedorov leaving the Red Wings a long time ago, so it was nice to see FedEx still delivering at 39--not too many players that can fire a laser that beats Lundqvist glove side.

[sterlingice]

Pens can't be happy right now

SI

[Lathum]

God I wanna puke.

Been a Devils fan since the day they moved to NJ and other then Mattau this is the sickest they have ever made me feel.

[Lathum]

It's been a rough year to be a Mets-Devils-Giants fan.

[Pumpy Tudors]

The Devils collectively turned into a pumpkin with 80 seconds to go. Sometimes, I feel like the Devils are the worst team in the NHL when the clock gets under 2:00 in the third period. What a disaster.

[DeToxRox]

So Pens/Caps and Bruins/Canes. Oh man I couldn't be happier with all these second round matchups.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

So Pens/Caps and Bruins/Canes. Oh man I couldn't be happier with all these second round matchups.

+1

[yacovfb]

As bad as it was to see my Sharks play as poorly as they did, I'd rather it be that than what just happened to Jersey. Brutal, especially at home.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I feel for the Devils fans in that building tonight. In a minute and a half, you go from joy to the nerves of an upcoming overtime to ... that. The Hurricanes never gave up, and they earned this, but damn it, the Devils looked like they just forgot how to play hockey in those final 80 seconds. That was a serious punch in the gut.

[miked]

Fuck. Why must the Devils always sit back with 5+ minutes left and let teams take target practice.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

WOOOO!!! GO CAPS!!

You're dead to me!


Seriously, any of you impartial observers want to convince me that the refs treated this series fairly? I really do normally think I'm not one to bring up that argument but this entire series I just felt like we weren't given a fair shot. Prior to Federov's goal, I counted 3 instances of either blatant elbows or interferences that weren't called, and they literally all came in a minute span. I was at a bar so it was hard to tell the players involved, but the worst elbow I saw came on the near side right along the boards, and sticks went flying. Then there was the clear knee-on-knee on Avery that left him laying on the ice and unable to get off when we were trying to get moving to get a rush going. Immediately after the game-winner, a Cap played the puck and them seemed to deliver a blow to the head of a Ranger. Again, nothing.

I've never had a worse taste in my mouth after a series. And what's even worse is that, like I've said numerous times, we didn't deserve to be in this at all if not for Henrik's performance at the start. My anger isn't too crazy though...this team just didn't have enough talent to make a move.

[Pumpy Tudors]

So, uh, Logan? Sak? What do you guys wanna do now? Wanna go beat up Suburban Rhythm or something?

[DeToxRox]

Okay second round predictions ..

Carolina over Boston in 7
Pittsburgh over Washington in 6

Detroit over Anaheim in 6
Chicago over Vancouver in 7

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

So, uh, Logan? Sak? What do you guys wanna do now? Wanna go beat up Suburban Rhythm or something?

I know someone (Looks like he had some work done) who needs something to do.

[Pumpy Tudors]

help

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

So, uh, Logan? Sak? What do you guys wanna do now? Wanna go beat up Suburban Rhythm or something?

You guys lost?!

[bhlloy]

Logan - I counted at least 5 calls (mostly interference) that the Rangers got jobbed on in the last period. Of course 2 were on Avery and we all know he's never going to get those calls, but still with the one that was called on Girardi, I think you have every reason to be aggrieved about the refereeing in that period. The Caps weren't even subtle about hitting the Rangers at the blue line without the puck anywhere in sight.

Neutral observer, not trying to pick a fight. Just the way I saw it.

Oh and Perry's elbow was nowhere near as bad as Brashear's. There wasn't the vicious uppercut motion, it was just a badly timed attempt at a hit. I could live with a game, anything more would be really harsh. Now I feel like a whore because I'm always the one suggesting that the NHL shouldn't treat players differently because of who they are - but I really don't think the Perry elbow was that bad.

[Logan]

Fair enough, thanks.

[Pyser]

Originally Posted by Pyser

how do the canes always do this to the devils?

damn man. that HURT.

if the devils never play the canes in the playoffs again ill be happy. i mean, fuck me.

i am sick and tired of the post lockout devils. i dont give a rats fuck about division titles. we are not built to win in the playoffs, and worse, we arent even built to hold a lead anymore.

i have a lot of bad things to say, but i wont. just an awful display at the end. game 7, and no heart. we learned a lot about some players on our team that should never wear the sweater again.

[Pyser]

langenbrunner confirmed he had surgery to repair his torn miniscus in his knee 8 days ago. manly, but not enough.

