Official Stanley Cup Thread

[inagra]

Western Conference



(1) Detroit vs. (8) Edmonton (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=9323&hubname=nhl)
(2) Dallas vs. (7) Colorado (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=4945&hubname=nhl)
(3) Calgary vs. (6) Anaheim (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=1404&hubname=nhl)
(4) Nashville vs. (5) San Jose (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=10690&hubname=nhl)


Eastern Conference


(1) Ottawa vs. (8) Tampa Bay (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=3325&hubname=nhl)
(2) Carolina vs. (7) Montreal (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=4964&hubname=nhl)
(3) New Jersey vs. (6) NY Rangers (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=2290&hubname=nhl)
(4) Buffalo vs. (5) Philadelphia (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=2289&hubname=nhl)

[inagra]

Let's get some series by series predictions going.

[Vizzini]

Western Conference


(1) Detroit vs. (8) Edmonton
(2) Dallas vs. (7) Colorado
(3) Calgary vs. (6) Anaheim
(4) Nashville vs. (5) San Jose

Eastern Conference

(1) Ottawa vs. (8) Tampa Bay
(2) Carolina vs. (7) Montreal
(3) New Jersey vs. (6) NY Rangers
(4) Buffalo vs. (5) Philadelphia



Detroit over Edmonton in six games Detroit need Datsyuk to be 100%, which he won't be until the last three games. There is no way Dwayne Roloson should beat the Wings in a playoff sereis, no way at all. Pronger will have a flashback to St. Louis and take more stupid penalties as the series goes on, which the Wings will capatilize on.

Dallas over Colorado in seven games The Avs will really miss Forsberg and Foote, and while Theodore will steal some games, Zubov, Modano, and Arnott will only get stronger as the series progresses.

Calgary over Anaheim in seven games Great playoff goalies abound, and if one team scores more than three goals in one game, I will be amazed. These two teams are made for the playoffs, the playoffs of four years ago that is, and if the NHL keeps calling the games they way they have been, there will be a lot of PIM's and 4 on 3 power plays in the series.

San Jose over Nashville in six games lets see here, one team loses a Vezina worthy goalie while another teams best two offfensive players have been playing unreal in the last few weeks. Adavantage Sharks. Kariya and the Preds will fight to the end, but Thorton and the Sharks will prove too much to handle.

Ottawa over Tampa Bay in five games The Sens just have too much to deal with. I know Hasek is out, but Alfredsson, Heatley, Spezza and Chara will be too much for the 'Ning to overcome. The Sens dismantling of the Rangers in the last game of the year shows me they are ready to go at it.

Carolina over Montreal in seven games My heart tells me to pick the Habs, and with the way the Canes came out and played against the Sabres with the conference title up for grabs, I really want to, but I just can't. I don't think the Canes are playing Cup worthy hockey right now, but they will wake up just in time to take this series, but how far they go after remains a mystery.

N.Y. Rangers over New Jersey in six games Sometimes you just have to throw conventional wisdom out the door and go with who you think is going to win, but really shouldn't. Broduer in the playoffs is great, but Jersey as had some early exits from the playoffs before. Jagr and Lundqvuist play huge in this series, and the Rangers will be playing well into May for the first time in a long time.

Buffalo over Philadelphia in six gamesThe Flyers really don't want to play the Sabres yet and that will be shown by the end of this series. The Flyers were everyones pick to click this year early on, and while they've had a good season, something just seems a little off with them. I don't know if it is injuries or what, but they don't seem all there for some reason. Buffalo is flying under the radar and playing great hockey however, plus they have a big time playoff performer in Chris Drury. That is why they will advance.

[j-6]

Wings in 5
Stars in 6
Ducks in 6
Sharks in 7

Sens in 6
Canadiens in 6
Devils in 7
Sabres in 5

[shelshor]

Red Wings in 5
Stars in 6
Flames in 5
Predators in 6

Senators in 5
Canadiens in 7
Devils in 6
Sabres in 5

[DarkReign]

West

Detroit vs Edmonton: Wings in 4. This isnt even close. People laud Edmonton as this hard working team with talent when all they are is a hardworking team.

Dallas vs Colorado: Stars in 5. Avs suck this year...badly. nuff said.

Calgary vs Anaheim: Flames in 6. Goonery from Calgary will win. Whoopee! This series will tell me if the refs are still calling the game fairly. This is a snoooooooooore.

Nashville vs San Jose: Preds in 6. This is my gut feeling. My darkhorse. I think Nashville seriously has a chance. San Jose isnt all that great.


East

Ottawa vs Tampa Bay: Lightning in 7. This series could go either way. Ottawa with no Hasek = mortal.

Carolina vs Montreal: Canes in 5. This is too easy. The Habs arent very good. Canes are. Any questions?

New Jersey vs New York: Devils in 5. NJ is the hottest team in the league, combine that with Martin-fucking-Brodeur = NYR fishing.

Buffalo vs Philidelphia: Sabres in 6. I say 6 only because Philly is tough, but they lack a certain...something. In hockey, intangibles are everything. Sabres have "it", Philly does not. Goaltending will play a huge role, by which I mean Sabres frickin pwn in that department.

[inagra]

the best series could be the battle between flames and ducks. These two goalies have had unbelivable runs in the past two years. I look forward to the shutouts and one goal games. Flames take it in 6

Another series that could be great is between stars and avs. These two teams are loaded wit vets who know how to play the game in the playoffs. Avs, even though they lost few strong playoff players are still a dangerous team lead by sakic. i want avs to win, i hate modano

[Horry For 3!]

I will take a guess just for the hell of it since I do not watch hockey.....


Carolina over San Jose for the Stanley Cup

[T-Pain]

Western Conference



(1) Detroit over (8) Edmonton (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=9323&hubname=nhl)
(2) Dallas over (7) Colorado (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=4945&hubname=nhl)
(3) Calgary over (6) Anaheim (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=1404&hubname=nhl)
(5)San Jose over (4) Nashville (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=10690&hubname=nhl)


Eastern Conference


(1) Ottawa over (8) Tampa Bay (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=3325&hubname=nhl)
(2) Carolina over (7) Montreal (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=4964&hubname=nhl)
(3) New Jersey over (6) NY Rangers (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=2290&hubname=nhl)
(4) Buffalo over (5) Philadelphia (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=2289&hubname=nhl)


those are my predictions

[samikeyp]

I like the Red Wings...as long as they are not playing the Stars. I am a big fan of Stevie Y.

[T-Pain]

I like the Red Wings...as long as they are not playing the Stars. I am a big fan of Stevie Y.

i loved the red wings when they had their stars, Chelios, Yzerman, Larionov, Hull, Lidstrom, Hasek, Federov...reminded me of the Yankees

[Vizzini]

i loved the red wings when they had their stars, Chelios, Yzerman, Larionov, Hull, Lidstrom, Hasek, Federov...reminded me of the Yankees

The Yankees? Please don't don't get me going. I know that they outspent everyone and had a lineup full of Hall of Famers, but I love the Wings and hate the Yankees, so that comparison has no merit, no merit at all. The Wings were the one team you could count on during the mid nineties when the Lions had only Barry Sanders, the Tigers had nothing, the Pistons were wearing teal (why? why? why?) and U-of-M had three straight seasons of four losses. I am totally geeked that the NHL Playoffs are back. I can't wait for the first three overtime game, the late night road games and the rise in intensity that every game brings. Too bad ESPN doesn't have hockey anyomre, I loved their coverage of the playoffs.

[Sense]

eww hockey.

[Dunc]

i loved the red wings when they had their stars, Chelios, Yzerman, Larionov, Hull, Lidstrom, Hasek, Federov...reminded me of the Yankees

Still got Chelios, Yzerman, Lidstrom. I think alot of people thought of the Wings and Yankees similarly, but the biggest difference is that we (sorry, the Wings, lol) develop our own talent too. Yzerman, Lidstrom, and Federov were all draft picks, as well as Pavel Datsyuk, Tomas Holmstrom, Jiri Fischer (the poor guy), Henrik Zetterberg, Jason Williams, the list goes on. The Red Wings practically invented European scouting. Of course, there was that year (2002)when we bought up every free agent and made every trade we could to pick up Hall of Famers, so I can't deny that one :) Anyway, sorry for this ranting pointless post, lol, I'm just geeked.

[inagra]

the Wings over the last two playoff runs have been beat due to hot goaltending. first it was the Ducks and Jiggy and the following year they met a red hot Kipper and Flames. I don't think the Oilers with Roloson can beat the Red Wings. Wings in 5/6

I am dying to figure out which goalie will be invincible and take his team far into the playoffs. I hope its the Dominator and Sens

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/writers/mike_mcallister/10/12/inside.nhl/40-hasek.jpg

[T-Pain]

The Yankees? Please don't don't get me going. I know that they outspent everyone and had a lineup full of Hall of Famers, but I love the Wings and hate the Yankees, so that comparison has no merit, no merit at all. The Wings were the one team you could count on during the mid nineties when the Lions had only Barry Sanders, the Tigers had nothing, the Pistons were wearing teal (why? why? why?) and U-of-M had three straight seasons of four losses. I am totally geeked that the NHL Playoffs are back. I can't wait for the first three overtime game, the late night road games and the rise in intensity that every game brings. Too bad ESPN doesn't have hockey anyomre, I loved their coverage of the playoffs.

i never said they were like the yankees

[inagra]

Vizzini----

what kind of chance do the Wings have in winning the cup? yea they have some young players that can really play, they do have a lot of older players. How will these guys be after a 7 game series? I think they get defeated in the second round due to thier old age and average goalie. It would be nice to see Stevie-Y lift a cup and retire.

[inagra]

TORONTO (CP) - The Maple Leafs fired Pat Quinn on Thursday, freeing general manager John Ferguson to finally choose a coach of his own.

The 63-year-old Quinn, who still had another year on his contract, leaves after seven seasons behind the Toronto bench.

"This change is as much about the future, and where we are going as an organization, as it is as much about what has transpired here," Ferguson told a news conference.

Ferguson said a search for Quinn's successor would start immediately.

The Leafs also fired Rick Ley, Quinn's longtime assistant coach, and said assistant Keith Acton would be offered another position within the organization.

[inagra]

DETROIT (AP) - Red Wings centre Pavel Datsyuk is expected to miss the first game of the playoffs Friday against the Edmonton Oilers because of an injured left thigh.

Datsyuk practised Thursday, but Detroit coach Mike Babcock said he didn't appear to be ready to play in Game 1.

"He looked to me like he was going to take tomorrow off," Babcock said.

While the team did a drill at one end of the ice, Datsyuk skated in circles around the other net with a puck.

Datsyuk said Monday he hoped to be healthy enough to play at the start of the playoffs after skating for the first time since being knocked out of the lineup April 3. He was hurt during a shootout win at Calgary, but didn't realize he was injured after being checked by Andrew Ference.



"It was not a big hit," Datsyuk said earlier this week. "I felt it on the plane. It was swollen."

He said the injury, above his left knee, had improved each day while he's been out.

[T-Pain]

that sucks, things will be a little interesting without Pavel

[inagra]

By Scott Burnside
ESPN.com
Archive

The Red Wings defied many observers who thought they would struggle in the New NHL by doing what they've been doing for most of the last decade -- winning by playing solid, balanced hockey. New head coach Mike Babcock evolved seamlessly from coaching the defensive-minded Mighty Ducks to the high-powered Red Wings, who finished with their third Presidents' Trophy in the last four seasons.

The Oilers, meanwhile, backed into the playoffs, playing well only in spurts down the stretch. The jury remains out on new No. 1 netminder Dwayne Roloson, whom the Oilers acquired from Minnesota for a No. 1 draft pick at the trade deadline. The Oilers have the sixth-ranked road team, while the Red Wings are far and away the best road team in the league.

In some ways, this is a good matchup for the speedy, hard-working Oilers. There are still question marks about the netminding tandem of Manny Legace and Chris Osgood in Detroit and whether it's Stanley Cup worthy. There's also the matter of the Wings' gaudy record, which was bolstered by hammering weak divisional sisters Columbus, St. Louis and Chicago 24 times during the regular season and the long-term effect of having 10 players who took part in the Olympics. Still, the Wings did not lose in regulation in 20 of their last 22 games (17-2-3), and this would be a monumental upset if the Oilers were able to pull off their first playoff series victory since 1998.

