Re: The NHL Thread
 

The last playoff game I was able to attend in person was Game 5 of Pens-Rangers in 2014, the day Martin St. Louis' mother died. It was 5-0 Rags. So I feel their pain. :lol

It can be hard to stick with it after your team loses. But once the sting wears off, it's nice to still watch hockey.

And Matt Murray! Two playoff games in MSG, his first two ever. One goal allowed. Disgusting. I hope Flower comes back, but Murray is killing it right now.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

let's be honest, it's probably not going to be the caps. ;)

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Thanks for the suggestion but I finally got hat NBCSN app to work. Apparently amtrak's wifi doesn't support streaming live content.

I don't know why all wifi can't just support whatever the fuck. I'm willing to pay more per ticket.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I'll second this

Sorry, Timmy

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I'll third this. Pavel was truly one of the greats.

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I'll first this when I say thank god the Red Wings are the first eliminated and not the Flyers! Suck it, Timmy!

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Bolts got outplayed tonight but Bishop was terrific. Glad to get it over in 5 and have a little time to rest

Re: The NHL Thread
 

All of a sudden I'm locked out for the NBC app again. I wonder if I was too close to Chicago at the start and now too close to St. Louis. Regardless, this is some fucking bullshit. In gonna try this now.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Sorry, Timmy. So weird that we're about to see a Red Wings squad without Lidstrom and Datsyuk. I still think it's weird Lidstrom isn't back there, gonna be so weird when Datsyuk isn't either.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

What absolute fucking bullshit. I cannot wait to fucking onload on someone from DTV tomorrow. The game is now completely blacked out on the NBC app and I can't watch through my DirecTV app. Makes absolutely no fuckimg sense. Apparently I missed two goals, so at least the Hawks are up.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Radio it is!!

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http://www.ustream.tv/channel/TKsAz8fWUyF

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Right now this is working. You are a fucking hero!

Re: The NHL Thread
 

This is an exciting game for any hockey fan right now. Go Blues!

If you reddit check this out https://www.reddit.com/r/NHLStreams/ and find the game thread for what you want to watch. Usually the few most upvoted streams are pretty good

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Hope the Blues can keep this OT pressure up

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God I hate Steve Ott.

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Crazy game. Blues dominated the 3rd and OT, lapse and one individual effort and it's on to game 6


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I enjoyed the end

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Wow, hell of a game in for the Hawks with Kane getting the winner shortly into the second OT. Now back to Chicago where hopefully they can tie up the series!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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We got into STL early and I was able to watch the end live! So awesome!!

A BIG thank you to the people helping me with links to watch while I was on the train! Thank you!!!

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Thanks, man. I feel kinda bad as I was cheering for the 'Hawks but I sincerely appreciate the link. I looked at the Reddit link, that another poster posted, but couldn't figure out what to do. Anyway, again, thanks for the link.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

This has made this day slightly less awful and horrific.

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This bar is almost a Blackhawks bar at this point. Lots of fans coming in after the game.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Spent 14 hours in the car driving the family back home from Illinois so I missed all the games. Spent most of the drive listening to Prince songs/tributes on Sirius but sadly missed all the games.

I would have really enjoyed that Rag$ game. Must have been quite the embarrassing home performance.

Tonight will be first Islanders game of series I will watch at home so I finally don't have to be quiet and reserved since I won't be in a hotel room or friends house.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

So far in Blues Hawks series, the team that has won each game has been outshot in that game.

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Good lord how many times has Kane done that?

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I'm ready for some fucking handshakes tonight

Fuck this series

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHWqlsE0KIU

Thanks for everything, Pasha. Not much else I can say.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Dude, did your Rangers fan uncle touch you as a kid or something? The constant comments like that are a little sad. I am a huge Rangers fan and I couldn't even imagine hating on the Icelanders like that lol.

The NY Rangers have absolutely ZERO impact on Brooklyn's playoffs. We can't even meet until the third round! Why not focus on your own series? You are like the Devils fans that chant Rangers suck at games when they are playing random teams.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Personally I also enjoyed a good Rangers throttling

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Couple of things on that. First, you don't always comment on it. Second, you have good reason to still be angry with the Rangers haha. Third, you at least acknowledge my other posts in this thread and are able to have hockey conversations with me.

I have made several comments over the past week or so that were either in response to Sal or about Brooklyn that were totally positive or non confrontational about that series. None of them were anti Brookyn or cheering when they lost those two games. They were just comments on the games and even some positive notes about the Icelanders winning.

