Official NHL Hockey Thread interim version

[Mysteriosa]

On 8/3/2020 at 11:14 AM, ShortstopVM said:

Hot Take: As much as I like Lundqvist and appreciate his contributions to the franchise... Igor Shesterkin should be the starter from here on out (once he is cleared to play).

It makes me sad, but maybe he should have retired already.  

 

On 8/4/2020 at 8:31 PM, ShortstopVM said:

Woooowwww...  It's as if the coronavirus Monstars quarantine took all the talent out of the Rangers   #SpaceJam

 

I did not expect these guys to come out of The Pause looking flat...

 

I guess we're all rooting against the Fishsticks now...

I thought for sure the Flames would be flat.  Last year only the goalie and maybe one player showed up against Colorado, and all the stars did nothing at all.  All the players are working really hard. Also, Winnipeg has terrible luck with injuries.

 

This time Flames lost game 2 by 3-2 but it was close.  But they took lots of penalties.

They won game 3 by 6-2, still lots of penalties.

And they clinched it Thursday night 4-0, while mostly avoiding penalties.

 

I'm excited, and doubly so because the Oilers are out.  Oddly enough, we're using their old goalie, Talbot, who became quite solid.

I'll root against the Islanders.  I can be swayed. 

On 8/5/2020 at 4:13 PM, RWG said:

Canucks beat Minnesota 4-3 last night. It was 4-1 until late. Goals came from Pearson, Miller, Boeser, and Horvat. Series is 1-1 now. Was worried we were going to join the Rangers as the only teams to go down 1-2-3.

I hate to say it, but still enjoying it when I see Petterson playing.  He's got skills.

 

On 8/5/2020 at 4:13 PM, RWG said:

Victoria, B.C., used to have an ECHL team called the Salmon Kings. Everyone hated it at first, but they eventually created a kind of culture around salmon. I like Rainiers for Seattle, but it sounds kind of more like a rugby team.

 

Arizona is kind of surprising, but I guess anything can happen in a best-of-five. The stuff with their GM right before the tournament started was weird. I've never heard a team refer to their GM as "quitting" before. The statement the team put out sounded like it was written by a pouty teenager; at the same time, John Chayka is not the most professional individual himself. The "analytics" operation he and his sister run sounds kind of sketchy.

Hmm.  Salmon Kings.  I guess if you have the right logo, it could have worked.  Apparently Seattle tested Salmon Pink as a jersey colour.

 

I'm like, how is Arizona winning?  Is that a thing?  

Chicago beat Edmonton.  Poor old McDavid.  And I'm like, so much for that rivalry.  Meanwhile their massive 50/50 draw was so big it crashed the system and people got overcharged.

 

Penguins are out too.  NHL probably not happy about that.  Maybe Penguins will do well in the draft lottery.

 

Heard Leaf comeback on the radio.  Their announcer was astonished. (went from down 3-0 to 3-3 in the last 4 minutes).   They even won in OT.  Can't quite imagine what Tortorella said after Columbus blew that.

 

On 8/5/2020 at 4:13 PM, RWG said:

I've heard the Calgary-Winnipeg series has been heated, but I haven't got to see much of it. I saw Paul Maurice saying that Tkachuk should basically be publicly hung for that kick of Scheifele. I did see this hilarious gif of Lucic whining that his goal got called back.

Ironically, I thought that was one of Tkachuk's more legal hits.  

 

No one said anything about Giordano getting rid of Laine by whacking him with his stick on the forearm.     And sometimes he 'accidentally' takes out people because he leaves it late to catch up to them, and then does something hasty that wipes them out.  And then he apologizes.  

 

Well Lucic got his goal back in that game, so no problems there. 

  

Game 4 started with Lucic fighting someone at puck drop.  I was impressed there was any intensity given the fact there is no one there except for a bunch of pretend fan noises.

 

Boo.  Winnipeg's digital banners were nicer than ours.

