2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs!

[Brill Weave]

Uh oh. 3-1 Pens. Still on a powerplay too. If they score again this will be a blow out.

[Runningdemon]

How about them Pens?

[Brill Weave]

Ok Rangers fans. Let's hear the complaints about the officiating now. 3-1 lead and the Pens let the Rangers catch back up. Difference is they put the game away where the Rangers didn't. Go Pens! Come on sweep!!

[Seditedi]

Rangers look like shit.

[Valisk]

Stars just won 2-1 in OT to take a 3-0 lead in the series. Game 4 tomorrow. Get your brooms ready!

[Kaylia]

It's Hockey, not figure-skating.
People are going to get hit.

If you enjoy watching players get crosschecked more than executing good play, have fun with your goons team. There is a difference between figure-skating and western conference/european/olympic hockey. Most people understood that, and thats why NHL tried to change many rules in the last few years

[melbufrauma]

gooo stars!!

[Seditedi]

It's Hockey, not figure-skating.
People are going to get hit.

If you enjoy watching players get crosschecked more than executing good play, have fun with your goons team. There is a difference between figure-skating and western conference/european/olympic hockey. Most people understood that, and thats why NHL tried to change many rules in the last few years

Whatever, Flyers are up 2-1 and thats all that counts.
If Biron continues to play like he has been the Flyers will win.

[Kaylia]

I'm not even talking about this series, I'm talking about Flyers in general.

[Valisk]

I actually like the physcial teams and those that finish their check. But not at the expense of a good defensive/offensive play. You start taking runs at people then you leave holes in your coverage and take stupid penalties.

If the Flyers are as bad as people say they are, then the Habs should have no problem punishing their goon'ish behavior. I personally haven't seen any dirty play from Philly, but it worked for Anaheim last year. Bit them in the ass this year.

P.S. - Watching the Detroit/Colorado game and the Red Wings look fucking amazing on the offensive side of the puck. Stars vs. Red Wings will be an excellent matchup.

[IncredibleGulk]

The suspensions early in the year gave them a bad rep, but they really aren't on a level of their own when it comes to physical play. thats the way they play their game. for the hatcher penalty, it wasn't a cross check. if boullin didn't turn his back, then Hatcher would have leveled him. His hands were together, with one hand only on the stick.

like many of those plays, the speed of it is too fast to change what you are gonna do when the other player does something you don't anticipate. If Boullin didn't turn around, then Hatcher gives the Flyers a momentum boost with a big, clean hit.

[Norelco]

Biron has been playing sickly well. I'm happy for him. During 05-06 season when Miller was out injured Biron won 13 in a row for the Sabres. He definitely is a #1 starter, so I'm glad the Sabres weren't jerks about trading him when he wanted out.

[IncredibleGulk]

Biron has been playing well. I was skeptical, as well as the media here in Philly, about how Biron would fare in the playoffs. Especially after an up and down season. But he has been playing with a lot of focus.

[Zragnarok]

I still find funny the fact that 3 of the top players for the Flyers grew up watching the Habs and it was their favorite team ( I'm talking about Biron, Gagné and Brière ). And watch out for tonight's game. If the Habs scores first and get the momentom, the Flyers won't be able to follow. I predict Price will be in the nets and will play a solid game. The winning team tonight will win this serie.

And I see a lot of you say that Biron was playing very well. Yes, he has been a really good goalie during the first serie and now. But how many chances did the Habs missed ? And many times did they hit the post ? The save on Plekanec with his glove was a beautiful save but Plekanec juste shooted right in his glove. The Flyers are lucky right now.

Right now, the Habs are frustrated, they know they are the better team, they know they can outclass the Flyers but the puck won't go in. The first minutes of the game tonight will be very intense because they will want the first goal. They will work hard and come back home with a tie serie. Go Habs Go!

[IncredibleGulk]

I dont know why all the Habs fans (and no, not here, mostly from the habs forums) keep saying the Flyers are winning on luck. If the Habs had won any of these past 2 games, I highly doubt you guys would say it was because your team was lucky.

Habs hitting posts isn't really "lucky" for the Flyers, it's more unlucky for the Habs I would say. But you also have to realize that on some of those shots hitting the post are the result of Biron playing the angles well. Nothing better a goalie can do than force someone to shoot into places they dont want to. Now, this isn't for all the clanks; some are bad breaks for the Habs, but those are things you cant rely on to win/lose you a series.

Its pretty weak that when the Flyers win, it's luck. In fact, it has been because of Biron's rebound control and the Flyers D-men keeping the front clear.

Controlling rebounds and keeping the front of the net clear cannot be done on luck.

[Seditedi]

I agree lol.
Fuck all you crybaby Habs fans saying the Flyers have won on luck.
In reality, the only game the Habs have won this series was because of luck.

If you don't think a bullshit kneeing call on a legit check, followed up by a broken stick on a face off while Montreal was playing open net leading to the tying goal and a questionable goal earlier on in the game is luck, then I don't know what is.

[Valisk]

Flyers should be up 3-0 in the series. Luck or not. Philly had that meltdown in the 3rd period and OT in Game 1. Refs practically gave them a chance to stay out of the penalty box when Erskine tripped "whoever" preventing that 2 on 1. Flyers just blew it, plan a simple.

Playoff teams dont rely heavily on luck to win or loss them hockey games. You might be outplaying a team, but if you can't cash in and put the puck in the back of the net, then that's just lack of skill and/or lack of the ability to close on your part. I chose the Habs to beat the Flyers in 6, but if they dont pull it together and close out games, they'll have an earlier playoff exit than I anticipated.

[dritero]

The second round of these playoffs has just been awful. Three series going to 3-0!? Makes me wonder how some of these teams got out of the first round. The way this is going there might not even be any hockey to watch on the weekend.

The first round was awesome, 3 series going to 7, 3 going to 6. I'm definately not a Philly fan, but the Washington / Philly series was some of the best hockey I've watched in a long time.

I hope some of these teams can pull their pants up and at least make a series of it.

P.S. All of this Flyer / Hab talk is irrelevant due to the fact that the cup winner is coming from the west again. :D

[Mattthemaster]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs2 ... id=3375123

[Saphirea]

Damnit beat me to the punch, was going to post the NYDaily news story about it.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hocke ... pital.html
Apparently Fox news is saying he has a ruptured spleen.