Why the Red Wings will win: Quite simply, the Red Wings are the vastly superior team. No. 1 on the power play, third overall on the penalty kill, tops on the road. "They can hurt you in so many ways," one top pro scout told ESPN.com this week. "Do I think the Red Wings are legitimate? No question about it."

Even if Legace and Osgood don't put you in mind of Patrick Roy, Johnny Bower or Ken Dryden, it shouldn't matter. All they have to do is keep the Wings close and the team's depth and talent should do the rest. The late-season resurgence of captain Steve Yzerman (he had an 11-game point streak down the stretch) and the return from injury of top rookie defenseman Niklas Kronwall are key elements to what should be a long postseason run. "He's a star," added another scout, who has him as the second-rated defenseman on a club loaded with good young defensemen.

After saving the game during the lockout, Brendan Shanahan has returned to form as an elite scorer with his first 40-goal, 40-assist season since 1996-97, his first in Detroit. He is the all-time active leader in game-winning goals. As for Legace and Osgood, their primary challenge is in not costing the Wings games as they try to get back to the Cup final for the first time since winning in 2002.

Why the Oilers will lose: Even though the Oilers are a good road team, have decent special teams (eighth on the penalty kill, 12th on the power play) and played the Red Wings tough this season going 2-2, they are not disciplined enough to stay with the Red Wings.

Defenseman Chris Pronger has a history of melting down in the playoffs and veteran Michael Peca seems to be in entirely the wrong headspace to provide the kind of performance the Oilers need from him to stay close to Detroit.

Roloson, 8-7 with 2.42 goals-against average since coming over to the Oilers, is simply not good enough to enact what would be the upset of the first round. At best, Roloson can saw off Legace and Osgood and that's not good enough. One top NHL scout said he thought the Oilers were one of the most inconsistent teams in the playoffs. The Oilers hope to tire the Wings out over a long series. Sadly, the Oilers aren't playing a best-of-19.

Prediction: Red Wings in six.

[inagra]

By Scott Burnside
ESPN.com
Archive

You've got your dominant teams (Detroit) and your feel-good stories (Carolina, New York Rangers) and your sexy picks (Anaheim, San Jose). Then, there's the Dallas Stars. Who? Exactly. It's hard to say exactly how a team that had 112 points and was a solid second in the Western Conference flies under the radar, but that's the Stars.

Many expected Dallas (and Detroit) to fall back to the pack with the new collective-bargaining agreement. Yet, behind the inventive, uncompromising coaching of Dave Tippett, the Stars have turned into a team that will be very difficult to dislodge from the playoffs.

Marty Turco has put an inconsistent start to the season behind him to provide solid netminding, while Mike Modano shook off a subpar Olympics to carry the Stars into the postseason with his best play of the season. Jason Arnott, Jere Lehtinen and the rest of the Finnish posse in Dallas have forged a strong team that makes them difficult to play against at both ends. Although they won't blow you out of the rink (the Stars' power play was a mediocre 20th overall), they allow little in the way of offensive opportunities.

The Avalanche, another former Western Conference juggernaut, find themselves in the playoffs in spite of a patchwork lineup that features Patrice Brisebois and former Star Pierre Turgeon instead of Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg. There's still the unflappable Joe Sakic to lead from down the middle and the towering Rob Blake, who also put behind a disappointing first half.

But this version of the Avalanche hardly inspires fear and loathing. The biggest difference between the Avalanche of old and this version will be between the pipes, where GM Pierre Lacroix is hoping reclamation project Jose Theodore can ignore his recent past and lead the Avalanche on a long postseason run. It's a long shot at best.

Why the Stars will win: From the goal line on out, the Stars are just a little bit better than the Avalanche. Turco should be able to outperform Theodore, who looks nothing like the goalie who won Vezina and Hart trophies in 2002.

On the back end, the Stars boast one of the most underrated defenders of the season in Sergei Zubov, who leads a solid, if mostly anonymous, defensive corps. Zubov's 71 points were second among defensemen to Nicklas Lidstrom's 80 points. He averages 26:30 in ice time and that number will go up. He also chipped in nine power-play goals. Defensively, Tippett runs a tight ship as only Detroit and Calgary allowed fewer goals among the Western Conference playoff teams.

Offensively, the Stars have good skill with Lehtinen, who's having a career season, and rookie Jussi Jokinen, who has added unexpected offensive pop. Watch for Arnott to continue a quietly stellar season in the postseason.

Why the Avalanche will lose: Head coach Joel Quenneville has done a terrific job with a lineup that looked not-so-playoff-worthy at the start of the season. The fact the Avs slumped down the stretch, losing 10 of 16, might be a reflection of the roosters coming home to roost.

Although both the power play and penalty kill are ranked in the top 10 in the league, the Avalanche will miss rookie Marek Svatos, defenseman Ossi Vaananen and veteran forward Steve Konowalchuk, all of whom will be out for at least the first round. Alex Tanguay is having a fine season, but is just back from a knee injury and his durability is an issue. All in all, this suggests the Avs will struggle to match the offensive balance the Stars possess.

And then there's the goaltending. How long does Quenneville wait before giving Theodore, a notoriously slow starter in the playoffs, the hook in favor of Peter Budaj, who handled himself well after starter David Aebischer was dispatched to Montreal? Unlike Dallas, which knows Turco will rebound from an off night or bad goal, the psyche in the Avalanche dressing room vis-à-vis Theodore is bound to be much more delicate.

Prediction: Dallas in five.

[inagra]

By Scott Burnside
ESPN.com
Archive

The Mighty Ducks, who spent most of the first half of the season masquerading as the Pretty Average Ducks, will be the sexy pick for many looking for first-round upsets. To be fair, if the Ducks prevail in this opening round, it hardly would be considered an upset given that Anaheim went 15-7 from March 7 through its 4-3 win Monday over Calgary.

Teemu Selanne, an afterthought of a free agent last fall, returned for his second stint in Anaheim (this time on two good knees) and wound up recapturing his youth with 40 goals, 90 points and a sparkling plus-28. Meanwhile, netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere recaptured some of the magic that seemed to have dissipated after the Ducks' surprising run to the 2003 finals and gives the team much-needed playoff experience to balance the youthful enthusiasm of rookies Chris Kunitz, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.

"They're another well-coached team," an NHL scout told ESPN.com. They have raw rookies, "but they're good raw kids."

The Ducks and Flames split the regular season series, each winning twice at home. Over in the shadow of the Rockies, the Flames simply have trotted out their blueprint from 2003-04, gutting out wins with tight-checking, timely scoring and all-world goaltending from Hart and Vezina hopeful Miikka Kiprusoff. Their ability to keep pace with a deep offensive Ducks squad will be one of the keys to the series. The Flames' 218 goals are by far the fewest of the 16 playoff teams.

Of course, back in 2004, when the Flames went to a seventh game of the Stanley Cup finals, they were likewise one of the lowest-scoring teams in the playoffs. They will enter this postseason with the kind of confidence you can only get from having been there.

Why the Flames will win: It may take seven games, but the Flames will prove the old adage that you have to lose before you can win. The Ducks might have more razzle-dazzle with Selanne, Scott Niedermayer and the kids, but the Flames have a battle-tested crew that knows the ins and outs of the meandering Stanley Cup path.

The Flames had the fewest home losses in the NHL, while the Ducks were just .500 on the road. The Flames' home-ice advantage will be crucial in what will amount to a battle of attrition. Both teams' power plays were virtually identical in terms of efficiency, which is a bonus for Calgary, given they don't boast the same firepower up front.

Calgary's penalty-killing unit is superior, no surprise since they will have a significant edge in goal with Kiprusoff, who was tied for the league lead in wins with 42 and fourth with a .923 save percentage. That latter number is even more impressive given the Finnish workhorse played in 74 games, 39 games more than the leader in the category, Cristobal Huet of Montreal.

Both teams will rely heavily on youngsters to make a difference, but after watching rookie defender Dion Phaneuf play for about five minutes, you assume he's been in the NHL for a decade or more. Throw in Robyn Regehr, Jordan Leopold, Andrew Ference and Roman Hamrlik, and you have a defensive cast as good as any team in the league.

"I'm not in love with their team speed," said one NHL scout. "I am in love with their goaltending and their work ethic."

Why the Ducks will lose: GM Brian Burke has done virtually the impossible in Anaheim, remaking his new team on the fly, while making up significant ground in the standings. Gone are aging, expensive stars Petr Sykora, Sergei Fedorov, Steve Rucchin, Keith Carney and Sandis Ozolinsh. In are a core of young players such as Getzlaf, Perry, Joffrey Lupul, Chris Kunitz and Andy McDonald (Selanne's linemate who leads the team with seven game-winning goals).

True, Giguere has rekindled that warm, fuzzy feeling from 2004, but he simply can't match Kiprusoff, especially in a long series. Beyond Niedermayer, who is having a Norris Trophy worthy season, the Ducks' defense is largely untested when it comes to the playoffs and will be targeted by a vigorous Calgary forecheck.

And what of those youngsters who will be facing their first NHL playoff experience in a hockey-mad city such as Calgary? Even coaches have to learn, too, which means crusty Randy Carlyle will start behind the 8-ball against Darryl Sutter. All in all, too much too soon for a group that promises to be around for a long, long time.

Prediction: Calgary in seven.

[inagra]

By Scott Burnside
ESPN.com
Archive

On paper, this looks like one of the biggest mismatches of the first round. The Predators have home-ice advantage, but that might be the only thing going for them as they begin their second playoff series in franchise history.

Top netminder Tomas Vokoun is gone for the season with a blood disorder. Top offensive contributors Steve Sullivan (groin) and defenseman Marek Zidlicky (shoulder) are out and their return is unknown. And they're facing arguably the hottest team in the NHL, featuring the league's best player (Joe Thornton) and hottest goal scorer (Jonathan Cheechoo). But looks can be deceiving.

The Predators finished the regular season on a six-game winning streak. Backup netminder Chris Mason, who turns 30 on Thursday, had settled in nicely as the Preds' new starter. And a team with one of the deepest blue lines in the league was playing its best "team" hockey in several months. So, no, the Preds aren't going to be mailing in this series.

Still, the Sharks are an impressive group, from GM Doug Wilson, who engineered the biggest trade of the season, to coach Ron Wilson, who did not panic when his team took almost half a season to work out the kinks, to MVP-in-waiting Thornton and linemate Cheechoo, who has come out of nowhere to lay claim to the Rocket Richard Trophy. Here's the funny thing. Thornton, the former Boston captain, was dealt in part because he couldn't and didn't deliver in the clutch. Now, his new teal team looks like a good bet to go at least to a conference final, if not beyond.

Why the Sharks will win: Talk about hitting the playoffs on fire. The Sharks have gone 16-4-2 since the trade deadline and won a franchise-best eight straight games before losing a meaningless contest to the Kings in their final regular-season contest.

If you're the Predators, Job 1 is shutting down the dynamic duo of Thornton and Cheechoo. But even if Nashville has success in limiting chances by the top line and the Sharks' power-play unit, San Jose still has lots to throw at you. No other team can boast a second-line center with the credentials of captain Patrick Marleau, who had 86 points and is still an afterthought. Although some scouts point to the Sharks' blue line as a weak point, it is a maturing group. The Sharks also have had excellent goaltending from Vesa Toskala, who has supplanted former rookie of the year Evgeni Nabokov as the starter.

That said, Nabokov has playoff experience and the team will be served well by Nabokov if Toskala stumbles. Ron Wilson has oodles of playoff experience behind the bench, including a trip to the 2004 Western Conference finals with virtually the same team. As one top scout said, with a superstar like Thornton, there's always another gear.

Why the Predators will lose: We really hesitated on this one. We really love the idea of Mason as the unlikely playoff hero. We like the hard-working, blue-collar mentality that defines the Predators and that will make this series closer than many people think.

But in the end, we just couldn't pick the Preds. The uncertain status of Sullivan and Zidlicky, whose 49 points is tops among all Nashville defenders, means the Predators will simply not have the guns to keep up with a Sharks team firing on all cylinders.

Paul Kariya has been a terrific addition in Nashville, leading the team with 85 points. Still, the Sharks' diligent checkers, such as Alyn McCauley, will be able to focus on Kariya without having to worry as much about the rest of a lineup that will have to cobble together offense from David Legwand, Scott Walker, Mike Sillinger and Yanic Perreault. It's a tall order. Too tall.

