Quote: Well, the Wings take game 1 in a goaltender battle. Rask and Howard were phenomenal. Just as in their other games this year, the Wings were quicker to the puck than Boston all game long. It did take a near miracle play by Datsyuk to win the game, though.
How he handled that pass, nobody knows.
Boy, if Boston goes down in this series (I know, way early) that blows this whole tournament wide open.
Pens have the Jackets chasing in game 2. Terribly sloppy in their d zone and can't breakout well. Three shots in the 1st?! You have to pepper MAF and he'll give a few up.
Right now I'm very happy my Blues won again today. But I' seen this before. Hopefully this year will be different. Blues fans have always supported this team and deserve a winner.
I would love to see both those teams go down as well. I live in New England and don't like any of tne Boston teams. With the Blues I go back to the days of Red Berenson, Glenn Hall and the Plagers. It would be nice to see them finally win the cup.
Great names and from my time also! I love original six teams for historic reasons and have liked players from Boston and Chicago but just can't follow the team's themselves.
Not sure I have a favorite team but am adopting the Blues (as I don't think CB is going anywhere) STL are in full playoff mode just two games in. Although, the winner of this series may be totally beat up and hurting in round two.
Matt Niskanen is a UFA I wouldn't mind signing. Really wanted D Andrew MacDonald from PHI but they resigned him. Maybe we can haul in Paul Stastny while we're at it!
However many games Backes is out that is how many games SEabs should miss. It was a blatant cheap shot. If Backes doesn' miss any games Seabs should be suspended at least 1 maybe 2 games. JMHO
i don't think it was a cheap shot, he was just finishing his check, Backes was low, and both guys are 6'3" 220...
I think the suspension is about right, but it wasn't a dirty play. Seabrook plays the body, but he's never been mentioned as a dirty player.
As much as Seabrook needs to know better, Backes needs be up and not low..
And I said the same thing a month ago when Jonathan Toews got blasted with a clean hit, he was low. These guys need to learn or this stuff is going to keep happening. This is a very fast game, the fastest game in the world played on two feet, and you have to protect yourself better.
But no, I disagree on it being cheap/dirty. I do agree with the suspension because of the outcome of the hit.
If this was two guys 6 foot 190 in that play, nobody is talking about it.
So the west series' are all 2-0 going into game 3. All the higher seeds are holding serve. The only series where I could see the other team making it interesting is STL/CHI, but it's going to be very tough for the Hawks with Seabrook out. For as good and deep as that team is, they aren't exactly stacked at the blue line. Seabrook/Keith has been the league's best pairing for almost 5 years.
In the east, it's way different. Montreal is up 3-0 and Tampa looks like a team ready for the golf course.. Everyone else is 1-1 going back.
San Jose has outscored LA 12-2 in the first two games, yikes. If it becomes SJ/ANA in round 2, I hope NBC gets earlier times so people can enjoy that series. Those are two very good teams, very physical, and very skilled.
I agree the Hawks are in trouble with Seabs out. I've watched the hit over and over again and I don't see much difference between the Orpik hit. To me, both were careless hits that were borderline dirty, but one got no penalty, no fine or suspension while the other gets a 5-min game misconduct and a 3-game suspension. The NHL front office seems to back the officials too much. If there wasn't a call on the ice, leave it alone.
I didn't think SJ would be destroying LA like this. It was a close game last night at the start of the 3rd, I flipped to watch a bit of the Rockets/Blazers game and then came back to see 6-2 or something. Crazy.
I'm glad Philly tied up that series. I still think they're the team to beat in the East. Well, Boston is the "team to beat" because of their regular season they put forth, but you know what I mean.
Come on Hawks...let's make this a series!
“...Iguodala to Curry, back to Iguodala, up for the layup! Oh! Blocked by James! LeBron James with the rejection!”
I thought Orpik's hit was shoulder to shoulder, while Seabrook clearly got the head (although Backes didn't help himself with the position he was in)
Although if Backes plays tonight, I hope he wasn't embellishing. I'm not saying he didn't get hit, but if he's on the ice tonight then he sold that injury and subsequent penalty. Backes is better than that.
The Hawks sloppy play in their own zone has cost them two road wins in which they were leading late. Their goaltender, who takes more heat in this town than anyone I have ever seen, has played well.
Words can't describe how happy I am to be a Blue Jackets fan right now. For so long since we've entered the league in 2000 we have endured an avalanche of mediocre to awful hockey, piled on by questionable roster moves along the way. Ever since John Davidson became our President of Hockey Ops, we've made the climb up. Now we got our 1st ever playoff victory and it was against Crosby, Malkin and the Pens.
Here's hoping there's a chance we stun the hockey world!
Quote: Words can't describe how happy I am to be a Blue Jackets fan right now. For so long since we've entered the league in 2000 we have endured an avalanche of mediocre to awful hockey, piled on by questionable roster moves along the way. Ever since John Davidson became our President of Hockey Ops, we've made the climb up. Now we got our 1st ever playoff victory and it was against Crosby, Malkin and the Pens.
