Bigger choke in the first round?

[landy]

Avs easily. To have this and still nearly win the series is unacceptable. The Avs shouldve swept this series with the potential they have. MacKinnon and Blackwood were the only one who showed up to play.

Landeskog - 1 goal
Toews - 1 goal
Necas - 1 goal
Makar - 1 EN goal
Nelson - 0 goals
Drouin - 0 goals

 

[JianYang]

How is anyone voting for Blues? Yea they blew the last game but Winnipeg deserved to win and Winnipeg was the favourite at home. They gave the Jets everything they had, and by that I mean Hellebuyck had serious money on them.

Thr blues were in as good form as any team heading into the playoffs, and anytime a team loses their top center and top d-man, while their top goalie continues his playoff demons, it's hard to qualify anyone as a favourite.

 

[JianYang]

It has to be St. Louis. How often does a team lose when leading by two goals with about two minutes left? How often does a team give up two five on six goals in one game?

I feel bad for the team and its fans because there would be nothing to criticize whatsoever about a Double OT Game Seven loss to the President's Trophy winning team if things had unfolded normally in that last game. But losing like that... ugh... that has to sting. It can't be fun at all.

It certainly stings but it's not like the blues killed themselves on those goals with their own mistakes.

The blues did however fumble a massive opportunity with the roster situation that the jets had to deal with.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I hate this choke talk. The Jets just played like heroes, I can't put my finger on any particular mistake that the Blues made.

We just saw two of the most memorable comebacks in playoff history and some people want to turn it into a negative story.

Why does it have to be a choke and not miracle play from the winning team? Why are you so negative? I just finished watching some of the greatest hockey in a long time, and now it's a choke?

Not every comeback is a choke by the other side. There is sometimes an incredible amount of luck involved. If the Jets dman doesn’t flub that first shot attempt, before getting it back and passing across the ice, Blues probably win

What a time to be alive, eh?

 

[JohanFranzenstein]

Avs easily to me. Up 2-0 with ~12 left in the game, to have your former star score a hat trick+assist on you. A historically monumental choke.

 

[WATTAGE4451]

It does, but I think something that plays into it is the Jets were just the better team to be entirely honest.

The Stars were without their best player in Heiskanen and their second best forward in Robertson down 2-0 with 12 minutes to go against a team that just looked outright superior.

The bigger choke from the jets series was still helly. He just got bailed out

 

[ToDavid]

The Avs choked on January 24th.

 

[LaCarriere]

It's poetic that Rantanen buried the Avs, and I don't like to create narratives, but it's hard to believe he wasn't playing with a chip on his shoulder.

That whole trade scenario was just completely odd. It's as if the Avs made the trade without checking in with either Rantanen or his agent,(Rantanen said hed take less to have stayed in a Colorado) Carolina made the trade without checking in with Rantanen or his agent on the possibility of a long term extension. They gave up to better player in Rantanen for a slightly more affordable necas who has a whopping one more year of control before he likely commands a big contract, especially with the way he played in Colorado.

The blues has to be the worst choke job though. Up by 2 with 2 mins to go..1.6 seconds left.they could have won 2-0, 2-1 or 3-2. Three chances to win that game.

 

[1specter]

I dunno, people are saying Avs but honestly I think St.Louis was worse, what their position was in the standings shouldn't factor into this. The Avs ran into penalty trouble and Dallas is a dangerous team and a Cup contender that has had their number, 10+ minutes is still plenty of time to come back from 2-0.

In the case of the Blues, they had the Jets dead to rights, had controlled most of the game and the Jets looked pretty lifeless for a lot of it, plus were playing hobbled with only 5 d-men after Morrissey left the game. With two minutes left, they should've been able to lock it down.

 

[Oilslick941611]

I dunno, people are saying Avs but honestly I think St.Louis was worse, what their position was in the standings shouldn't factor into this. The Avs ran into penalty trouble and Dallas is a dangerous team and a Cup contender that has had their number, 10+ minutes is still plenty of time to come back from 2-0.

In the case of the Blues, they had the Jets dead to rights, had controlled most of the game and the Jets looked pretty lifeless for a lot of it, plus were playing hobbled with only 5 d-men after Morrissey left the game. With two minutes left, they should've been able to lock it down.

but it does. This was a wildcard 2 team vs the presidents trophy winner, it should never have gotten to game 7. The jets still have questions, despite a great comeback in the 3rd period. like lets be "reality" here. It was hard work AND luck that the jets scored with 1.6 seconds left. They simply by nature of standings should never have been in that situation. So im not giving them much kudos. Maybe after the second round and some good performances you can feel comfortable, but with the way they won and the goaltending they got in the series ( helle pulled 3 times) if im a jets fan, im not feeling really comfortable going into round 2.

Also giving up 2 goals is hardly choking. i can't believe I'm defending the blues here. I've not liked them since the Doug weight days.

 

[CupofOil]

Blues without question. 2 goal lead with under a minute left, one of the biggest chokes in league history tbh considering the enormity of the game right up there with the Leafs choke against the Bruins Game 7 some years back (2013?) and, ugh, the Oilers against the Ducks in 2017. Oh and of course the Bruins against the Flyers in 2010, the mother of all chokes.

How are the Kings even a choice? I don't know, I think a Game 7 choke is much more egregious than a Game 4 choke. Game 3 wasn't a choke by L.A., the Oilers tied it up not that late in the 3rd on a conventional crease battle goal then the coach made a dumb challenge after it was tied, not even close to the Avs and Blues in chokedom.

 

[Oilslick941611]

I hate this choke talk. The Jets just played like heroes, I can't put my finger on any particular mistake that the Blues made.

