Pens ended the season with a whimper losing something like 5 out of 6. Less than a minute into their first playoff match against the Rangers and they've already conceded a soft goal. Fleury with a bad rebound and no one on Pittsburgh's defence picks up Brassard who scores.
2014-2015 NHL Season and 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs
- Thread starter Fortitud3
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I rank Lunqvist higher than Richter, though I can understand why NYR fans consider Richter a legend. I was cheering for the Rangers in the famous '94 playoffs and it used to drive me crazy how often teams would score against Richter because he was too far out of his crease. Didn't matter in the end though.
I was watching a preview of the Penguins-Rangers series last night. The analyst said that in the past the onus was on Marc-Andre Fleury not to lose them a game. This year the onus is on him to steal them a game!
Average American
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Sitting here watchin' the 3rd period of Game 2, starting to get good.
A good storyline from the first week of the playoffs, Blackhawks backup keeper Scott Darling. Came in during game 1, Hawks down 3-0.. proceeded to block all 42 shots he faced, and helped secure Chicago's comeback win. It was an incredible performance, and earned Darling a game 3 start back at home.
The Penguins played a complete game and beat the Rangers in Game 2 in NYC to even the series. Most fans had written them off as losing in 4 or 5 games -- and they may yet lose in 5 -- but they showed grit, heart and offense tonight, three things sorely missing the last two-thirds of the regular season. Let's go Pens!
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Average American
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Yeah, I wasn't expecting much out of Pittsburgh; it's nice to see some heart from 'em. I'm kinda biased against the Penguins right now tho, hoping for a Rangers-'Hawks final.
Blackhawks' backup keeper (Scott Darling) turned in another good game. In the series, Darling's blocked 77 of 79 shots slung @ him (.975 save %), and is now 2-0 over basically 6 periods of playoff hockey. For whatever reason, Darling's looked a lot better than Crawford in this series.. but if they advance I think Crawford's regular season should still earn him the initial start in the next series (?)
I didn't see the Penguins-Rangers game two but in game one Crosby embarrassed himself. Watch when he doesn't get the pass here in the neutral zone. He just lazily skates into an offside position as if he's in a huff:
[video=youtube;Ki5ymHYt9Mg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki5ymHYt9Mg[/video]
Apparently he played better in game two.
[video=youtube;Ki5ymHYt9Mg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki5ymHYt9Mg[/video]
Apparently he played better in game two.
Crosby has come under a lot of criticism from Penguins fans this season for the first time, much of it deserved. He was a dud in the playoffs last year, supposedly suffering from an injury was the story in the media after the fact. This season he has looked disinterested at times. It's hard to know what's going on in the locker room; maybe he's fed up with the dysfunctional way the organization is run, but then again his own leadership or lack thereof may be at fault. Some speculate that the concussions he's suffered and the broken jaw from a slap shot that knocked out six teeth a couple of years ago have taken a toll on his desire and playing style.
Sid did play much harder the last part of the season and was great in Game 2. As far as Scuderi, he's dead weight, one of a few washed-up vets (Scuderi, Kunitz, Dupuis, Adams) who were stupidly given long-term contracts that the team is stuck with.
Sid did play much harder the last part of the season and was great in Game 2. As far as Scuderi, he's dead weight, one of a few washed-up vets (Scuderi, Kunitz, Dupuis, Adams) who were stupidly given long-term contracts that the team is stuck with.
I know the Penguins have some injuries but you are not going to win many playoff games when your shots on goal are still in single digits well into the 2nd period. They looked good in the 3rd when they were desperate but they were 2 goals behind by then.
That's why the Penguins tick off their fans so much even when they've been talent laden and dominant in the regular season. For all Mario Lemieux's talent on the ice, he's also the originator of the country club approach to hockey, and the team has followed his lead for the past 30 years now. Lots of great regular seasons followed by playoff folds, going back to the '93 playoffs when the strongest Pittsburgh team of them all lost in the second round to the Islanders when they were going for three straight Cups.
Coasting through games in the regular season and playoffs, often using their talent advantage just enough to win, which is a formula for failure in the post-season. Booting the great Scotty Bowman from team practices; the players called the shots then and still do now. Michel Therrien was another alpha coach who the players revolted against. The current first year coach, Mike Johnston, oozes beta-ness.
Mario also hates the physical nature of the sport, which is reflected in the plethora of soft players who don't protect Crosby, who is very strong but is on the short side.
This year's team is going all-out and playing with heart compared to the bitter disappointments of the past five years in the playoffs. The problem is that they don't have the talent this time around, partly because of injuries and partly because of bad trades and trading away many of their high draft choices. But, if they can win Game 4 on Wednesday they still have a chance at the upset.
I remember the final game well. David Volek's 7th game overtime goal won it for the Isles:
[video=youtube;fRsrjIVkfL8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRsrjIVkfL8[/video]
That Islander team surprised everybody that year but fell to the Canadiens in the conference final.
Since my last post Byfuglien gave away another penalty. I went over to a Canadian hockey board and sure enough DWFs are defending their "Buff", the goon, claiming Corey Perry embellished. Maybe he did a bit but he was hit in the head (not that hard but hit nonetheless) from behind while celebrating a goal after the whistle (obviously). Those are the cheap shots the NHL is supposed to be going after. I think Byfuglien has done that before.
Freethinker
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Byfuglien and Subban are both cheapshotting goons. Probably my 2 most hated hockey players.
As for the Penguins, I've been surprised how well Fleury has played. Usually a detriment come playoff time, he's actually keeping the Pens in the series so far.
As for the Penguins, I've been surprised how well Fleury has played. Usually a detriment come playoff time, he's actually keeping the Pens in the series so far.