Sal has literally ignored every one of those posts. I am guessing because his hate for the Rangers and their fans is on an unhealthy level. It would seem that he just assumes that the Rangers fans must hate his team as much as he hates ours and can't understand how I could post non biased posts about their series.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

A large number of Rangere fans have been obsessed and still hate Potvin for like 40 years now but I can't celebrate their almost demise with their pitiful loss last night. I didn't even know the score til I woke up this morning so I clearly wasn't that interested while driving last night.

I grew up in the deepest darkest hated intense days of the rivalry so my hatred runs deep. I don't like your team and never will. I wish nothing but losses on them and enjoy the fact your superstar goalie has a below .500 poatsee record.

Strangely, since its a different era now, my hatred extends mostly to the logo and not specific players as I really don't find myself having such hatred for individual players like I did in the late 80s ,90s, early 2000s. You have guys that annoy me but I'd have to think hard if I have hated anyone since maybe Avery.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

i hate the caps and pens more than the islanders, by light years

Re: The NHL Thread
 

The Potvin chants are stupid and a lot of fans at the games are trying to change the chant. Most of the fans at games don't even know who he is.

I get that you grew up in the heated rivalry time...which honestly...when was that? Have either of our teams ever been that good at the same time? The Rangers and Devils have met in the East Finals twice. Have the Rangers and Islanders ever met with that much on the line?

Also, it is not just that you were happy with the Rangers loss last night. It is the constant commenting about every time the Rangers struggle and the fact that you seem to never respond to any of my posts that are not directly calling you out. I mean, my post count would be in the 100k range if I posted every time the Islanders struggled.

I grew up loving hockey more then any one team, so I was honestly trying to have a conversation on your series the past week.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I've been on spring break and out of town for 8 days and this thread has been very busy so I've popped in when I could but have not read every page. The thread has been too busy, which is great to see. I have not seen much islanders talk on that series at all.

I'll concede you have a fair point that I could tone it down, especially if you have made a positive post of an Islanders win. I have not seen them. Therefore, going forward, I won't post about the Rag$ like I have.

That said,you would be an exception because pretty much every rag$ fan I've ever come across wishes ill will towards the islanders. There aren't many who say anything positive about the islanders.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I grew up in Devils country so I get that the constant hate on your team will turn you sour on them. I hate going to Devils games now because of it. When I was a kid I used to love going to any hockey game, even the Devils.

I guess the difference is that one of my best friends in a huge Islanders fan and I remember getting him an Islanders jersey when he got sick (diabetes) in our SR of high school. So other than light jabs here and there, we have never been heated with each other. Also, neither of our teams have ever met in the playoffs or been relevant at the same time since I started watching hockey. So it is hard for me to hate the Islanders that much.

Edit: the interesting thing is that my first team was actually the Florida Panthers (as noted several times in this thread). Even still I think it will be cool for either of those teams to make the second round since it has been so long!

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Guys this is a simple thing to settle

Fuck both your teams

:D

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I mentioned these before in here over the years but my first NHL game was the famous game 5 deciding game between islanders rangers in 1st round of 1984 playoffs when I was 11 years old. The Morrow OT goal gave birth to a big time hockey fan.

Then for 3 seasons when I was in 8th-10th grades, my brother and I had half season tickets. I worked all summer to pay for them. As you can imagine, during islander ranger games at the coliseum , many rags were there and I distinctly remember being picked on and not treated nicely by adult men who were Ranger fans. . All I was doing was cheering on the islanders. I never talked trash when I was 13 in that hostile type of situation those games were. There were more fights in stands than on the ice.

Then you had the hit on LaFontaine in our playoff meeting in 1990. Rag$ fans were cheering like crazy as he was motionless on the ice and then it is well documented that fans rocked the ambulance back and forth before it was able to leave for the hospital.

Those were some of the things early on that cemented my feelings towards your logo.

Those were nasty years back then. You had so many guys who were easy to hate like Fleury, ulf, domi, kocur, nilan, messier, tikanen. The list goes on and on. It was not easy rooting for team USA guys like Leetch and Richter for say, the 96 world cup but they weren't hard to root for because I didn't hate them like I did many others. I viewed them like I view the current guys.

Btw, seeing USA-Russia at MSG for the 1996 World Cup still ranks high in my greatest live sports moments. Amazing game/experience.

I'm a passionate sports fan and that passion is greatest for hockey.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Always the voice of reason haha.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Says the guy whose team is about to blow a 3-1 lead. (Or likely not).

