The NHL Discussion Thread

[KPfreak519]

WOOH! Pens come back from being down 3-0 to win 4-3 in Overtime!!!! BRING IT ON BOSTON/BUFFALO!!!!

[chemical_echo]

That disallowed goal was BS; they allowed the same thing in Pittsburgh for a Penguins goal.

 

Oh well, the Sens played a great series and I was confident it would go to game 7. Here's hoping the next team will knock out the Penguins.

 

And hey, at least the Sens got A LOT farther than the Leafs

Edited April 25, 2010 by chemical_echo

[Splash_Mountain]

Vancouver is the best Go Canucks Go!

[Dailey Enterprizes]

^^ The Penguins used to be the Pittsburgh Pirates of the NHL for many many years (we only have 3 Stanley Cups), so I am definitely not sorry that they have another shot at it. Go Pens!

[rolercstrluvr]

Sharks beat the Avalance 5-2 in game 6. We move on to round two.

[themeparkman25]

^Good! You made it out of the first round haha. In all honesty, I am proud with what the Avalanche accomplished. For a team with 18/19 year olds and a rookie coach, we weren't expected to go very far. So to even make it in to the first round, and then make a series of it, I am pretty satisfied.

 

Next years...we'll be legit.

[rolercstrluvr]

^ Yeah, but I hear were going to be up against the Red Wings next. That will be a tough series to make it through. The Avalanche put up a great fight all the way through.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

That disallowed goal was BS; they allowed the same thing in Pittsburgh for a Penguins goal.

 

Oh well, the Sens played a great series and I was confident it would go to game 7. Here's hoping the next team will knock out the Penguins.

 

And hey, at least the Sens got A LOT farther than the Leafs

 

 

Not exactly.

 

 

See the rules state that the net can not come off its moorings before the puck crosses the goal line. The net was clearly off its moorings tonight before the puck crossed the line, there for no goal. In Pittsburgh the net was NOT off its moorings, only lifted in the air an inch or two but not off, there for a good goal. And if any thing the disallowed goal by Pittsburgh should have been allowed to stand. Versus showed an angle which clearly showed the puck was over the line before the goalie kicked it out. So the game should have never gone to OT.

 

Oh well, a win is a win.

 

 

GO PENS! I hope they play the Flyers next, always fun watching them get eliminated.

[CoasterBoyJosh]

Buffalo and Montreal both have to win their series for a Flyers/Pens 2nd round match-up. I don't think it will happen. And you're lucky it won't Go Flyers!

[~mike~]

Sabres need to win Monday...Not sure what i will do if they dont....

[FeelTheFORCE]

That disallowed goal was BS; they allowed the same thing in Pittsburgh for a Penguins goal.

 

Um, no. The net was completely off it's moorings in Ottawa. In Pittsburgh, the net was just slightly lifted, but still on it's moorings.

 

^ Yeah, but I hear were going to be up against the Red Wings next. That will be a tough series to make it through. The Avalanche put up a great fight all the way through.

 

Not if Phoenix wins you won't.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

Kings lost

 

Oh well one hell of a season, cant wait for next.

[Skycoastin Steve]

Ok Caps, time to close the series out tonight. Really don't want to think about yet another Game 7 for them.

[chemical_echo]

^^^ From every every angle the replay showed, there was no clear shot of the net completely off it's moorings before the puck crossed the line. Further, there was no whistle blown, or intent to blow the whistle as there was in Pittsburgh. As far as anyone I asked (not all Ottawa fans, btw) could see, the puck was over the line before the net was off the moorings. Frankly, if the goal was allowed in Pittsburgh, it should have been allowed in Ottawa.

 

But there's no use arguing over it, the call was BS (IMO), and it's over. Hopefully the calls will be a little more consistent next round and whoever faces Pitts can take them out swiftly.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

^It was a good call.

 

 

 

 

7:04 the net is CLEARLY off its moorings before the puck crossed the goal line.

[FeelTheFORCE]

^^ You mustn't of seen the goal cam angle. If you watch that shot, the net was CLEARLY off. They even widened the shot on FSN to show and prove that it WAS INDEED off it's moorings.

[AndCamSS]

GO HAWKS!!

 

I am going along with the playoff beard like the players do and I gotta say, its weird to have if you don't normally have one!

[CoasterBoyJosh]

So, Washington vs. Montreal tonight...If La Ronde and Six Flags America faced-off in a hockey game, who would win?? Six Flags America has the edge, right?

 

I mean, don't get me wrong, La Ronde has the depth and grit to take this one, but their bruisers can get the best of 'em. I'm specifically referring to Boomerang, Cobra, Dragon and Super Manège. They do have a legitimate star in Goliath, probably the best player in tonight's line-up, but Six Flags America brings the star power, too. Superman: Ride of Steel has been consistent for the past 10 years. And, of course, who can forget the wily veteran play of Wild One? I think it'll come down to the supporting cast of the second lines, Batwing, Joker's Jinx and Roar vs. Vampire, Monstre and Toboggan Nordique.

 

Well, I'm a loser

 

Go CANADIENS!

[Top Thrill Dragster]

Washington is ELIMINATED!

 

HA HA HA HA HA HA HABS!

[Josh Linn]

Capitals fail.

 

This seemingly sets up a Flyers/Penguins ECF for the 2nd time in 3 years, although the Bruins will probably give us issues, especially with Carter/Gagne/Laperriere out.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

The Crapitals are the new San Jose Sharks. An AWESOME regular season team that always find ways to lose in the post season.

 

 

LOL LOL!

[Dailey Enterprizes]

^^

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/playoffrace/bracket

 

It's going to be Pittsburgh and Montreal... this is going to be interesting.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

^ Hes assuming that both the Flyers and Pens advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

[Josh Linn]

^ Hes assuming that both the Flyers and Pens advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

 

This. As long as Boucher keeps his form, I think the rest will fall into place. Hopefully I didn't jinx it.

