2010 Playoffs

Deadlift

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The Blackhawks' are going to face the San Jose Sharks' in the Conference Finals. That should be interesting. This Chicago team really represents the youth movement taking place in the NHL:


Patrick Kane (age 21): http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=3735

Niklas Hjalmarsson (age 22): http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=3697

Kris Versteeg (turns 24 tomorrow): http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=3392


Troy Brouwer (age 24): http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=3394

Duncan Keith (age 26): http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=2306

Jonathan Toews (age 22): http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=3669

Brent Seabrook (age 25): http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=2389


Their drafting has been damn-near phenomenal!
 

Don Wassall

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I'm nervous as can be awaiting Game 7 of the Penguins-Canadians series in a few hours. Montreal just won't go away but I think the Penguins will prevail.
 

jaxvid

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Viva le Habs!!!!
 

Don Wassall

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Halak has been a far better goalie than Fleury, who allowed Montreal to score on its first shot in three different games. He's become the master of letting in soft goals. He's just not a topnotch goalie.


Malkin looked less than ordinary, a shell of the player who was the playoffs MVP last year. Crosby was stifled by Hal Gill. Cammaleri was incredible, and Gionta was almost as good.


The Penguins dominated play for most of the series, but the Canadians really came on the second half of Game 6, which seemed to sap the Penguins' confidence for Game 7.
Oh well, we'll get 'em next year.
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Edited by: Don Wassall
 

guest301

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I am amazed at what the 8th seed Canadians are accomplishing so far in taking out the #1 seed Capitals and the defending champions last night. I am hoping for a Sharks/Black Hawks Stanley Cup Finals because I think it would be the most entertaining off all the possible matchups left and I would root for the Sharks because Obama would likely discover that his hometown of Chicago has a professional hockey team and I am sure he would hop on the bandwagon and say he has always been a fan!
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Edited by: guest301
 

Don Wassall

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The Sharks and Black Hawks are in the same conference, so that won't be happening.
smiley2.gif
 

Deadlift

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guest301,

The reason Monreal was an 8th seed was because their star, Mike Cammalleri, missed 17 regular season games because of injury.

If that didn't occur, Montreal could have easily been a #5 or #6 seed.

Right now, I think they would be the favorite in their next series against Philly or Boston. They just look so smooth right now, and Halak has been beastly.
 

guest301

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Don Wassall said:
The Sharks and Black Hawks are in the same conference, so that won't be happening. 
smiley2.gif


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got me. I knew that as I have watched most of the NHL playoffs on Versus but got my playoff seedings all mixed up in my head today. So I guess I will pull for a Philly/Boston vs. Sharks Stanley Cup Final.I am glad to see Joe Thornton finally overcome alot of his playoff shortcomings and he is beginning to shake off the "choker" label that has been attached to him over the past half-dozen seasons.


Thanks deadlift and I agree that Montreal should be considered the favorite in the next series regardless of seeding.Edited by: guest301
 

Matra1

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Whether you like the Flyers or not (I see there are some Penguin fans around here!) you have to respect their accomplishment in being only the third team in NHL history to come back and win from 3-0 in a series. For the record the other two were the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942 against Detroit and the NY Islanders in 1975 against Pittsburgh.
 

Don Wassall

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Unless the Canadiens have yet another miracle left in them, it looks to be a Chicago-Philadelphia finals. An original six team that hasn't won the Cup in 49 years against a second six team that hasn't won it in 35 years. Should make for some great hockey.

And how about Duncan Keith of the Blackhawks? Has four teeth knocked out and is back on the ice in about 10 minutes.
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That's the definition of toughness, one that fits most hockey players. I wonder if there is a black athlete in any of the pro sports who would do the same. I know all about Willis Reed supposedly playing with a broken leg in a game 40 years ago, but the m.o. of black athletes has changed a lot since then, and not for the better.

Edited by: Don Wassall
 

guest301

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A big market Staney Cup Final like Chicago vs Philly should garner fairly decent ratings by NHL standards. I will certainly be watching it all the way though and I hope it goes seven games with a few double and triple overtimes to add to the excitement.
 

JReb1

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I'm pulling for Chicago because as a Lightning fan I hate Philly...
 

JReb1

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Go Chicago! It's been one of the better playoffs in recent memory and it couldn't happen at a better time since the Olympic ratings boost. It's nice to see new young, unheralded great White players so that there will be more superstars than just Crosby and Ovechkin.
 

Don Wassall

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Philly played well and put a ton of pressure on the Blackhawks in the second and third periods but Niemi was very very solid.

Chicago reminds me of the Penguins when they won their second Cup in '92, sweeping the Blackhawks in the Finals. They won shootouts and a 1-0 game. However the opposition wanted to play it, they would play just a little better. That said, I hope the Flyers can make it a 6 or 7 game series.
 

celticdb15

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Blackhawk fever is running wild here in SE Wisconsin! It's refreshing to see some white athletes going at and giving it their all! That break away goal in game 1 was awesome!
 

Realgeorge

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It's Saturday Night and the NHL Finals are tied at two games apiece. It's been a thrilling finals, with each game and each shift fought with tremendous desperation. The Flyers and the Hawks, fighting tooth and nail, and dead even. Bravo for the NHL!
 

Deadlift

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Congrats to Chicago! They broke the drought!

Hopefully, they will continue to draft/aquire the talent that got them to these heights.
 

JReb1

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I'm glad the Hawks won, congrats to them and also Philly!

Philly was a nice underdog story but I wanted the better team to win, plus as a Lightning fan I have a hard time rooting for Philly. I still can't believe how good Philly played in the post season when the played so poorly during the regular season and then getting lucky on the final day of the season just to make it in the post season.Edited by: JReb1
 
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