Even with last year's loss, I still vividly recall our series wins in 87 and the 2 games I saw live in the 93 playoffs, both of which were OT wins off the top of my head right away.

You are still low man on the totem pole around here when it comes to our teams history unless CBJ starts coming around again. Maybe that changes this year but I hope not (though I'd be happy for you, only)

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Would really like this day to fly by so I can watch the continuation of the Flyers season.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

:thumbsup same page

love Sulli

he'd have a perfect resume if it wasn't for playing Murray in a meaningless game against Philly and line juggling in game 2 of the rangers series

otherwise he's been amazing

:lol

Re: The NHL Thread
 

i didn't see Nick Mangold and Ryan Fitzpatrick shit talking the Penguins bench last night

wonder why

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Can't imagine anyone shit talking when they're unemployed. Much like 1/4 of the Rangers team is about to be...

Re: The NHL Thread
 

:lol For the sake of your sanity I hope they get it done tonight. But if the Pens get it done on Saturday, it'll be very on.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

https://media.giphy.com/media/3o85xG...TMS4/giphy.gif

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as much as i am thrilled with the Penguins performance last night, the series isn't over.

Malkin looked GREAT. it's unreal how much better the PP is with Geno out there, night and day. however, 5-0 is the same as 1-0...its just a win in a series

worst thing that can happen is the Pens lay an egg at home on saturday and have to go back to MSG...if that happens, Rangers are right back in it

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Even if the Pens can't get on the board 3+ times in game 5, your defense has been impeccable. Rangers have looked genuinely lost in all 3 zones over the last 2 games

Re: The NHL Thread
 

#NeverForget

#LivingInThePast

Re: The NHL Thread
 

:lol

Kane is breaking that record within the next 1-2 years

Re: The NHL Thread
 

true

the Pens have just flat out been the better team in all aspects. but we all know a series can shift very quickly

the one thing that gives me hope is that Hank does not look the same...

Go Avs!!!

^^ figured it's been months since anyone has said that. so that was for you. Matty.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Kane might never score another playoff OT goal again

these things are fickle

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Yeah, very classy of TB to have all their guys take an extra moment to embrace the guy. Maybe he is back next year but if that was his last game the NHL is worse off not having him. Such a great, unselfish two way player.

Makes sense. I had a funny interaction at Big Y before the game. Went to get a pack of cigarettes and the kid behind the counter saw my Toews jersey and said "Don't those Blackhawks have enough cups in the past 5 years?" I didn't even know what to say and he just laughed and said "I'm just kidding man, good luck"

Even more astounding, during the postgame they said in total both teams had held a lead for just over 13 minutes out of the 5 games plus a full OT and approximately half another between games 1 and 5.

Finally. Nice to see him get it in the back of the net. Damn good time for it too. I know the OT goal gets all the glory but that feed Kane gave to Panarin to smash in with 0.4 seconds left in the second was amazing.

Don't want to face them in a later round? :lol

Re: The NHL Thread
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...&v=Q2iXKJChy_s

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Ugh. I'm so nervous. If the Caps don't close tonight, well, you know the rest

I'd be fine with that

:thumbsup

Not really that, just always nice to see the Rags get pounded. Even if it is to the Pens

Re: The NHL Thread
 

that was some powerful skating

strong. sexy.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Two very apt adjectives when describing Kuzy

Re: The NHL Thread
 

More like years. This is maybe the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me. Besides Sarah sending me the Sakic bobblehead. But this is a close second.
Yeah, it's crazy when you think about it... Like, how many playoff games does a player even get in during his career? I mean, those on good teams seem to play in a lot, but in the grand scheme of things it may not seem like a ton. But then, how many of those playoff games even go to OT? This isn't just a GWG. It's an OT winner. It's a special achievement for a player to get ONE playoff OT winner in his lifetime. That Kane has FIVE is cool... that Sakic has EIGHT... wow.

It's sometimes forgotten how clutch Super Joe was.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

fixed for accuracy

the bolded is the big wild card...not only do you have to have a playoff game get to OT, but you also have to find a way to score before anyone on the other team OR your team does....and do it FOUR more times to break Sakic's record if you're Kane

could be done, but it's just so fickle

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Ugh missing tonight's game once again. At least this time it's for a good reason :lol Taking the better half to dinner for her birthday.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

you mean she wouldn't want to go to a sports bar and eat wings and watch hockey?

dump her ass

Re: The NHL Thread
 

How many of Sakic's were in 96?