 

Wow.  Elliotte Friedman has this big beard now, I thought that it was some guy from the backwoods for a moment.  Or an ancient mariner, the next mascot for the Islanders. 

 

Edited August 9, 2020 by Mysteriosa

[RWG]

Canucks won their play-in series against the Wild, 3-1. So now they're officially technically in the playoffs for the first time in five years. So glad Tanev got the OT winner. He and Edler are the only players left from the 2011 team that went to the final.

 

I really liked how they won this series. They stood in there against a very defensively firm Minnesota team. They stood up for themselves in ways I'm not used to seeing from them. Pettersson even hit Ryan Hartman in the head.

 

St. Louis is next.

6 hours ago, Mysteriosa said:

 

I'm excited, and doubly so because the Oilers are out.  Oddly enough, we're using their old goalie, Talbot, who became quite solid.

 

Poor McDavid. I guess no one put a gun to his head and told him to sign that contract. But from an NHL perspective, it's sad that all these stars go to Edmonton and then we never get to see them in the playoffs. I think Dave Tippett put it best: "we probably overachieved a bit in the regular season." They did, a lot. That roster isn't close to complete.

 

6 hours ago, Mysteriosa said:

Hmm.  Salmon Kings.  I guess if you have the right logo, it could have worked.  Apparently Seattle tested Salmon Pink as a jersey colour.

 

Penguins are out too.  NHL probably not happy about that.  Maybe Penguins will do well in the draft lottery.

 

Heard Leaf comeback on the radio.  Their announcer was astonished. (went from down 3-0 to 3-3 in the last 4 minutes).   They even won in OT.  Can't quite imagine what Tortorella said after Columbus blew that.

  

Game 4 started with Lucic fighting someone at puck drop.  I was impressed there was any intensity given the fact there is no one there except for a bunch of pretend fan noises.

 

Boo.  Winnipeg's digital banners were nicer than ours.

 

Wow.  Elliotte Friedman has this big beard now, I thought that it was some guy from the backwoods for a moment.  Or an ancient mariner, the next mascot for the Islanders. 

 

 

The logo was... not very threatening.

 

 

It was a bad attempt at merging Victoria's royal and marine identities. When the WHL decided to relocate into VIctoria, which forced the Salmon KIngs out, they just named the team the Royals. 

 

It's crazy that the Oilers, Penguins, Jets, and possibly the Leafs (Columbus is up 1-0 in the 2nd in game 5) all have a reasonable shot at Lafreniere. I can't imagine how livid people will be if the Oilers win yet another lottery. Minnesota is the only team in this lottery that truly deserves Lafreniere. Maybe Columbus if they lose.

 

I'm surprised Friedman was allowed on the air without shaving. In the past, he's said on the 31 Thoughts podcast that he has to be clean-shaven for TV, but I guess the rules aren't in effect right now. I've been watching the intermissions more than usual because Kevin Bieksa is on, and he's actually insightful and entertaining. For Canucks fans, it's the equivalent of having someone on the supreme court.

 

Edited August 10, 2020 by RWG

[ShortstopVM]

So, I heard that the Rangers won a lottery...

 

 

Edited August 10, 2020 by ShortstopVM

[ShortstopVM]

Anyone watching this Blue Jackets/Lightning game? #5OTs

[Mysteriosa]

On 8/9/2020 at 7:20 PM, RWG said:

Canucks won their play-in series against the Wild, 3-1. So now they're officially technically in the playoffs for the first time in five years. So glad Tanev got the OT winner. He and Edler are the only players left from the 2011 team that went to the final.

 

I really liked how they won this series. They stood in there against a very defensively firm Minnesota team. They stood up for themselves in ways I'm not used to seeing from them. Pettersson even hit Ryan Hartman in the head.

 

St. Louis is next.

Oooh.  Canucks are still in.  It's on. 

Hit him in the head.  That's dedication.  

 

Flames won their first game vs Dallas 3-2.  Not bad.

