2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs!

[Man0warr]

If it took the Sharks 7 games to beat the flames how do you expect them to beat the Stars in 5 O.o Zubov will be back and it won't be pretty. Stars are going all the way this year.

[Dense]

I'm not so sure about Montreal after seeing how the series vs. the Bruins went.
I think the Flyers have the potential for a huge upset even though they lost all 4 games against the Habs this season (as did the Bruins).

I completely agree with you, however, look at what Montreal did in game 7, when they HAD to. They looked fantastic, as did Price. If they play like that, I think they'll beat the Flyers. I give it 7 games, because I predict them laying an egg or two in Philly.

If it took the Sharks 7 games to beat the flames how do you expect them to beat the Stars in 5 O.o Zubov will be back and it won't be pretty. Stars are going all the way this year.

Because the Sharks have the right matchup for the Stars, imo. And they open at home, with momentum.

[Seditedi]

I think Pittsburgh will beat NYR.
Fuck Avery, no talent piece of shit.

edit: You can also say the same thing about the Flyers in game 7 vs. the Caps though.
Sure they played horrible third period, but look at Biron. Some of the best goal-tending he's done all season long.

[Man0warr]

Home advantage hasn't meant anything this year. And the Stars dominated the Sharks on the road this year

[Oxyminus]

Rangers V. Penguins (At A Glance)


Forwards: Crosby, Malkin, Hossa. That's the story right there. Those are as 3 explosive players as you're going to see on any given night, and seeing them all on the same team (and probably all on the ice at the same time on the power play) is downright scary. In the pure talent department, that combo out weighs the rangers forward corp. While the penguins hold the edge cause of those 3, once you look beyond Sykora, Staal, and to a lesser extend Malone and Roberts, their lines thin out and dont provide nearly as much depth. The Rangers on the other hand provide tons and tons of balance. Jagr is finally clicking and playing like a man playing to lead his team to the cup, and the rest of the top-tier forwards of Gomez, Drury, Straka, and Shanahan have been following suit. They get much more balance scoring as Dubinsky is playing very well, Callahan is relentlessly forechecking, and oh yeah...that Avery guy had 3 goals in 5 games against the Devils. The Pens have better top-flight talent on the forward lines, but the Rangers can roll 3 very dangerous scoring lines, and as Marion Gaborik will tell you, come playoff time balanced scoring is key.

Defense: Neither team boasts a true shutdown defenseman, but will rely on team defense in this series. The rangers sport as solid a blueline from top to bottom as anyone in the league, and have forwards that play as big a role in their defensive system, truly playing team defense that you need to in the playoffs. it's the same story for the pens, no real go-to guy on the blueline, but relying on the team as a whole playing sound defense. but for the pens who play a more wide-open offensive style, they leave some liberties on their own end.

Goaltending: Come playoff time, you're only as good as your guy in the net. Fleury has finally been playing steady for the pens, while Lundqvist has been coming back better than before for the Rangers. The big thing here is "big game" experience, this is fleury's first real run in the playoffs, while lundqvist has been here before, and carried his national team to a gold medal in the last olympics, and done the same for his teams when he was playing in the swedish elite league.

X-Factors: you've got one team that will try to run you out of the building, and one team that will forecheck, play patient, and once you make a mistake will put the biscuit into the net. its clashing styles and a matter over the long grind, which one is more willing to bend the will of the other. Will the youth of the pens be able to handle playing against a veteran-ladden team in the rangers that's playing on a mission? How does crosby deal with the antics of Avery?

In the long run, I expect the pens to be the team of the future, if they keep their core intact, they should be hoisting cups for years to come. but now isn't their time yet. they're a young team that is still going to take some punches along the way, and ultimately the rangers discipline to defensive hockey will prevail.

Rangers in 6

[AzazaelFenrir]

Hmmm... I completely disagree. I don't think any of the early-round departures of the Wings ever had anything to do with over-confidence. More or less, they are simply expected to win, and that is a difficult pressure (seeing as they get relatively little joy from things like earning a President's Trophy, First-round series win, etc, as those are all expected). I doubt that overconfidence plays a part. I do see the resemblance of Théodore to the Patrick Roy (Colorado version) that gave Detroit trouble: he's a great goaltender, but one of those goalies that gets better the more your throw at him, unless you can get him off of his game (e.g. bouncing puck from center ice or statue of liberty without the puck [á la Patrick Roy in Western conf finals 2002(?)]).

In the past the season series were a lot closer, so overconfidence wasn't an issue. A few of the reports I read (it was over the weekend a few from Denver) questioned whether Detroit would come in over confident since the Avs only managed to score one goal against them all season long. I won't say that Detroit owned us during the normal season, but I will admit they outplayed us, which could lead to a little bit of overconfidence by some of the younger players on the Wings.

