Around the NHL XII: Conference Finals Edition!

[Holocene]

I don't see how what Tundra is saying is so bad. Just sounds like discussion and opinion to me

Yeah, it's not bad people are overreacting because he's a Devils fan pretty much. Time to stop complaining about people picking the Kings or Hawks over us to win the cup. They are the last 2 cup winners and quite possibly the two best teams in the NHL. Doesn't mean we can't beat them. But let's stop victimizing ourselves.

 

[broadwayblue]

Yeah, it's not bad people are overreacting because he's a Devils fan pretty much. Time to stop complaining about people picking the Kings or Hawks over us to win the cup. They are the last 2 cup winners and quite possibly the two best teams in the NHL. Doesn't mean we can't beat them. But let's stop victimizing ourselves.

Point is they can discuss it on their own board. We aren't welcome on their boards so why should we deal with them debating us on ours?

 

[Holocene]

And really I don't think it's so much that "west is best" as it is "Hawks and Kings are both REALLY good at hockey and happen to be in the West" Have the Blues, Sharks or Ducks really proven they're not paper tigers just like the Penguins? Blues have no top end elite forwards and Miller was awful, Ducks defense and goaltending was about on par with Philly TBH and the Sharks have some serious mental hurdles to get over (Haha, hurdles... Hertl... Who's laughing now, punk?)

I suppose you can make the argument that they'd do better in the East but look at Boston... Year after their cup win they were eliminated by the freaking Caps, last year they were great and this year they go out to the Habs. A lot of the Western teams play playoff hockey all year round just like the Bruins. A lot of the Eastern teams rely on just elite offensive weapons. The depth isn't the same from East to West but JFC containing Crosby and Malkin is no easy task. I'm not sure another team in the East other than the Bruins has the defensive depth to contain BOTH Crosby and Malkin. NYR are superb at shutting down elite talent and rendering them useless and that is why we are in the finals.

 

[Zil]

Didn't the Rangers just set a record for being the first team to go through two 7 game series to reach the ECF?
Is this a new record that the Kings are setting in going into their third 7 game series.

The Rangers became the first team to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals after going to a game 7 in each of the first two rounds. The Kings going to a third game 7 is not a record. The Leafs played three of them in 93 (obviously losing the third).

Also, the Bruins played three of them in four rounds in 2011 (sweeping the Flyers in round 2). There may have been other cases of this as well. I haven't checked.

 

[Inferno]

And really I don't think it's so much that "west is best" as it is "Hawks and Kings are both REALLY good at hockey and happen to be in the West" Have the Blues, Sharks or Ducks really proven they're not paper tigers just like the Penguins? Blues have no top end elite forwards and Miller was awful, Ducks defense and goaltending was about on par with Philly TBH and the Sharks have some serious mental hurdles to get over (Haha, hurdles... Hertl... Who's laughing now, punk?)

I suppose you can make the argument that they'd do better in the East but look at Boston... Year after their cup win they were eliminated by the freaking Caps, last year they were great and this year they go out to the Habs. A lot of the Western teams play playoff hockey all year round just like the Bruins. A lot of the Eastern teams rely on just elite offensive weapons. The depth isn't the same from East to West but JFC containing Crosby and Malkin is no easy task. I'm not sure another team in the East other than the Bruins has the defensive depth to contain BOTH Crosby and Malkin. NYR are superb at shutting down elite talent and rendering them useless and that is why we are in the finals.

the playoffs are such a crapshoot in all series. luck & health play such a huge role in it, and both of those aren't things that can be controlled.

 

[Raspewtin]

Point is they can discuss it on their own board. We aren't welcome on their boards so why should we deal with them debating us on ours?

Who gives a ****?

He's not hurting anyone and he has pretty smart insight. Just let it be.

 

[Nickmo82]

bit of a stinker from Quick last night. Love how all the kings fan get on Crawford's back though, no matter the score. Stupid.

If Chicago win game 7 they'll be flying. If the Kings win game 7, they'll have stumbled over the line.

 

[Blueshirt Believer]

bit of a stinker from Quick last night. Love how all the kings fan get on Crawford's back though, no matter the score. Stupid.

If Chicago win game 7 they'll be flying. If the Kings win game 7, they'll have stumbled over the line.

Yeah, King's fans are a strange bunch. They come off as extremely arrogant and I'm not exactly sure why. Chicago fans can be overconfident at times; but I never could categorize them as arrogant.

