Re: The NHL Thread
 

You just wait

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Completly differnt teams in those two early series we lost. Other than Hank, are there even any Rangers left on the team from that era? Caps better worry about the Icelanders before worrying about us.

I don't really care that much who wins your series. We still need to close out the Pens before I look ahead. That said, even though I honeslty believe a series against the Caps favors the Rangers more, I think am pulling for the Icelanders. Rivialry match-ups are scary becasue of the uncertaintity, but what a buzz in New York if the Rangers play the Icelanders!

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Oh there is no reason to think the Caps are concerned about the Rangers. Was just saying Rangers fans like to pretend they own the Caps in the playoffs. Which simply isn't true

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Man, I wish I'd been in this thread the past few days. Loved backreading.

1) The Wilson hit was clean. 2 minutes was about right, if only for the refs to keep things from coming off the rails. He didn't target (but he is 6 inches taller, and Vis had his head down). Vis was trying to play the puck, but kind of gave up when he saw Wilson coming, and by that point Wilson was locked in. Wilson glided into the hit, and didn't leave his feet. He kept his elbows in. See this.

2) Laich's comments were dumb. He was fine right up until he talked about it being a good penalty because it brought the Isles down to 5 defensemen. That was stupid, and doesn't really seem like Laich, but I can't defend what he said.

3) Islanders players and fans need to stop crying about the hit (no one in here specifically, mainly other places I've seen). Okposo is no angel. Tavares can't talk about playing the game "the right way" with Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck on the team. And as for the fans, if that hit had been Clutterbuck on Green, they'd be calling for a Clutterbuck statue to be built.

4) Tonight should be interesting. The Isles are too smart to take dumb penalties against Wilson, although they might be able to get some 4-on-4 play if they want. Wilson was one of the best players in the league this year at drawing penalties, and he's fairly good about not retaliating, but refs will often take him too mainly because of his reputation.

5) I'm going to the game tonight. So pumped/nervous. I can hardly concentrate at work. A few of my buddies are heading up to the Coliseum on Saturday, and I'm really, really tempted to join them.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Nobody "owns" anybody in the playoffs. Past series sucess is probably the most useless statistic when it comes to playoffs haha. The only thing that matters is that year.

That said, how much do you like the Caps chances should they play the Rangers in round 2? Who would you say the favorite would be?

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Rangers are the easy favorite. No question

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Is that supposed to be a trick question? I'm a Caps fan, and anyone who says the Caps would be the favorite is dumb. The Rangers were the hottest team down the stretch, had the best record in the league, are deep, and have two all-world goalies. Of course they'd be the favorite. Same vs the Islanders.

But anyone who's watched the NHL for any amount of time knows that favorites in the NHL playoffs (and home ice) matter less than in basically any other sport. Anything can happen. It's why the Kings didn't care about their seeding last year, they knew all they had to do was make it into the playoffs (and that mentality is likely what cost them a spot this year).

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Big game tonight for the Wings. Need to take control and go up 3-1. Don't want to go back to Tampa 2-2 with 2 of the final 3 (if needed) being down there.

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Oh I agree. I would expect NY to win that series. I wouldn't be shocked if they didn't though. This is the NHL playoffs!

All you can hope for is that if your team is favored they pull through!

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Fully want Detroit to move on! Would love to see Tampa bow out. Plus the girlfriend would be in a good mood haha.


Also, unrelated...Jets need to win a cup. I just watched the highlights from last night. That crowd rules!

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I want the Wings to win a series or two just to make things with Babcock more interesting.

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The longer they go, the more likely it is he stays, imo. Maybe I'm wrong but just my feeling.

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No, I agree with you. I think if they make the ECF, he's back. But it's definitely not a sure thing, and it just delays everything. I think everyone is going to wait on him before anything moves with McLellan, Julien, etc. I don't think any of the Leafs, Sabres, Flyers, Sharks, or Oilers will hire a coach until Babcock makes a decision, and the Bruins won't make a decision on Julien until then either. That's my gut. I could be totally wrong.