The Hawks winning last night shows the difference of killer instinct between them and the Wings. Backs against the walls and in double OT they find a way to get it done. Wings outplayed the Lightning for most of the game I thought and it was just a great playoff game but the Wings couldn't get that goal. Hit the post a few times, had THREE breakaways, and it's a fuck up that costs them. That's the story of the whole season.

A guy on a local radio station tweeted out that most fans want them to blow it up and rebuild like the Hawks did it. I was like...wtf? Him and I were on the same page (actually know the guy from my college years but probably doesn't remember me) with what I'm about to say here. As soon as they weren't bad enough to get a high pick or when they made the playoffs just once in 10 years like the Hawks did, those same fans would be throwing a fit. Not to mention how lucky the Hawks got in winning the lottery and getting Kane. Not saying they pick this guy at #5 like the Caps did but you think Alzner gets them the Cup winning goal in 2010? Hell, do you think they even get the WCF's in 2009 the way they did? Pit the same thing. They got lucky that there was no 04-05 season. Maybe they don't get the chances for a high pick if they were a little better. Some other team could have won that pick the way 05 lottery was weighted. Of course no one mentions the Oilers sucking and having 4 #1 picks and where are they....? Oh yeah picking top 5 again. Wings have young talent, quite a bit actually, they just all need to step up and the coaches need to find a way to get them to be productive. It'll be interesting to see what they do. Pavel's contract needs to be dumped to a team going for the floor. A pick or prospect will probably have to go with it (I'd rather it be a pick) to make it worth their while but...needs to happen. Better than $7.5mil of dead cap space. Wings need some help scoring up front, or Nyquist and Tatar to you know show the fuck up, and also need some help on D. They have no legit # d-man. Holland has his work cut out for him. A few moves and who knows.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Just busting your chops Barbs, I highly doubt the Rangers will advance. Love to see it but it will be a tough road back.

Yeah Sakic was amazing. With any luck Kane can cut into that lead during this playoffs.

Couple of other things:

Nice to see Hossa get his 50th playoff goal while shorthanded last night.

Toews has to take his game up a peg for the next 2 games. St. Louis has been doing a superb job shutting down him and Kane. Both have come damn close but Elliot is on top of his game and the iron is his best friend on D.

Hjalmarsson is one of the most under-rated D-men in the league. If he was on any other team that didn't have Keith and Seabrook he would be a standout and Norris contender.

Nice to know Shaw is returning for a home game and not going into a hostile environment.

Do they just plug Keith into an outlet and charge him up and let him go, damn the guy logged over 40 minutes on the ice last night.

Ladd really showing his physical side this series.

HAVE to win tomorrow at home and force a fierce game 7 battle!!!

Jesus I am tired today! :lol

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Yeah, this clearly isn't true love. It's time to move on.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...ticle29714792/

No surprise here either.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Know how you feel and can sympathize. Tomorrow night I will be at my uncle's 65th Birthday drinking bourbon while the Hawks and blues battle it out again. It is all I can do to fake a flu. :lol

Hopefully that killer instinct will stay with the Hawks for the next 2 games and they can steal the series.

Agreed on Detroit, they have a lot of young talent. Larkin is going to be a standout player, Jesus is that guy fast on his skates and quick with his stick!

Re: The NHL Thread
 

:thumbsup

Bingo

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Only two that year.

And yeah, after a sub-par season fans are always ready to blow up a team. But they usually sing a different tune AFTER the blow up happens.
Here's a story of true hockey love:

When I was in college I had this lady friend (platonic) who was a big hockey fan. She used to come over and watch playoff games with me. This was in '06, during the Canes/Oilers SCF. All of a sudden, her friend started coming with her. Her HOT friend. Like, I know my limitations and didn't even try to hit on this friend or anything. This friend claimed she loved hockey, and we started hanging out, even long after the games ended.

Turns out, she knew NOTHING about hockey, but for some inexplicable reason had a thing for me and that's why she was coming over.

Long story short, I married the shit outta her, taught her everything I know about hockey, and now she's a huge hockey fan. Her only shortcoming is that she became a Pens fan (she was on bed rest, pregnant with our twins during the Pens' run and had a lot of time to watch games) and Geno Malkin remains her favorite player.

So yeah, true love, guys. If you haven't found that yet, Roose, time to find a new chick.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

:lol That's great! And clearly you married a woman of impeccable taste and class. I hope she enjoyed Geno's beast mode performance last night.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

wow....

