The NHL Discussion Thread

[Yves]

Congrats to both teams, if you ask me. I expected Montreal to fold when Price went out and expected nothing from Tokarski. Kid showed he's got it and can play at this level as it's nowhere near his fault they lost the series.

Question:They say in the NFL if you have two quarterbacks, then you have none. Can the same be said about goalies? Seems it could get mighty interesting when Price shows he's mortal and has a bad stretch. Will Habs fans clamor for Tokarski and if they put him in will it piss off Price or mess with his confidence like they always claim? Will he demand to be traded like Roy?

Habs were gritty right to the end but were clearly gassed yesterday. Rangers were first to the puck almost all night. Tokarski kept them in it, but it just wasn't there...

Not sure what the Habs will do about Tokarski. Will they make him their 'official' number 2 or will they trade him away because he might be a distraction to Price, as you mention. He might fetch a decent player in return...

Congrats to the Rangers! Best rest up because that next round is gonna be a doozy! I'm thinking LA ends it tonight.

[Reginod]

Yeah that was pretty good for a non-seven game series. I didn't think either of those teams would be there. It was good that the Habs gave the home fans one to remember in game 5.

In the end, congrats to the Rangers and their faithful. Must be nice to have your team standing at this time of year!

[paythesnuka]

I was at the game last night at MSG and I have to say it was unquestionably the best live hockey game experience I've ever had. The crowd was loud, to be sure, but there was plenty of nervousness and anxienty in every Rangers fan who has been through it all with this team. Sure, there was a confidence when we took the lead and dominated play in the third period (probably the best period of play I've ever seen the Rangers play, and I've been a fan since the days of Brad Park and Eddie Giacomin), but it still was a one-goal game that could be tied at any time. It wasn't until the final seconds ticked off that I could truly exhale and get my heart rate back to normal.

I'm proud of this team -- probably prouder than I have ever been. I could say that it doesn't matter if they win the Cup, that they exceeded expectation 100-fold, but I still want to attend the parade down the Canyon of Heroes again! WE WANT THE CUP! LGR!

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[ForeverAutumn]

I think it's funny that teams won't touch the cup after winning the conference championship because they think it's bad luck. Approximately 50% of the teams who don't touch the conference cup lose the Stanley Cup.

[Paul Smeenus]

^ totally true, but the whole superstition stems from the understanding that the conference title is nothing if you lose in the finals. Of the four major team sports leagues, only MLB teams make a big whoop-dee-doo out of the league pennants.

[Klonk]

What a great game last night. Kane is playing in 7th gear at the right time. Pressure is all on LA now. Has there ever been a team to win the Cup that had to win each series in 7 games? This really is the hardest earned trophy in all of sports.

Keep beating the snot out of each other!!

[Paul Smeenus]

the Stanley Cup Finals will be played in the number 1 market and either the number 2 or 3 market, and that's very good for the league

[Yves]

the Stanley Cup Finals will be played in the number 1 market and either the number 2 or 3 market, and that's very good for the league

As far as population density goes, not as far as popularity of hockey goes...

[Paul Smeenus]

As far as population density goes, not as far as popularity of hockey goes...

TV revenue for NBC and the league. That's why it's good for the sport. With all the respect in the world to the great Canadiens fans...

[Ken]

As far as population density goes, not as far as popularity of hockey goes...

Local ratings for game 5 (percentage of tv's on that were watching the game):
-Chicago produced a 16 market share. LA ratings were 3.

Granted the start time comes into play. For LA fans, it must be hard to watch a game when the games starts at 5 PM local time.

http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/n...dustry+Sports)

[Paul Smeenus]

Local ratings for game 5 (percentage of tv's on that were watching the game):
-Chicago produced a 16 market share. LA ratings were 3.

Granted the start time comes into play. For LA fans, it must be hard to watch a game when the games starts at 5 PM local time.

http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/n...dustry+Sports)

That last part is true, that figure would improve dramatically if radio listeners stuck on freeways in the gawdawful LA traffic were included, but I won't pretend that LA is Hockey City USA yet. But a second finals in two years could bring the game into more people's interest there, and that's good for the game.

[Yves]

Pick your poison Ranger fans! Chicago or Los Angeles? Which team did you fare better against in the regular season?

[Klonk]

Pick your poison Ranger fans! Chicago or Los Angeles? Which team did you fare better against in the regular season?

You know, that's tough. Both teams are awesome and would be likely favorites. Rangers seem to play well the rare times they face either of those teams. If I was forced to choose who to play, I think I'd go with Chicago for the sole reason that Quick is the better goalie. Not a knock on Crawford because he's excellent too! He can give up some weak ones here and there though.

[Reginod]

Pick your poison Ranger fans! Chicago or Los Angeles? Which team did you fare better against in the regular season?

Not a Ranger fan (not a Ranger-hater either), but seeing the classic New York vs. LA, head-to-head sports rivalry played out on ice would be nice. Also it would be a great story to see Gaborik against the Rangers.

I think LA may have dug themselves into a hole that they can't dig out of, though. I'll be surprised if the Hawks let it slip away, at home, in game seven, after being down 3-1. But then again, LA has made a habit out of rising from the ashes. So we'll see. It ought to be good either way.

[strawberrybrick]

Sucks that game 7 is a Sunday night and NOT on over-the-air NBC. Go HAWKS!

[Paul Smeenus]

Sucks that game 7 is a Sunday night and NOT on over-the-air NBC.

Agreed. I refuse to pay for cable so I'll be listening to the game on my phone with the Tune-In app.

[TheLoony]

I usually skip the heartstring stories on ESPN, you know the type, with Chris Connelly(isn't that his name?) using "that voice" to pull on your emotions, all about little Timmy and the Make A Wish foundation crap. But, I actually did watch the recent story on Dominic Moore. It was really sad. Watching the home videos was heartbreaking, seeing his wife waste away like that.

It gives that goal a little more meaning. I won't be rooting for the Rangers but I won't be unhappy if Moore gets to raise the Cup.

[Paul Smeenus]

^ I thought it was Jeremy Schaap that did those at the four letter network

*edit to add

all about little Timmy

[MudShark22]

Go western conference! LOL

[oilersfan]

The Kings win three game sevens...all on the road...to reach the finals. Unbelievable.

[Paul Smeenus]

The Kings win three game sevens...all on the road...to reach the finals. Unbelievable.

And in the process win 7 elimination games

[Obscured]

The Kings win three game sevens...all on the road...to reach the finals. Unbelievable.

And in the process win 7 elimination games

Third Game Seven victory on the road these playoffs, the first time any team has ever done that in NHL history.
The Kings are the first team ever to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals after playing three consecutive seven-game series whether at home or on the road.


LET'S GO RANGERS!

[TheLoony]

You may be right, I do believe it was Schaap.

Bloody hell. I'm recording the game and watching baseball from Los Angeles. They ruined the hockey game, dammit. A few people raised a little ruckus and they announced the result. Great, I was looking forward to watching this.

[Klonk]

Last time these 2 teams met in the playoffs was '81 and this happened...

[paythesnuka]

Last time these 2 teams met in the playoffs was '81 and this happened...

Thanks for the link. I remember watching that game. Good to hear the team of Jim Gordon and "The Big Whistle" Bill Chadwick.

I miss bench-clearing brawls. Favorite parts of this brawl: Don Maloney jumping on Jerry Korab when he helped double-team a Ranger; Ed Hospodar punching the goalie, and Fotiu fighting the Kings in the stands.