2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs!

[Denchi]

Awesome Wild. Awesome.

[Norelco]

Crosby > Ovechkin

Simple as that.

How so? Unless you mean Crosby's giant worm lips > Ovechkin's normal lips

[Norelco]

I honestly don't understand why hockey isn't more popular here in the US. These playoff games have, for the most part, been incredibly exciting. The fan energy is ridiculous.

[Kurp]

I honestly don't understand why hockey isn't more popular here in the US. These playoff games have, for the most part, been incredibly exciting. The fan energy is ridiculous.

Most people have never played the sport, in any capacity, while damn near everyone has played sandlot baseball or football, or basketball in their driveway. Hockey is extremely popular in my state (Minnesota), but even I didn't get to play it as a High School sport, because my school wasn't big enough to field a team. It's just too expensive for many school districts and families to fund.

It's a mostly inaccessible team sport that doesn't get nearly as much coverage as other sports. I guess that's what it boils down to.

I do agree thought that the NHL playoffs are more exciting than any other pro sport, at least to me.

[Furtwangler]

I honestly don't understand why hockey isn't more popular here in the US. These playoff games have, for the most part, been incredibly exciting. The fan energy is ridiculous.

Most people have never played the sport, in any capacity, while damn near everyone has played sandlot baseball or football, or basketball in their driveway. Hockey is extremely popular in my state (Minnesota), but even I didn't get to play it as a High School sport, because my school wasn't big enough to field a team. It's just too expensive for many school districts and families to fund.

It's a mostly inaccessible team sport that doesn't get nearly as much coverage as other sports. I guess that's what it boils down to.

I do agree thought that the NHL playoffs are more exciting than any other pro sport, at least to me.

Yea, when I used to live in NJ we had like a community street hockey league going on, but neither where I am now or there ever had school leagues. The lack of being exposed to it as much as other sports as a kid probably has something to do with it, but anyone me included that did do alot with it when they were young are hooked on it XD. No other sport save maybe soccer at some points has the on the line kinda feeling the whole game, and you can't beat the crowd energy (playoffs or normal season.)

[Seditedi]

Crosby > Ovechkin

Simple as that.

How so? Unless you mean Crosby's giant worm lips > Ovechkin's normal lips

Can't compare Crosby and Ovechkin this season... Crosby was out too much of it.
Malkin > Ovechkin though.

[dritero]

Crosby > Ovechkin

Simple as that.

How so? Unless you mean Crosby's giant worm lips > Ovechkin's normal lips

Can't compare Crosby and Ovechkin this season... Crosby was out too much of it.
Malkin > Ovechkin though.

What are you basing this on? Pretty sure Ovechkin is getting MVP, and led the league in goals and points. The guy celebrates every goal like it was his first ever, you can tell he loves the game. He back checks like crazy and throws hits.

Malkin is in my top 3 for sure though.

[Selamis]

The Wild/Avs game last night was crazy awesome, and the overtime was just how I like them. I'd also like to give a kudos to Nashville for finally not sucking and crumbling before Detroit as if they are some giant that can't be beaten. Now, win the next 3 and make me happy.

[Saphirea]

Crosby > Ovechkin

Simple as that.

How so? Unless you mean Crosby's giant worm lips > Ovechkin's normal lips

Can't compare Crosby and Ovechkin this season... Crosby was out too much of it.
Malkin > Ovechkin though.

What are you basing this on? Pretty sure Ovechkin is getting MVP, and led the league in goals and points. The guy celebrates every goal like it was his first ever, you can tell he loves the game. He back checks like crazy and throws hits.

Malkin is in my top 3 for sure though.

I live in the DC area and everytime I talk hockey with anyone around here its always the well you know Ovechkin is better than anyone on the Penguins blah blah blah blah blah crap day in day out. Well, Malkin and Crosby has more points than he does in the playoff which in my opinion is when it counts. It's just good to see that the Pens are playing with such fire and awesomeness.

[Brill Weave]

Nice to see Hossa finally dunk one in there last night. Hopefully that gets the monkey off his back. I would say right now that Ovechkin is without a doubt the most pure goal scoring forward in the league. He and Malkin are very similar. They both are extremely responsible in their own end. Neither one of them are afraid to throw the body, and let's face it, they are both big boys so they can do some damage.

The major difference between them is that Malkin is still more of a playmaking forward rather than a pure sniper. A big reason why Petr Sykora has had such a great season is because he had Malkin feeding him passes for 82 games. Same is said for Ryan Malone when he parks right in front of the crease.

I think given a full healthy season though, Crosby beats them both in the scoring race. Being a Pittsburgh fan this season has been a bit odd. It was like a disaster when they said Crosby had the high ankle sprain. But then Malkin and Conklin picked the team up and basically carried the team the rest of the way. So if Crosby and Fleury don't go down, what happens? Does the season go better or worse?

[XxSlusherxx]

Ovechkin is obviously the best pure scorer in the league. I honestly don't think people weigh goals highly enough, especially the way home arenas dish out second assists these days (I'll be the first to tell you out of Pierre-Marc Bouchard's 50 assists this season at least 15 were complete garbage, take for instance his assist on Koivu's goal last night, Because he dumped it in? Fedorik out husstled the Defenceman to the corner and makes a great pass and the dump in gets the same credit???). So yes, Crosby when he plays as many games as Ovechkin will probly continue to outpoint him, but I'll take the guy who puts it in the net. And whoever mentioned how they are playing in the playoffs is what counts then Mikko Koivu is the best player in the league hands down(he's had the best playoffs no doubt) scored in every game so far and is mabye the best defencive center in the Western confrence.

p.s. Wild/Avs game 3 was an instant classic, that overtime period took years off my life.

