Random thoughts on the first round

Blitzkrieg · Post by **Blitzkrieg** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:04 am

So the Wings/Flames series got a little bit ugly. At least, that's what everyone who didn't watch all of the games will remember. The truth is that the Flames are a proud team and let their emotions get away with them, also that their coach is a worthless bag of shit with little or no concept of sportsmanship. Nobody got hurt, but that was really just luck. In the end, the Wings out-hit and out-skated the Flames, exposing them as a being the road dogs they were all season.

When will Marty Turco win a playoff round? If the dude didn't play for U of M I would feel bad for him. Maybe the Stars should've drafted Chad Alban.

I heard that Lemaire refused to shake hands after being ousted by Anaheim in what was a one sided series. That's just not right. Maybe it's okay if you're the winning coach, but when you're the loser it comes off as being sour grapes. Or you're just being a pussy because you lost. Who is Lemaire kidding when he acts bitter about another teams goon injuring one of his guys?

Seriously, who thought Pittsburgh would advance past the first round? Then again, I gave New York no chance whatsoever.

The Sharks are deep, speedy team, but I can't name one of their defenseman. Also, Bill Guerin? He's waaaay overrated.

My picks for the second round:

Buffalo in 5

Ottawa in 6

Detroit in 5

Anaheim in 4

Laxplayer · Post by **Laxplayer** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:21 pm

Don't be so sure about that Buffalo pick. If memory serves me correctly they went to OT a bunch of times vs. the Rangers in the regular season and the Rangers are a much different team now. I'll take the Blueshirts in 6.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:56 pm

Laxplayer wrote:Don't be so sure about that Buffalo pick. If memory serves me correctly they went to OT a bunch of times vs. the Rangers in the regular season and the Rangers are a much different team now. I'll take the Blueshirts in 6.

3 of the 4 games went into overtime. All 4 games were played by December 1.

The Rangers have arguably been the best team in the league since late February. Lundqvist has to keep up his stellar play for them to advance. Buffalo should be a great test for them. I agree with the Rangers in 6 pick.

SoCalTrjn · Post by **SoCalTrjn** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:14 pm

sportsmanship stops when youre playing for money or championships

NjSooner · Post by **NjSooner** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:20 pm

SoCalTrjn wrote:sportsmanship stops when youre playing for money or championships

If your kid gets benched in a peewee game, are you gonna beat the shit out of the coach?

Blitzkrieg · Post by **Blitzkrieg** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:27 am

Laxplayer wrote:Don't be so sure about that Buffalo pick. If memory serves me correctly they went to OT a bunch of times vs. the Rangers in the regular season and the Rangers are a much different team now. I'll take the Blueshirts in 6.

http://www.buffalonews.com/101/story/60585.html

Mayor Bloomberg doesn't share your optimism.

The face-off between the hockey clubs from New York State’s No. 1 and No. 2 cities set the stage Monday for a possible friendly wager between Mayors Byron W. Brown of Buffalo and Michael R. Bloomberg of New York City. But when Brown’s office called to set one up, Bloomberg’s office declined. “I hope Mayor Bloomberg’s reluctance to wage a bet is not a sign of his lack of confidence in the Rangers’ chances against the Sabres,” Brown said.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:46 pm

I thought those kind of bets were only reserved for when you're playing for the Championship of the league, not the State.

Laxplayer · Post by **Laxplayer** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:38 pm

Well since Buffalo doesn't know how to win a championship they'd settle for something in an earlier round.

Blitzkrieg · Post by **Blitzkrieg** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:54 pm

Since the Rangers average a championship once every 60+ years, I'm not sure I would take that bet either.

Laxplayer · Post by **Laxplayer** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:05 pm

1940, 1994...they've got two in the last 67 years so your math is a little off.
Does Buffalo have any championships? :pickle:

Didn't think so.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:09 pm

Actually, the Rangers average a Cup win about every 20 years or so, since they have won 4 Cups. Still not much to brag about though.

Blitzkrieg · Post by **Blitzkrieg** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 7:40 pm

I was told there would be no math.

Screw_Michigan · Post by **Screw_Michigan** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:12 pm

Blitzkrieg wrote:When will Marty Turco win a playoff round? If the dude didn't play for U of M I would feel bad for him. Maybe the Stars should've drafted Chad Alban.

that's what i've been saying ALL THESE FUCKING YEARS!!!!! alban did end up playing for kalamazoo of the uhl after the I folded, but it was never the same. turco was on the highway to the show and alban, well, everyone just thought he was the product of a ron mason-designed defense.

marty turco is as big as a dog as it gets. so he finally sacks up and has a decent playoff series? nice, look where it got them. hope marty enjoys his annual may trip to the fucking links, what a fucking asshole.

Blitzkrieg · Post by **Blitzkrieg** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 3:28 am

"Experts"?

Not one of the ESPN "experts" took the Wings.