 

On 8/9/2020 at 7:20 PM, RWG said:

Poor McDavid. I guess no one put a gun to his head and told him to sign that contract. But from an NHL perspective, it's sad that all these stars go to Edmonton and then we never get to see them in the playoffs. I think Dave Tippett put it best: "we probably overachieved a bit in the regular season." They did, a lot. That roster isn't close to complete.

 

He went from "oh noes I didn't get the team I wanted" to "this is my team and I'm sure I can make it work out"  to his present Corner of Despair.

 

On 8/9/2020 at 7:20 PM, RWG said:

t was a bad attempt at merging Victoria's royal and marine identities. When the WHL decided to relocate into VIctoria, which forced the Salmon KIngs out, they just named the team the Royals. 

 

It's crazy that the Oilers, Penguins, Jets, and possibly the Leafs (Columbus is up 1-0 in the 2nd in game 5) all have a reasonable shot at Lafreniere. I can't imagine how livid people will be if the Oilers win yet another lottery. Minnesota is the only team in this lottery that truly deserves Lafreniere. Maybe Columbus if they lose.

 

I'm surprised Friedman was allowed on the air without shaving. In the past, he's said on the 31 Thoughts podcast that he has to be clean-shaven for TV, but I guess the rules aren't in effect right now. I've been watching the intermissions more than usual because Kevin Bieksa is on, and he's actually insightful and entertaining. For Canucks fans, it's the equivalent of having someone on the supreme court.

Ha!  What a salmon.  So that's where the Royals came from.

I think someone on this board may have won the lottery...

 

Friedman:  The Castaway Years.  I saw Bieksa.  I'm like, whoah, that's him.  Finally someone who won't diss Vancouver.  How did that happen?

 

On 8/10/2020 at 5:21 PM, ShortstopVM said:

So, I heard that the Rangers won a lottery...

 

 

 

Well it's about time someone on this board won it.  

And it's not Edmonton!  Hurrah!  It's hard to be mad about the Rangers getting him because it's not even in the West.  And it's not Edmonton!

 

 

Edited August 14, 2020 by Mysteriosa

[Mysteriosa]

On 8/11/2020 at 6:55 PM, ShortstopVM said:

Anyone watching this Blue Jackets/Lightning game? #5OTs

I saw the end.  That's crazy long!   I hadn't realized though that because they have only their 2 sheets of bubble ice, that any games scheduled for after a game will get bumped once there is too much overtime.  This could get tricky.

 

Congrats on Lafreniere.   What's it like to win the draft lottery?  

[Mysteriosa]

Flames lost game #2, by 5-4.  Tkachuk was speared in the groin, and then later was squished between two players, and is still out.  Probably concussion, I think.

 

Game 3 was the very next night, and Flames won 2-0.  Brodie has a really hard shot.  One of the Dallas players deliberately broke a pane of glass, hitting it with his stick because he was frustrated,  and it had to be replaced.  

 

Today was game 4 at noon Calgary time, and they lost in OT 5-4.  That was so annoying.  Dallas tied it with seconds to go.  The Flames went back to getting lots of penalties.  Won a goalie interference challenge, but lost the one about Dallas being off side.  Giordano is playing really badly. 

 

    I am concerned that no one can clear a puck without passing it to Dallas.  I like the way Tobias Rieder keeps getting short handed goals.  All the players we got from Edmonton are doing well.  Talbot is being a really good goalie, so I can't blame him.  

 

Meanwhile watched the last period of Vegas vs Chicago in NBC.  Their game seemed to have a lot less hitting, and Vegas is very much in control.  Meanwhile NBC commentators said Vancouver has talented young guys that will be its core for years to come.  

 

Rask left the Bruins to go back to his family.  It didn't seem like Boston fans took that well.

 

 

 

 

[Mysteriosa]

Flames lost 2-1 to Dallas on Tuesday.  The game was at 3.30 pm.  I don't think the weird schedule is helping.  So now they have to win tonight or they are out.  