 

[DutchShamrock]

I don't really see the point of stereotyping each team into one not two basic systems and predicting how it will play out. Montreal was supposed to beat is with speed, that's all you need to know about pregame analysis.

No one will have a handle on the path of the series until game 2. McDonagh could shut down Kane and Lundqvist is the great equalizer. Our speed could expose a hawks team that is playing deep into the season like 4 straight years, during an olympiad. Or we could get over powered by 4 lines.

No one knew Moore would be an offensive contributor. It will be much closer than anyone realizes.

We need mike ditka to pick us and have everyone laugh at him.

 

[GordonGecko]

Either way AV is probably pulling all nighters picking apart both teams on video. I have 100% confidence in him finding the right game plan and the team executing.

 

[Tundra]

I don't really see the point of stereotyping each team into one not two basic systems and predicting how it will play out. Montreal was supposed to beat is with speed, that's all you need to know about pregame analysis.

No one will have a handle on the path of the series until game 2. McDonagh could shut down Kane and Lundqvist is the great equalizer. Our speed could expose a hawks team that is playing deep into the season like 4 straight years, during an olympiad. Or we could get over powered by 4 lines.

No one knew Moore would be an offensive contributor. It will be much closer than anyone realizes.

We need mike ditka to pick us and have everyone laugh at him.

which was a ridiculous assessment because the rangers were collectively quicker and Montreal is tiny with their collection of smurfs (Gallagher, Desharnais, Gionta, Breire). Montreal was not going to sustain zone time against your defense with that cast. No way. You probably beat them with Price.

 

[TheTakedown]

In terms of a torrid pace, the ECF appeared slow and sloppy in comparison. Those are arguably the two top teams in the entire NHL. You could make a valid argument that the East only has 3 (rangers, bruins, pens) of the top ten teams in the NHL. It's been down for the last two years.

Game 1, 2, and 6 were NOT slow games. Rangers took their speed to the Canadiens like white on rice... MTL clearly couldn't handle it. MTL won 2 games largely because of their low tactics and wreckless play, that of which was finally under control in games 5 and 6 (embellishment calls, lack of penalties from dives, Therrien finally shutting the **** up).

 

[TheTakedown]

Either way AV is probably pulling all nighters picking apart both teams on video. I have 100% confidence in him finding the right game plan and the team executing.

you bet like hell he is... He wants a cup. he was one game away whole Luongo **** the bed... Hank is worlds better, this defense is clutch. He's going all in!

Good to have a coach with a ****ing brain for offense. I loved Torts, but seriously, AV is worlds over him

Speaking of which, Torts should be hired by the Panthers... They need to learn defense. Ekblad might love him :p

 

[DutchShamrock]

which was a ridiculous assessment because the rangers were collectively quicker and Montreal is tiny with their collection of smurfs (Gallagher, Desharnais, Gionta, Breire). Montreal was not going to sustain zone time against your defense with that cast. No way. You probably beat them with Price.

well we're not a monstrous team either. But their D was absurdly slow, especially Emelin who was counted on to be a gamer. Montreal eventually tried to combat our speed by trapping in the neutral zone, which I feel contributed to the AHL pace later in the series.

And while we're on it, people take exception with your thinly veiled derogatory comments like "AHL pace" or whatever it was exactly. Since we had an issue with being the only team having to go back to back, all of our wins have been marginalized and qualified. Mason was hurt and philly sucks. Pitt sucks, Crosby was probably hurt and the flower is a joke. Price got hurt and they had to go 7 games with Boston... they go 7 games and its an excuse but we have two back to backs and its our fault for not winning in 6. We dig the 3-1 hole with Pitt after playing 6 in 9 nights!!! We are 7-2 since with the normal rest. But I digress. Point is, we get shredded on the main board. If you want to say the game looked slow, say the game was slow, and hold off on the ahl label.

 

[Tundra]

well we're not a monstrous team either. But their D was absurdly slow, especially Emelin who was counted on to be a gamer. Montreal eventually tried to combat our speed by trapping in the neutral zone, which I feel contributed to the AHL pace later in the series.

And while we're on it, people take exception with your thinly veiled derogatory comments like "AHL pace" or whatever it was exactly. Since we had an issue with being the only team having to go back to back, all of our wins have been marginalized and qualified. Mason was hurt and philly sucks. Pitt sucks, Crosby was probably hurt and the flower is a joke. Price got hurt and they had to go 7 games with Boston... they go 7 games and its an excuse but we have two back to backs and its our fault for not winning in 6. We dig the 3-1 hole with Pitt after playing 6 in 9 nights!!! We are 7-2 since with the normal rest. But I digress. Point is, we get shredded on the main board. If you want to say the game looked slow, say the game was slow, and hold off on the ahl label.