[Galaxy]

I hate that our local VS didn't carry the end of the Devils-Canes game.

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Okay second round predictions ..

Carolina over Boston in 7

[samifan24]

I'm excited about the matchup with the Canes but I know all eyes will be on Ovechkin vs. Crosby, as they should be.

[bbor]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

I just wanted to comment on how it's become a common thing for guys in FOFC to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about.

Me Gary Leaman...you Al Iafrate

[Pyser]

ok, here we go. im gonna say it.

the devils are a better team without brodeur.

they were this year, anyway, and i think the team expects too much from him when he's in there. he hasnt won us a playoff series in a long time. and this has nothing to do with the 2 soft goals he let in tonight.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

The Wings-Ducks should be quite a series. The Ducks are really the last team I wanted to see the Wings face, but so be it. Their top line is playing as well as any line in hockey right now. They are incredibly solid along the blueline and Hiller, their only potential question mark going into the playoffs, was perhaps the best goalie in any first round series. The Ducks have plenty of experience and should provide a very difficult challenge. The Wings have more depth at forward, the defensive corps are pretty comparable, and the Ducks have the edge in goaltending.

Hopefully Corey Perry will be rightly suspended for at least 4 games for his elbow to the head last night. It was every bit as vicious as Brashear's hit on Betts, the only difference was that Cheechoo (if it was Cheechoo) was lucky enough not to get injured. If he had gone down and was knocked out of the game, there would be no question that a multi-game suspension would be in Perry's future. Since the NHL takes a weird approach to these things, given Cheechoo came away pretty much unscathed means that Perry will likely not be suspended or, if so, it may only be for one game.

Still, if the NHL wants to be serious about getting rid of shots to the head, a message should be sent. 4-5 games would be appropriate based on the Brashear precedent in these playoffs. Let us not forget that Perry is a recidvist and was suspended for 4 games earlier this season for an elbow to the head.

Where's Collin Campbell's number or e-mail address? I would like to submit a brief on this for his consideration.

I'll admit it was tough for me to see some good replays of the hit because I was working at the time, and couldn't stop to watch, but what I have seen meshes with what bhlloy said, that the Perry elbow wasn't innocent or nothing, but not really anything more than a usual elbow hit, nothing vicious to it or anything. I could see a game, but anything more than that would be way more than called for. Besides, wouldn't you rather beat the Ducks at full strength?

As for the matchup with the Wings, I think it's going to be a tough series for the Ducks, because they haven't had much success against the Wings in recent matchups. Now, they did beat the Wings in '07 and in '03, so not like it's unheard of for the Ducks to beat the Wings in the playoffs, but I just don't like the matchup. What makes the Ducks really dangerous is their physical play, their playoff tested and experienced and talented blueline, a tremendous top line and their goaltending. The only thing the Wings can't match is the goaltending, as noted, and even then, Osgood has a history of playing very well against the Ducks. And on top of that, the Ducks will play four at Joe Louis, of course, never easy to do. Not that same playing at The Tank, which, let's face it, is a rather aptly named building at the moment.

I will disagree one thing DeTox said, and that's about the Ducks perhaps being beat up. Uh-uh. Not the Ducks. Burke may not be here anymore, but this is still largely the team he built. Physical play doesn't wear these guys out, it just gets them more motivated. In fact, I think the Sharks trying to get chippy with them is only going to make the Ducks a little edgier and ready to scrap going into the Wings series.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Pyser

ok, here we go. im gonna say it.

the devils are a better team without brodeur.

they were this year, anyway, and i think the team expects too much from him when he's in there. he hasnt won us a playoff series in a long time. and this has nothing to do with the 2 soft goals he let in tonight.

That's harsh... yet I agree with you.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Pyser

ok, here we go. im gonna say it.

the devils are a better team without brodeur.

they were this year, anyway, and i think the team expects too much from him when he's in there. he hasnt won us a playoff series in a long time. and this has nothing to do with the 2 soft goals he let in tonight.

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

That's harsh... yet I agree with you.

I see what you guys are saying but don't agree with you.

The Devils need guys that clear the front of the net. The 2 losses were because guys were able to be untouched in front of the net. In the days of Stevens-Daneyko and even Craig Wolanin-Bruce Driver there is no way guys camp out like that

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Logan

You're dead to me!

Hey man it's nothing personal...I can't root for the Rangers (only against the Pens) and I know you don't like the Flyers. Plus I was hoping for a Pens/Caps series.