:lol i married the shit outta her :lol

nice! she picked the right team

that really is #LoVE

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Maybe just seemed like he scored a lot that year cause he scored in every game basically...

And explain, how do you marry the shit out of someone...just curious? Cause it sounds messy.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

:lol thatta boy

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:lol Had to make it official before she realized what a huge mistake she was making.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Least you guys get Bellemare tonight though. I don't even think he deserved a suspension, league just over-reacted because the hit (Orlov's head hitting the boards) looked so bad and dangerous.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

:lol:lol you can't be serious

#GarageLeague

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Surprisingly clean, if done correctly.
She is indeed quite the fan of Hank. But for reasons other than his hockey skills. Also the Predators because of Mike Underwood.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Yikes

888

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I just have to keep telling myself, "you've already said your piece on this enough times. You've already said your piece on this enough times. You've already said your piece on this enough times..."

Re: The NHL Thread
 

you're right...

words are futile

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:thumbsup awesome story

When me and my wife met she didn't initially believe me that hockey was my sport of choice and frankly my life passion. She's a hick from the hills of Virginia though so if wasn't nascar or football she thought people didn't actually enjoy it

She's grown into a huge fan as well. If it's a meaningless regular season game she may surf the webz or whatever but during the playoffs she's all in

She also fully expects to blow this lead. I have taught her well :lol

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Nice! My wife is from small town Idaho, so kinda the same thing. Them country girls... :eiffeltower

I read the bolded as "blow this load" and I was like, dude, still gettin' it done. :cool :thumbsup

Re: The NHL Thread
 

"I married the shit out of her."

:lol :lol :lol

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I am. He finished a check to the back behind the net, we have both seen that happen quite often with no repercussions. I genuinely do not believe Bellemare was trying to hurt Orlov.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

:lol :lol :lol :lol

:hump

Re: The NHL Thread
 

^Sounds like the student has surpassed the master...

So I guess the only question is under which fandom do you raise your kids?

My wife put the kids to bed last night and went out for a run during the 1st period. After the lambasting they gave the Rangers I seriously considered making her stay outside, by which I mean I told her "If the Rangers score you are leaving this house!"

How I have been happily married for 10 years I'll never know...

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Agreed, great story for Fonz, shame she is a Pens fan though. :lol

That is hysterical that she too is convinced the Caps will find a way to blow it.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

yea you're just wrong but that's ok...it's probably because the garage league has programmed you to think that was a clean play...i blame the NHL, not you, for your unyielding ignorance

Re: The NHL Thread
 

<Deep breath>

"You've already said your piece on this enough times. You've already said your piece on this enough times. You've already said your piece on this enough times..."
Dude, they are all over the board, but I'm pleased to say they started as Avs fans. Of my 6 y/o twins, my daughter latched on to Paul Stastny a couple years ago (loves the toothless smile), so now she's a Blues fan. My son, for some inexplicable reason, really started to like PA Parenteau when he played for the Avs (maybe he just liked his name? I don't know), so now he likes the Maple Leafs. But he'll probably start to like whoever PA plays for next year.

My 3 y/o son has stuck with the Avs for now. We were talking to the kids the other day about a possible trip to Disneyland, and he promptly spoke up, saying he'd rather go back to Colorado for an "Adawanch" game.

I've screwed up a lot of things, but with him I got it right.

And dude, that seems like a perfectly reasonable request to make of your wife. Here's to many more solid, hockey-focused years of marriage for you two love birds.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

I have no idea what that could be. :rolleyes

My wife has seen one complete hockey game with me in our years together. I took her to a game in our first few months together so she really couldn't get up and leave. We make it work. She hates sports, though she loves watching the kids play. She has embraced football a little more since the kids have become big football fans. She even got on board with us going to the pro football hall of fame on the way out to Illinois last week to break up the drive

Re: The NHL Thread
 

It wasn't exactly clean but I don't think it deserved a suspendion. Maybe a 2 minute roughing or boarding call. Do you really think Bellemare was trying to end the guys career?

Re: The NHL Thread
 

That awkward moment when you realize the Tampa Bay Lightning follow you on twitter.... fuckers.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

They might start trolling you.

