_/ Official 2018 NHL Playoffs Discussion Thread \_

[UncleBen59]

Yup, It's that time of year again.

Match-ups:

Tampa Bay Lightning (A1) vs. New Jersey Devils (WC2)
Boston Bruins (A2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (A3)
Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (WC1)
Pittsburgh Penguins (M2) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (M3)

Nashville Predators (C1) vs. Colorado Avalanche (WC2)
Winnipeg Jets (C2) vs. Minnesota Wild (C3)
Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Los Angeles Kings (WC1)
Anaheim Ducks (P2) vs. San Jose Sharks (P3)


Anyone wanna set up an NHL Bracket Challenge?

 

[twisted_time48]

Per Twitter, Ilya Kovalchuk is signing with the Rangers. Interesting.

Also, the bracket looks good for the Leafs. Much prefer Boston to Tampa.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[UncleBen59]

IGN Hockey Board Bracket Challenge

Password is IGN

 

[tmg.exe]

Devils swept lightning in season series. Devils finished a lot stronger than Tampa, too. Might not be an especially bad matchup. Then the second round story will be ready made as either victim underdog vs bully (Marchand hurt our guy!), or Lou Lam’s old team versus his new team.

 

[UncleBen59]

Per Twitter, Ilya Kovalchuk is signing with the Rangers. Interesting.

Also, the bracket looks good for the Leafs. Much prefer Boston to Tampa.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Eronko is apparently super reliable but I dunno, I find something off about him going to the Rags

 

[denkaas]

You can tell NBC doesn’t care about your teams when they put game 4 on the Golf channel.

 

[HuskerTornado]

IGN Hockey Board Bracket Challenge

Password is IGN

Joined. Have to fill a bracket out tonight. I feel there are a lot of real tossup series this year.

 

[Baby_King_Bob]

GO JETS GO!!!! buzz around the Jets this playoffs way different (better, more excited) than last time around. I hope they don't shit the bed.

anyone else going to a game tonight/tomorrow?!

 

[tmg.exe]

Per Twitter, Ilya Kovalchuk is signing with the Rangers. Interesting.

Also, the bracket looks good for the Leafs. Much prefer Boston to Tampa.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Eronko is apparently super reliable but I dunno, I find something off about him going to the Rags

At this point it is a complete toss up as to which is funnier - Duchene demanding a trade to have a chance to make the playoffs only to see his new team finish #30 and his former team make the playoffs ... or Kovalchuk refusing to come back to the NHL last year under the Devils control because he wanted a chance at the cup that NJ couldn’t offer, but then he goes and signs with the one team that has told its fans to be ready for a slow rebuild, while NJ is in the playoffs.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Man, this bracket is tough to fill out, I'm still having second thoughts on multiple series.

I probably had all the rounds right, but just changed a few, lol. Winning that Super Chexx Pro would be awesome. Not going to happen, but it'd be nice.

 

[jmenjes]

Still bitter about missing the playoffs by one stinkin' point...

 

[HuskerTornado]

Still bitter about missing the playoffs by one stinkin' point...

Blame all of Philly's loser points.

 

[tmg.exe]

Still bitter about missing the playoffs by one stinkin' point...

If the Devils didn’t cinch their playoff spot before their final game of the season they don’t healthy-scratch their top player at every position for the finale and likely win it and finish two points higher.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Pens up 2-0 early. They are flying right now. Great chances for both teams so far.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Wow, Evgeni Malkin. That was incredible.

3-0


--video

 

[HuskerTornado]

Sweet mother of god, how did Sidney Crosby just do that, unreal

5-0

--video

 

[HuskerTornado]

Sidney Crosby Hat Trick. 7-0 Penguins

 

[SirKiko]

Sidney Crosby Hat Trick. 7-0 Penguins

Me at this moment:

 

[Doom67]

Flyers fan probably starting to wish they didnt make the playoffs over the Panthers...