 

Thursday update, game 6 which is on for some reason at 8:30 pm.  Spoilers.  Also, not for the faint of heart:

 

Just when you thought it was safe to watch hockey.  Flames have a great first period and are up 3-0.  Looks like a different team.  Lucic takes a penalty for shoving someone.  Dallas scores 1 goal.

 

Second period:  Part way through the chaos we pull Talbot who is not having a great night and put in poor Rittich, who hasn't played much.  He saves the first couple and then falls apart.  Lucic takes another penalty (puck over glass) and Dallas scores again.  5 unanswered goals by Dallas.

 

Intermission:  Bieksa points out our defensive lapses, like allowing Dallas to stand unchallenged in our crease,  and points out we put Rittich in "who hasn't played since Y2K" but Flames didn't play tighter in front of him.    He laughs, then tries to save it by saying that Flames fans can still have some hope, pauses,  and then points out he isn't a Flames fan.    I think he is secretly enjoying what is a horrific blowout.  

 

Tkachuk meanwhile is agonizing in the press box.  

3rd period:  Talbot is back in goal.  Flames lose flamboyantly 7-3.

 

I see people blaming the goaltending, but I really think Calgary's defence is awful, and the team is still inconsistent.  Sometimes I think it is because there is no clear leadership.  I felt bad that they threw Rittich out there cold.  I wouldn't mind if the team just sucked, but it shows a bit of real promise and then throws it away.

 

I think there will have to be some major changes.  Why do I let them drive me crazy?  Why?         What an incredible trainwreck.

 

*still reading the brackets wrong.  Sigh.  Dallas plays Colorado next.  I'm pretty sure Colorado can take them.

 

 

 

  

 

Edited August 22, 2020 by Mysteriosa

[RWG]

The Canucks somehow took down the defending champion St. Louis Blues in six games. I just can't stop raving about the things Quinn Hughes. We have never had a defenseman this good. This team still has holes and flaws, but it is starting to come together. Travis Green can coach a little bit in the playoffs, too. He made some key adjustments in the series.

 

Canucks are the last Canadian team left and now get the distinguished honour of being hated by the rest of the country out of disgust over the "Canada's team" narrative.

 

Bye bye to Jordan Binnington, the greatest one-hit wonder we'll ever know. I don't know why the Blues didn't stick with Jake Allen, who won them Games 3 and 4. Binnington comes across as a dark, unhappy person, but also a mentally feeble one. 

 

On 8/13/2020 at 10:00 PM, Mysteriosa said:

Ha!  What a salmon.  So that's where the Royals came from.

I think someone on this board may have won the lottery...

 

Friedman:  The Castaway Years.  I saw Bieksa.  I'm like, whoah, that's him.  Finally someone who won't diss Vancouver.  How did that happen?

 

 

Well it's about time someone on this board won it.  

And it's not Edmonton!  Hurrah!  It's hard to be mad about the Rangers getting him because it's not even in the West.  And it's not Edmonton!

 

 

 

I mean, the city is literally named after a queen.  

 

For a second I didn't get it and thought you were implying that you had won an actual money lottery...

 

In the last Flames game, Bieksa said at the intermission, "If I'm a Flames fan I'm not panicking *starts laughing* but I'm not." XD Still cheeky.

 

We were all relieved it wasn't Edmonton. I think even Edmonton was relieved it wasn't Edmonton. That would have been humiliating for them, needing another lottery win after McDavid. I'm fine with the Rangers winning. They've had lottery luck and that will be an extremely fast rebuild, but at least their official position is that they're rebuild.

 

On 8/17/2020 at 3:24 AM, Mysteriosa said:

 

Rask left the Bruins to go back to his family.  It didn't seem like Boston fans took that well.

 

 

Shockingly, they did not.

