Around The NHL Discussion 2021-22 Part IV Into the Playoffs Edition

[ChicagoBlues]

HaHaHa!!

Watcthing Bruins @ Canes.

B's on the PP and every time Marchand has the puck the crowd roars into "BOOOOOO".

Kind of a Pavlovian conditioning thing.

Bruins "scored" an own-goal. Poor Carlo looked so dejected. The look on his face is one of desperate dejection.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

HaHaHa!!

Watcthing Bruins @ Canes.

B's on the PP and every time Marchand has the puck the crowd roars into "BOOOOOO".

Kind of a Pavlovian conditioning thing.

Bruins "scored" an own-goal. Poor Carlo looked so dejected. The look on his face is one of desperate dejection.

Everytime I watch the Bruins PP they look like they sorely more Krug's PM ability on the backend.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

These oilers uniforms are awful. so ugly.

 

[Spear]

These oilers uniforms are awful. so ugly.

They might be better under black light. They should be made of velvet.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Oilers tied it up.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Oilers tied it up.

And kings end it early in ot.

 

[mk80]

LA with the OT winner!

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Neither the Oilers nor Kings look capable of winning in the 2nd round. I’m starting to think Dallas could be in the WCF. I think all 3 of Minnesota, St Louis and Colorado would win that side of the bracket.

Was Smith this bad all year? I hadn’t appreciated how poor their goaltending was. The Oilers could still win that series, but a broken down Quick is better than a broken down Smith.

 

[Allens Five Hole]

I was really hoping for a Battle of Alberta in the second round but doesn't look like that is going to happen. One or both look likely to be eliminated.

Calgary looked a lot better in Game 4 so we will see if that carries over tonight but I think EDM is wearing a pine overcoat.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I was really hoping for a Battle of Alberta in the second round but doesn't look like that is going to happen. One or both look likely to be eliminated.

Calgary looked a lot better in Game 4 so we will see if that carries over tonight but I think EDM is wearing a pine overcoat.

Pretty crazy, but if the Blues finish the Wild and manage to beat Colorado, they should root for Dallas to close out Calgary. St Louis would host the WCF in that scenario.

I’d like to see them win Game 6 and put a dagger in Minnesota as step one. A Binnington shut out could work.

 

[Allens Five Hole]

Pretty crazy, but if the Blues finish the Wild and manage to beat Colorado, they should root for Dallas to close out Calgary. St Louis would host the WCF in that scenario.

I’d like to see them win Game 6 and put a dagger in Minnesota as step one. A Binnington shut out could work.

Agreed on your last bit. We need to do what they couldn't and step on their throat at the first opportunity.

I tend to root for chaos in other series but I dislike Jamie Benn quite a lot so it would be hard for me to root for Dallas haha. Either way, if we were to get past Colorado, I like our chances vs anyone.

 

[joe galiba]

If the Rangers win tonight 7 of the 8 series will be 3-2

 

[BlueDream]

Now Darnell Nurse might be getting suspended while his team is down 3-2. Bonehead play, but I don't feel sorry for him. He usually acts like a jackass.

 

[The Note]

If nothing else it will be interesting to see how Edmonton reacts if they end up losing to a scrappy-but-still-very- beatable LA team.

 

[Brian39]

Johnny Hockey might not get the payday he expected if they lose to Dallas. Hell, will Calgary even want him back if he disappears again? Might be a good opportunity to do a culture change.

Can't say I agree that he's disappeared. He has 4 points in 4 games. He's assisted on all 3 of Lindholm's goals and 2 of his 3 assists were primary assists. He's leading the team in shots as well. The Flames have 2 goals this series when he's not on the ice. He's been on the ice for 5 goals and contributed to 4 of those.

Who knows what will happen in the rest of the series, but so far he's played at a point per game pace, the first line has played even with a damn good Dallas 1st line and the rest of the team has done nothing. Pretty far from a disappearing act.

 

[Brian39]

Was Smith this bad all year? I hadn’t appreciated how poor their goaltending was. The Oilers could still win that series, but a broken down Quick is better than a broken down Smith.

He was worse for most of the year. He finished with a .915, but that is only because he got red hot in April with a .951 through 9 games. He was rocking an .896 before that.

And bear in mind, he only played 28 games this year. Koskinen played 45 games and finished with a .903 on the season. He got so many games because Smith spent 75% of the season hurt or playing terrible.