And then there's Mason. If he falters, the team simply won't have any depth in the way that the Sharks will have a comfort level with either Toskala and Nabokov.

Prediction: San Jose in six.

[inagra]

By Scott Burnside
ESPN.com
Archive

How much fun is this going to be? These two teams like to play hair-on-fire hockey and will try to beat the opponent with tempo and speed as opposed to dumbing down the game. This might be the most entertaining series of the first round, and both teams come into the playoffs with significant questions.

In Montreal, there are questions about whether Frenchman Cristobal Huet, who led the league in save percentage at .929, or Swiss-born David Aebischer would or should be the starter. The questions in Carolina are of a broader, more esoteric nature -- like just how good are the Hurricanes, and how do they follow up a franchise-best regular season?

Even though there should be lots of offensive fireworks, Carolina holds a distinct advantage in terms of its offensive depth. When the Canes roll out a third line featuring Doug Weight, Mark Recchi and Ray Whitney, the Habs are going to be in trouble -- either giving up significantly more scoring chances or taking penalties in trying to slow Carolina down.

Although Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette has never won an NHL playoff series, he has galvanized a Carolina team that has been the butt of many hockey jokes the past few seasons. In Montreal, there is the issue of how GM Bob Gainey handles the behind-the-bench duties in the postseason, having taken over as coach while good buddy and assistant Guy Carbonneau learns the coaching ropes.

"Bob will prepare his team to play to their strengths," one scout familiar with Gainey told ESPN.com. "He's not going to engage in a game that works against him."

For what it's worth (next to nothing, but we'll mention it anyway), the Hurricanes dominated the Canadiens in the regular season, winning all four games and outscoring them 25-9.

Why the Hurricanes will win: One pro scout told ESPN.com that what he liked about the Hurricanes was that they "showed no slippage." They didn't hit the wall that some overachieving teams hit. The thing about the Hurricanes, picked by most to miss the playoffs, is that they had a radically different set of expectations from the get-go.

Eric Staal came to training camp and decided to become a superstar; Rod Brind'Amour decided to play like he was 10 years younger; Cory Stillman gets a point per game regardless of what jersey he puts on; and Justin Williams forgot he was washed up. All factors in a unique set of circumstances in Carolina, circumstances that point to a long playoff run.

A team that performed well at the raucous RBC Center should enter the playoffs as healthy as it's been all season, with the exception of Erik Cole, who remains sidelined with a broken neck. That means the Canes will simply be too much for the Habs to handle. If there is a weak spot, it will be along the blue line, but even there, Carolina is deep and dependable.

Because they have so much firepower up front, there isn't pressure on guys such as Bret Hedican, Mike Commodore, Glen Wesley and Aaron Ward to jump too aggressively into the play, even if Laviolette gives them the green light to do so. In goal, the technically sound Martin Gerber should be more than the equal of either Aebischer or Huet.

Why the Canadiens will lose: If you watched the Canadiens cough up a three-goal lead and lose to the Devils on Tuesday night, then you'll know why the Hurricanes present a very difficult challenge. Defensively, the Canadiens are prone to mistakes and are wildly streaky, having lost four of six to finish the regular season. That also goes for their goaltending, which has been mostly terrific but has developed the odd fissure.

As a result, the question that Gainey will have to answer is which netminder to start. Aebischer has the most playoff experience (13 games to Huet's zero), but Huet was the lifesaver when the Habs looked like they were headed over a cliff a month ago. Gainey can obviously use both goalies, but he'll have to choose wisely. If Montreal gets down early to Carolina, this series could be over real quick.

The Habs have proved to be opportunistic on offense with the fifth-ranked power-play unit in the league. But they rely too heavily on leading scorer Alexei Kovalev to provide offense, especially with Saku Koivu suffering from a strange case of "big contract-little production" syndrome after signing a lucrative multiyear deal during the season. On the other side of the special teams, Montreal's 21st-ranked penalty-killing unit looks to be overmatched by a Carolina power play that will ice two potent units.

Prediction: Carolina in five.

[inagra]

By Scott Burnside
ESPN.com
Archive

Oh, what story lines we have here. Two teams in varying states of disarray. Two teams trying to fulfill their respective destinies. And then there are the goaltending issues (boy, do we have issues here).

The defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning have struggled for much of the season to find a No. 1 goaltender on whom they can pin their hopes for a repeat. Both Sean Burke and John Grahame have shown in confined stretches of play that they both have what it takes. Unfortunately, those spurts have been followed like clockwork by periods of Junior B-like goaltending that has shattered the team's confidence, driven coach John Tortorella to the brink of spontaneous combustion and nearly cost the team a playoff berth.

Meanwhile, the Senators still don't know if, or when, goaltending shaman Dominik Hasek might emerge from his injury cocoon and rejoin the team. All the signs point to "not at all," which is bad news for an Ottawa team that looked ready to advance to its first Stanley Cup finals for most of the season.

"They haven't got all those points by accident," one scout told ESPN.com. Said another scout, "If they're healthy, I like them for sure to come out of the East because no one can match their defense."

And it's true. No other team will ice a big three as impressive as Zdeno Chara, Wade Redden and Chris Phillips. If they can stay healthy. Up front, the danger for the Senators has been their dependence on the big line: Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson. Although coach Bryan Murray has tinkered with the line at various points in the season, the return of Martin Havlat is a big boost to the Sens' chances.

"He's a huge, huge, huge player for that team because, all of a sudden, it gives them another line," one scout said.

Why the Lightning will win: Since the current playoff format began in 1998-99, the top two seeds in both conferences have never advanced beyond the first round in a single season. A top-two seed always falls. This season, it's the Senators' turn. It may not be pretty and it may take both Burke and Grahame to pull it off, but the Lightning will find enough mojo in the next two weeks to pull off the upset.

One scout said the Lightning have a very underrated defense (didn't we hear that during their march to the Cup?) led by Dan Boyle and including Pavel Kubina, Darryl Sydor, Cory Sarich and rookie Paul Ranger.

Up front, the Lightning have as much zip as any other team in the East (with the exception of Carolina), thanks to the presence of Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, Fredrik Modin and Ruslan Fedotenko. Beyond their skills, all the big guns were part of the Cup-winning team in 2004. Beyond that, Modin was a significant part of the Swedes' gold-medal team in Torino. Lecavalier was the MVP of the World Cup of Hockey in 2004, and so on. All these players have found their production wanting this season, but all understand the rocky road means nothing.

"Their goaltending is obviously a question. Someone will have to step up," the scout said. "But if someone does, they're a force to be reckoned with."

Why the Senators will lose: The Senators have been hit by injuries to key players down the stretch, and even though Chara is back after a lingering hand injury, Phillips has not played in three weeks (knee) and Redden has been in and out of the lineup dealing with his mother's serious illness in Saskatchewan. Plus, there is the whole Hasek issue, and more important, the issues surrounding the suddenly enormous expectations on rookie netminder Ray Emery.

Before dusting the Rangers in their regular-season finale, the Senators had lost seven of nine and Emery was starting to show cracks in the veneer. Has the rookie been good? Yes. No question. Does the mentality in the dressing room change if Emery gets off the rails? Yes. How can it not?

Are the Lightning the kind of team to whom you want to reveal any weaknesses? No. Without Hasek in goal, the Senators give up the one significant edge they would have enjoyed over the Lightning. With Emery in net, it's a wash, with one important difference -- Burke and Grahame have both seen enough to know what it takes. Without Hasek, one scout told ESPN.com, the Senators suddenly become vulnerable if an opponent can shut down the big line. Well, Hasek doesn't appear to be in the equation, and the Lightning are as dangerous a No. 8 seed as you're likely to find.

Prediction: Tampa Bay in seven.

:wow

[inagra]

By Scott Burnside
ESPN.com
Archive

OK, so when did Scott Niedermayer, Scott Stevens, Jason Arnott, Jacques Lemaire and Larry Robinson sneak back into the New Jersey swamp? Like a B-grade horror movie, the Devils are like the team of zombies that can't be put down.

Left for dead when Robinson walked away from the bench earlier this season, the Devils have mounted a comeback of monumental proportions that concluded emphatically Tuesday night when they erased a three-goal deficit against Montreal to slide in the back door and claim the Atlantic Division crown and home-ice advantage. Are they that good? Well, they enter the playoffs with an 11-game winning streak and the only starting netminder in the conference with a true playoff pedigree (with apologies to Philadelphia's Robert Esche).

Across the river in Manhattan, the question facing the Rangers as they prepare for their first playoff game since the spring of 1997 is whether this is enough. The Rangers were universally picked to finish at or near the bottom of the conference. But behind a strong work ethic, wonderful goaltending from rookie Henrik Lundqvist and a startling season from MVP candidate Jaromir Jagr, the Rangers look to be built not only to make the playoffs but also to make some noise.

Still, the Broadway boys dropped five straight games to close the regular season, a swoon that cost them home ice and called into question their readiness for prime-time hockey. The loss of home ice could be significant, even though the proximity between the teams suggests "home" is a relative thing.

The Rangers figure to miss Steve Rucchin, who's been to the Stanley Cup finals, and Martin Rucinsky, who was averaging more than a point per game when healthy. Both are out indefinitely.

Both teams rely heavily on one offensive line and a cast of role players to fill the gaps and not make too many mistakes otherwise. They both rely on netminders who don't mind a lot of work and are immune to pressure. The big difference is that one (Martin Brodeur) is headed for the Hall of Fame as soon as he decides he's got enough hardware, and the other is still wet behind the ears.

Why the Rangers will win: A scout who was discussing the playoff situation with ESPN.com called back a day later to say he'd forgotten to talk about how impressed he was by the Rangers and their work ethic. He's right. In general, the Rangers are among the hardest-working teams in the NHL. They have proudly maintained that they have the best third and fourth lines in the league. That must be proved in this series, where the bit players' contributions will be crucial. That means rookie Petr Prucha, Petr Sykora, who's been there before both as a Devil and a Mighty Duck, and Jason Ward will have to pick up the pace.

In spite of the Devils' red-hot status, both the Rangers' power-play and penalty-killing units are more efficient. That must continue if the Rangers hope to upset their neighbors.

And then there's Lundqvist. The man they call King Henrik sat out a handful of games to rest a hip injury, and he looked rusty as the Senators beat him five times on 32 shots Tuesday. The stats suggest Lundqvist vs. Brodeur is a huge mismatch. But as long as Lundqvist doesn't get it in his head that he has to beat Brodeur all by himself, he can make the difference in what promises to be an interesting, emotional series. Given his play this season and at the Olympics, where he won a gold medal, it appears Lundqvist gets it. If that's the case, the door is open for the Rangers to make good on the promise this season suggests.

Why the Devils will lose: There is simply no disputing what the Devils have accomplished this season under Lou Lamoriello. And it is a testament to one of the league's best-run franchises that the Devils were able to pull out of an early tailspin and finish the way they did.

That said, these are not the Devils of old. Defensively, they are slower and less explosive offensively. Brian Rafalski leads all New Jersey blueliners with six goals, a good week's work for Niedermayer. One NHL scout told ESPN.com he thinks the Devils are too slow on the back end to withstand a consistent forecheck. Only Rafalski and Paul Martin skate well enough to make things happen, the scout said.

Beyond their defensive shortcomings, many of which are covered up by Brodeur's steadying influence, the Devils must come to grips with the fact they are a one-line team.

On Tuesday night, Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez combined for five more points, including Gionta's franchise-record 47th and 48th goals, reinforcing that the diminutive pair are the Devils' offensive engine. Stop them, and you stop the Devils, one scout said. It says here the Rangers can do just that.

Prediction: Rangers in seven.

[inagra]

By Scott Burnside
ESPN.com
Archive

Less than a month ago, the Buffalo Sabres appeared to be ready to turn into an Eastern Conference pumpkin after a long run as the East Cinderella. But they have righted the ship and will enter the playoffs having won seven of eight down the stretch. The streak was significant on a number of fronts that bode well for the Sabres' first playoff appearance since 2001.

First, the Sabres started lighting the lamp once again, scoring four or more goals six times during that stretch and dominating the Senators, Leafs and Hurricanes. At the other end of the rink, goaltender Ryan Miller, who looked like he'd hit the rookie wall with a shaky March, seems to have returned to the form that helped make the Sabres a legitimate playoff threat for most of the regular season.