 

It sounds like the players are miserable in the bubble. There isn't really much for them to do other than watch the other games and drink. In Toronto, they have the one hotel at the Exhibition Place, so they can at least roam around there and on BMO Field. Like a dog park. In Edmonton, they just have the hotel and the rink.

 

On 8/20/2020 at 9:18 PM, Mysteriosa said:

Flames lost 2-1 to Dallas on Tuesday.  The game was at 3.30 pm.  I don't think the weird schedule is helping.  So now they have to win tonight or they are out.  

 

Thursday update, game 6 which is on for some reason at 8:30 pm.  Spoilers.  Also, not for the faint of heart:

 

Just when you thought it was safe to watch hockey.  Flames have a great first period and are up 3-0.  Looks like a different team.  Lucic takes a penalty for shoving someone.  Dallas scores 1 goal.

 

Second period:  Part way through the chaos we pull Talbot who is not having a great night and put in poor Rittich, who hasn't played much.  He saves the first couple and then falls apart.  Lucic takes another penalty (puck over glass) and Dallas scores again.  5 unanswered goals by Dallas.

 

Intermission:  Bieksa points out our defensive lapses, like allowing Dallas to stand unchallenged in our crease,  and points out we put Rittich in "who hasn't played since Y2K" but Flames didn't play tighter in front of him.    He laughs, then tries to save it by saying that Flames fans can still have some hope, pauses,  and then points out he isn't a Flames fan.    I think he is secretly enjoying what is a horrific blowout.  

 

Tkachuk meanwhile is agonizing in the press box.  

3rd period:  Talbot is back in goal.  Flames lose flamboyantly 7-3.

 

I see people blaming the goaltending, but I really think Calgary's defence is awful, and the team is still inconsistent.  Sometimes I think it is because there is no clear leadership.  I felt bad that they threw Rittich out there cold.  I wouldn't mind if the team just sucked, but it shows a bit of real promise and then throws it away.

 

I think there will have to be some major changes.  Why do I let them drive me crazy?  Why?         What an incredible trainwreck.

 

*still reading the brackets wrong.  Sigh.  Dallas plays Colorado next.  I'm pretty sure Colorado can take them.

 

 

 

I didn't watch the game, but I saw that they were up 3-0. I couldn't believe when someone texted me that they gave up seven straight goals.

 

What does Treliving do now? He is smart, and the smart thing is not to overreact. But that core just can't win in the playoffs. I don't know what to say about the Flames other than that something just seems wrong with the chemistry of the group.

[RWG]

This is an actual thing that an actual agent for an actual NHL player, Marc-Andre Fleury, actually tweeted.

 

 

On the blade is says "DeBoer," the Vegas head coach, who, probably smartly, decided to start Robin Lehner instead of Fleury in Game 1 against Vancouver. There is no way Walsh would post that without Fleury's permission. I'd be surprised if Fleury starts again for Vegas in these playoffs, if ever.

 

It's very petulant but as the opposition, I also find it outrageously funny.

[ShortstopVM]

Go Flyers this week.

That's all I'm going to say about that series.

Edited August 25, 2020 by ShortstopVM

[Mysteriosa]

On 8/22/2020 at 7:10 PM, RWG said:

The Canucks somehow took down the defending champion St. Louis Blues in six games. I just can't stop raving about the things Quinn Hughes. We have never had a defenseman this good. This team still has holes and flaws, but it is starting to come together. Travis Green can coach a little bit in the playoffs, too. He made some key adjustments in the series.

 

Canucks are the last Canadian team left and now get the distinguished honour of being hated by the rest of the country out of disgust over the "Canada's team" narrative.

 

Bye bye to Jordan Binnington, the greatest one-hit wonder we'll ever know. I don't know why the Blues didn't stick with Jake Allen, who won them Games 3 and 4. Binnington comes across as a dark, unhappy person, but also a mentally feeble one. 

Hmm.  I'm supposed to cheer for Vancouver now.  I don't know about that.  It's nice to see someone stick around in the playoffs....(sigh)

There are a lot of weirdly high scores in these playoffs.  Don't ask me how I know.