Wings in 5.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 11:53 am

Although they lost last night, I thought they dominated that game. Take away 30 seconds in the first period and it was pretty much like Game 1, 2 or 5 of the Flames series...sans goals of course. Nabokov played well and the Sharks were stingy in allowing multiple scoring chances near the net. Overall, the Wings tilted the ice in their favor for the better part of the second and third. Pretty much after Babs called the timeout after the Sharks went up 2-0, it was the Wings' game but they could convert on the power play or deposit anything by Nabokov in even strength.

The Wings looked like the quicker team...almost looked like the Sharks were satisfied with the 2-0 and were willing to take a barrage from Detroit for 50 minutes and hope to come out ahead. They didn't mount much of a counter-attack although a couple of their scoring chances had me gripping because Dom isn't nearly as good when he faces only 15-20 shots in a game.

I'll be there for Game 2 on Saturday...I expect the Wings to continue pelting the Sharks net with shots. Hopefully, they can sneak a few by Nabokov this time. Last night was the first time they trailed in a game at home in the playoffs, trailed by more a goal in the playoffs and they didn't trail the Flames at any point in their series either. I would hope for a better effort although in the three losses they've had in the playoffs, I don't think they were outplayed in any of them.

Smoked Meat · Post by **Smoked Meat** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 12:03 pm

Shoalzie, I've noticed you usually update your sig logo alot quicker when the Wings win. ;)

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 12:34 pm

What ever do you mean?

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:49 pm

Nice to see the league office is certainly on Buffalo's side.

AcidQueen · Post by **AcidQueen** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 1:14 am

Don't even get me started, mang. The last thing I want to see is those thuggish morons in Buffablow with a Cup.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:01 am

It's a good thing the Rangers won today. It's a shame that whomever made that ruling today won't be punished. Buffalo has certainly benefited from the video replay in the first 2 rounds so far. They got a couple of call their way against the Islanders.

Laxplayer · Post by **Laxplayer** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:25 am

Not to mention the penalty discrepancy in this series. Every time I turned around the Sabres were on the power play. Unreal. However today's game reminded me why I love playoff hockey so much.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:28 am

They made some bad calls on penalties, but the one Buffalo scored their goal on was a good call. There was no reason for Shanahan to croos check the guy while he was already down.

The Rangers have done a very good job taking Buffalo out of their game. Those mistakes were too costly in Game 2, otherwise they would be ahead in the series right now.

Screw_Michigan · Post by **Screw_Michigan** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:32 am

well, i guess cross off the following from my "things i never thought i'd see" list:

sean fucking avery playing MEANINGFUL and PRODUCTIVE minutes in the postseason.

not a ranjerks fan but i think i'll throw in my 94 stanley cup champs vhs (did they ever copy that to dvd?) just so i can hear mahv and watch the blueshirts hit four or five posts in game 1 of the 94 finals. TING!

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 12:21 pm

Screw_Michigan wrote:well, i guess cross off the following from my "things i never thought i'd see" list:

sean fucking avery playing MEANINGFUL and PRODUCTIVE minutes in the postseason.

not a ranjerks fan but i think i'll throw in my 94 stanley cup champs vhs (did they ever copy that to dvd?) just so i can hear mahv and watch the blueshirts hit four or five posts in game 1 of the 94 finals. TING!

Avery was all over the place yesterday after being pretty invisible the first 2 games. He had some great scoring chances.

I think the DVD is in the set they now have available, which has every game of the Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals in their entirety.

al? · Post by **al?** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:03 pm

MuchoBulls wrote:Nice to see the league office is certainly on Buffalo's side.

One of the worst officiated games in recent memory. There would've been a riot in MSG had the Sabres stolen that one, and rightfully so.

Screw_Michigan · Post by **Screw_Michigan** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 9:49 pm

nice, i'd love to see game 6 and game 7 of the 94 ECF in their entirety. two epic, epic games.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Tue May 01, 2007 2:22 am

I remember those games quite well and I cannot believe how tense I was watching them. The playoffs, especially a 2OT game 7 is just so gut wrenching when you're watching your team.

Laxplayer · Post by **Laxplayer** » Tue May 01, 2007 4:00 am

Matteau, matteau, matteau........

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Tue May 01, 2007 1:24 pm

Screw_Michigan wrote:nice, i'd love to see game 6 and game 7 of the 94 ECF in their entirety. two epic, epic games.

I was so mad I couldn't watch those games...I was staying up at a friend's cabin for the weekend with a bunch of other friends. The only channels they could get on the TV up there were whatever they could get on the rabbit ears. All I could see was scrambled highlights on the local news. '94 was a really good year with the NHL...the Rangers winning the Cup definitely helped that.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Wed May 02, 2007 3:24 am

Rangers get a call back from Toronto tonight. It's been a great series so far. I hope the Rangers can find a way to win in Buffalo. They have played so well the last 3 games.