 

[HuskerTornado]

This is one of the few times I've seen a team that looked like they were just coasting through the regular season, hoping to flip the mythical switch come playoff time...and actually do it. Obviously, this is just one game, but the pace, the shot blocking, Murray's focus, backchecking like crazy, aggressive forecheck, just the overall effort, engagement, and energy Pittsburgh played with was unbelievable. They looked like much more of a continuation of last playoffs than last week. I was stunned throughout the game at what I was seeing. Even Brassard, who seemed to be struggling with the different system and surroundings, first game off injury, looked excellent.

Much tighter game between Winnipeg and Minnesota, really feels like Minny missed a big opportunity to steal a game in a series that they will be up against it.

Vegas up 1-0 after 1.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Dustin Brown misses the widest open net in NHL history.

 

[UncleBen59]

I dunno, this could be a trap game for Pittsburgh and Philly will answer right back in either game 2 or 3.

I still think that series will go to 7.

GO JETS GO!!!! buzz around the Jets this playoffs way different (better, more excited) than last time around. I hope they don't shit the bed.

anyone else going to a game tonight/tomorrow?!

It's good seeing the WhiteOut return. If they win a series or two it's a step in the right direction.

Might go to Saturday's game in Boston if friend can score tickets from his job.

Eronko is apparently super reliable but I dunno, I find something off about him going to the Rags

At this point it is a complete toss up as to which is funnier - Duchene demanding a trade to have a chance to make the playoffs only to see his new team finish #30 and his former team make the playoffs ... or Kovalchuk refusing to come back to the NHL last year under the Devils control because he wanted a chance at the cup that NJ couldn’t offer, but then he goes and signs with the one team that has told its fans to be ready for a slow rebuild, while NJ is in the playoffs.

this is probably why. He's be more inclined to go to NJ or hell even Winnipeg (technically his old team) than to go to Winnipeg

 

[HuskerTornado]

Yeah, like I said, only one game, but the early returns look good.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Vegas/LA could go 7. Great goaltender duel tonight.

Fleury and Murray with shutouts in night one.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Going to be interesting to see what Trotz does for game 2.

 

[UncleBen59]

Spin the wheel, lets see where it will land for Kadri

Attempted knee-to-knee on Nash and then cheap shots Wingels.

 

[Deleted member 4121907]

Forsberg jfc

 

[HuskerTornado]

 

[UncleBen59]

Too OP, plz nerf

 

[HuskerTornado]

Refs making this game a clown show.

 

[HuskerTornado]

 

[hbguy311]

Bad penalty call that led to the PP goal for the Flyers but wow! What a difference from last game. Pens will adjust.

 

[HuskerTornado]

They had a decent first period, couple of good deflection attempts went just wide and they also hit a post. That brutal call on ZAR, made by the ref on the other side of the ice was trash (especially when they let an actual crosscheck into the boards go early in the game) and changed the whole game.

Letang is having a bad game. Down 2 now off a goofy bounce off Letang.

Another post for the Pens. Not what they need.

 

[HuskerTornado]

I'm not sure how that isn't a penalty on Giroux....NBC saying it was an "accident"....huh? He jumped up and stuck his elbow out and ruined Letang. Somehow Letang cut his hand open. I'll have to watch replay at intermission.

 

[hbguy311]

Need to get this 4 on 4 goal.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Sounds like Letang is done.

--or maybe not, he is on the bench.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Crosby misses wide open net....that kind of night.

 

[hbguy311]

Flyers are really on their game. Pens have had some opportunities but all in all, Flyers are playing better with a little help from the refs. I still expect the Pens to come out in period 3 and play like we know they can.

 

[Doom67]

Going to be interesting to see what Trotz does for game 2.

Probably call up slower players to play a more physical game, since you know the Pens last season speed team that destroyed columbus then us was probably a fluke in his head. Oh well.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Flyers are really on their game. Pens have had some opportunities but all in all, Flyers are playing better with a little help from the refs. I still expect the Pens to come out in period 3 and play like we know they can.