We just saw two of the most memorable comebacks in playoff history and some people want to turn it into a negative story.

no, the nature of it going to 7 is the jets choke. Presidents trophy winner vs a wild card 2 team. This should have been over in 5 or 6 if Helle shows up at all. Also waiting for the 3rd period to wake up doesn't scream hero to me, im an oiler fan and he won that way too, heros play a full 60.

 

[Oilslick941611]

I voted Kings, only because their choke was long and drawn out.

and brought on by not only the players but the coach and GM. It did feel like slow motion didn't it? up 2-0 in the series and then get reverse swept, thats pretty awful.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

Blues on the ice, but Avs optically

 

[1specter]

but it does. This was a wildcard 2 team vs the presidents trophy winner, it should never have gotten to game 7. The jets still have questions, despite a great comeback in the 3rd period. like lets be "reality" here. It was hard work AND luck that the jets scored with 1.6 seconds left. They simply by nature of standings should never have been in that situation. So im not giving them much kudos. Maybe after the second round and some good performances you can feel comfortable, but with the way they won and the goaltending they got in the series ( helle pulled 3 times) if im a jets fan, im not feeling really comfortable going into round 2.

Also giving up 2 goals is hardly choking. i can't believe I'm defending the blues here. I've not liked them since the Doug weight days.

I think the Jets are frauds and have maintained this all season long, so you don't need to convince me that they still have questions around them. I am just talking about the individual choke jobs in isolation - end of the day St.Louis was up 2 goals with only two minutes left in a game 7 they had pretty much controlled comfortably up until then. A choke is a choke. The Blues were also one of the hottest teams going into the playoffs and had the best record in the final 30 games of the season or something like that if I'm not mistaken, they had peaked at the perfect time.

With Colorado / Dallas, it was always a pick 'em series as both are Western juggernauts that have had many duels in previous years. You say giving up 2 goals is hardly choking, well what did Colorado do then? Lol.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Up two in the third period of G7 and they let their former player destroy them.

That’s arguably worse than what the Kings did.

no, thats just poetic justice, not a choke. Blowing a 2 goal lead isn't choking. It happens all the time. almost every night during the regular season. its not special. The circumstances around the avs blowing the 2 goal lead is novel and hilarious,but it doesn't rise to a choke. The kings choked, a full on choke, the jets were 1.6 seconds away from a major choke as well. so the answer is the Kings.

 

[Oilslick941611]

I think the Jets are frauds and have maintained this all season long, so you don't need to convince me that they still have questions around them. I am just talking about the individual choke jobs in isolation - end of the day St.Louis was up 2 goals with only two minutes left in a game 7 they had pretty much controlled comfortably up until then. A choke is a choke. The Blues were also one of the hottest teams going into the playoffs and had the best record in the final 30 games of the season or something like that if I'm not mistaken, they had peaked at the perfect time.

With Colorado / Dallas, it was always a pick 'em series as both are Western juggernauts that have had many duels in previous years. You say giving up 2 goals is hardly choking, well what did Colorado do then? Lol.

blowing a 2 goal lead happens almost every day during the season, its not special, its common.

I just posted above about how i feel about the avs, it was poetic justice with hilarious circumstances, not a choke, Its rudy without the football, but not a choke.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Overall it’s Colorado. A stacked team playing Dallas without Heiskanen and Robertson. But St. Louis giving up two goals with the Jets’ goalie pulled in a game 7 is something you see once in a generation.

 

[CupofOil]

no, thats just poetic justice, not a choke. Blowing a 2 goal lead isn't choking. It happens all the time. almost every night during the regular season. its not special. The circumstances around the avs blowing the 2 goal lead is novel and hilarious,but it doesn't rise to a choke. The kings choked, a full on choke, the jets were 1.6 seconds away from a major choke as well. so the answer is the Kings.

Blowing a 2 goal lead with under a minute hardly ever happens. All the time? What?
It did also happen in the Kings-Oilers series but that wasn't a Game 7. Circumstance matters.

The Kings choke wasn't even close. Game 4 was a choke but that's nothing compared to choking in a Game 7.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Kudos to OP, the poll results and discussion show that this was a great conversation starter. What a first round.

 

[M2Beezy]

There were a few.

Great thread. These 4 are some epic level chokes, maybe the Tampa one slightly less than the others. Have there been ANY chokes the last few years close to the the ones youve polled??

As a neutral fan of the game I loved some of these chokes, thought they were hugely entertaining

 

[majormajor]

no, the nature of it going to 7 is the jets choke. Presidents trophy winner vs a wild card 2 team. This should have been over in 5 or 6 if Helle shows up at all. Also waiting for the 3rd period to wake up doesn't scream hero to me, im an oiler fan and he won that way too, heros play a full 60.

There's no room for a heroic comeback in that type of analysis. Somebody is always choking it away, on one side or another. I'm not interested in your world.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Blowing a 2 goal lead with under a minute hardly ever happens. All the time? What?
It did also happen in the Kings-Oilers series but that wasn't a Game 7. Circumstance matters.

The Kings choke wasn't even close. Game 4 was a choke but that's nothing compared to choking in a Game 7.

teams blow a 2 goal lead all the time. Its not a choke, im sorry, its just not. The jets were also 1.6 seconds away from losing the game. Lets not act like they won 6-0.

 

[Oilslick941611]

There's no room for a heroic comeback in that type of analysis. Somebody is always choking it away, on one side or another. I'm not interested in your world.

there is no heroic comeback for a president trophy winning team against a wildcard 2 team. Its an expected result for them to win. There is no world in which the blues losing that series comes anywhere close to choke territory.

 

[BLNY]

1.6 seconds is just tough. No Scheifle or Morrisey. 3-1 lead with 2 mins left and they blew it. That's a top tier choke job.

That's my take too.

It's not about the next round. It's about round one. Who seemed to have it more in the bag only for it to get away. For me, it's the Blues.