Home-ice advantage might not be as crucial as the fact the Sabres own the third-best road record in the league and the perplexing Flyers rank 20th in home record. Conversely, the Flyers rank fifth on the road. Go figure.

But the inexplicable has become a way of life for a Flyers team that looked, on paper, to be among the elite this season. Instead, injuries, wonky special teams and inconsistent goaltending have combined to make them a difficult team to assess. Said one scout, "They're always a threat." Yet Philadelphia hasn't won back-to-back games in almost a month. That's no way to win a playoff series, let alone try to win the franchise's first Stanley Cup since 1975.

Although playoff success is never about one player, the Flyers are a dramatically different team with Peter Forsberg in the lineup than they are without him. And, like Dominik Hasek, the daily question about whether Forsberg will be on the ice (he's had injury issues) is bound to be distracting as the playoffs move along.

Why the Sabres will win: One word: balance. All season, head coach Lindy Ruff has rolled out line after line, whether or not his lineup has featured a full compliment of veterans (a rare occurrence) or call-ups from Rochester (a more frequent scenario). Didn't matter. Whoever went over the boards worked their tails off. That's why the Sabres' power play ranks third overall and their penalty killing second, despite the fact that their top scorer, Maxim Afinogenov, finished the season tied for 42nd in league scoring.

The Sabres boast six 20-goal scorers and three more who finished the season with 18 or 19. In spite of their late-season funk, the Sabres embraced the new NHL in a way that few teams can match. "I like Buffalo even though they've slipped," said one top NHL scout. "They can hurt you in so many ways. You have to shut down three lines to stop them."

Defensively, the scout says the team is underrated, although the crucial piece to the blue-line puzzle will be the play of Dmitri Kalinin, who missed almost half the season with injury. Jay McKee, once on the Canadian Olympic radar, has rediscovered his game and led the NHL in shots blocked. Chris Drury has quietly developed into one of the best two-way forwards in the NHL.

Why the Flyers will lose: A month ago, goaltender Robert Esche suggested he had been supplanted as the Flyers starter by Antero Niittymaki, who was sensational in guiding the Finns to a surprise silver medal at the Torino Olympics. Esche wasn't bitter. Just stating a fact. That fact appears not to be so, well, factual, since upon further review it appears Esche will get the start against the Sabres in the series opener.

The move isn't all that surprising given that Esche was terrific during the Flyers' run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2004. But the vacillating also speaks to the Flyers' ongoing identity crisis this season. Both Niittymaki and Esche have shown solid play, but both have also slipped off the rails. The same can be said for the entire team. It seems self-evident, but the fact is the Flyers are simply not an imposing squad without Forsberg. Sweden can say the same thing and has a gold medal to prove it. But Forsberg has missed 23 games, mostly due to a nagging groin injury, and no one can say for certain how long he will be in the lineup.

As the playoffs drew closer, it was more evident how much the Flyers missed captain Keith Primeau, who has missed virtually the entire season with postconcussion issues. He has been practicing with the team in recent days, fueling speculation he may return for the playoffs (don't count on it). Blessed with a plethora of talent, even when Forsberg isn't in the lineup -- with the likes of Simon Gagne, Mike Knuble, Joni Pitkanen, Eric Desjardins and Jeff Carter -- the Flyers continue to struggle to find cohesion. Their power play is ranked just 16th, while their penalty killing is inexplicably ranked 27th. Put all the disjointed pieces together and the picture isn't very pretty.

Prediction: Buffalo in six.

[Vizzini]

Vizzini----

what kind of chance do the Wings have in winning the cup? yea they have some young players that can really play, they do have a lot of older players. How will these guys be after a 7 game series? I think they get defeated in the second round due to thier old age and average goalie. It would be nice to see Stevie-Y lift a cup and retire.


I think they have a 40% chance of winning the Cup. If the NHL keeps the pressure on to keep calling the games the way the have been, that gives the Wings a huge advantage, with all of their skilled players. Mike Babcock was brought in to coach for the playoffs. He did a tremndous job in Anaheim were the talent (and the expectations) were half of what Detroit has. I think he is going to be a huge asset in the playoffs. They do have some older players playing, but if they can stay healthy and fresh by running four lines, they should minimize the wear and tear in that department. I at least see them making the conference finals, and it would be awesome if Nashville beat San Jose, b/c I want no part of Joe Thorton right now, plus no Vokum, which would greatly benefit the Wings. I do believe the winner of Dallas and Detroit gets the Cup this year, but I can't honestly say who is going to win that series. And yes, it would be one of the coolest thing ever if Stevie Y skated away with the Cup, I still remember him hoisting it nine years ago, and that is still my best sports memory.

[inagra]

I think they have a 40% chance of winning the Cup. If the NHL keeps the pressure on to keep calling the games the way the have been, that gives the Wings a huge advantage, with all of their skilled players. Mike Babcock was brought in to coach for the playoffs. He did a tremndous job in Anaheim were the talent (and the expectations) were half of what Detroit has. I think he is going to be a huge asset in the playoffs. They do have some older players playing, but if they can stay healthy and fresh by running four lines, they should minimize the wear and tear in that department. I at least see them making the conferenceThe zebras will have a huge impact on the games this year. It all comes down to if they will call the games same as the season or revert to the old years and hide their whistles. Wings have a crazy powerplay and can throw two solid units at any team. I still question the goaltending. if they can overshadow that with some offensive scoring then they will have a solid chance of going to the conference finals.

[Vizzini]

Sorry, I went back and added to my previous post, and Legace is an unkown playoff goalie. I think it is huge for the Wings to get the lead in every game they play, that way the can play keep away and force the other team to abandon their defense to try to score, which could open things up for Zetterberg, Datsyuk, and the gang. Legace will not have to win every game he plays, he just can't lose a bunch for them.

[inagra]

in hockey they re-seed the brackets right?

[Vizzini]

in hockey they re-seed the brackets right?


yes, I think they do. So hopefully the Flames win, so the Wings won't have to face the Guigere (sp?) and can leave Kipprusoff for the Stars to handle

[Vizzini]

The zebras will have a huge impact on the games this year. It all comes down to if they will call the games same as the season or revert to the old years and hide their whistles. Wings have a crazy powerplay and can throw two solid units at any team. I still question the goaltending. if they can overshadow that with some offensive scoring then they will have a solid chance of going to the conference finals.


That also means not hiding your whistle when overtime starts. Even if it costs the Wings a game I want their to be uniformity across the board, whether it be the first period, third period, or third overtime. They have to keep calling what they've always been calling.

[mike detroit]

I'm a wings season ticket holder anyway but sorry, I hate the stars. it's not because of you texans though. blame the minnesotans I went to high school with.

[DarkReign]

Wings win bitches!

It wasnt easy, but a 'W' is a 'W'.

15 more to go.

[Vizzini]

Wings win bitches!

It wasnt easy, but a 'W' is a 'W'.

15 more to go.


I had flashback to 2003 and Anaheim tonight. This win is huge, and hopefully the Wings will be able to keep the momentum going and put Edmonton down 2 games

[inagra]

wings get a big win tonight. its HUGE

[inagra]

FLAMES WIN overtime

darren M.

[Obstructed_View]

Wings win bitches!

It wasnt easy, but a 'W' is a 'W'.

15 more to go.
A win is a win, but winning at home against an 8 seed on a lucky goal in double overtime doesn't exactly inspire confidence. I have to say I'm surprised they had so much trouble. If they don't win the next one easily it could be an interesting series.

[inagra]

i think the red wing victory did more damage to oilers then anything. goals like that really get to a team, especially one that was playing fairly decent. game 2 and 3 will be very important for the oilers. its still a uphill climb against the first seed.

flames/ducks series is going to be a nail-bitter the entire way. If one is a fan of hockey, they will really enjoy their games. Not having Jiggy playing in net must have been a blow in the locker room, but couldn't really see it on the ice.

we will see what dallas is able to do against avs in game one.

[Obstructed_View]

i think the red wing victory did more damage to oilers then anything. goals like that really get to a team, especially one that was playing fairly decent. game 2 and 3 will be very important for the oilers. its still a uphill climb against the first seed.

flames/ducks series is going to be a nail-bitter the entire way. If one is a fan of hockey, they will really enjoy their games. Not having Jiggy playing in net must have been a blow in the locker room, but couldn't really see it on the ice.

we will see what dallas is able to do against avs in game one.
Yeah, it's hard to know what's an advantage until later. That loss could give the Oilers confidence or the bad goal could just make them fold up the tents.

[Obstructed_View]

Speaking of folding up the tents...

I guess the Stars thought 20 minutes was enough to win a playoff game. That was the most gutless performance I've seen from them EVER in the post-season.

[inagra]

LOL seeing Dallas lose was very pleasing.

i was telling my cousins that Avs aren't your average 7th seed team. They are way better, especially with a solid goalie.

Let's go Avs!!!!!

[T-Pain]

LOL seeing Dallas lose was very pleasing.

i was telling my cousins that Avs aren't your average 7th seed team. They are way better, especially with a solid goalie.

Let's go Avs!!!!!

haha Dallas won!

[Obstructed_View]

haha Dallas won!
No, they didn't. If they keep playing like they did today they'll lose the series.

[Horry For 3!]

San Jose and Edmonton tie up the series, 1-1

[Horry For 3!]

San Jose and Edmonton tie up the series, 1-1
As well as Tampa Bay and Anaheim tied up the series 1-1 :lol

[inagra]

this is becoming a good first round. A lot of early games but damn were they good. I watched so much sports tv today. first the oiler game and then tampa game and finally the mavs/grizz game

too much for the eyes :wow

[T-Pain]

No, they didn't. If they keep playing like they did today they'll lose the series.

shit nevermind, ive been keepin up with the NBA playoffs more, obviously

[desflood]

WAR RED WINGS



...just my two cents...

[DarkReign]

Fucking Trap.

NBA has Illegal Defense, why cant the NHL?

Is this what the NHL wants to sell? The Trap?

[Vizzini]

WAR RED WINGS



...just my two cents...


as long they stay patient and work hard. It is not time to panic yet, but there is no excuse for lazy play and stupid turnovers. Babcock was brought in to make sure that stuff didn't happen, and he better light a fire under them to make sure they hustle all the time. I know it is only two games in, but I have seen this happen before in the early rounds, and if they don't kick it in gear, they will be playing golf on Mothers Day once again.

[Horry For 3!]

I will take a guess just for the hell of it since I do not watch hockey.....


Carolina over San Jose for the Stanley Cup
Carolina down 0-2 not good for my prediction :lol

[inagra]

http://findthebesthere.com/colorado_avalanche_logo1022504.jpg


WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 2-0

[inagra]

avs shouldn't have let the stars back into the game after getting such a big deal early on. this one will sting the stars for a very long time.


side note....its very common in the NHL for the road teams to win 4-5 games in the series. its happened before but lets hope it don't happen to the avs

[Obstructed_View]

avs shouldn't have let the stars back into the game after getting such a big deal early on. this one will sting the stars for a very long time.


side note....its very common in the NHL for the road teams to win 4-5 games in the series. its happened before but lets hope it don't happen to the avs
You don't give a good team a 20 minute head start and win very often. The Stars will win the series.

[DarkReign]

ugh...Wings lose.

I hate the fucking Trap.

NBA has Illegal Defense
NFL has the 5-yard rule
MLB lowered the mound

NHL has...

Bullshit.

<--- dejected Wings fan

[Vizzini]

ugh...Wings lose.

I hate the fucking Trap.

NBA has Illegal Defense
NFL has the 5-yard rule
MLB lowered the mound

NHL has...

Bullshit.

<--- dejected Wings fan

Yeah, but they actually showed up for this game, albeit a little late, (10 mins to go in the 3rd) but they showed up. I feel a lot better over this loss right now, than what I was feeling at the start of the 3rd. Zetterberg has finally showed up, I'm still waiting on Dats and Shanny. Legace had been all right, nothing great, but hopefully he can steal a game on Thursday. Stevie Y hopefully will play, he just gives them something, and if he can't go, that will be a bigger loss than imagined. The Wings can beat Edmonton if they stay out of the box and use their speed to break the trap. I saw Dats do it a few times late in the game, and hopefully he can for a full sixty with it on Thursday. Lidstrom needs to bounce back, and three point game should do the trick. The refs sucked, but they sucked on both sides. It is not over yet, mainly because I still don't think Dwayne Roloson should beat the Wings in the playoffs, but they way it is looking, I might be wrong.