On 8/22/2020 at 7:10 PM, RWG said:

I mean, the city is literally named after a queen.  

 

For a second I didn't get it and thought you were implying that you had won an actual money lottery...

 

In the last Flames game, Bieksa said at the intermission, "If I'm a Flames fan I'm not panicking *starts laughing* but I'm not." XD Still cheeky.

 

We were all relieved it wasn't Edmonton. I think even Edmonton was relieved it wasn't Edmonton. That would have been humiliating for them, needing another lottery win after McDavid. I'm fine with the Rangers winning. They've had lottery luck and that will be an extremely fast rebuild, but at least their official position is that they're rebuild.

That is a good point.  

Ha!  No win for me.

Bieksa.  I remember now why people hated him.  I still love this video.  Someone in the comments claims they got Fiddler to 'do the face' in warmups when he was playing for the Predators and he did.

  

On 8/22/2020 at 7:10 PM, RWG said:

It sounds like the players are miserable in the bubble. There isn't really much for them to do other than watch the other games and drink. In Toronto, they have the one hotel at the Exhibition Place, so they can at least roam around there and on BMO Field. Like a dog park. In Edmonton, they just have the hotel and the rink.

 

LOL, watching games and drinking.  It sounds like you can play hockey and you can watch hockey, and that is it.  Part of me wonders if the Flames subconsciously wanted out.  Was it a plot?  

 

On 8/22/2020 at 7:10 PM, RWG said:

I didn't watch the game, but I saw that they were up 3-0. I couldn't believe when someone texted me that they gave up seven straight goals.

 

What does Treliving do now? He is smart, and the smart thing is not to overreact. But that core just can't win in the playoffs. I don't know what to say about the Flames other than that something just seems wrong with the chemistry of the group.

The horror.  The next day our play by play commentator said he couldn't sleep all night thinking about it.  He was traumatized.  In fact, days after the game felt almost worse than the actual game.

 

Yeah, they keep saying that the playoffs are hard, as if we should think collapsing like that is normal.  Gaudreau thought they were playing well, and Tkachuk tried to blame himself.  They all get along really well, but it isn't translating into good hockey.  I don't think the team should fold if Tkachuk is not available.  Talbot couldn't be put right back on the ice because he took his bad mood into the dressing room.    If anything that loss was worse than last year!   Same old excuses.

 

Dallas is better than I expected it to be, but I think we ramped up their confidence.

On 8/23/2020 at 6:08 PM, RWG said:

This is an actual thing that an actual agent for an actual NHL player, Marc-Andre Fleury, actually tweeted.

 

 

On the blade is says "DeBoer," the Vegas head coach, who, probably smartly, decided to start Robin Lehner instead of Fleury in Game 1 against Vancouver. There is no way Walsh would post that without Fleury's permission. I'd be surprised if Fleury starts again for Vegas in these playoffs, if ever.

 

It's very petulant but as the opposition, I also find it outrageously funny.

When I finally saw the photo, I was like wow.  How can an agent do that?  On the other hand, I was impressed with the level of detail.  The coach's name on the blade!  The blood on the front!  I really like Fleury.  Maybe Seattle will snap him up and then they will win.  

 

NHL decided to postpone games.  I know it is the politically correct thing to do, but really, at this point where it is nearly September, I think the Stanley Cup momentum is fading quickly.   It does make up for the hideous schedule that puts games at all sorts of weird times and makes teams play too many back to back.  I'm like, hockey is on strike in August.  OK then.  As someone who doesn't like basketball, it could actually go on permanent vacation and I wouldn't actually notice.    

 

As I suspected, Friedmann's beard was used to benefit charity.  Hardly recognize him now, all bare.

[Mysteriosa]

On 8/24/2020 at 7:07 PM, ShortstopVM said:

Go Flyers this week.

That's all I'm going to say about that series.

