2010-2011 Pro Hockey Thread

[Funketown]

trwi7]

This season's Blackhawks were a hard team to really dislike

Their goal song is enough to make me hate them as much as the Bears.

Their goal song and their bandwagon are certainly not hard to dislike. It is funny to see the legion of "Hawks fans for life" that don't know who Eric Daze and Tony Amonte are.

[Buckylovesbeer]

Being a Pens and a Hawks fan.....its been a tough week. That being said.....this playoff season has been awesome!

[trwi7]

That's the Nashville offense I'm used to. Pekka was outstanding, just a shame his defense hung him out to dry on that goal.

 

I don't expect Nashville to win this round, the Canucks have the defense and goaltending that Anaheim didn't. Will be upset if they lose obviously but not too upset because Vancouver is my third favorite team in the NHL.

 

In order who I want to win the Stanley Cup:

 

1. Nashville

2. Vancouver

3. San Jose

4. Tampa Bay

5. Washington

6. Philadelphia

7. Boston

8. Detroit

[Funketown]

Spent last night's game on a plane, but I was pretty happy to see Luo with the shutout when I turned my phone back on. Not much to say about the game, given that I didn't see it, but from what I've seen Luongo looked very solid in net.

[trwi7]

Pretty much any of us could've made the saves Luongo was making. There were pretty much no hard saves he had to make.

[Funketown]

Pretty much any of us could've made the saves Luongo was making. There were pretty much no hard saves he had to make.

That's not surprising to hear. Simply the fact that he didn't let in any boneheaded goals (Hossa game 4 1st goal) is a reason to be optimistic.

[zurch1818]

Great win in 2ot by the Preds tonight. Their first goal should have never happened but the second one was awesome...a perfect cross ice pass snap shot.

[valpocrewsader]

I wonder how many games I'll need to watch before seeing goaltending as good as Rinne's last night again. Incredible stuff. Excellent game from hometown guy Suter, too. Go Preds!

[trwi7]

It is a crime if Rinne doesn't win the Vezina. Absolutely amazing performance by him.

[stoutdude04]

I wont be surprised if he doesnt win. He is not as well known as others. If he played for Detroit or NY he would win easily.

[burniebrewer]

In order who I want to win the Stanley Cup:

 

1. Nashville

2. Vancouver

3. San Jose

4. Tampa Bay

5. Washington

6. Philadelphia

7. Boston

8. Detroit

I like your order except for the position of Vancouver, I'd drop them to the bottom, only above Detroit...and I'd flip-flop 6-7.

 

Unfortunately, I also agree with stout in regards to Rinne winning the Vezina. Not that it's fair, it's just how it will likely shake out.

 

I've drafted Rinne three years in a row in fantasy, and it's always late. My hockey-loving friends would still rather grab "the name" over "the talent".

[trwi7]

Yeah, I think Rinne was taken in the middle of the 5th round in the draft I was in. Right before I picked, I was all ready to take him and then he went. Totally sucked.

 

Another overtime game coming up. Preds and Canucks.

 

Tampa Bay already took a 3-0 series lead on the Caps.

 

Admirals beat Houston tonight to go up in their series 2-1. Head on down to the Bradley Center if there's a game 6! It's a great time at a great price.

[trwi7]

Absolute joke of a call leads to the Canucks winning game 3. I believe know they have a penalty for holding the stick. So Ryan Kesler holds Shea Weber's stick under his arm and Weber gets called for hooking, in overtime. The refs also missed a too many men call in overtime on Vancouver and they blew that call. Instead of a power play for Vancouver, it should've been a power play for Nashville. Instead Nashville's best penalty killer gets sent off.

 

I need to go to another web site because I have to let go a lot of f bombs and other such word that are not allowed here.

[valpocrewsader]

Ugh, Preds get hosed by the ref in OT ... what a disgrace. Phantom hooking penalty to put a stud defenseman in the box so Vancouver can go on a power play against a fatigued, short-handed defense late in OT1. Total screw job. In situations like this, I don't know how players are able to keep their cool and not retaliate against officials ... I could never do it, I'd hurt a referee in a case as bad as this. Or at least get in his face and scream about how he gifted the other team a win.