[Obstructed_View]

ugh...Wings lose.

I hate the fucking Trap.

NBA has Illegal Defense
NFL has the 5-yard rule
MLB lowered the mound

NHL has...


Trapping is not the way the Oilers normally play, but they are doing it because the Redwings absolutely refuse to dump the puck into the zone. If you can't win with what you do, and you won't adapt, you get your hat handed to you on the way out the door.

[inagra]

oilers are doing some amazing things on the ice....besides the trap of course. but the trap is an art form and not everyone can do it.

[Horry For 3!]

Carolina down 0-2 not good for my prediction :lol
They give me life :elephant 1-2

[Obstructed_View]

Dallas was outworked, outsmarted, outhustled, and soon to be out of the playoffs.

[inagra]

dallas can say goodbye to 2006 run....as OV said they were simply dominated in every aspect of the game. guys like sakic and blake their vets wouldn't let their team lose.

i want to see modano cry come game 4 or 5

[Obstructed_View]

dallas can say goodbye to 2006 run....as OV said they were simply dominated in every aspect of the game. guys like sakic and blake their vets wouldn't let their team lose.

i want to see modano cry come game 4 or 5
I never said they were dominated in every aspect of the game. The Stars came out flat AGAIN and gave up stupid goals, they were the ones that dominated the middle of the game and then fell asleep at the end AGAIN, giving up a goal in the final minute of regulation for the second game. The Stars could rattle off four straight against Colorado if they decide to. They just haven't shown any ability to play an entire game.

[inagra]

no way dallas wins four in a row. even if they wanted too

[T-Pain]

no way dallas wins four in a row. even if they wanted too
boston red sox

[Obstructed_View]

I think it's been done a few times in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but it isn't common. The Stars have a losing record in the playoffs at the AAC, so it certainly doesn't look good. I sort of expect them to just roll over and give up in game 4. They've showed very few signs of any heart.

[DarkReign]

I think it's been done a few times in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but it isn't common. The Stars have a losing record in the playoffs at the AAC, so it certainly doesn't look good. I sort of expect them to just roll over and give up in game 4. They've showed very few signs of any heart.

Its actually never happened in the Playoffs.

Coming back from a 3-1 deficit has only happened twice in its entire 100 year history.

EDITED: I am trying to search for this info, but I already know I am wrong. StLouis beat Detroit in 1991 coming back from a 3-1 deficit.

EDITEDx2: Okey-dokey. Here is the NHL's complete list of greatest comebacks. Coming back from being down 3-0 has only happened twice in NHL history.

Islanders over Penguins in 1975
Leafs over Red Wings in 1942

18 teams have come back from 3-1 deficits to win. I was sooooooo wrong.

Complete List (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/playoffs/feature.asp?fid=5547)

[Brutalis]

what is a stanley cup and where can i buy one?

uhh go avs.

[inagra]

1-1 stars and avs

[inagra]

well flyers-sabres and habs-hurricanes tied up at 2-2.

any predictions on how these two series ends up now that its a best of three?

[inagra]

dallas finally showing some testicles

3-1 end of second period

[DarkReign]

Good effort by the Stars.

Down 3-0, i expected nothing less.

[inagra]

Devils Sweep

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/donmegga/other/untitled.jpg

Now that the Czech Republic star is on top of his game, the only question being asked is will anyone stop the three-time champions from hoisting the Stanley Cup again. Elias scored two goals and assisted on Scott Gomez (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/110003)'s power-play goal early in the second period that wiped out the Rangers (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66312)' only lead of the first-round playoff series. That was enough to lift the Devils (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66310) to a 4-2 win Saturday and a four-game sweep of New York.

"We put ourselves again in a good position to end the series," Elias said.

That wasn't the case for the first 39 games of the season when Elias was recovering from Hepatitis A, contracted during last season's lockout. New Jersey was 16-18-5 when the calendar turned to 2006, and Elias' teammates looked to him to help turn things around.

The Devils (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66310) made up a 19-point deficit in the Atlantic Division and skated off with the crown on the final day when they won their 11th straight game.

"People don't realize when this guy is going, he's top five in the league," Gomez said. "He's that good."

Brian Gionta (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/109918) scored 4:30 into the third period with the Devils (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66310)' third short-handed goal of the series after a terrible turnover by Petr Sykora (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/347797), and Elias ripped in his fifth of the series, with 6:39 left to make it 4-1.

The Rangers (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66312) scored only four times in four games, while yielding 17 goals.

New Jersey will have to wait to find out who it will meet in the second round, but will enter that series just as it did this one - as the hottest team in the NHL. The workmanlike Devils (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66310) stretched their winning streak to 15 games, tying the league mark for the longest run that spanned the regular season and playoffs.

Martin Brodeur (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/66585) made 31 saves and broke Patrick Roy's league record by playing his 137th consecutive postseason game. His 88th playoff win moved him into a third-place tie with Billy Smith and Ed Belfour (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/66546) on the NHL career list.

"It's pretty sweet for everybody especially in a season that the Rangers (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66312) dominated all year long," Brodeur said. "It was a long time coming for the Devils (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66310) fans. For myself it's been a long time, too."

The Devils (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66310), who turned sloppy Rangers (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66312) play into goals throughout the short series, earned their third playoff sweep. They have won the Stanley Cup in the two other years they pulled off the feat.

New York was facing long odds at the start of the day, knowing that only two NHL teams have rallied to win a series after trailing 3-0. But things got much worse just 53 seconds in when team scoring leader Jaromir Jagr (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/66865) aggravated a serious shoulder injury and was forced out of the game.

The right wing, who posted team records of 54 goals and 123 points this season, went into the right corner in the Devils (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66310) end when defenseman Brad Lukowich (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/66538) met him with a hit on the right shoulder. The force drove Jagr into the boards, leading with his left shoulder that is thought to be dislocated or separated.

"I was just playing the game," Lukowich said. "He was no target or anything."

Jagr crumpled to the ice and stayed down until he was assisted by New York's training staff. Jagr skated off, doubled over and with his left arm drooping, and headed straight down the tunnel to the dressing room.

"You lose a guy like him, it's not the same team," forward Martin Rucinsky (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/342273) said. "Throughout the course of the season, he took this team to a different level."

For the Rangers (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66312), it was a bitter end to a season that had so much promise but finished with a flameout in their first playoff appearance since 1997. New York led the Atlantic Division for most of the season but fell to third by losing the final five games. The Rangers (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66312) enter the summer break on a nine-game losing skid.

"We started to feel insecure about ourselves in the last couple of games before the playoffs," said rookie goalie Henrik Lundqvist (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/341569), who never recovered his game after a late-season injury. "Stepping into this series, we faced one of the best teams in the league. It was a tough challenge for us."

Jed Ortmeyer (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/342937) gave his team and the frustrated fans in Madison Square Garden a lift when he charged in to Brodeur's right and put in a rebound of his own backhander with 18.6 seconds left in the opening period.

It was his first goal in 38 games and snapped a stretch of 367 minutes, 23 seconds over 18 periods since April 13 when the Rangers (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66312) last held the lead.

Elias made sure it was gone quickly. That made summer vacation come early for his seven countrymen in the Rangers (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66312)' lineup.

"I'm happy with the way I played and happy to help this team out," Elias said. "I'm glad I'm the one Czech staying."

After putting New York in a hole with two goals and four assists in the Devils (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66310)' 6-1 win in Game 1, he struck again one week later to help New Jersey knock out its Hudson River rival for the first time in four playoff meetings.

Gomez tied it 1-1 at 4:20 of the second when the Rangers (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66312) were serving a too many men on the ice penalty, and Elias put the Devils (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66310) in front at 7:21 while Michal Rozsival (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/341965) was off for the first of his three straight infractions.

Former New Jersey forward Petr Sykora (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/347797) found more frustration as he hit the crossbar in the first period, the fourth time he struck iron in three games.

Brodeur was sharp in the third, making a quick, darting left toe save on Darius Kasparaitis (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/342675)' long drive. Steve Rucchin (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/66912) beat him with 1:27 to make it 4-2.

Notes: Kasparaitis returned after missing two games with a groin injury. ... Devils (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66310) D Colin White (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player/110015) sat out his third consecutive with a groin injury. ... New Jersey swept Detroit in the 1995 Stanley Cup finals, and Florida in the first round in 2000. The Rangers (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/team/66312) held a 33-29 shots advantage in the game and 114-104 in the series.

[inagra]

Oilers One Win Away From 2nd Round

Dwayne Roloson made 30 saves, Edmonton scored three goals in the second period and the Oilers held off Detroit 3-2 on Saturday to take a 3-2 lead in the first-round series.

If the Red Wings don't win Game 6 Monday night in Edmonton and Game 7 on Wednesday night at home, the NHL's top team during the regular season will be eliminated.

Detroit, which won the Stanley Cup in 2002, lost in the first and second rounds in the two postseasons prior to the lockout that wiped out last season.

"The pressure is on them, but at the same time, we want to close it out and win at home," said Edmonton's Chris Pronger, who made three assists in Game 5 and has seven points in the series. "We have to a killer instinct."

Fernando Pisani, Ryan Smyth and Shawn Horcoff had goals for Edmonton before Detroit's Brendan Shanahan scored on a breakaway with 1:21 left in the second period.

"We built 3-0 lead and I thought after that, we did a good job defensing it," Oilers coach Craig MacTavish said.

The Red Wings had a power play with 4:06 remaining in the game, but didn't come close to scoring. They pulled Manny Legace with 1:49 to go, leading to Henrik Zetterberg's goal with 22 seconds left.

Horcoff got in the way of Nicklas Lidstrom's slap shot in the final seconds.

"I dove across and I got my hands in front of my face to stop it," Horcoff said.

Would it have been worth it to stop the blast with his face?

"Of course," Horcoff said.

Legace gave up two goals on the first seven shots he faced, and finished with 16 saves.

"I'm just playing average and average isn't good enough for the playoffs," Legace said. "You have to step it up in the playoffs. I don't feel I've taken my game to the next level."

Replacing Legace wasn't much of an option because rookie Jimmy Howard has been his backup since Chris Osgood injured his groin during the morning skate before Game 4.

Perhaps to preserve whatever confidence Legace still has, Red Wings coach Mike Babcock refused to criticize his goaltender.

"To me, you win as a team and you lose as a team," Babcock said when asked about Legace's performance.

Detroit was without captain Steve Yzerman (upper-body injury) for a second straight game.

"We're cautiously optimistic that he can get back," Babcock said.

After a scoreless first period, the Western Conference's eighth-seeded team took a stunning 3-0 lead in seven-plus minutes.

Pisani scored by redirecting Pronger's shot at 5:16 of the second period - as the Oilers were being outshot 12-6.

"In the first 25 minutes of the game, we had every chance to make it a big spread," Babcock said.

Jarret Stoll's shot hit Smyth and got past Legace a few minutes later.

Horcoff was credited with scoring off his own rebound in a four-on-four situation at 12:36 of the period. Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall blamed himself for not getting Horcoff away from the front of the net.

"That just can't happen," he said.

Notes: Detroit was 0-for-6 on the power play, and Edmonton was 1-for-4. ... Shanahan's goal was his first of the playoffs after he scored 40 in the regular season. ... Pisani has three goals in the series. ... Edmonton D Matt Greene, a native of Grand Ledge, Mich., was among the scratches after taking three penalties as Detroit won Game 4. ... One of the loudest cheers came in the second period when the Tigers' 18-1 victory over Minnesota was shown on the video board and announced to the crowd.

[Obstructed_View]

Good effort by the Stars.

Down 3-0, i expected nothing less.
The way they folded at the end of the previous two games, I wish I could say I agreed with you. I watched the third period last night waiting for them to let up and give it away. I was switching back and forth, but I didn't see them give up the puck in their own zone or allow a shorthanded break all night.

[katyon6th]

All I know is that the Wings better win on Monday night.

[inagra]

stars and avs in overtime.

modano comes back from a vicious hit in overtime. could it bump his team over the hump?????

[inagra]

Dallas Outtttttttttttttttttttt

[inagra]

this is very very sweet to see.

avs did a good job the entire series keeping dallas off their game plan. they were able to shut down the high scorers and score timely goals themselves.

i guess the state of texas wont be tuning into nhl now :lol

[inagra]

solid

now that u have had a day to think about the stars how do you rank this series in the upset category in the last ten years.

