Boz
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Post by Boz on Apr 22, 2010 11:30:11 GMT -5
It would be crazy if both Boston and Philly advance. No one would have seen that coming two weeks ago. Same with the Kings. And people still watch the early rounds of the NBA play offs? Thats more shocking than if the sens came back to win in 7 A pox on you! Hush your mouth! But seriously, while Boston, Philly, Pittsburgh and Washington are all in good shape to advance, you've got to worry about Philly. They just lost Jeff Carter and Simone Gagne in their Game 4 win. I know they're listed as day-to-day, but Matthew Barnaby thinks they're gone for the remainder of the playoffs. That's a dream come true for any Caps fan, should the Flyers advance tonight. But I have a feeling the Devils will win tonight and the series will go 7. I'm just so happy -- and to be honest, shocked -- at the fight the Bruins are showing. Jeez, if they had played this way for the last couple of months, they'd be the three seed. And I'd really like to win this series for a little playoff payback against the Sabres, but also because it might mean Marc Savard could play on the next round. I think the Sabres will win at home in Game 5 though. But my hope is that Boston can close it out before it gets to Game 7. (Though, objectively, of all the series in the East, this is the one that probably deserves to go to Game 7 the most...I just don't want it to happen for selfish reasons, obviously.)
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kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Apr 22, 2010 18:20:06 GMT -5
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Apr 22, 2010 19:39:03 GMT -5
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Apr 22, 2010 21:14:38 GMT -5
Flyers advance and will most likely play the Caps. They are decimated with Gange and Carter out, and apparently Lapierre tonight (but he may be not be out that long). I would say, great the caps will destroy them, but they are playing the hardest of any team and willing themselves to win. Time will tell
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Apr 22, 2010 22:17:43 GMT -5
Nice to get our first extended OT in there. Now we just need to get one of those real marathon games, 3OT or more! Ask and you shall receive.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Apr 22, 2010 22:53:15 GMT -5
Nice to get our first extended OT in there. Now we just need to get one of those real marathon games, 3OT or more! Ask and you shall receive. I was about to post those exact same words. Glad the Pens lost that one!
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Apr 24, 2010 11:33:53 GMT -5
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Apr 24, 2010 12:18:29 GMT -5
If only they'd actually played hard too. The forecheck was just abysmal, especially in the 3rd period.
The good news was that the Caps fans responded to Montreal booing our anthem by giving the Canadian anthem the Boston treatment (i.e. cheering loudly and singing along at the end).
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Apr 24, 2010 18:46:26 GMT -5
In other news, Antti Niemi has apparently given birth to a puck:
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Apr 24, 2010 23:26:25 GMT -5
OK, so Ovie hurts somebody on a boarding play against the Hawks in March, gets 5 minutes and a game. Everybody says the refs had no option but to throw him out once they decided to give him more than 2 minutes, so he basically had to be ejected because Campbell got hurt.
Now Hossa hurts somebody on a boarding play, gets 5 minutes, but the refs don't throw him out, and he scores in OT as soon as he comes out of the box.
Editeding bullsh*t, and I'm no Preds fan. Considering what Ovi got for his hit, Hossa ought to be out for the rest of the series.
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Apr 25, 2010 10:40:41 GMT -5
OK, so Ovie hurts somebody on a boarding play against the Hawks in March, gets 5 minutes and a game. Everybody says the refs had no option but to throw him out once they decided to give him more than 2 minutes, so he basically had to be ejected because Campbell got hurt. Now Hossa hurts somebody on a boarding play, gets 5 minutes, but the refs don't throw him out, and he scores in OT as soon as he comes out of the box. Editeding bullsh*t, and I'm no Preds fan. Considering what Ovi got for his hit, Hossa ought to be out for the rest of the series. On twitter one of the HNIC guys pointed out that the Rule says a boarding major only requires a game misconduct if there is an injury to the head and neck. Therefor Hossa did not get one. However, he also said that means Ovie shouldnt have gotten one because it was a shoulder injury. There is a clause that allows the Ref to give a gamer if he feels there was intent to injure. Basically the only way to make this right is for ovie to be given the Art Ross and the Richard because he would have won both if not for missing those games. ;D
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Apr 26, 2010 8:38:57 GMT -5
Caps better close out tonight. Otherwise this is going to be another really bad year for DC sports.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Apr 26, 2010 9:05:52 GMT -5
Caps better close out tonight. Otherwise this is going to be another really bad year for DC sports. I highly doubt the Caps will lose three in a row to Montreal. If they don't win tonight, well, there will be panic for sure, but I cannot envision them losing the series. (feel free to anti-jinx me; I would). Now, you want a team with a little bit of history in choking away 3-1 series leads, well sir, look no further than my boys. Definitely must win tonight for them. Game 7 in Buffalo? No, thank you. Meesa extremely nervous!
