Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

AND ANOTHER THING... :lol

We need more Batman Malkin and less Boo-Boo face Malkin.

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I wouldn't want either. lol Not that you can 100% control i'd want that goal first goal if I Was the Caps.

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Sheary seems to have fallen off a cliff.

The whole team is having issues just keeping the puck on their stick too. Basically everything you can think could go wrong, has. Thats not to take anything away from the Caps play, but the Pens handed them at least 2 goals last night just being lackadaisical moving the puck and not battling on the PK.

Re: The NHL Thread (where the Presidents Trophy matters!)
 

Pens leaders in shots:

Game 5- Maatta (4)
Game 6- Ruhwedel (4)/Dumoulin (4)


yikes

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Pens are just playing opposite of how they won last year. No Letang for speed and transition is obvious, and the D as a whole is slower. They are also collasping around Fleury, because of poor rebound control and lack of transition. Last year they trusted Murray to make those saves and it would lead to breakouts.

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The first goal is always great for sure. If though the Caps give up a soft one, or a snipe though early, I don't think they fold under the pressure.

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I would agree that the first goal is important in this situation, but in 2010 when the Flyers came back to beat the Bruins after being down 3-0, the Bruins actually led 3-0 in Game 7 before losing.

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Yeah but they didn't have the Caps history. That's honestly the only thing I continue to think about no matter how unfair.

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I'm liking the history and think that plays into their favor.

I think it will keep them focused and hopefully lead to maximum effort.

If they can pull off the comeback it will go a long way.

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Not sure how I feel about the Rangers game tonight. I still feel like the Rangers are the more talented team and should win this series. That said, they have not been the better team through the 5 games. Yes the Rangers have controlled play, but giving up late goals in 3 of the games is just unacceptable. For those reasons I feel like the Sens will probably eliminate the Rangers tonight. I just have that feeling of "this is the end of the season" going into tonight's game.

I hope they come out like they did in games 3 and 4, but I just have a feeling they lose a 2-0 type game tonight and the Sens take the easy path into the ECF.

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Agree with the last part. Well I think it will take a load off their shoulders and you'd think carry them on. Always the possiblity they think "we did it" and overlook the next team. You'd hope not though because to finally get past them just to fuck up would suck for them.

The first part, they have to prove me wrong.

Also in non-playoff news re: Kovalchuk.

PierreVLeBrun:
Shero says Grossman free to speak to other teams about a potential deal. Devils would do a sign and trade. But deal has to make sense for NJ

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http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2017/05/09/...ers-says-daly/

This is so dumb. A dude with a history, flies into the boards and it's like well can't do anything about it. NHL and NHLPA really need to get their shit together. People will blame just the NHL but NHLPA needs to push some of shit. You represent the players....

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I'm just very uncomfortable with Crosby playing right now, especially a week after being diagnosed with a concussion, and now a day after he goes head first into the boards. I don't want to say the NHL is doing a poor job at protecting its players, especially its best player, but this is not a good look IMO.

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I have full faith the Pens wouldnt let him play if he wasnt fine. They went through the debacle before, they overhauled their medical staff. Im not concerned.

I know that play looked bad but the more I watch it, it looks more like he went directly into where the ice meets the boards, I think his helmet kind of just got pushed down onto his head moreso than it was a direct contact type hit.

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This thread has been way to Cap/Pens focused the past few days! lets talk about some of the other series as well!

Who does everyone like in game 7 of the Ducks and Oilers?

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Also can we talk about Tom Wilson?

The dude seriously cannot throw a check without leaving his feet, its absolutely ridiculous.

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Really a toss up there.

If it was in EDM I would definitely say Oils but I really dont know. Probably still leaning Oilers.

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Unless Sid didn't really have a concussion because I agree, him coming back so quick would be nuts/seemingly impossible.

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Tom Wilson and his play has been a big part of getting the Caps to game 7. But yeah, he's no choir boy.

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Im thinking that he didnt in the initial hit in game 3 after evaluation. Shook him up, and they took precautions and sat him out game 4 just in case, but then I would guess he showed no symptoms and was okay.

Like I mentioned that night, he was seen walking around the arena the night of that game before OT in good spirits talking to people. I think all of it was just precautionary.

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I really think the Oilers pull this off. That Game 5 loss seemed a bit flukey, especially after that Game 6 ass-whuppin'.

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Yeah. Like I said before, there were moments last night with some of his passes, his positioning, etc. where I was like, "no way is he ok in the head right now." Maybe he was fine and they were just innocent blunders, but he sure looked un-Crosby-like a few times last night.

Here's the thing about Crosby though. I think very few players in the NHL really want to end his career. I don't think anyone WANTS to cause him to get another concussion and potentially retire early. Most know how important he is to hockey and pretty sure they respect him for it.

But all that said, the only way to play Crosby is hard. I'm not saying cheap, but hard. He's fast enough that he'll outskate you, but he's also strong enough that you can't just easily knock him off the puck. You've gotta go at him as hard and as fast as you can if you want a chance at stopping him. And with the type of competitor he is, I don't think he'd want it any other way. It's a fine line between shutting him down and not killing him.
Dude, you're absolutely right about the other matchups not getting enough love. The Oilers/Ducks game is going to be insane. I honestly have no idea who will win. Oilers have the momentum, but the Ducks have more experience, which counts a lot in a Game 7 situation. I'm just excited to watch the game.

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This is what I think too. They were just trying to make Niskys feel bad hurt.

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He plays the game hard and thats fine, but he jumps upward on every check. Stupid that hes allowed to continually get away with it, coaches need to get him to check with control of his body.

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They've been letting it slide, I agree. Unless his elbows get up, it's a charge or a board they don't seem to care.

I'm probably the only one here that is fine with the officiating so far.

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Pretty amazing that the Oilers have made it to a game 7 in the second round after such a long playoff drought.

If Anaheim wins, I will root for the Preds in the WCF. If the Oil wins, I will have a harder time choosing, but will still probably go with Nashville.

Basically, assuming the Rangers don't move on or make the finals (which I think is a pretty safe bet), here are the match ups I would want to see:

1. Predators v. Capitals: What an awesome series this would be. You would have two teams that have never won it playing for it all.

2. Edmonton v. Ottawa: You're welcome Canada. Canada could finally win the cup for sure. The north would love this series.

3. Pittsburgh or Washington v. Edmonton: Ovie or Crosby v McDavid. Both would be fun to see.

Finals to avoid at all costs:

1. Anaheim v. Ottawa: Vol. 2 ten years later. To this date, their first meeting was the only SCF I didn't watch a single second of since I started to watch hockey.

2. Nashville v. Ottawa: I love the passion the fans have in Nashville, but the ratings would be awful for the NHL.

3. Ducks v. Pens: Would basically be similar markets to last year, and to be honest, I barely watched that series. I caught the series clinching game.

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I want the Oilers to move on so badly. I just felt like the Ducks had all the pieces this year and I still kind of believe that. I can't wait to watch game 7! Game 7's are the best (when your team is not in one).

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Oils and Preds would be fun as fuck

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I would love the Oilers to beat the Pens in the Cup, just for the McDavid story.

Oil/Sens would be awesome too. Canada deserves a parade somewhere.

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No it doesn't.