The NHL Discussion Thread

[Klonk]

Yeah, that was very classy.

[polmico]

Hey, my team's season is over. WTF else am I going to talk about?!!!

Ugh. I had to admit this weekend that the Devils are done, too. I sorta almost kinda had hope when it was rumored that Ilya was coming back tonight ("They just have to win, like, 10 in a row and everybody else has to lose, like, 20 in a row and there's only, like, five games left, but, hey, it could happen, right???") But they're done. Suck.

In favorable news, inaugural Polmico Industry fantasy hockey team The Kilgore Trout is well on its way to the championship game, an event that has its roots in the Brzygalov for Ovechkin trade (!) I made a month or so ago. Rock star.

[rottersclub]

Well, well, well. The "pesky" Sens really handled the "mighty" Caps last night. The big disparity in shots was indicative of the balance of play - the Sens for the most part dictated the play. The Caps came out and played what I can only describe as a full-court press for the first 5 minutes of the game, bottling up the Sens in their own end and preventing any kind of smooth break out. But the Sens had the puck for the majority of the time. After the first 5 minutes, the Caps couldn't maintain the pressure and the Sens started to exert their will. I think the shots were 11-4 after the first period and 27- 12 after the second. Ovi ended up with 4 shots on net but Phillips and Methot did a great job of keeping him out of the danger zones with the puck.

So I have to give the edge to coach MacLean over coach Oates in this very playoff-like teaser for the real thing. Note to Leafs fans, the Sens are one point behind with a game in hand. I'm going to stop worrying about who the Senators might face in the first round and just enjoy the final week as they lock up a spot in the second season.

[Yves]

Habs win ugly but hopefully the win will help restore a little bit of confidence. Last home game is on Saturday, then it's the last 3 on the road. I actually like that as it should unite the team going into the post season.

[rottersclub]

Price made a pad save last night that was right out of the Gumby and Pokey school of goaltending. Unbelievable! (Somewhere, Dominic Hasek is laughing his ass off!)

[rottersclub]

I was wrong on one point regarding Karlsson's return in a previous post:

http://www.senatorsextra.com/main/er...e-for-playoffs

He practised this morning, not next week.

[ForeverAutumn]

THE LEAFS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS (for the first time since 2004).

THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YEAH BABY!

[ForeverAutumn]

And in other sports news, The Toronto Rock finish the regular season in top spot giving them home floor advantage throughout the playoffs. Lacross playoffs are three rounds of sudden death games. Here's to a clean sweep, and three more games all at home.

What a great night for Toronto sports fans!

[mozo-pg]

Go Leafs!

[SteveSly]

As neat as the winter classic games are to watch, I prefer to watch them from the comfort of my warm home. I have no interest in spending three hours sitting still in sub-zero temperatures.
.

I have to agree with you. I live only 90 minutes by car from the Redwings New Years Day Winter Classic next year and to be honest........you could not pay me enough to sit outdoors through a 3 hour hockey game in January in Michigan. On top of the game itself there will be 100,000 plus people there which will mean haveing to get there several hours ahead of time just to park. Tailgating is great for football, but tailgating in January in Michigan......well, that's a whole different animal.

Steve Sly

[Garion81]

Interesting schedule for the outdoor series next year:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sports...,1597638.story

[Yves]

If the standings remain as they are today it would be Leafs-Habs in the opening round! But with a week's slate of games left, the Leafs could keep climbing while the Habs could freefall even lower!

[ForeverAutumn]

If the standings remain as they are today it would be Leafs-Habs in the opening round! But with a week's slate of games left, the Leafs could keep climbing while the Habs could freefall even lower!

That would be a fun series! I wouldn't count on the Leafs continuing to climb (although it would be nice to see). After all, they did have three opportunities to clinch a playoff spot before they actually got there.

I'd like to see the Leafs face the Sens in the first round. The Sens have a history of choking against the Leafs in the playoffs.

[MudShark22]

Back @ PE

Klonker: saw your rip on Tavares as a Cindy wannabe. Can't be like Cindy if you don't get the calls, and JT does not get 'em. But I look forward to Cindy wiping her ass with the blue shirts in round one LOL

[ForeverAutumn]

I don't know much about John Tavares the Hockey player, but his uncle John Tavares the Lacrosse player is 43-yrs-old and still one of top scorers in the NLL. I guarantee a HoF induction the year after his retirement. If JT the hockey player has half the balls of his uncle, he should be in for a long and successful career.

[rottersclub]

I could have sworn I posted my congratulations to the Leafs yesterday (as well as chiding Mozo-pg for being a Leafs fan), but those posts ain't here.

So the gist of it was, for some reason, the Leafs have had the Sens number all season. Usually the Sens dominate the Leafs in the regular season and then get smoked in the playoffs. (But of course, that was a long time ago now.) So I'm giving credit where credit is due, even though the shots on goal was 50-22 in favour of the Sens and the puck possession was similarly disproportionate. I must say that Kadri's goal with 6 minutes left in a 2-1 game was without a doubt the softest Anderson has allowed all year. The Sens aren't going anywhere until they get their power play back on track. It was been abysmal for weeks now and they will be golfing soon if it doesn't get better.

[MudShark22]

Isles clinch with a win and Jets loss of any kind; or by getting a point and Jets regulation loss.

[rottersclub]

And slowly, sadly, the Sens fade to black ...

[ForeverAutumn]

It's hard to believe that the Leafs could actually win a Division title this year. With only three games left it's not likely, but with the next two games being the Panthers and Lightning, it's not entirely unrealistic either...depending on how the Bruins and Habs perform.

[Scott Bails]

Don't get too greedy there, Esther!

[ForeverAutumn]

Don't get too greedy there, Esther!

LOL! I'm not really. I was just on the NHL website and doing the math. It's hard not to get exhuberant when we haven't seen a home playoff game in almost 9 years!

[Yves]

I think the Jets are playing for their playoff lives tonight. If they lose to the Caps I don't see them winning that division. They'll then have to struggle to get that 8th seed. Not sure that will happen. I've been pulling for that team to get in because they got such a raw deal, being left in the Eastern Conference for 2 seasons...not that moving them to the West will greatly reduce their accumulation of Frequent Flyer miles!

Ester, Saturday's Habs-Leafs game is going to be played very conservatively, as I expect these teams to meet in round 1. Only thing left to be determined is who will get home ice advantage.

[Klonk]

I think Ottawa played a silly game the other night. Too much focus on trying to get back at Cooke. May have cost them a playoff birth?

Meanwhile hoping Rangers don't let off the gas against Florida tonight.

"Klonker: saw your rip on Tavares as a Cindy wannabe. Can't be like Cindy if you don't get the calls, and JT does not get 'em. But I look forward to Cindy wiping her ass with the blue shirts in round one LOL"

there's a good chance that will happen! As far as JT...I like him a lot. I really do. He plays the game hard. It's that damn whining though...drives me batshit. It was one of his postgame interviews that set me off where he complained about noncalls. Suck it up kid and play. I see him get away with a lot of crap too! He plays with an edge so I don't buy the doesn't get the calls nonsense...the refs are all aware of the routine. I shouldn't compare him to Crosby though...nobody is worse than that.

I hope the Isles get in and they should.

[Scott Bails]

I shouldn't compare him to Crosby though...nobody is worse than that.

Totally agree.

[Klonk]

<slaps forehead> fuckin' Rangers never make it easy. I can't believe I'm actually going to be rooting for Montreal on Thursday.