The one exception is that the Oilers might move earlier if they hire Chiarelli (who was apparently in Edmonton yesterday) and MacTavish moves down behind the bench.

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hopefully the Hawks can win tonight and STL-Minnesota can go seven. that would give the Hawks probably a week or more off

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Oh yeah no coaching jobs get filled until Babcock is wherever he is going to be. I just want it done because of all the speculating. My feeling is he's gone, unless like I said they go on a long run.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Sorry, I was being too loose with my words. I should have said what Bobalew did below, in that he gave up on going after the puck when he saw him coming, so it just seemed to me like Wilson could've pulled back on the charge.

But I absolutely understand it's easy to judge it like that watching replays over and over, I'm also understandably biased, and it's more than fair to say in real-time it would've been hard to put the brakes on that hit.
Again, I don't think it was dirty at all.

That's awesome dude, sounds like you're in for a great game, no matter the outcome. Coliseum has been a mad house this week.
And solid point about Clutterbuck.

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if the wings beat the lightning tim should be banned from this thread for at least a week for how whiny he was going into the playoffs.

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If Brohan doesn't get banned for...well everything, I'm not going anywhere.

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:lol well i meant a self imposed ban, point taken though.

here's a bold prediction: if ottawa wins game 5 they win the series.

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:lol :lol

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I wish, but I doubt it. Habs will be in the eastern finals IMO.

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Good reason you didn't play us last year: we didn't make the playoffs :(

While drinking and driving is fucking dumb, if the Caps manage to escape this series, I may have to take that quote out of my signature for a while. You know, on principle and stuff. Can't be quoting a Rangers fan during that series :D

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:lol

i'm keeping an eye on the AMEX presale should we both be in line to win. you plan on going?

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Barring unforeseen circumstances, I plan to be at every Caps home game this postseason.

I live 4 blocks from the Verizon Center, so I always feel weird when the team is playing there and I'm not in the building. You can find me in the Alley Bar at Clyde's next to the arena before just about every game.

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I wish Rangers fans didn't have to morgage a house to be able to say the same for our home games...

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season ticket holder?
I live at 15 & Q NW so I'm not too far

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Oh I'd be in that situation too for sure. I'm lucky. My dad has season tickets, I'm the only one of his three kids who lives here, and my mom doesn't like going to games. So I go with him. He pays for the tickets, I pay for the beer (and he never has more than one a game).

Re: The NHL Thread
 

Sounds like a good deal to me. I have not been to a hockey game with my dad in over 10 years. Would love to go to a game with him again.....except he is a Devils fan :lol

Re: The NHL Thread
 

In the interview, Laich said “What [the hit] did was Visnovsky got put out of the game and that puts them down to five ‘D’ in the second period.” Laich then added, “it’s a quote-unquote good penalty to take.”

If he wasn't happy about the injury, I guess he needed to choose his words more carefully, no? This wasn't in the heat of the moment post game or during game. This was an interview next day. It sure reads that Laich was patting Wilson on the back for injuring an opposing player, a head injury no less, and taking him out of the game. And I am not convinced it wasn't part of their plan. I'm sorry. I am pretty sure most agree Laich is an idiot for what he said.


As for tonight it sounds like Reinhart is definitely in and Isles will dress 7 D for warm ups, which means there is a chance they would scratch another D like De Haan and play both kids, Pulock and Reinhart, who should know each other well and work well together. Our 2 young first rounders might get a taste of the playoffs tonight.

It also sounds like Grabovski will be in for Nelson, which is a little surprising but Cappy like Kennedy and Nelson really hasn't done much outside the first goal of the playoffs.

Re: The NHL Thread
 

So you're saying it was a clean hit...

But then laughed when I said it was a clean hit?

Just checking for a friend.