[trwi7]

Also, for how much everyone gushes about the Preds defense, a lot of it is crap and it cost them two goals tonight. There are four solid defensemen for the Preds: Weber, Suter, Blum and Franson and Franson is more of an offensive defenseman.

 

Canucks are on the power play. Ehrhoff is skating in along the left wing, O'Brien has to take Kesler or really just anybody. Instead he drops to his knees thinking Ehrhoff is going to take a shot, Ehrhoff just walks around him which forces Pekka to come out and challenge, since there's no resistance Ehrhoff can just skate around behind the goal line and make a simple pass to Kesler.

 

Then Klein comes in and either knocks Kesler into Pekka or runs into him himself, it doesn't really matter which one it is, because they're both just awful plays. Anyways, the collision causes Pekka to lose his stick and sends him out of the goal by about 10 feet. Anyways, Pekka is barely back on his feet when Higgins is shooting into a wide open net.

[Funketown]

Yup, that was a terrible call. It's a shame to see a great game end like that, although I won't deny being happy about the result.

 

Rinne is a phenomenal goalie, and he's been spectacular this series. Can't fault him too much for the second goal.

 

It's amazing to me the goalies Finland keeps turning out. The NHL would be a much less entertaining league without names like Mikka, Hannu, and Vesa.

[zurch1818]

This thread needed to get bumped. What a comeback from the Red Wings against the Sharks. Even though I think they are the Yankees of hockey, coming back from 3-0 in the series to force a game 7 is quite impressive. With the scoring chances Cleary was getting, the score could have easily been tilted towards the wings without the dramatics. Niemi was simply amazing (not saying that Howard isn't).

[owbc]

Incredible Game 7 tonight! Great to see the Sharks moving on to what should be an excellent series with Vancouver. Both teams have come up short in the playoffs recently but they are arguably the two best teams in the NHL this year. The Lightning-Bruins should be a great series as well with both teams well rested going into the series.

[zurch1818]

I agree. Awesome game. Datsyuk's backhand goal going to the far side post to make it a one goal game in the third was just crazy ridiculous. Another game 7 is the reason the NHL playoffs are nothing short of spectacular. Predicting Sharks over Lightning in 5.

[Funketown]

...And so we meet again, Antti Niemi. It's sad that so few will realize what an exciting match-up this is. Heatley, Thorton, Marleau vs. Sedin, Sedin, Kesler.

 

Something tells me Gary Bettman won't be too thrilled about a Vancouver/Tampa or San Jose/Tampa finals. Hockey fans, however, should be thrilled with either option.

[danzig6767]

I agree. Awesome game. Datsyuk's backhand goal going to the far side post to make it a one goal game in the third was just crazy ridiculous. Another game 7 is the reason the NHL playoffs are nothing short of spectacular. Predicting Sharks over Lightning in 5.

Yea, that goal by Datsyuk was amazing. What a shot.

 

Overall just a fabulous game to watch. That San Jose crowd was so into the game and the last minute plus after Detroit pulled Howard was so intense as the puck was in the San Jose zone most of the time.

 

I wanted to cheer for San Jose over Vancouver, but my buddy lost a 50 dollar bet to me on a different series and he wants to go double or nothing, but surprisingly he chose San Jose instead of Vancouver.

[stoutdude04]

I think Datsyuk is the best player in the league. I have thought that the last few years actually. I hate the Wings but I believe hes been injured a bit the last few years.

 

He is a stud. He plays both ends with passion. Makes him an incredible player.

[burniebrewer]

Rangers (former Wild) enforcer Derek Boogard, aka "The Boogieman" passed away on Friday at age 28. He missed 52 games due to a concussion this season...have to wonder if that had anything to do with his passing.

[Funketown]

Sad to hear about Boogaard. I'll always remember his performance in the playoffs a few years back against Anaheim.

[stoutdude04]

The first Wild game I ever attended he got into a fight 1 second into the game. They called the starting lineups and then at the last second Boogie came out and lined up at right wing. My buddy and I thought it was odd. Then he and the other guy(cant remember who) started hacking at each other before the drop. It was pretty neat.

 

Sad to hear.