This year I think it’s anyone’s game. Boucher was supposed to suck in the playoffs but has performed incredible for the flyers. I think Rask seems to be pretty composed and has performed very well for a young goaltender.
Rask can be a bit of a headcase. Granted I wouldn’t expect a reaction like this in the playoffs:
I can still see his game tanking it at some point, especially if they run into the firepower of Pittsburgh.
I’m not trying to deflect any of the blame off of Lindy Ruff, because he was out-coached against Boston. He couldn’t come up with an answer to Boston, and he could have easily altered the team to play more of the defense first style that won so many games in the regular season. Too many times we were skating in circles in our own zone and not closing off shooting/passing lanes and laying down in front of pucks, just getting out worked along the boards. And our special teams debacle lands entirely on his shoulders. Watch some video Lindy, and adjust accordingly. However, this team shouldn’t have won the division, and would’ve won the series also had it not been for his players having two breakdowns in two games where they blew two goal leads. The team over achieved this year, and Lindy is why, it’ll be hard upgrading his coaching abilities.
Regier has made some terrible choices on the other hand. His stance on not negotiating during the season cost us Drury at a reasonable rate (4.75m/year), which eventually led to Briere’s departure also. On top of that, he chose to keep around this secondary talent, and overpay for it by a huge amount just to show people he’s not afraid to spend money after that brutal 2007 offseason. So as a result, we have Pominville at 5.5m, and why that guy doesn’t get criticized like Roy and Connolly is beyond me, he’s probably worse than both of them, and makes more. Connolly, 4.5m, really? Roy’s 4m cap hit doesn’t sound bad for the production you get out of him, but he’s uncoachable and tends to stray from the system and play his own game, which is giving the puck away in the neutral zone as much as possible without trying to look for the smart pass. Those three guys were great players as complimentary guys to Briere/Drury, able to make room and put up good numbers against other teams 2nd, 3rd, and 4th liners. But now they’re all top line players, and they’re just not good enough, whether it’s not enough talent or not enough heart. They’re just not the right players, and this team wont get any better until we have players who want to compete every night and not just collect their check.
Pittsburgh in 5
Boston in 6
Chicago in 6
Red Wings in 6
rask is not a rookie i dont understand why people keep calling him a rookie. Rask was drafted 21st overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. On june 24th 2006 his rights were traded to the Bruins in exchange for goaltender Andrew Raycroft.
any player under i think 27? is considered a rookie until they play x amount of games in the nhl in one season.
In the NHL being drafted doesnt mean you ever see the league for several years…it’s not football.
I agree with Beck’s picks except I have San Jose delaying their inevitable choke for at least another round.
Dear Chicago,
First playoff game was yesterday…where were you?
Quite the drastic change of pace in the Pittsburgh/Montreal game tonight. Shots were way down (24-18 Pitt), but the intensity and chances were definitely still there. This time Pittsburgh just beat Montreal at their own game, by blocking a ton of shots. And when they didn’t Fleury came up huge. I’m pullin for the Canadiens just because I’m sick of the Penguins and I’d hate to see them make it to the Cup finals again.
And the Sharks up 3-0 now?!?! Like Joe said, they are always a favorite to choke in the playoffs, but they are showing no signs of it yet. Nabokov’s penalty shot save was huge! Howard had some softies for sure, especially the first and third goals. If the Sharks advance, I think they can handle the winner of the Chicago/Vancouver series.
I got the wings pick so incredibly wrong. I couldn’t imagine Pavelski keeping his ridiculous pace up and Marleau and Big Joe deciding to not disappear. Good for them.
Penalty calling this playoffs is fucking horrid though. :tdown:
Did I mention how good Detroit could be when they hit that “ON” button? I think it’s too late, I just don’t see them coming back from a 3-0 deficit.
They are playing the sharks :choke:
I still don’t see the Sharks choking on a 3-0 lead.
For San Jose’s sake I surely hope not, and I do think they’ll win the series…but I don’t need to remind you of Montreal and Washington and the Sharks track record in the playoffs.
OK, why don’t defensemen in the NHL wear cups??!??!
Ruptured testicle FTMFL!
I’m no good at embedding. I got the embed link and wrapped it with video tags but it didn’t work. Sorry ahead of time for anyone that bitches about it.
Update: Not ruptured. Went to the hospital as a precaution that it may have been, but turned out was not. Pretty sure he had a cup on. Doesn’t always cover them real well and can still fuck up a nut even if puck strikes cup. I have played hockey for a lot of years, including college and a short stint in Jr’s. I have yet to see someone not wear one. I’m going to believe he had one until i hear rather definitively that he didn’t have one on. I can’t fathom an NHL Defenseman wouldn’t.
I would think that all of them wear a cup. Although I’m sure a 70-100 MPH slapshot is going to give you a wake up call regardless. In other news Patty Kane Patty Kane, bakers man…Hawks move on hopefully Boston and Montreal win tonight as well.
Go Hawks.
As much as I’d like to see Sid the Kid repeat, I’d LOVE to see the Canadian’s advance. Either way, it’s looking like a cake walk for the Chi-town boys when (not if) they make it to the cup. :tup:
This is absolutely awesome right now. Cammalleri is on fire these playoffs!! Habs up 4-0 in second period, assuming they hang on, I am liking their chances of making the Cup finals. I’d love to see an 8th seed win the Cup.
What an absolutely phenomenal comeback by the Flyers. You just don’t see this happen all the time, #7 vs. #8 seed in the Conference finals, let alone 3-0 comeback both in the series and in game 7 by Philly. What a showing for those two seeds this year. Both Conference finals series are going to be awesome.