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Apr 26, 2010 20:43:57 GMT -5
Well, the Caps are done. Shame to see a season like that end in the first round.
That wasn't Halak in net for the Habs, that was God dressed up in a Canadiens jersey. Easily the best goaltending I've seen this year (including Miller at the Olympics and Anderson in Game 3 vs. the Sharks), maybe the best I've ever seen. It wasn't just the quantity of saves, it was the quality. The Caps were at their best offensively, and whatever divine being that was in net for the Habs completely dominated their best.
I mean, technically the Caps could win Game 7, but with that thing in net, it's really not possible.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Apr 26, 2010 20:54:45 GMT -5
For obvious reasons, I had the Caps game on mute. But I tried to check out as much as I could.
One thing I couldn't figure out without the sound though was all the frickin' penalties! Were these bad calls or were the Caps playing that sloppily? It seemed like every time I looked over, Montreal was on a power play.
One thing I did catch were some of Halek's outstanding saves. He was unreal.
If any of you Caps fans are superstitious, you are probably very angry with me, so I won't say what I think will happen in Game 7.
As for the Bruins, well, I'm just really happy. Miller played great, but he was human in the series and Tuukka Rask matched him outstanding save for outstanding save. Both of them were victimized by their defense tonight though.
(And you just know that Miller HATES the fact that Miro Satan ended up with the game winner.)
I never thought this was Boston's year, still don't really, but with maybe Savard coming back now, they might just be able to give the Pens some headaches and/or take out a shorthanded Flyers team.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Apr 26, 2010 21:07:16 GMT -5
Penalties were actually pretty even. The refs called it tight, but called it both ways. Montreal took 3 (!) diving penalties.
I always knew that the one thing that could beat the Caps this playoffs was a hot goalie. I just never imagined it would be Jaroslav Halak.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Apr 26, 2010 21:21:28 GMT -5
Yeah, maybe it was deceiving only turning my full attention to that game periodically.
Just was looking through box scores and saw the Caps with 12 PIM (to Montreal's 14). I swear it seemed like almost double that to me.
Meanwhile, every other shot in the Blackhawks-Predators game seems to be finding the back of the net.
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Apr 26, 2010 22:35:24 GMT -5
I think we need to bring this video out to remind the Habs that they will not succeed in the playoffs:
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hoopsmccan
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Post by hoopsmccan on Apr 27, 2010 16:55:49 GMT -5
Maybe I didn't watch enough hockey this year, how commonly are those diving penalties called? Is it a point of emphasis this year?
Three in one game called on a team playing against the number 1 seed that has one of two young, dynamic marquee stars of the league? Hmm, if that was a NBA playoff game people would be screaming bloody murder.
hm
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The Stig
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Post by The Stig on Apr 27, 2010 22:57:20 GMT -5
Diving/embellishment penalties have been increasing dramatically in the past few years. I, for one, approve of that.
What was unusual about the Habs' diving penalties was that 2 of the 3 were called in isolation, i.e. without a corresponding call on the Caps. The vast majority of diving penalties that I've seen have a corresponding penalty on the other team. So for example, a player on Team A hooks a player on Team B, who goes down with arms flailing. Team B's player gets 2 minutes for diving because of the embellishment, but Team A's player still gets 2 for hooking.
The NHL made it very clear this year that you're not allowed to embellish even if you're being hooked/tripped/interfered with/etc., which is something that I strongly approve of. Soccer would be infinitely more watchable if they followed that example and penalized players for embellishing, even if they've been fouled.
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