[Soarian]

Omg I can't believe they actually allowed that goal, he clearly hit it at least a foot above the crossbar. It amazes me how often calls are still wrong even after getting to see it in slow mo and from different angles. Terrible terrible call I hope it doesn't affect the outcome of the game.

[Seditedi]

Most retarded call I've ever seen.
Fucking idiots refs.

[Seditedi]

Fuck these Canadian refs.
Practically kept Montreal in this game.....

[Colm]

Yeah, fuck those refs for calling a blatant trip.

[Kaylia]

Omg I can't believe they actually allowed that goal, he clearly hit it at least a foot above the crossbar. It amazes me how often calls are still wrong even after getting to see it in slow mo and from different angles. Terrible terrible call I hope it doesn't affect the outcome of the game.

Quite frankly, I'm not sure how you can say it was one foot above. I saw the shot from like 3 differents angles multiple time, and the point of contact was pretty damn close from it. I wouldnt like to be the one that had to make the call.

If you look at the stick 1 sec before..sure, it was 1 foot above, but that's not when he hit it.

[Soarian]

Quite frankly, I'm not sure how you can say it was one foot above. I saw the shot from like 3 differents angles multiple time, and the point of contact was pretty damn close from it. I wouldnt like to be the one that had to make the call.

If you look at the stick 1 sec before..sure, it was 1 foot above, but that's not when he hit it.

The puck was hit directly on the blade of the stick, before the stick hit the top of the crossbar, hence the goal being knocked in above the crossbar. It was obvious from all but one angle that it was hit above the crossbar, and even if it wasn't common sense says that it had to be. Hell even the announcers were shocked that the goal stood. I'm not even gonna mention the "tripping" call in the last minute that one is pretty self explanatory (though I'd love to know how you can trip someone with your shoulder while standing up).

But I'm not gonna bitch, the Flyers totally outplayed them and you can't count on bad calls to win a series for you.

[Colm]

Uh, what? The replays I saw had the puck hitting the stick shaft, which was right below the crossbar.

And Richards stuck out a knee and stick, what shoulder? >_>

[Seditedi]

Blatant trip my ass lol.
Richards knocked him with his shoulder and it was a total duck to try to draw a penalty.

[Kaylia]

The puck was hit directly on the blade of the stick, before the stick hit the top of the crossbar, hence the goal being knocked in above the crossbar. It was obvious from all but one angle that it was hit above the crossbar, and even if it wasn't common sense says that it had to be. Hell even the announcers were shocked that the goal stood. I'm not even gonna mention the "tripping" call in the last minute that one is pretty self explanatory (though I'd love to know how you can trip someone with your shoulder while standing up).

But I'm not gonna bitch, the Flyers totally outplayed them and you can't count on bad calls to win a series for you.

Then I'm sure you can find a clear shot on the net that show the puck was hit 1 feet above if it's so painfully obvious. If you look at the camera behind the net, you would realize the stick wasnt as high as you say and is pretty much even with the net..
Flyers announcers are going to be shocked of course, just like Montreal's announcer thought the goal was fine. Everyone know announcer are biased for the team they are commenting.

As for the penalty, Kovalev got hit behind the knee, and Richard pretty much charged him, look at it again.


I kinda miss Boston vs canadian series gave us better hockey. I dont like flyers playstyle at all.

[Seditedi]

Guess you don't like the Flyers style because they outplayed Montreal? heh
That was an obvious high stick.
You can see it come DOWN on the crossbar from any angle that you look at it.

[Colm]

Doesn't matter how high the stick was originally. It's point of contact that matters, which was basically even with the crossbar.

[Seditedi]

The point of contact looked higher than the crossbar to me.

[melbufrauma]

you guys think the stars will be able to beat San Jose tom?

[Kaylia]

Guess you don't like the Flyers style because they outplayed Montreal? heh
That was an obvious high stick.

I dont think Montreal was outplayed at all, except for the 2nd half of first period after both goal. Flayers got lucky on the first one, and Montreal missed a lot more opportunity than flayers did (2 poles + many open net).

I said I dont like Flyers' style because they are a lot more physical than Boston, and stopped playing after 2 goals to play defensively. Hockey is fun to watch when there is good team play, feint, and speed, not when you stay behind to waste time, and go for players instead of the puck.

You can see it come DOWN on the crossbar from any angle that you look at it

Except from behind, where you don't see the stick because it was behind the crossbar. If it's hidden by it, it cant be that high. There is no angle that clearly show it was hit above the crossbar and that the stick kept going down after hitting it, and when there is no clear evidence, they have to give to goal.

Either way, I dont think it was an easy call like you make it sound.