It isn't going the right way.  I could say that about lots of these matchups.  Maybe if I cheer for the other side, they will lose hideously in the 3rd period of the last game.  

[ShortstopVM]

On 8/28/2020 at 8:02 PM, Mysteriosa said:

It isn't going the right way.  I could say that about lots of these matchups.  Maybe if I cheer for the other side, they will lose hideously in the 3rd period of the last game.  

 

I think it's working, because the Flyers won tonight - even after blowing a 3-1 lead. THE COMEBACK IS ON!

[Mysteriosa]

On 9/1/2020 at 10:06 PM, ShortstopVM said:

 

I think it's working, because the Flyers won tonight - even after blowing a 3-1 lead. THE COMEBACK IS ON!

 

And Dallas is in trouble.  I wasn't even paying attention after they were up 3 games to 1,  then they lost game 5, then they lost game 6, and now Colorado is back in it.  The weird moment when one of your arch enemies starts knocking off your other one (Calgary lost last yr in the playoffs to Colorado/this yr to Dallas).

[ShortstopVM]

And the Flyers jus scored in double OT!

How glorious will it be when the Fishsticks complete their collapse on Saturday? 

[RWG]

Welp the Canucks Cinderella run came to an end with a 3-0 Game 7 loss to Vegas. They made it as far as they could. They rallied from 3-1 down in the series because solely because of Thatcher Demko, who stopped 123/125 shots in those three games. He has definitely created a debate about re-signing Markstrom. I still think they will do it, but imo the smarter move is to let Markstrom walk, save the cap space, not worry about aging, and allow Demko to grow into the roll, even if it means taking a step back next season.

 

It's possible the Canucks are mediocre next year, which is kind of what they were this year. The only way they're getting better is by Pettersson and Hughes taking another step. They're can't afford any help in free agency, and they're going to lose some important pieces for nothing because of awful cap management by Jim Benning. Markstrom, Tanev, Toffoli, Stecher,  and Virtanen could have all played their last games.

 

On 8/28/2020 at 8:00 PM, Mysteriosa said:

Hmm.  I'm supposed to cheer for Vancouver now.  I don't know about that.  It's nice to see someone stick around in the playoffs....(sigh)

There are a lot of weirdly high scores in these playoffs.  Don't ask me how I know.

Bieksa.  I remember now why people hated him.  I still love this video.  Someone in the comments claims they got Fiddler to 'do the face' in warmups when he was playing for the Predators and he did.

 

 

You didn't have to lol. I cheered for the Flames in 2004 and the Oilers in 2006, but I was younger then. I don't cheer for the other Canadian teams in the playoffs because I want the Canucks to be the team to end the drought.

 

Fiddler could probably do a stand-up tour across Canada based only on that face.

 

On 8/28/2020 at 8:00 PM, Mysteriosa said:

LOL, watching games and drinking.  It sounds like you can play hockey and you can watch hockey, and that is it.  Part of me wonders if the Flames subconsciously wanted out.  Was it a plot?  

 

The horror.  The next day our play by play commentator said he couldn't sleep all night thinking about it.  He was traumatized.  In fact, days after the game felt almost worse than the actual game.

 

Yeah, they keep saying that the playoffs are hard, as if we should think collapsing like that is normal.  Gaudreau thought they were playing well, and Tkachuk tried to blame himself.  They all get along really well, but it isn't translating into good hockey.  I don't think the team should fold if Tkachuk is not available.  Talbot couldn't be put right back on the ice because he took his bad mood into the dressing room.    If anything that loss was worse than last year!   Same old excuses.

 

Dallas is better than I expected it to be, but I think we ramped up their confidence.

When I finally saw the photo, I was like wow.  How can an agent do that?  On the other hand, I was impressed with the level of detail.  The coach's name on the blade!  The blood on the front!  I really like Fleury.  Maybe Seattle will snap him up and then they will win.  