I thought the pace was slow in comparison to the Western series, which was being played at a breakneck speed at times. The OT in game 5 especially. Like I said, the East was piss poor this season (devils included). The only team that rangers really surprised me beating was the pens and that was largely because of Lundqvist stealing game 7, where he was excellent. I'm not surprised that they disposed of Philadelphia nor Montreal since the NYR were deeper.

 

[Bullseyes]

you bet like hell he is... He wants a cup. he was one game away whole Luongo **** the bed... Hank is worlds better, this defense is clutch. He's going all in!

Good to have a coach with a ****ing brain for offense. I loved Torts, but seriously, AV is worlds over him

Speaking of which, Torts should be hired by the Panthers... They need to learn defense. Ekblad might love him :p

I wouldn't blame Luongo for Vancouver's loss.

 

[AdamGravesNight]

From the three games I've watched in this Kings/Hawks series, I don't see how anyone is just giving them the cup already. I enjoy being the underdog in the minds of the public because the public don't know JACK.

Also, I just muted that Devils fan. No time for that.

 

[haohmaru]

I thought the pace was slow in comparison to the Western series, which was being played at a breakneck speed at times. The OT in game 5 especially. Like I said, the East was piss poor this season (devils included). The only team that rangers really surprised me beating was the pens and that was largely because of Lundqvist stealing game 7, where he was excellent. I'm not surprised that they disposed of Philadelphia nor Montreal since the NYR were deeper.

The defense in that series has been pretty crappy and the goaltending average. I'm not afraid of LA or the Hawks. We've got to beat SOMEBODY substantial to win the Cup.

Besides, this is coming off like a Devil's fan eating sour grapes. We beat "piss poor" Eastern teams and are magically in the Finals. BS. Anyone that gets there DESERVES to be there. Whether it's this year's NYR or the 2011-12 NJD.

 

[Tundra]

The defense in that series has been pretty crappy and the goaltending average. I'm not afraid of LA or the Hawks. We've got to beat SOMEBODY substantial to win the Cup.

Besides, this is coming off like a Devil's fan eating sour grapes. We beat "piss poor" Eastern teams and are magically in the Finals. BS. Anyone that gets there DESERVES to be there. Whether it's this year's NYR or the 2011-12 NJD.

The pens are a legitimate top 10 team that the rangers beat. And I am quite aware that the rangers cannot select who they play. But the West is just impressive when you examine their collective resume.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

The Canadiens are a very good team, particularly defensively. Therrien is an ass, but he can coach a defensive structure. They are just as good as LA defensively, although Chicago is a little better. LA's defense is overrated, and Quick hasn't been UNBEATABLE.

 

[aufheben]

Quick's SV% is like .20 lower than Hank's lol

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Also should note that the Kings have played pretty ****** goaltending throughout the playoffs. San Jose had goaltending problems, Anaheim had a goalie nightmare, and Crawford, while a very solid goalie, is far from unbeatable.

Would be the best goaltending either (Rangers/Kings) team has seen so far in the playoffs.

 

[trilobyte]

The pens are a legitimate top 10 team that the rangers beat. And I am quite aware that the rangers cannot select who they play. But the West is just impressive when you examine their collective resume.

No reason to talk about 'The West's collective resume. The Blackhawks and the Kings are where the questions and observations lie.
Neither team is without their faults, and both have very good qualities and strengths.

 

[broadwayblue]

Quick's SV% is like .20 lower than Hank's lol

.22 to be exact. That's ~ the difference between giving up 2.4 G per 33 shots (Hank's .928) vs. 3.1 G per 33 shots (Quick's .906).

 

[darko]

The question was are the Rangers playing better than either Chicago or LA, and the answer remains no.

Montreal was a fluke. Any Rangers fan who thinks the Rangers will control long stretches of games against either Chicago or LA like they did against Montreal is friggin high on crack.

That doesn't mean the Rangers don't have a chance. It means that two perennial dominant teams beating each other up in a 7-game CF will reveal weaknesses, and the Rangers will have a tough time beating either team.

If by a fluke you mean completely outplayed then yes you'd be correct.