This game isn't too much different from game 1 (outside of questionable officiating), a lot of it is bounces and puck luck. Elliott stops Sid on a breakaway (if he goes his usual 5-hole, he scores), Sid misses a wide open net (like Dustin Brown the other night), 2 posts, and then on a couple deflection attempts where they went in last game, they went wide tonight. Flyers' first goal was a double deflection plinko goal on a bogus PP, their second was a popped up puck that Letang knocked in behind Murray. Go back to game 1, Pens' deflections were going in, Philly's best chances they whiffed on or went wide.

Pens are leading in faceoffs, shots, scoring chances, etc. I would say the Flyers are playing slightly better defensive structure tonight than game 1, but it isn't as if this is a stifling game, far from it. Pens are getting more than their share of good quality scoring chances.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Going to be interesting to see what Trotz does for game 2.

Probably call up slower players to play a more physical game, since you know the Pens last season speed team that destroyed columbus then us was probably a fluke in his head. Oh well.

He doesn't have a contract for next season, is there a threshold you think he needs to get to in these playoffs to be back (ECF or bust)?

 

[HuskerTornado]

Well that's a terrible goal to give up, Murray should have had that, first one tonight that is his fault. Good hustle by Konecny to get by Ruhwedel.

 

[hbguy311]

Okay, F this.

Edit, Finally!

 

[HuskerTornado]

Hornqvist scored to get the team back in the game, and then went full idiot and put the team on the PK for 2 minutes. Can't do that.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Another crosscheck into the boards by Philly. They're calling this one.

And taking Hornqvist for embellishment. You have to be fucking kidding me....I'm sure a lot of guys would willingly launch themselves head first into the boards, probably bent his visor before the hit too.

Nothing new, but Wes McCauley is the biggest joke official in the NHL. His partner in crime Tim Peel is a moron as well. Shameful.

 

[HuskerTornado]

Hornqvist tossed, along with Manning...because Hornqvist hit Giroux with a clean hit and Manning hooked his stick around Hornqvist's arm and asked him to go. Well earned, great job, refs.

 

[hbguy311]

Refs aside, Pens only scored one goal. Hard to ask for another shutout from Murray. Oh well. Watching my Angels now.

 

[HuskerTornado]

They blew their high % scoring chances, and there were a ton of them, and Elliott wasn't a total sieve like in game 1. Bounces, shit happens that you'd rather not have happen.

I don't know what the Pens were doing the first 5 minutes of the 3rd, but they got buried in that moment. Philly's PK had the Pens' PP off all night, other than the instance where Crosby blew the wide open net at the end of the 2nd period. They will need to adjust their entries for game 3. Philly looked like they knew exactly where each pass was going.

Pens were terrible on the road this year, not great to drop this game.

 

[hbguy311]

I'm not worried about the road record. Playoffs are a whole different beast.

 

[Doom67]

Going to be interesting to see what Trotz does for game 2.

Probably call up slower players to play a more physical game, since you know the Pens last season speed team that destroyed columbus then us was probably a fluke in his head. Oh well.

He doesn't have a contract for next season, is there a threshold you think he needs to get to in these playoffs to be back (ECF or bust)?

I'd think so, but I don't think he is a bad coach so I wouldn't be upset either way. The team probably shouldnt have finished 1st in the Metro this year (and I think a part of that is the Pens being so slow out of the gate), so I gotta give him some credit. I'm just not a fan of the slower heavier line up that gets into these grindy overtime games each postseason. The team has fast players, we utilized it at times, but then Vrana having a good month ends up getting what 7 minutes last night? And he drew one of the legit penalty calls from the game in that limited time.

I'm fine with someone new coming in and giving it a shot. There are tons of coaches out there and the way sports work nowadays its good to pull the trigger quickly and reload for next season. Unless you get a Saban or a Bellichek you aren't gonna win with every roster, so I guess the question is are you going to be the one trying to uncover the next one of those guys, go with someone that can maybe retool the team for a few years with a different approach, or just be comfortable making the playoffs and hoping the cards line up right?

I don't really get my hopes up for the Caps anymore anyways, so I'm probably the wrong person to ask about this.