[Vizzini]

Giving up four goals aside, the Red Wings got fucked over by the NHL tonight. First Edmonton's third goal was hit with a high stick from an Edmonton player, then the next player who touched it was an Oiler as well, which is an automatic whistle, then the goal was kicked in, which is also a no-no. I don't know if they deserved to win, but the Wings didn't deserve to get fucked from behind they way they did. I hope Chelios actually kicks the shit out of Colin Campbell, Gary Bettman, and the rest of the shit eaters in Toronto. FUCKING BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[inagra]

wow what a series. it looks like it will be a battle of alberta for canada.

8th seed over 1st seed. must be hard to swallow.

[DarkReign]

Well, Im officially done with the NHL. I have been watching every game I possibly could for 15 years (Im 26).

I cant watch anymore. Its too...strange. No other sport has these upsets happen ALL the time. What is it about the regular season?

How can a regular season be so meaningless? Is it embarassing for any NHL player to openly admit what they play in the first 82 games is NOT hockey, but some weird, watered down derivative?

I dont know. I dont think the NHL does either. Until they legislate against the Trap, I will never watch another game nor buy anything affiliated. Im done with this league.

Good win Oil. You severly outplayed the Wings in this series, no doubt. You deserve it, seriously.

[Vizzini]

Well, Im officially done with the NHL. I have been watching every game I possibly could for 15 years (Im 26).

I cant watch anymore. Its too...strange. No other sport has these upsets happen ALL the time. What is it about the regular season?

How can a regular season be so meaningless? Is it embarassing for any NHL player to openly admit what they play in the first 82 games is NOT hockey, but some weird, watered down derivative?

I dont know. I dont think the NHL does either. Until they legislate against the Trap, I will never watch another game nor buy anything affiliated. Im done with this league.

Good win Oil. You severly outplayed the Wings in this series, no doubt. You deserve it, seriously.


They did outplay them, but not severly. Every game was close, and every team that lost had at least a remote chance to win going into the third period. Edmonton simply worked harder and played tougher and stronger. I too was done with then NHL late last night, but then I got to thinking, and I realized how many of my most memorable sports moments I will have to give up. McCarty's goal in game four against the Flyers, Marty Lapointe just ripping one past Roy in game six of the '97 Western Finals, Having Konstantinov being wheeled out on the ice after the Cup win in '98, Shanny and Yzerman tackling each other after Shanny's empty net goal in game five of the '02 Finals, Larionov's triple OT goal in game three of the '02 Finals, Lemiuex turtling when he was getting his ass whupped by McCarty in '97, and The Goo-Goo Dolls "Iris" being played by ESPN after the Cup win in '98, and now every time I hear that song I think of that Stanley Sup Fianls victory. And then there is my favorite sports moment, When Stevie Y got raise the Cup at home in 1997, it still brings chills to my spine when I think of that moment. So great, so longed for, and so deserved, it was the first time I had followed a team that eventually won a championship (the Bad Boys were a little too early for me being that I am 26 also). I have calmed down a little from last night. Here is the thing with the Wings, they have never sucked as long I have been a fan. The Pistons had the teal days, even people outside of Michigan know about the ineptitude of the Lions and Tigers, and even Michigan football has had a few "lean" years by their standards anyway, but The Wings have always been great. They have built a following that is unparalled by any other team in the United States, they have earned the respect and accolades that they have gotten, and have become the closest thing to "America's Hockey Team" that this country has. After getting past my anger, I cannot give that all up, I won't do it. That franchise means that much to me. If I was ever to get a tattoo logo of a sports team, the Winged Wheel would be my first choice, followed closely by a big block "M". Steve Yzerman will always be a hero of mine, and I will alwys cherish my hockey sweater with the number 19 on the back. I will be back, and hopefully so will the Wings next year for an extended Cup run.

[Horry For 3!]

Na na na naaaa na Na na na naaaa na Hey Hey Hey Goodbyeeeeeee


*waves bye to the Red Wings*

[Horry For 3!]

P.S. I am only giving you Detriot fans a hard time, since there seems to be a lot on this site :lol

[Vizzini]

P.S. I am only giving you Detriot fans a hard time, since there seems to be a lot on this site :lol


Funny thing is, if Detroit and Dallas had switched opponents, they both would probably still be playing, Detroit dominated the Avs this year (while struggling against the Oilers) and Dallas has owned the Oilers for the past decade. But if ifs and buts were candy and nuts.....

[inagra]

i doubt you drop the nhl entirely after watching it for 15 years like you said you did. its hard to stop cold turkey. maybe dead wings can win the first round next year. losing Y will be a huge loss in the locker for them if he does retire.

[Obstructed_View]

The reason the Stars play so well against the trap is because they've had to play the Oilers so often in the playoffs over the last decade. The Stars would have lost to whoever they would have played. They picked a bad time to stop playing with any urgency, and it would have cost them against a good team.

[Horry For 3!]

I just noticed, in the Eastern, the seeds that won were the 1,2,3,4

In the Western side, if the Ducks pull out a win the seeds 8,7,6,5 would have won :lol

[inagra]

what a turn of events in the wild wild west. all the teams upsetting in the first round. i wonder if that has happned before.

ducks vs avs
oilers vs sharks

could have a battle of california in the west finals

[inagra]

sabres vs sens
devils vs hurricanes

i see sens and devils squaring off in the next round

[Horry For 3!]

I just noticed, in the Eastern, the seeds that won were the 1,2,3,4

In the Western side, if the Ducks pull out a win the seeds 8,7,6,5 would have won :lol
hahahahaha it happened :tu

[Horry For 3!]

what a turn of events in the wild wild west. all the teams upsetting in the first round. i wonder if that has happned before.

ducks vs avs
oilers vs sharks

could have a battle of california in the west finals
avs vs sharks

[Horry For 3!]

sabres vs sens
devils vs hurricanes

i see sens and devils squaring off in the next round
senators vs hurricanes

[inagra]

sabres take the lead in the series with overtime goal

there is no telling who gonna game to game this year.

[inagra]

http://www.mightyducks.com/images/200605/1102.f.jpg

three freaking shutouts in a row

2-0 ducks

[Horry For 3!]

http://www.mightyducks.com/images/200605/1102.f.jpg

three freaking shutouts in a row

2-0 ducks
:tu

[DarkReign]

Trapping teams. Snore.

God I hope Buffalo or Ottawa wins the Cup.

Much like Tampa Bay beating Calgary, it was karma.

That year it was Calgary vs Minnesota in the WCFs. Yikes!

[Horry For 3!]

Sharks and Hurricanes both up 2-0 :tu

[Horry For 3!]

Trapping teams. Snore.

God I hope Buffalo or Ottawa wins the Cup.

Much like Tampa Bay beating Calgary, it was karma.

That year it was Calgary vs Minnesota in the WCFs. Yikes!
Won't happen buddy :smokin

[DarkReign]

Won't happen buddy :smokin

Hehe...my point is any team that doesnt trap. SJ does a little bit, but not like the Oil and NJ.

Basically, anyone but them.

Although I have picked NJ to win it all. I still think they can, but it wouldnt be the first time I was completely wrong about this years playoffs.

I got only two 1st round series right...Buffalo over Philly and Carolina over the Habs.

[Horry For 3!]

I picked Hurricanes over the Sharks for the Stanley

[DarkReign]

I can definately live with that.

Helluva game yesterday with those Canes, man. Ouch for NJ.

[Horry For 3!]

I can definately live with that.

Helluva game yesterday with those Canes, man. Ouch for NJ.
Yeah. My uncle built part of the Hurricane's RBC Center. He was co-owner of this steel company. He goes to the job sites and inspects everything and makes sure the workers do everything right. So he got like season tickets and some memorbilla from them. That was a couple years back.

He gave me a Hurricanes cap, it is pretty cool. I used to wear it all the time cause if was comfortable and looked cool :lol

[Horry For 3!]

Damn you Sharks! Why did you have to lose in triple OT :pctoss

[DarkReign]

Bleh...I hate Edmonton.

Thats a consolation game for them. Theyre still out in 6.

[inagra]

sens barely win the game

they are out in the next one. damn you hasek, why didnt you have to play in italy?

[Horry For 3!]

Ducks! Ducks! Ducks! Ducks!


They sweep the Avs

[inagra]

oilers win a big game.

do the hurricanes sweep tonight?
sens have another game in them?

[inagra]

jersey finally figures out how to score

[Horry For 3!]

Fuckin shit! Sharks choked away a 2-0 and now down 3-2 :pctoss

[T-Pain]

Fuckin shit! Sharks choked away a 2-0 and now down 3-2 :pctoss
tough for the sharks. they better close it out in 7

[kobe_bryant]

i think i might go see the sharks. derek fisher taking his huge boat in the ocean. he said there will be sharks there.

[Horry For 3!]

tough for the sharks. they better close it out in 7
Yeah, they better not fuck up my prediction :lol

[Horry For 3!]

Damn Sharks fucked over my prediction :pctoss

At least I still have the Hurricanes winning it all :)

[inagra]

oilers take the lead in the western finals.

who ever thought oilers would get hot goaltending??

[T Park]

Carolina VS Buffalo

Anaheim vs Edmonton



The NHL needless to say, is not exstatic about these matchups.

[DarkReign]

I hate Edmonton. Why is it every team that beats Detroit goes to the fucking Finals?

Its like the Wings make these teams believe.

Christ!

[inagra]

I hate Edmonton. Why is it every team that beats Detroit goes to the fucking Finals?

Its like the Wings make these teams believe.

Christ!
:lol :lmao

ducks, flames, oilers in three years in row.
all upsets too....

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

People are still watching this? What a nightmare Conference Finals for the NHL...

I'd rather watch soccer...

[inagra]

i am telling you, alberta is going wild right now. The fans of the respected teams/cities are really into it.

[inagra]

any guesses on makes the cup finals from the east?

[inagra]

http://www.edmontonoilers.com/gameday/ev030322/front6.jpg

2-0 :violin

[Horry For 3!]

I don't care who wins as long as the Hurricanes win it all.


Don't let my prediction down Hurricanes!

[T-Pain]

i gotta go with the hurricanes. i think they have shown more intensity to win

[DarkReign]

Buffalo. Too young, too fast, too hungry, awesome goaltending.

[inagra]

buffalo has one hell of a coach.

in other news....former canucks coach crawford will be coaching the la kings next season.

[Horry For 3!]

Hurricanes tie up the series

[Horry For 3!]

Damnnnnn, Oilers are 3-0 in the series

[inagra]

whats up wit the oilers? chris the best pickup this summer or what?

[T-Pain]

yeah edmontons got this series all wrapped up. theyve been dominant all series.

[Horry For 3!]

yeah edmontons got this series all wrapped up. theyve been dominant all series.
Well yeah they would be dominant if they are up 3-0 :lol

[inagra]

will the oilers be able to close it out and get a huge rest till the finals???

[Dunc]

whats up wit the oilers? chris the best pickup this summer or what?

Not to mention (believe it or not) Dwayne Roloson. What the fuck is with that?

[Dunc]

Anybody catch the CBC feed of the Oilers game in Edm? For the national anthem, the singer goes to centre ice and holds the mic up in the air and the fans sing the whole anthem. Just gives me chills to hear that.

[inagra]

they copied vancouver canucks. we did that in the season/playoffs before the strike

:wtf

[Dunc]

they copied vancouver canucks. we did that in the season/playoffs before the strike

:wtf

Didn't know that. Regardless, it's fucking awesome. :tu

[inagra]

yea...it gets the hairs on ur neck standing. If a player isn't pumped after that...they got problems :lol

[Dunc]

yea...it gets the hairs on ur neck standing. If a player isn't pumped after that...they got problems :lol

Agreed. It got me pumped and the only reason I even give a shit about the Oilers is cuz I want to see a Canadian team finally win it. A little patriotic pride is never a bad thing :D

[Horry For 3!]

I hope it is Hurricanes vs Oilers :tu

[inagra]

game 7


Buffalo 2 Carolina 1
2nd Period

close tight checking game

[Horry For 3!]

Go Hurricanes! Keep my prediction true!

[inagra]

predictions boys

oilers in 6

[inagra]

pronger scroes on a penlty shot to make it 2-0

[Solid D]

Wow 4 straight goals!!! Awesome game.