 

NHL decided to postpone games.  I know it is the politically correct thing to do, but really, at this point where it is nearly September, I think the Stanley Cup momentum is fading quickly.   It does make up for the hideous schedule that puts games at all sorts of weird times and makes teams play too many back to back.  I'm like, hockey is on strike in August.  OK then.  As someone who doesn't like basketball, it could actually go on permanent vacation and I wouldn't actually notice.    

 

As I suspected, Friedmann's beard was used to benefit charity.  Hardly recognize him now, all bare.

 

When all the series were 3-1, there was a story written about how players just can't find the motivation to rally when they're nearing elimination, because at the back of the players' minds, they knew it would mean going home and seeing their families. But all the teams down 3-1 rallied to force Game 7, except Boston. I think it was a factor for some of the teams that didn't make it far, but I guess it's a unique part of the challenge this year too.

 

Dallas is good, but a boring defensive team. I didn't expect them to be in all these high-scoring games like this.

 

I bet Walsh went to one of his kids who knows Photoshop and was like, "here's what I need. It's for work." Lehner started 6/7 games against Vancouver, including the 6 and 7 back-to-backs. Fleury is probably done in Vegas.

 

The quality of play is suffering badly from this compact schedule the NHL is going with. The Canucks and Knights played five games in seven nights. That's ridiculous. It's too much. Not only for the players, but as a fan, I don't want to watch hockey five nights a week in the summer. Vegas themselves looked quite sluggish in Game 7.

 

The NHL wants to come back in December or January. And they plan on having fans in the stands because these ultra-wealthy owners supposedly cannot bleed any more revenue. We don't even know about the border; there has been talk about the Canadian teams forming a division and only playing each other, but it sounds more likely that the NHL is assuming they will be exempt from the closed border. The Blue Jays weren't when they asked. The NHL also told players families would be allowed to visit inside the bubble when the playoffs reach the conference finals. The Canadian government isn't lifting restrictions to allow that.

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. The. Fishsticks.

 

[ShortstopVM]

I just realized that an Isles win tomorrow would set up another #SportsEquinox on Thursday (alongside the NBA's ECF, Bengals/Browns on NFL's TNF, and Baseball of course).

 

But there's no way that I'm gonna root for those Fishsticks, though...

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RANGERS SOUTH TAMPA!  

[ShortstopVM]

Rangers South Lightning!

 

Congratulations to Tampa Bay, but especially to Ryan McDonagh and Kevin Shattenkirk.  

[RWG]

I'm glad the Lightning won the cup because it's good for the league if, every once in a while, the best team in the league actually won the cup. The discourse would be horrible if Dallas had won. Everyone would be talking about how choking defensive systems and boring hockey are how you win the cup, and all the contending teams would try to emulate that.

 

I am sad for Rick Bowness though.

 

Who even knows when we see hockey again? The league says December or January, but I think it will be weird and complicated and challenging.

Edited October 5, 2020 by RWG

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On 8/13/2020 at 10:06 PM, Mysteriosa said:

Congrats on Lafreniere.   What's it like to win the draft lottery?  

 

Thanks in advance; it's exciting to get a once-in-a-genearation talent (it's not often that any of my Favorite Pro teams get an overall #1 pick*) but at the same time I need to slow my roll, as games aren't played on paper - Lafreniere still has to produce... And yes, that means bring The Cup back to NYC.

 

*The last time any of my Favorite teams got an overall #1, the Knicks drafted Patrick Ewing. I wasn't even born yet lol. (While Eli Manning was an overall #1, the Football Giants acquired him via a trade on Draft Day.)

Edited October 6, 2020 by ShortstopVM

[ShortstopVM]

"The New York Rangers have become 'must-see TV'..."

 

*knocks on wood*

[ShortstopVM]

Not even listening to the pundits on NBCSN right now because I'm too busy playing that Taylor Swift song.

 

Alexis Lafreniere... Welcome to New York; it's been waiting for you.