[Brill Weave]

he's had the best playoffs no doubt

Um sorry dood. Not to belittle what he's done, but Malkin right now is the best player in the playoffs up to this point. Though I will easily agree that he is one of the best defensive forwards in the game. There's only a handful that stand out in my mind, he is one of them. Good to see him come back from that injury earlier in the year with no ill effects.

[XxSlusherxx]

goals > assists

[Bweigelt]

goals > assists

Doesn't change the fact that Koivu hasn't been the best player in the playoffs so far. Clowe, Malkin, Crosby, Sakic, and even Avery arguably have been better. He is a great player no doubt and one of the top three defensive centers in the west (with Kesler and Pahlsson), but lets not go nuts. Also none of his goals are game winners which would help his cause.

[XxSlusherxx]

I want to start off by saying I in no way meant that Koivu is the best player in the league, I was merly stating that saying playoff performance trumps a body of work is bs. That being said I do ligitimatly belive he's playing better than anybody else in the playoffs so far.

You could definatly make an argument for a couple of other guys, there's no doubt, it's going to be impossible to evenly compare especially considering most of them won't play each other in these playoffs.

That being said Sakic and Koviu ARE in the same series, and I honestly Don't see how you could go with Sakic(although going by your later comments I imagine it's because he had the game winner in game 1). let us not forget he almost lost the game for the Avs last night by letting Demetra blow right past him for a shorthanded goal, I know Barry Melrose was quick to point out that he made up for it by tieing it up, but was that because of a great shot/play or because Voros is a fucking idiot and checked Brunette right into his own goalie.

Reguardless your not going to get me to budge (before tonights games) on this one, this argument is kinda silly we obviously have a Wild fan(me) vs. Pittsburgh fans, and so we're both going to stick to our guns, and since we both know a lot more about the inner workings of our teams we'll continue to think we are ligitimately correct.

That being said the depth of the Western Confrence is much deeper than that of the East, if your one of the top seeded eastern teams you BETTER be dominating to even be in this discussion, at least for round 1.

[Valisk]

FUCK YES.

Down 3-0 after 3 minutes to come back and win 4-3. If we carry this momentum into Game 4, we might just advance. :3 God bless Cujo.

Dallas Stars need to pull a Calgary right now. We are down 3-0 after the 1st period. Maybe we need some monster hits too to turn it around. GoGo Ott.

[Brill Weave]

I'm sorry but all of Malkin's points I have seen happen. None of his assists were the garbage "dump in" assists like we were talking about earlier. Without him making those plays, the series will change, period point blank. While I can't take away that Koivu is playing good hockey right now, I also feel that you aren't being a very objective observer right now.

That's the one thing I have always strived to be. An objective sports fan. Which is a fucking rarity here in OMGSTEELERSRULE land, but I do my best. I can't take away form Koivu's performance, it has been extremely important to Minnesota. But I think that there are other performances that do make Koivu's seem a little bit less impressive.

Malkin's performance so far has done that. And I'm sure I will raise some eyebrows with this one, but Martin Gerber's performance has done that as well. Yes, I know Ottawa is losing three games to none.

If he doesn't play as sharp as he has these games would have flat out been blow outs. He is the only person on the Senators roster right now that is showing up. Unfortunately the scoreboard doesn't reflect that. And up until Kiprusoff got chased out the other night, he had made a massive contribution to the Flames series.

Oh my God I could talk about hockey all fucking day. I'm just happy I can discuss it with informed fans. 98% of people outside Minnesota would never even know Koivu's name, so it's cool to have a topic go on as long as this one has without it turning into a No U! thread. Play on boys.

[Colm]

QQ

Cheechoo's goal was nice, I'll admit. But it's down to a best-of-3 now, god I'm so nervous. At least it'll be an exciting week. A lot of the series' have been good from what I've seen on highlights and such.

[XxSlusherxx]

It's tough when you stick up for your guys all day long and they come out and play like that...

Koviu did score again but scoring when your down 5-0 is pretty meaningless.

In the Denver post yesterday one of the columnists wrote about how the Wild are a dirty hockey team and all they do is play goon hockey. all day on sports radio one show after the next people were just QQing about it. Then we come out and set a record for penalty minutes in a playoff game, way to go guys.

All Minnesota fans were made to look like fools today.

[Kurp]

In the Denver post yesterday one of the columnists wrote about how the Wild are a dirty hockey team and all they do is play goon hockey. all day on sports radio one show after the next people were just QQing about it. Then we come out and set a record for penalty minutes in a playoff game, way to go guys.

All Minnesota fans were made to look like fools today.

Ripped by Reusse

That was one of the worst games I've seen in a long time. Some of those calls were shitty, but that's not really an excuse for how that game went, especially the misconduct penalties.

The Wild defense is looking really ragged, which was to be expected under these circumstances, I suppose. I hope the can get going again with an off day.