NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs

[Mme Erzulie]

Franzen and Hossa show up. Go Wings!

[Faceless Man of Braavos]

:bang:

[Arakasi]

Vancouver learns the hard way that sitting down and letting Luongo do all the work might not be the best way to win a series.

[Brandon Stark]

That Hossa/Franzen/Filpulla line looked pretty awesome. I'm probably thinking too much like a fan, but I think there's a good chance that Hiller's mojo may have melted. He looked pretty soft on at least two of the goals, and as nice as the Samuelsson shot was you could argue that if he were out high to cur the angle like he should have been he would have gotten it.

We'll see on Sat...

EDIT: Almost forgot. I couldn't believe how many people were cheering for the Wings in what I thought was a pretty hostile and rabid place to play a game.

[Swordfish]

HUGE win tonight by the Pens. Utter domination, despite the scoreboard.

I was wrong about this Varlamov kid...though, he WILL have a couple of bad games. I'm just hoping the Pens are the team that's taking advantage of that.

It will be interesting to see how he rebounds (pun intended) now that he has lost a game. This would be the point at which you would expect him to start collapsing.

I still think the pens will take this series.

[BlueRose]

Poor Hiller, did he get pulled? I didnt catch the Anaheim Detroit game, but it sounds like it was ugly for the Ducks.

The Canucks game was a heartbreaker. I still think we can win it, but whether the Canucks can get it to getter and will it is another story.

[Lord O' Bones]

I couldn't believe how many people were cheering for the Wings in what I thought was a pretty hostile and rabid place to play a game.

They have some rabid fans, but apparently not a full barn worth. And on those all too rare occasions that the Sharks scored there in the first round, I too was surprised to hear thousands of people cheering.

[Matrim Fox Cauthon]

So about those Bruins and Canes...

[Biter]

So about those Bruins and Canes...

Ward is showing that he isn't a one year wonder, Staal is delivering the goods and Jussi Jokinen looks like a new Pisani. Meanwhile, the Bruins haven't been able to rebound from their losses (yet again showing that the playoffs are totally different from the regular season).

[Matrim Fox Cauthon]

Ward is showing that he isn't a one year wonder, Staal is delivering the goods and Jussi Jokinen looks like a new Pisani. Meanwhile, the Bruins haven't been able to rebound from their losses (yet again showing that the playoffs are totally different from the regular season).

The Bruins are still capable of forcing the series to 6 or 7, but they are not playing their best. Their concentration seems shot, while the Canes seem to be getting their act together (or at least I hope so).

[TheHoundRules]

The Bruins are still capable of forcing the series to 6 or 7, but they are not playing their best. Their concentration seems shot, while the Canes seem to be getting their act together (or at least I hope so).

The Canes are playing great. They seem to have that confidence right now. They look like they know they are going to win when they take the ice. Staal is just great.

[Swordfish]

Thoughts on the ovechkin hit on Gonchar? Suspendable?

I think it was a pretty dirty shot, but I don't know if it was dirty enough to warrant suspension. Looks like Gonchar is done though, so it seems like a one game wouldn't be out of the question.

Of course they have already ruled it out, naturally, since it's ovechkin.....

[Lord O' Bones]

Thoughts on the ovechkin hit on Gonchar? Suspendable?

I think it was a pretty dirty shot, but I don't know if it was dirty enough to warrant suspension. Looks like Gonchar is done though, so it seems like a one game wouldn't be out of the question.

Of course they have already ruled it out, naturally, since it's ovechkin.....

His stance was wide, but it didn't look like he swerved into Gonchar. He just didn't try to not hit him. Hard to prove intent to injure IMO.

[TheHoundRules]

His stance was wide, but it didn't look like he swerved into Gonchar. He just didn't try to not hit him. Hard to prove intent to injure IMO.

It was a 2 minute minor for kneeing and that was the right call. I think AO has gotten away with some stuff in the past, but not this time.

The game tonight has been great. Back and forth. Good hitting.

[Lord O' Bones]

It was a 2 minute minor for kneeing and that was the right call. I think AO has gotten away with some stuff in the past, but not this time.

As I recall, the penalty was tripping. An important distinction as far as suspension?

The game tonight has been great. Back and forth. Good hitting.

Agreed.

[snake]

I don't think he intended to knee Gonchar but he did knee him and it should have been 5 and a game. But it's ovechkin and that's not gonna happen.

I thought his shooting the puck at Scuderi was pretty low. I'm really starting to dislike this guy. He is sorely lacking in class. Keep doing that shit and someone's gonna take his head off and he'll have only himself to blame.

[Lord of Oop North]

ETA Correction: The organization can be fined the 10 grand if the remover Al Sobotka, twirls it. Wiki

My favourite quote from that article, when it talks about how the NHL tends to look the other way on the fines, is by Frank Brown;

"Every so often, an octopus slips out of someone's hands, and Al is right there to take care of the matter. And he cannot be blamed if, as it tries to break free from Al's grasp, the octopus lifts Al's arm and twirls itself in the air."

[Lord O' Bones]

Both of these teams are so good with the stretch pass and the flow has been incredible as a result.

[Swordfish]

His stance was wide, but it didn't look like he swerved into Gonchar. He just didn't try to not hit him. Hard to prove intent to injure IMO.

He definitely led with the leg though. ETA: LINK If he's trying to lead with the shoulder there that leg doesn't lead, it's tucked and he's pushing off it. I won't speculate on intent, but it was definitely dirty. He's reckless out there and it's going to catch up to him eventually one way or another.

This has been a great series so far though.

[snake]

He definitely led with the leg though. ETA: LINK If he's trying to lead with the shoulder there that leg doesn't lead, it's tucked and he's pushing off it. I won't speculate on intent, but it was definitely dirty. He's reckless out there and it's going to catch up to him eventually one way or another.

This has been a great series so far though.

It has been a great series. Must have been hard for the Caps and their fans to lose game five that way. Especially after a late goal to force overtime. But that's playoff hockey. You need those lucky bounces from time to time if you're gonna go anywhere.

So it looks like the Pens will prevail and face the Canes.

Chicago has most likely put the dagger into the Canucks and hopefully the Ducks will get rid of the hated Red Wings.