[Solid D]

Gooaaallll! Wow Edmonton ties it. Great body sacrificed goal by Hensky.

[Solid D]

New Goalie passes back to Ryan Smyth and he muffs it. Easy pickings. What a comeback!

[Solid D]

It's a shame the Oilers lost one of the keys to their success, the Goalie Dwayne Roloson, to that fluke knee injury. His own defenseman blasted the Carolina forward trying to keep him away from his Goalie. They both just plowed into Roloson and smashed him into the goal. Now Roloson is out for the rest of the season, it appears.

[inagra]

what a game... what a game!!

i dont know if you people remember...but back 20 years ago steve smith from the oilers dynasty scored on his own net...

sportscenter in canada kept on showing that and this years goal over and over :lol it must hurt right now

[Horry For 3!]

If Hurricanes should win the Stanley, I should get a Spur for predicting the correct champion :)

[Spurologist]

Hockey = :lol

[inagra]

:stfu

[T Park]

If the Hurricanes win, former Blue Dougy Weight gets a ring

if Edmonton does, its, Prongs Chris Pronger.

Either way ill be happy.

[inagra]

too bad they didnt win one together :lol they had some strong teams in the 90s

[inagra]

The Carolina Hurricanes moved within one victory of the 2006 Stanley Cup Monday night, slipping past the Edmonton Oilers, 2-1, at a sold-out Rexall Place.

The Hurricanes can win the first Stanley Cup in franchise history Wednesday night (8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, RDS, NHL Radio) at the RBC Center.

Mark Recchi and Cory Stillman scored the goals for the Hurricanes, while Sergei Samsonov scored the lone Edmonton goal.

Both goaltender, Cam Ward of Carolina and Jussi Markkanen of Edmonton turned in stellar games. In the third period, the Carolina defense really rose to the fore, blocking shot after shot and keeping the pressure off Ward, who made 20 saves. Markkanen made 18 saves.

Once again, Carolina's penalty killers played a vital role in the win, keeping the Oilers off the boards on five chances.

The Hurricanes jumped to a 2-1 lead at 15:56 of the second period, taking advantage of an Oilers' turnover by defenseman Chris Pronger that resulted in a goal by Recchi.

Stillman, who opened the scoring for the Hurricanes in the first period, knocked the puck away from Pronger and it came to Eric Staal in the slot. He spotted Recchi down low on the left side and the pass connected, with Recchi lifting the puck over the outstretched arm of Oilers goalie Jussi Markkanen.

The 'Canes had the better of the play in the second period, with Markkanen forced to make a number of key serves. At 3:46, Markkanen made a huge save on Rod Brind'Amour's drive from in close. Everyone in Rexall Place seemed to take a breath and wait for the goal light to go on, but the sprawling Markkanen had gotten his blocker on the shot for a remarkable save.

At 5:09, the 'Canes put together a great four-pass sequence and Ray Whitney appeared ready to slam the puck into the net. But once again, Markkanen made the sensational save, sliding across the crease to deny Whitney.

Moments later, another drive by Stillman rang off the base of the post.

A Bred Hedican roughing call at 8:57 gave the Oilers a chance to jump into the lead, but Cam Ward again was unstoppable, denying Ryan Smyth and Pronger.

The pre-game intention of the Oilers was to lay the body on the Hurricanes. Carolina wanted to open the game up and trade chances. To varying degrees both teams succeeded in the 1-1 first period.

The Oilers put quite the hit parade on the 'Canes in the opening moments, prompting the crowd to raise the decibel even higher that normal.

That noise level rocketed even higher at 8:40 when Sergei Samsonov converted a nice passing sequence with Radek Dvorak to give the Oilers the lead.

Samsonov gained the Carolina end and passed to Dvorak on the left side, then breaking to the slot. Dvorak's backhand pass back found the tape of Samson's stick and he slipped the puck to the far side, eluding Cam Ward's glove.

As the crowd roared, the ensuing faceoff was dropped, and so was Justin Williams, with Edmonton's Raffi Torres taking a seat in the penalty box for tripping at 8:57.

Twelve seconds later, the game was tied, as Stillman blasted a shot from the right circle past Markkanen at 9:09.

Stall keyed the scoring sequence with a pass to defenseman Frantisek Kaberle on the left side. He sent a bouncing cross-ice pass to Stillman, who corralled the puck and fired the puck past Markkanen's glove.

It wasn't long before the Hurricanes started taking regular trips to the penalty box, first Andrew Ladd was called for tripping Shawn Horcoff at 10:04. Ray Whitney was called for hooking at 13:08 and then was sent back to the box for hooking for 15:35. when Aaron Ward was boxed for high sticking at 16:23, the Oilers had a golden 5-on-3 power play for 1:12. Cam Ward made stops on a Pronger drive and a Smyth deflection, but the Edmonton power play was still struggling mightily, and nearly surrendered a shorthanded goal when Whitney came out of the box and drove in on Markkanen. The Edmonton goalie made the save and also stopped a drive from Kevyn Adams on the rebound.

[inagra]

looks like horry4three gets his wish

[Horry For 3!]

Hurricanes up 3-1, 1 more win and I get the big prediction, funny thing is, I don't even watch hockey

[inagra]

lucky guess i guess

i don't think many fans and experts of the game picked them. how often does a rookie goaltender lead team to cup finals and win.

[inagra]

game tied at 3-3 for all you hockey fans :lmao

[inagra]

omg

cane's defenseman gives it up on to oilers and they score. shorthanded in overtime

3-2 Canes ahead of Oilers

[inagra]

Fernando Pisani scored a short-handed after Staios takes a penalty on Recchi

[NorCal510]

Fuck Hockey!

[inagra]

wow someone from cali in the hockey thread

[Horry For 3!]

Go Hurricanes!

[inagra]

oilers shit kicking the canes.

game 7. it don't get better then that

[inagra]

horn just sounded...game 7 coming on up

[Rip-Hamilton32]

yeah game 7! canes only had 16 shots on goal..pisani scored another game winner

[inagra]

All through the season, people have mocked, lamented, degraded or, most likely, ignored the NHL (and I'm not the only one).

But even the casual (or non-) NHL fan can buy into the idea that there is no more intense event in sports than Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Game 7 of the World Series?
Where's the violent release?
Game 7 of the NBA Finals?
Does every point matter? No.
The Final Four?
My bracket is already busted.
Sunday at The Masters?
Still a little too placid.
World Cup Finals?
Where's the six-game buildup?
NASCAR Chase for the Cup?
Who gets that "point" system?
The Super Bowl?
Hoopla? Yes. Intense? Nah.

This is it for the NHL: If casual (or non-) fans are ever going to tune in, it's tonight. It's the best chance for the sport to remind casual fans why it is worthy of their attention the rest of the year.

Maybe they/you will tune in simply because it is a Game 7, but this year's particular subplot is irresistible:

To see if Edmonton, the smallest franchise in the league, can pull off only the second-ever Cup Finals comeback from a 3-1 series deficit. (The Canadian underdog on the road? How can you not be rooting for the Oilers?)

Can tonight save the NHL with casual fans? Highly unlikely. Remember: The last two Cup finals went to seven games, and that certainly didn't "save" the game.

But for one night, hockey's doubters and dissers will be the ones worth ignoring.

[atxrocker]

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Rod Brind'Amour lifted the Stanley Cup above his head, tears of joy streaming down his face. This one was for the captain and all those Carolina old-timers whose names are going on hockey's most revered trophy for the first time.
Of course, they couldn't have done it without the kid.
Rookie goalie Cam Ward stopped nearly everything that came his way, finishing off a brilliant playoffs with a rock-solid performance in Game 7. The Hurricanes skated away with their first Stanley Cup title, beating Edmonton 3-1 in the winner-take-all finale Monday night.
"It's just surreal," said Brind'Amour, the team's 35-year-old captain, his eyes still red after he left ice. "The guys on this team have been through years and years of heartache. After Game 6, I knew there's no way we were letting this go. Too many guys on this team deserve it."
A couple of low-scoring defenseman, Frantisek Kaberle and Aaron Ward, put Carolina ahead. Justin Williams finished off the Oilers, scoring an empty-net goal with 1:01 remaining after Edmonton playoff star Fernando Pisani broke up Cam Ward's shutout early in the third.
Oilers defenseman Chris Pronger, a stalwart throughout the playoffs, gave up the puck in the Carolina zone and wound up making a helpless dive to block Williams' gimme into the goal that had been vacated by Jussi Markkanen in favor of an extra skater.
Bret Hedican, among the contingent of 30-something players who had never won the cup, leaped in the air after Williams' shot went in. The crowd of nearly 19,000, which stood throughout the game, went into a frenzy.
The cup has come to Tobacco Road -- territory best known for college basketball and NASCAR racing.
"I can't describe it," said Hedican, who lost in two previous trips to the finals. "Both times were gut-wrenching. I've got the scars. But tonight, all that work, all that hard work, and our team winning, it all paid off."
It paid off, too, for Glen Wesley, Doug Weight and Ray Whitney. Along with Brind'Amour and Hedican, they had been in the league for a total of 78 seasons without winning the cup.
Now, they'll all get their names on it. Weight, who didn't play because of an injured right shoulder, put on his uniform and came out to hoist the cup. It tilted a bit to the right side, but he didn't come close to dropping it.
He and the others waited too long to slip up now.
"I still can't believe it," said Wesley, a 37-year-old defenseman who might retire now that he has his title. "It honestly feels like a dream to me."
Ward, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player in the playoffs, wasn't even Carolina's No. 1 goalie at the beginning of the postseason, but the 22-year-old rookie got the call when Martin Gerber struggled in an opening round against Montreal.
The young star wound up winning more games in the playoffs (15) than he did backing up Gerber during the regular season (14).
"The kid came in when we were down and out," Brind'Amour said. "He brought us to life. Goaltending wins championships, make no mistake about it. We had the best goalie in the playoffs."
The Hurricanes were born in the old World Hockey Association as the Boston-based New England Whalers, and entered the NHL in 1979 playing out of Hartford. When their demands for a new arena were turned aside, the team headed south in 1997.
The first two years in Carolina were a dismal experience, the team forced to play 80 miles away in Greensboro while a new arena was built in Raleigh. So few fans turned up in the beginning that the upper deck was curtained off.
Now, the Hurricanes are champions, capitalizing on their second trip to the finals. Four years ago, they were beaten in five games by Detroit.
The Oilers have nothing to be ashamed of, becoming the first eighth-seeded team to make the finals under the current format. But they failed to bring Canada its first champion since Montreal in 1993, or Edmonton its first cup since 1990, when the remnants of the Gretzky-Messier-Coffey-Fuhr dynasty won the last of its five titles in seven years.
Pisani came through again, scoring his playoff-leading 14th goal by crashing the net to knock in a rebound at 1:03 of the third. Markkanen had another strong game with 24 saves, several of them dazzling.
It wasn't enough.
"It's just a matter of a few bounces and that's the difference today," Markkanen said. "They were just a little bit better."

The series looked as if it would be a rout when Carolina rallied from a three-goal deficit to win Game 1 and blew out the Oilers 5-0 in Game 2. The Oilers also had to cope with the loss of playoff star Dwayne Roloson, who had played every minute of the postseason in goal until he went out with a knee injury in the opener.
But, led by Markkanen and Pisani, the Oilers rebounded from a 3-1 deficit. They pulled out an overtime win in Carolina -- with the cup somewhere in the bowels of the RBC Center, waiting to be handed out if the Hurricanes won.
Edmonton returned home and blew out Carolina 4-0 in Game 6.
That's where the comeback ended. Brind'Amour made sure of that, urging on his teammates to finish what they started.
"He's the leader of this team," Cam Ward said. "Once again, he came up huge for us."
Right from the start, Carolina seized the momentum with the sort of energy and passion that had been missing since Game 5.
Erik Cole delivered a big hit at center ice to force Edmonton into a turnover, and Matt Cullen took off the other way with the puck. He swept in on Markkanen, who made a good save off his chest.
But Mark Recchi, another member of the 30-something club, passed out from behind the net and the puck ricocheted to Aaron Ward moving in from the point. He beat the screened Markkanen with a slap shot through half-dozen players milling about in front of the goal.
It was the Hurricanes' first score in 95:01, since the second period of Game 5.
Carolina thought it had another goal in the final seconds of the period when Craig Adams backhanded a bouncing puck off and over Markkanen, who lost sight of it flipping toward the net. Defenseman Steve Staios dove into the net and touched it with his right glove, enough to stop play on a delayed penalty call even though the puck appeared to cross the line with 4.1 seconds left.
Carolina finally made it 2-0 with just over four minutes gone in the second. Kaberle fired a slap shot over a diving Edmonton defenseman Jason Smith, whose sweater appeared to catch part of the puck and cause it to dip under Markkanen's left pad when he had his glove out to make the save.
Notes: It was the first time that three straight Stanley Cup finals have gone to Game 7. ... Bill McCreary and Brad Watson were picked as the referees, working their second game in a row. This was the 11th straight finals appearance for McCreary.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

for anyone who follows hockey...