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It doesn't matter. What matters is how dangerous and unneccesary that hit is. Orlov was beyond vulnerable. Do I think Bellemare intended to injure? Very much no. But that doesn't negate how dangerous the play is.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

:lol :lol

Re: The NHL Thread
 

The deep breaths aren't working. Sorry everyone that's had to sit through my rants about the 3-feet-from-the-boards hits, but I'm about to give another one. I also apologize that this might get a little heavy. I rarely talk about the story I'm about to tell, but hell, many of us have been chatting in here for what, 6 years now? This is a pretty cool place.

Playing hockey in high school, I broke a kid's neck. I remember very little of the actual occurrence, I remember going for the puck, I remember focusing on the puck, and I remember an opponent next to me who I kind of shoved as we both went into the corner. Turns out my shove was in his numbers - something I had been taught all my life to never do - and you can imagine the rest. While I can't remember much else, the image of him lying awkwardly, face down on the ice, is seared into my brain forever.

I was (and remain) a very physical player, but I wasn't dirty. I never was out to intentionally hurt someone. I was captain of my team, respectful... Hell, by now you guys know the type of person I am. But regardless, there was a kid lying there with a broken neck. And it was because of me. I was reckless, even for a split second, and the consequences were unimaginable.

The ending of the story is partially happy. After months of therapy, the kid was able to walk again and even gained full control of most of his faculties. He now leads a reasonably normal life. But there's still physical limitations. He leads a fairly normal life, miraculously, but it's not as normal as it could have been had I not done that. We've talked (well, he talked, I bawled like a baby), and he often says that in the end I've put MYSELF through more suffering than he went through. But that's bullshit... I broke his neck. As kind and forgiving as he's been - and as remorseful as I feel - it doesn't change that fact.

Hockey-wise, I was suspended the rest of the season. I accepted that without appeal. It was my junior year, and there were some that moved to have me suspended for the rest of my high school career. In the end, I think only the interference of the kid and his parents on MY behalf, advocating for me despite what I had done, were what kept me there. And guys, I'll tell ya, I wasn't even sure I wanted to play anymore after that. I mean, I broke a kid's neck.

When it comes to these types of hits, intent doesn't matter. Life does. The NHL seems to have cultivated a mentality of "it's not so bad if they don't get hurt." In the heat of a game, when split second decisions are made (like mine), a soft approach like that doesn't work. Orlov got up from his hit, but who won't some day? Is that when action will be taken, after someone is paralyzed for the rest of their life? It's easily the most dangerous type of hit in hockey, and pro-active action needs to be taken now to ensure it doesn't happen. Education is a factor; but I'm a product of USA hockey and can attest that it's already taught at ALL levels of the game. NHL players know how to hit and how not to hit. In my mind, suspensions are a valuable tool. And while I'd feel bad for a good guy like Bellamare to have to sit 10 games or whatever to send a message, I think in the end it's for the good of the game.

So if it seems like I take a hard-line approach to this type of stuff and I'm over the top with wanting 10 and 20 game suspensions, that's why. I broke a kid's neck, and I think about it every single day still. The consequences are there not just for the victim, but for the hitter too (not that they - me - deserve an equal amount of pity as the victim) and I won't shut up about getting that out of my game.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Good lord, you need to understand hockey better.

There's no question that Bellemare wasn't trying to hurt the guy. There's no question that Orlov also was in a vulernable position when the hit occur. There's also absolutely no question that Bellemare should be hitting a guy in the numbers. Nevertheless, all of these things happened. At the end of the day, Bellemare got what he deserved. The punishment of a five minute major boarding penalty and a one game suspension was warranted. If Bellemare had any kind of history or Orlov was seriously injured, the punishment would have been more severe.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Overreact much?

Not once did she say "I don't want you watching hockey," nor does she hate hockey. In fact, she enjoys watching Flyers games with me. But she's away from her family (in Florida and Michigan) and her friends (Michigan) and she hasn't really celebrated on her birthday since being in Jersey (last year we did something the day before because I work). I specifically asked for a night off work so I could spend it with her this time. We're gonna get a nice dinner and then go grab some drinks at a bar that may have the third period of the game on. This could be the last Flyers game I watch tonight until October and I'd rather spend it with her.

So yea, I found true love dude.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

the bolded doesn't matter AT ALL

ugh sorry to hear about your incident in high school. i can't even imagine

but you already know i'm right in line with your thinking on these plays. the league needs to do everything in their power to eliminate these hits, period. and if that means 10-20 games suspensions, or more, then so be it. hockey can survive without these plays.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

So, that went over well...

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Roose, I was totally joshing with you, man. You've talked about your lady in here before and I know you got something special, man. Sorry if it came off as me diminishing that.