Here's hoping there's a chance we stun the hockey world!
The patience is starting to pay off. I'm thrilled for the organization and fan base (which has grown well the last few years). I expect nothing short of a charged atmosphere in Columbus tonight. Crowds like the one we will see tonight make the NHL fun.
Whenever the underdog goes back home 2-1, there is always a little extra in the stadium.. Considering this is really Columbus' first taste, it's going to be amazing.
I'm not really a die hard fan of any team, but I'm pulling for them. There are good people in that organization...
If the Hawks drop the next two, I'll jump on the Jackets bandwagon for you. Having me pick up a replacement team to root for worked for the Kings two years ago.
“...Iguodala to Curry, back to Iguodala, up for the layup! Oh! Blocked by James! LeBron James with the rejection!”
I've watched this goal at least 20x since Saturday night, lol
3 touch goal, and Nathan Mackinnon's little deflection to get past guy was RIDIC. That dude is only 18 years old. He's got superstar written all over him. This team is so much fun to watch.
I sure hope we don't cough this one up. Apparently there are barely any pens fans in the crowd. I love the trolling of Cindy with "Crossssss-beeeeeee, Crossssssss-beeeeeee" chants. This is beautiful playoff hockey. This will be absolutely huge if we go up 2-1.
Big win for the Hawks last night. Man I don't understand the hype for Ryan Miller. The guy is one of the most overrated players in the league. I know he only allowed one goal, but it was terrible.. He's been bad the whole series, and if it wasn't for the Hawks sloppiness late in games, they would be up 3-0 right now..
Miller is entirely overrated. He had 2 amazing years and a great Olympic run. That being said...it was a usual thing for him to have a shutout going and then give up a softy with 2 mins to go.
He is not as good as advertised...hes good yes...best no.
"It has to start somewhere It has to start somehow What better place than here? What better time than now?"
Miller is entirely overrated. He had 2 amazing years and a great Olympic run. That being said...it was a usual thing for him to have a shutout going and then give up a softy with 2 mins to go.
He is not as good as advertised...hes good yes...best no.
I know this is going to sound biased, but I don't think there is a position in team sports that demands more mental strength and focus than goaltending in hockey... And if you ask me, he's weak upstairs. Big time.
That save by Crawford with 30-something seconds left was insane. Maybe it was an easy save for a goalie since there was no screen and the shot was from the point, but with how the first two games ended, that was clutch.
As for Matt Cooke, that dude needs to be suspended for 15+ games. That was horsebleep. LINK
And I'm still shocked Lucic only got a small fine for that intentional high sticking of a man-zone. It didn't cause a concusion or ligament tear, but it was dirty as hell. LINK
And one more thing, that "fight" with Chara & Smith was hilarious. Chara (6'9" 260) versus Smith (6'2" 200). If I'm Smith, I drop the gloves and go, even though I'm giving up 60 pounds and 7". You know Chara would pummel him, but the guys on your bench won't let you forget it. ha ha ha...I hope they could laugh about it though. LINK
“...Iguodala to Curry, back to Iguodala, up for the layup! Oh! Blocked by James! LeBron James with the rejection!”
Quote: This series should be 3-0 Columbus if not for our mental lapses...
Jackets SHOULD be a perennial playoff team now. Pens big guns are being held in check so far but their depth showed tonight.
Another young team struggling to put someone away. Hopefully this group stays put a good while.
The Pens won a bunch in a row in the regular season going back, in the head to head games. So with all the heart and determination the Jackets showed to qualify for the playoffs, I really thought they were qualifying for the right to lose 4 straight like last time.
This series has 3 games ending 4-3, in two of them, the Penguins, once up 4-3 didn't have a "whole" lot of worry from the Jackets offense; and in the other, the Jackets fought to get the 4-3 score in the 2nd overtime.
I think The Jackets will struggle to get 1 more win, no matter where they play. I kind of think the series should be 3-0 Pittsburgh, except for some letting up out of lack of respect; but Pitt. has less to prove.
I Wanna See Columbus win the Stanley cup. But they ain't that good of a team right now. I'm just glad that they've scored as much as they have with only trailing in goals 10-11 so far.
The next game is in Columbus, but I don't think the home Ice will be any more of a factor than it was in game 3, so who "should" I favor in the next game.
The game is Pittsburgh's to lose. They are the more expienced, and Columbus is the underdog challenged to overcome and prove they belong.
Going into this I figured the CBJ earned the right to get swept, but that they wouldn't get shut out in more than 1 game. Maybe they'll find a way to win 1 more. Who knows. It'll be nice to watch.
Can Deshaun Watson play better for the Browns, than Baker Mayfield would have? ... Now the Games count.
Yea, I hope my Pens get a challenge from the jackets here because it will be good going forward and I think it will be good for the jackets too next year, young team showing fight in the playoffs is better than how it looked a few years ago...
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