[FeelTheFORCE]

^ Should be a good series, nonetheless. I'm not so sure about the Flyers with all their injuries...it also doesn't help that Savard will be returning, and Rask has the potential to greatly outperform Boucher.

 

 

Anyway, here is a good write-up about the Crosby vs. Ovechkin debate after the Caps' collapse, and Ovechkin looking so one-dimensional. I did not write this, it was posted on another forum by a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.

 

First, I'll start by saying that the Caps are not a great team. No more than the Suns, Mavs, Sens, or Sharks are. They are regular season teams who have no heart come playoff time. They rely too much on one man (or line) and are nothing when that man/line gets shut down. The Caps are a 121 point failures. Say what you want about hot goalies or screw jobs, the Caps did nothing worth winning this series and they didn't. They have no leadership (I'll get to the "not-so-great Eight" in a moment), their goaltending is shaky at times, and frankly they are just a talented mess.

 

Now, to get to Ovechkin. Oh OV, how I wish your antics and fans hadn't made me become disillusioned. You truly should have been my favourite player. Instead, I find that I can only see you for what you are and have no will to make excuses for you (unlike players like Michael Vick and Marc-Andre Fleury). You are not in Sid's league. A true all-around player, a true leader, and a playoff BEAST. 10 points in 7 games? Average. Shut down in the last two games with your season on the line? Unacceptable. I believe you now to be overrated. YES, I said it, OVERRATED. I'll explain why I think this way.

 

Alexander Ovechkin is considered to be the best player (or second best) in the entire NHL. Why do people think this way? Because he scores goals. That's it. He's no more than a more flashy version than Brett Hull, really. He hits hard, gets excited, and shoots the puck very hard... And that is what it takes for people to call him better than an all-around player like Sidney Crosby? Yeah, and Hull was better than Gretzky.

 

Ovechkin has shaky leadership at best. Not only does he not elevate his team (more hinders than anything in the way that Kovalchuk hinders his linemates with his freestyle play), he does not lift his team on his shoulders, and when you keep him off the score sheet he adds nothing of substance to his team. Watch the last two games vs. Montreal and you see that he adds nothing to his team when he doesn't score a goal. No leadership, no momentum, no defense, nothing.

 

Admit it OV fans, he gives the Caps highlites and sometimes a momentum boost but nothing more. He skates end to end, fires from above the circle, and occassionally (about 45-50 times a season) that works. That would be fine if he didn't take 3-500 times per season. In fact, he had LESS goals than Sid and took MORE SHOTS. I don't want to hear "he missed 10 games" or played 9 less than Sid. He took 70 more shots... That's what matters. His highlites are exciting, his other skills are lacking.

 

Speaking of his shooting, anyone else notice almost all of his assists are on rebounds from his shots? That's not making your team better, that's not elevating your linemates games. That's not adding anything of substance. He has no team mentality on the ice no matter what he says off of it. He is selfish. He plays for his own excitement and glory and doesn't care otherwise. His linemates are nothing to him but the people thats job it is to play defense and give him the puck.

 

Speaking of defense, OV plays none. How do we put him on Crosby's level when he plays no defense? His defensive stand takes place in the neutral zone where he head hunts and that's where it ends. Once in his zone he rarely goes to the boards, he rarely if ever plays a lick of defense, he's just looking for the puch to go on another break. How is that good? How is that a leader? Sid plays the boards, plays tough defense, blocks shots, plays behind the net, he does everything that OV doesn't... And the things OV doesn't do is getting longer with every season.

 

In fact, while on the topic of playing behind the net... has anyone ever seen OV? I mean, occassionally sure, but remembering Sid's huge play against Spezza I started thinking about OV. We've never seen him play that low in the offensive or defensive zone. He's rarely ever going below the circles. Most of his shots are from above the circle, most of his goals too. Again, not all, but most. I know he has a wicked shot (I cannot deny that) but... why does he always need to shoot from above the circle?

 

This is why he is overrated. He is a one-dimensional sniper who doesn't do everything needed to win. Sure, he scores a lot of goals... Now, so does Sid, but Sid also plays defense, makes passes, has leadership skills and is a complete player. He's a great scorer, a dynamic, enthusiastic, fun loving player, but he is FAR from a complete player and FAR from the player Sidney Crosby is (and Sid is a year younger).

 

The Caps will not win a Cup for as long as OV plays like this. He is not a winner. He has not won on any level (except that IIHF gold). He does not have the resume Sid has. He may be a great scorer but his legacy will be nothing more than that. Not a team player, not a player who gets better and works harder every season, not a leader, just a flashy scorer with a big ego. Enjoy the excitement of his highlites the next five seasons while Pens fans enjoy the excitement of Cups for the next ten-plus.

 

Sorry -name removed-. You'll disagree with everything I've said (likely) but we all know that it's true. He is what he is. He's great in his own way, but he's not an all-around player. Argue that, argue all my points if you want (I expect you will at least argue my saying he is overrated which is less fact and more my opinion based on the kind of player he IS and the kind of player people PERCEIVE him as), but we all know I speak the truth.

 

Also, side note, I think Sid and the Pens just locked up their 3rd straight cup finals appearance. I don't see Halak doing this for another series (though I didn't think he'd do it for one), and the Pens can beat the Flyers or Bruins in a series, of this I have no doubt. I think the Pens will be in the finals again, and if Crosby wins a second Cup in his short career... We'll have to start the Sid/Gretz talks. 110 points in this NHL sure feels like 125+ in the old (80's/90's) NHL. It's not neccassarily a bad comparison.

 

But, first he and the Pens have to take care of business.