[inagra]

what a game. that was just awesome. oilers made a huge rally at the end but couldn't score.

Ward becomes first rookie mvp since hextall.

Wicked

[Horry For 3!]

I will take a guess just for the hell of it since I do not watch hockey.....


Carolina over San Jose for the Stanley Cup
I get me a Spur :smokin I predicted Carolina to win the Cup :smokin

[Rip-Hamilton32]

lol..you gotta admit edmonton played with alot of heart in that final game..pisani was amazing in this series..scoring the only shorthanded overtime goal in finals history

[inagra]

its that time of the year


wearing my canucks jersey to work. two of the better goalies face off tonight. low scoring, grind-em-out hockey.

nucks in 6

[inagra]

predictions:

(1) BUF v. (8) NYI
2) NJD v. (7) TBL
3) ATL v. (6) NYR
(4) OTT v. (5) PIT
--------------------
(1) DET v. (8) CGY
(2) ANA v. (7) MIN
(3) VAN v. (6) DAL
(4) NSH v. (5) SJS

[inagra]

(1) BUF v. (8) NYI
2) NJD v. (7) TBL
3) ATL v. (6) NYR
(4) OTT v. (5) PIT
--------------------
(1) DET v. (8) CGY
(2) ANA v. (7) MIN
(3) VAN v. (6) DAL
(4) NSH v. (5) SJS

[lefty]

Detroit won't win the Cup ; West : San Jose, Vancouver or Calgary

In the East : Ottawa or NJ

[inagra]

red wings have lost 3 times in a row to underdogs, each of which made it to the cup finals.

flames are a tough team. all 8 teams have a legit chance to play in the finals

[inagra]

SolidD...

your stars against my canucks

[Rip-Hamilton32]

Devils vs Flames in the finals, devils win in 6

[dg7md]

SolidD...

your stars against my canucks

Stars will get this! :downspin:

[inagra]

the game is still going.....omg

might head to 5th overtime 3 mins left


local time 12:35am

[inagra]

we won we won we won

[inagra]

what a game



roberto with 200 saves



WOW

[inagra]

who said this would be a boring series?

[inagra]

red wings shitkick flames
rangers and devils with in a fairly close game
sabres toying with islanders

[DarkReign]

I was at the Wings game.

Honestly, I didnt see this one coming. Thats the most complete game I have seen the Wings play all season.

They'll have to duplicate that performance Sunday or this first game wont mean shit.

[inagra]

darkreign
how was the crowd? must have been a sweet game to go too.

I am going to game2 tonight for nucks game. Cannot wait!

[DarkReign]

darkreign
how was the crowd? must have been a sweet game to go too.

I am going to game2 tonight for nucks game. Cannot wait!

Crowd was lame by my standards, but certainly more enthused than usual.

The ticket prices are ridiculous for the Wings. So the only people you get are ultra-rich and spend most of their time in the Olympia club until the third period.

I was in a pretty rowdy section (mostly because Im pretty rowdy).

The game was sweet though, from the drop of the puck to the last horn, the Wings smoked the Flames in every aspect of the game. It was nice and relaxing, no stress, just enjoyable to watch.

Now, Vancouver fans (Canadian arenas in general) are the loudest fans in the league. Just watching the atmosphere for game 1 the other day was exciting. Pretty loud folks.

Have fun, good luck to your team. No offense, but if I am a Vancouver fan, I would be a little nervous. IMO, the Stars outplayed the Nux from the 3rd period on. Luongo was brillant though and the Sedins are awesome. Good win, but if Dallas continues the effort and speed they had in the second half of game 1, youre going to Dallas 1-1.

[inagra]

I agree. Nucks got outplayed by the Stars basically dominited for 100 minutes, like you said, midway through 3rd period. If it wasnt for Luongo, we would be down 1-0. But that isnt different from the regular season, that dude has carried us the entire season. I am pretty sure that Nucks will have figured out a new game plan to slow down the Stars. Our defense from 1-6 is the best in the league, even Pre-Roberto.

Vancouver crowd >>>>> other crowds. That Turco you suck chant was hilarious and priceless. I would imagine a bullshit chat will start tonight.

[lefty]

Fuck Dallas
Fuck Nucks

Aaaargh ; Nucks better still one in Big D ; but Stars look dangerous :cry

I just hate Ribeiro

[BeerIsGood!]

When you get the game winner within one minute at the start of the game - you dominated. That was sweet. I might get tickets for game 4 now.

Turco was flat out nasty

[lefty]

FUCK NBC

And the NHL too... man that weekend afternoon programmation SUCKS !! :madrun :madrun

[dg7md]

Wasn't Calgary-Detroit game 2 supposed to be today? Or was that tomorrow?

For some reason my Time Warner has the NHL center ice channels unlocked, not complaining, though. :toast

[inagra]

how the hell was sens/pens game on at 12pm pacific? wtf

[lefty]

Fucking Avery, that was one fucking lucky goal

:dizzy :dizzy

[DarkReign]

Wings are today at 1:00 EST on NBC.

NBC has enlisted the services of Don Cherry....finally, only after 30+ years.

[lefty]

Wings are today at 1:00 EST on NBC.

NBC has enlisted the services of Don Cherry....finally, only after 30+ years.


Phew.... U can keep Don Cherry guys....not popular in Canada

[THE ONE AND ONLY]

SolidD...

your stars against my canucks

that sounds sexual

[inagra]

nucks game didnt go down as planned. sucked.

flames lose again today, 2-0. they better win both at home. they completely suck on the road.

rangers look like they might sweep.

rick comes back from concussion and leads islanders to win

[lefty]

Nucks win game 3 :clap

[inagra]

nice game.

looked like dallas was going to take this series in 5. Nucks could barely score. Then finally, sedins and naslund line is formed and they go wild in the third period. they had so many good scoring chances and were buzzing. they could have popped one it, but sumhow they were always stopped.

Canucks take back the momentum and look forward to a 3-1 series lead. That was a good goal from Nucks standpoint, bad one from Marty's.

[lefty]

The only difference is the goaltending ; Canucks must capitalize on Marty's mistakes, because Dallas is playing MUCH better

[Budkin]

I can't believe my Rangers are "thrashing" the Thrashers so badly! WOOT! :clap :downspin: :clap :downspin:

[inagra]

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/8f/fullj.getty-73891520rm009_vancouver_can_11_08_24_pm.jpg

wow

3-1

[lefty]

Unfair decision regarding Brian Murray's grand-nephew (for those who don't know , Brian Murray is the Ottawa Senators' coach)

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=joyce/070418

[DarkReign]

Rangers advance.

NJ ties their series.

Newsflash: Brad Richards, Vinny Lecavalier and Marty StLouis compose the most dominating offensive line in the league. That is all.

[lefty]

Newsflash: Brad Richards, Vinny Lecavalier and Marty StLouis compose the most dominating offensive line in the league. That is all.


Yes, but their D and goaltending : not great

[inagra]

I think devils will hold up and win

nucks and stars tied after one. good chances both ways

[inagra]

flames and wings in a dog fight.

2-2 in the red sea

[inagra]

5 on 3 for the flames for minute and a half


lets see if they hold on

[inagra]

flames take the lead.

nice pass from behind by iggy

[inagra]

:depressed game 6 in dallas

[lefty]

Buffalo's season is over

[dg7md]

I think you mean Islanders. :lol

NHL post season and NBA post season at the same time is incredible, my two sports on at once. Go Dallas tonight!

[lefty]

I think you mean Islanders. :lol

NHL post season and NBA post season at the same time is incredible, my two sports on at once. Go Dallas tonight!

No, Buffalo ; because of Ottawa

[dg7md]

Stars, game 7 in Vancouver coming up!

[dallaskd]

Sweet. Lets do it stars!

[DarkReign]

Calgoonery Flames.

Bush league stuff. Whatever. Nothing would make me happier than to see the Wings hand em their golf clubs tomorrow.

Dare I say that the prima donna Red Wings are involved in the most physical playoffs series this year so far?

BLASPHEMY!

BTW, Go Stars! They kicked some serious ass today as well.

[inagra]

damn it. why do the nucks make life hard on themselves.

score A goal

[dg7md]

No, Buffalo ; because of Ottawa

Buffalo is way too good, they'll make it past Ottawa in 6.

[dallaskd]

what does round 2 look like as of now?

[Marklar MM]

All the cheap shots from game 5 Red Wings/Canucks are on youtube.

[dg7md]

what does round 2 look like as of now?

Winner of Flames/Redwings vs. Ducks

Winner of Stars/Canucks vs. Sharks

Sabres vs. Devils

Rangers vs. Senators

[dallaskd]

sabres-devils should be exciting.

[dg7md]

sabres-devils should be exciting.

Ah, I am mistaken, it's Sabres vs. Rangers, and NJ vs. Ottawa

[DarkReign]

Thats right bitches. Wings adavnce.

[DarkReign]

Now, Go Stars, GO!

[lefty]

Buffalo is way too good, they'll make it past Ottawa in 6.

Ottawa has owned Buffalo this season ; they know they can beat them

[Kevin Blackistone]

damn it. why do the nucks make life hard on themselves.

score A goal

This has turned out to be the great series that it looked like during game 1. It's the Canucks size and craftiness against the Stars speed, and both goaltenders have been brilliant at times during the series. Game 7 tonight is a toss up - It probably comes down to forechecking and which goaltender will flinch first.

[inagra]

nucks down a goal with 5 mins left in the 2nd

[Kevin Blackistone]

If the Canucks win they deserve the win, but the officiating in the 3rd period was horrible. Every single minor called was bullshit. Every one. For a second I thought Joey Crawford, Bennett Salvatore, and Dick Bavetta were on skates in zebra suits. These hockey zebras have ruined the game and the series and should be sat down for the rest of the playoffs for gross misconduct.

[lefty]

cANUCKS WIN

BYE STARS :elephant :elephant

[inagra]

wow. what a game. nucks pulled it out.

THANK YOU

[inagra]

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/95/fullj.getty-73949014jv009_stars_canucks_12_19_05_am.jpg

[ManuMagic]

wow, Canucks got their shit handed to them by the Ducks. Did the Stars take too much out of them?

[Horry For 3!]

I should had guessed for this years. I got it right last season on my guess.

[inagra]

a 7 game series, hell and back...

2 days rest killed them. might be a short series

[inagra]

It should be noted that speedy teams like Ducks and Sabres are so hard to keep in check.

Lets see how Nucks recover from this blow.

go nucks go

[lefty]

Ducks just rolled over Nucks in game 1.

Ottawa is up 2-0 @ New Jersey

[lefty]

4-1 Ottawa in the 1st period !!!!!!! :dizzy :dizzy

SJ 2-0 over Detroit in the 1st...i'm not surprised

[inagra]

already? damn shit

who you cheering for lefty?

[lefty]

already? damn shit

who you cheering for lefty?


Ottawa in the East

...Vancouver in the West ; but man Anaheim is good

it's 5-3 Ottawa

[lefty]

Man, this thread has been dying slowly since the Dallas Stars were eliminated....
Coincidence ?? :lol

[inagra]

ducks are too big, too fast, too good.

I mean when you have all three components in check (offense, defense, goaltending) how do you lose?


:depressed

[lefty]

ducks are too big, too fast, too good.

I mean when you have all three components in check (offense, defense, goaltending) how do you lose?


:depressed
+1

[Steve Nash]

I went to Game 3 in Vancouver. I have season tickets so..Canucks should of won but their PP was terrible..Argh

[lefty]

I went to Game 3 in Vancouver. I have season tickets so..Canucks should of won but their PP was terrible..Argh

Vancouver can win the West, but they make some mental mistakes

http://espn.go.com/photo/2007/0424/nhl_g_snoop_195.jpg