Screw_Michigan · Post by **Screw_Michigan** » Wed May 02, 2007 4:03 am

i'm sure if you a ranjerks fan, you remember Game 6 and Game 7 of the 94 ECS like it was yesterday. although i'm not a rangers fan, i as well remember those games like they were yesterday because it was one of my inspirations to love hockey and pick up the game.

at 12 years old at the time, i was still in baseball full time mode because pops didn't play hockey. i had a friend on the team who did play hockey, and although the 93 finals was when hockey first caught my interest, i had to ask him about the 94 playoff and who he thought would win. he said immediately "the rangers, they're unstoppable this year."

skip forward a couple rounds when the rangers breeze past the islanders and the crapitals. the storyline was there: the holland tunnel rivalry with an up and coming brodeur playing incredibly in the playoffs as a rookie. the entire series was hard fought and tough, the first five games don't really stick out. but i do remember how the devils were up 3-2 and going into Game 6, my pops is sitting on the couch and mentions how messier guaranteed the rangers would win thie game. i wasn't completely aware of the god-like status of messier yet, and at 12 years old, anytime anyone guarantees a game, you think it's cool.

i made sure to watch the game that night and watch messier score the fucking hat trick. i couldn't believe it. to force a game 7 at the garden.

and we all know about game 7. i fell asleep at one point only to wake up in the beginning of overtime. WTF, i thought, they are still playing? DAMN RIGHT, this is the stanley cup playoffs. and then the call we'll never forget (cue laxplayer). and i still don't understand how matteau got that inbetween the post and brodeur's leg. holy shit.

i ended up getting the 94 rangers video from SI after a trial run in 95 and i still watch it once or twice a year. 94 to me was the last glory year of hockey. guys were still somewhat skinny and the game was still very fluid. not to mention dudes were still kicking the shit out of each other at every turn. then the fucking devils win it in 95 and make the neutral zone trap the curse of the league. if hockey could have taken the magic of 94 and extended it for another 10 years, we'd have forgotten about the NBA and hockey would still be in the minds of american fans.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Wed May 02, 2007 6:04 am

When I think about it more, '94 wasn't entirely a great year for me with hockey. The Sharks ousted the Wings that year in first round...Bowman's first season behind the bench. Jamie fuckin' Baker! :x

Smoked Meat · Post by **Smoked Meat** » Wed May 02, 2007 12:19 pm

MuchoBulls wrote:Nice to see the league office is certainly on Buffalo's side.

Yes that's right Ranger fan, the league is

certainly

on

Buffalo's

side

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Wed May 02, 2007 12:49 pm

Look up a couple of posts to where I said that the Rangers got a call back from the league office. Buffalo has still gotten 4 favorable calls from video replay over the first 2 rounds (2 in each series).

If not for the boneheaded plays by Malik and Rachunek in game 2 the Rangers would be up 3-1 right now. They have outplayed the Sabres that much the last 3 games.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Wed May 02, 2007 1:41 pm

I've got to tip my cap to Shanny after he took so much heat from WingFan after last year's early exit with his two point performance against the Oilers. He's got 5 goals in 8 games with 2 GWG. He and Datsyuk were fall guys for last year's first round loss. It's nice to see Shanny land on his feet in NYC and play well in the postseason and for Datsyuk to be the leading goal scorer for the Wings so far in the playoffs this year.

As for the disputed goal, whether or not the Sabres have been getting calls in their favor early in the series...it really shouldn't be a matter of evening out the calls when it comes to whether or not goal is a goal or not. Makeup calls with penalties is fairly harmless but when it comes goals, there should be no gray area. You can complain about ticky-tack penalties but the bottom line is that you can kill them off. Taking goals off the board that were earned is something the league shouldn't mess around with. They need to continue fine tuning instant replay and the entire review process for goals because this isn't the first bad call on a goal and it won't be the last for sure.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Wed May 02, 2007 1:57 pm

I agree about the video replay. The angle that the league office had to work with last night wasn't the best, but they made the correct call based on what they had to look at. Had the camera been placed a bit more direct over the crossbar I am sure you would have seen that Briere's shot had fully crossed the line at some point.

I think Shanny has done a world of good with his leadership and that has been evident in these playoffs. The Rangers look like a totally different team than they did last season.

See You Next Wednesday · Wed May 02, 2007 9:17 pm

There is no way to claim the Rangers have outplayed the Sabres in this series. It has been pretty even throughout. ANd the video judge made the right call, although I thkn it did go in they couldn't change the on-ice call with the video replay, which had to be about the closest replay I have ever seen.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Thu May 03, 2007 2:27 pm

Actually, there is a way to claim the Rangers have outplayed the Sabres so far. Buffalo is a team that uses it's speed to it's advantage. They love to skate through the neutral zone and carry the puck deep to set up their plays. The Rangers have taken the away for the better part of the last 3 games. Buffalo has resorted to dumping the puck, or shooting it right from the blue line, which just plays to the Rangers' favor. In game 1, Buffalo was cruising through the neutral zone and backing the Rangers D deep. That has not happened much the last 3 games. The Rangers have also limited their turnovers, which is another thing that Buffalo feeds off of. Buffalo is off their game, which has a great deal to do with the gameplan the Rangers are using.

Another thing that seems to be hapening is that the pyhsical game is beginning to wear on Buffalo.

T1B

Random thoughts on the first round

Random thoughts on the first round

Re: Random thoughts on the first round