Good point about Fleury. Even in losing last night he made a big save in the 2nd that gave them a chance to come back otherwise they'd have been trailing by three in the third.
Watching my favourite team since the early 80s, the NY Islanders, against the Capitals. Islander power play not working. They've had four in this game and no goals. In fact they've had no goals in PPs in the entire series thus far. Capitals goalie Holtby playing well though.
Just as an aside. USA Network's panel contains a presenter plus Jeremy Roenick and a black guy, Anson Carter. Nothing against Carter, he was fine during both intermissions. But it is pretty clear that if you are one of the handful of black NHL players you are virtually guaranteed a media job when your playing career is over.
Former goalie Kevin Weekes is a fixture on the NHL Network. Jamal Mayers is also on that network but not as often as Weekes. They also have a black reporter, and more and more the obligatory White female host/anchor. Every sports network, like seemingly every network in general, has the same extremist "affirmative action" policies when it comes to hiring blacks that football and basketball have when it comes to the field of play.
Fleury does seem to have conquered his, um, "yips" in the playoffs. The Penguins finally hired a better goalie coach a couple years ago, and a sports psychologist also worked with Fleury. Twelve years after he was the first overall draft pick he's finally playing like an upper tier goalie.
Kevin Weekes was brought in by the CBC a year or two ago but was not retained when the Canadian NHL rights were bought up by a telecommunications company. So Weekes working at NHL Network - which hardly anybody on either side of the border watches - is seen as a demotion in Canada.
Freethinker
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What do you guys think of the new playoff format? I find it rather absurd. The Calgary Flames just barely sneak into the playoffs as the #8 but they get to face #5 Vancouver instead of top seeded Anaheim. The West is a mess with the matchups but ironically the East paired up perfectly according to conference standings.
Average American
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FT, Personally I thought the way they had been running their playoffs for the past 15 yrs was okay. 3 division winners, & then the subsequent 5 seeded up underneath 'em. I don't see a meaningful benefit, w/the new format.. and didn't really hear any grassroots complaints about the earlier-2000s playoff format that had been in effect. Seems like an example of fixing something that wasn't broke.
My general complaint about the NHL (& NBA) playoffs, are that too many teams make it; reducing the intensity & value of their regular seasons. I'd cut each conference down to 6 playoff teams (12 total instead of current 16).. top 2 seeds from each conference earn their byes. But I understand, smaller playoffs= less revenue, so..
I think @ one point 16 NHL teams made the playoffs, when the league had less than 25 teams.. what's the point of a regular season ?
white is right
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It was 16 of 21 at one point. In theory the 20th team could have made the playoffs. It was top 4 per division. I do remember because the first two rounds of the playoffs were divisional, the playoffs were tight upset prone series. Also in some of those years some poor teams gelled and made deep runs to the finals.
I agree. The NFL has it right but, of course, there are reasons they can only play so many games per season. I barely watch the NHL until late March. I watch plenty of other hockey - IIHF World Juniors and in May I'll watch the World Championships, and next year the NHL World Cup but NHL regular season games only matter much when your team is battling for 8th place.
Actually it was worse than 16 out of 25. It was 16 out of 21 teams making the playoffs in the 80s. The Canadian Football League has a full season then 6 of the 8 teams make the playoffs though I think the top teams get a bye.
Correction: The CFL moved to 9 teams last year. It's still ludicrous.
It would be great if there were fewer games in the NHL season with fewer playoff berths and it ended before May. Then the top players could be available for the international tournament in mid-May. So you'd have regular season games that matter from October through March, then playoffs through April, followed by a two week world championships. It'll never happen though. The NHL World Cup will probably replace the Olympics but I don't think it will gain traction outside of Canada, and even there most think the gimmicks - an under 23 team and a generic European all-stars for those from countries not invited
- are a total joke.
It would be great if there were fewer games in the NHL season with fewer playoff berths and it ended before May. Then the top players could be available for the international tournament in mid-May. So you'd have regular season games that matter from October through March, then playoffs through April, followed by a two week world championships. It'll never happen though. The NHL World Cup will probably replace the Olympics but I don't think it will gain traction outside of Canada, and even there most think the gimmicks - an under 23 team and a generic European all-stars for those from countries not invited
- are a total joke.
Regarding the NHL playoffs when I was a kid over 80 percent of the teams made the playoffs (4 out of 6). But hockey is a different game. The NHL always considered itself a two season sport. In the regular season if you like the game then of course you are going to watch, no matter what the stakes. Does every sports contest have to have championship implications? Can't you just watch a game because you enjoy the sport and like to watch people who are good at it play?
The Stanley Cup playoffs are the NHL's second season. Like in soccer the really weak teams are out and now it's time for the good teams to prove themselves in 7 game head to head matches. I think it's the best playoff system in sports. The intensity and drama are incredible, it's a pace that could not be duplicated during the regular season. They could have all the teams in the playoffs for all I care except that would take too long and a hockey season that ends in June is kinda nuts anyway.
The Stanley Cup playoffs are the NHL's second season. Like in soccer the really weak teams are out and now it's time for the good teams to prove themselves in 7 game head to head matches. I think it's the best playoff system in sports. The intensity and drama are incredible, it's a pace that could not be duplicated during the regular season. They could have all the teams in the playoffs for all I care except that would take too long and a hockey season that ends in June is kinda nuts anyway.
After coming out like a house on fire and scoring early the Penguins dominated the first period. I missed most of the second period but when I came back the colour analyst was saying the Pens are playing a dangerous game sitting on their lead. A few minutes later the Rangers equalised. I'm not sure I agree - though it would be in character for the Pens. From what I saw late in the second the Rangers just look like they stepped it up a notch or two. Let's not forget the Rangers had more points than anyone in the regular season and made it to last year's Stanley Cup final. They can play.