Goaltending isn't their only issue, but it has been a massive issue all season. I think the play Smith has given them in the playoffs is as good as they could have hoped for. Despite some major gaffes he still has a .930 SV%. A lot of that is because LA is firing everything from everywhere, but he isn't playing atrocious hockey. He's playing pretty well with some major missteps. I don't see how Edmonton could have expected any better.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Pretty crazy, but if the Blues finish the Wild and manage to beat Colorado, they should root for Dallas to close out Calgary. St Louis would host the WCF in that scenario.

I’d like to see them win Game 6 and put a dagger in Minnesota as step one. A Binnington shut out could work.

We’d have home ice against LA as well, and I’d rather play them than Dallas. Oettinger has been on an absolute heater in this series, and I think we’d smoke the Kings. Plus, selfishly I’d love to be able to go to a WCF game without having to travel more than 45 minutes in traffic.

 

[PocketNines]

The two perennial pretender teams had hugely significant games for their franchises last night. Edmonton's was another crushing loss (OMG Duncan Keith is horrendous), but Toronto's comeback was a potential corner-turner for them. First time I've thought they could win the series.

 

[The Note]

Honestly, I hope Toronto comes out of the East. I get it, but I like their team a lot and love the city. I was all ready to get on board with the Panthers as my eastern bandwagon, but I forgot that old sack of bones Joe Thornton is down there and I cannot bring myself to hope he finds joy. Canes would be ok too, particularly if they can finish off the Bruins. Very tired of the Caps and Penguins at this point.

 

[PocketNines]

Yeah Panthers are the only team that must not win. They also have Marchment's kid. It's bad enough Manson's kid may win it.

I would be joyously surprised to get past round 2. Still able to imagine the world where the Blues are in the Final playing their A game, I'm worried about Tampa, Carolina, Florida, Toronto and Pittsburgh in descending order. If Toronto is in the Final they will be cast as a team of destiny, which is an insane amount of pressure, but I also think nobody's swallowing any whistles on the Leafs PP if they're in the Final for the first time in 55 years.

 

[Stealth JD]

Yeah Panthers are the only team that must not win. They also have Marchment's kid. It's bad enough Manson's kid may win it.

I would be joyously surprised to get past round 2. Still able to imagine the world where the Blues are in the Final playing their A game, I'm worried about Tampa, Carolina, Florida, Toronto and Pittsburgh in descending order. If Toronto is in the Final they will be cast as a team of destiny, which is an insane amount of pressure, but I also think nobody's swallowing any whistles on the Leafs PP if they're in the Final for the first time in 55 years.

Leafs v. Blues, the top-two PP-units in the league, would make for fantastic drama.

 

[Allens Five Hole]

The only team I do not want to win it all is Colorado. I don't really hate any other team in the playoffs including Minny.

Cannot stand the thought of Kroenke winning another championship, I don't care for Kadri particularly but several other players come across as not-so-likeable (Mack, Landeskog), and their fans and the media alike constantly fawn over them like they are the greatest team ever assembled. I'd really like to see them end up with 0 cups when Mack goes to FA and then it'll be interesting to see how they work that out because Makar is going to be paid like the best player in the league as well.

 

[PocketNines]

Leafs v. Blues, the top-two PP-units in the league, would make for fantastic drama.

LOL Bruins and Leafs fans would bond. Their other bond is anti-Montreal. This would force us to make a pact with Habs fans

 

[The Note]

The only team I do not want to win it all is Colorado. I don't really hate any other team in the playoffs including Minny.

Cannot stand the thought of Kroenke winning another championship, I don't care for Kadri particularly but several other players come across as not-so-likeable (Mack, Landeskog), and their fans and the media alike constantly fawn over them like they are the greatest team ever assembled. I'd really like to see them end up with 0 cups when Mack goes to FA and then it'll be interesting to see how they work that out because Makar is going to be paid like the best player in the league as well.

Makar is in the first year of a 6yr, $9 million deal. But yes, they have to capitalize on Mack making pennies on the dollar as that is their window.

 

[Allens Five Hole]

Makar is in the first year of a 6yr, $9 million deal. But yes, they have to capitalize on Mack making pennies on the dollar as that is their window.

That's right, totally forgot that they've already tied him down. Looks like highway robbery for the Avs again judging by Makar's trajectory so far.