Is there no NHL playoffs thread? {2024}

The Game Room
21

Thinking again about Edmonton’s win in game 7 against Vancouver, in the 1st the Canucks could not score with a 4 minute power play. They were pretty inept during that power play. They were inept for most of the game until they started scoring more than halfway through the 3rd. It was too little too late.

Tonight’s game saw the Panthers steal one at New York to take a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 on Friday should be a brawl. The Rangers will fight like hell to not go down 0-2 and then have to travel to Miami for games 3 and 4.

22

Well, the first game between the Stars and Ollers didn’t go how I wished it would, but it was a great game. The only way it could have been better for me is if the Stars had pushed it to OT and won.

23

The Oilers’ PK is doing really well. What is that, 18 in a row? And in a 4 minute double minor in the first OT too.

24

The Oilers were the better team for most of the game. SOG were 38/33 for the Oilers, but the Stars had 5 power plays to one (including the 4-minute one).

I would be concerned if I was a Stars fan because the Oilers won on even-strength goals without the benefit of their power play, and the Oil super-stars have started scoring again.

25

SOG was in favor of the Stars for much of the game. Only later did the Oilers start getting the puck to the net.

26

I can’t say that I’m that worried about the Oilers’ superstars. They were silent for game 2, and we’re playing a team, after all. Game 2 was a pretty wild east-west game. Fortunately, most of the highlights after the first were watching Skinner making great saves. Oettinger certainly earned his paycheck, though. A pretty great game, even though it wasn’t the nail biter game 1 was.

27

Wow, game 3 between Dallas and Edmonton was quite a struggle. A lackluster 1st by the Stars, and a lackluster 2nd by the Oilers set up a great 3rd. Robertson put the stars ahead with a hat trick after being relatively quiet for the playoffs so far. Here’s to hoping we continue our great away record and put Edmonton on the bubble next game.

28

Wow, despite being out-skated most of the game and having far fewer shots on goal, the Oilers advanced to the finals tonight, winning game 6 2-1. The first goal of the game, from Edmonton, was a stick handling masterpiece from Connor McDavid.

The finals start on Saturday. Here is the schedule.

◆ Game 1 Saturday, June 8 | 8 p.m. ET | Oilers @ Panthers | Amerant Bank Arena | ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
◆ Game 2 Monday, June 10 | 8 p.m. ET | Oilers @ Panthers | Amerant Bank Arena | ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
◆ Game 3 Thursday, June 13 | 8 p.m. ET | Panthers @ Oilers | Rogers Place | ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
◆ Game 4 Saturday, June 15 | 8 p.m. ET | Panthers @ Oilers | Rogers Place | ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
◆ Game 5 Tuesday, June 18 | 8 p.m. ET | Oilers @ Panthers | Amerant Bank Arena | ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
◆ Game 6 Friday, June 21 | 8 p.m. ET | Panthers @ Oilers | Rogers Place | ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
◆ Game 7 Monday, June 24 | 8 p.m. ET | Oilers @ Panthers | Amerant Bank Arena | ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS

29

While I do love watching Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, I’ll be rooting for the Panthers as they were the first NHL team I saw live and watching Pavel Bure was truly a wonderful way to get into hockey.

30

Speaking of the broadcast schedule, there was criticism for the CBC not carrying games 5&6 of the Oilers/Stars Conference final. Link to Globe and Mail article

They have been carrying all games as part of their Hockey Night In Canada deal with Sportsnet, but had better things to show apparently*. General consensus was that if it were Maple Leafs games they would definitely be showing them.

*Wayne and Shuster special, followed by Don Messer’s Jubilee and then The Beachcombers. jk

31

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the Final between the Panthers and Oilers will feature the farthest distance between teams in Stanley Cup history.

32

I saw that and was pulling for a Canucks/Panthers final so we’d have a final between the two furthest NHL cities.

33

I have to go to Edmonton in a few days, and I’m almost dreading it. It’s a business trip, and was scheduled about six months ago, so there’s not much I can do about the timing now.

I was living in Edmonton during the 2006 Stanley Cup finals between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Edmonton Oilers, and the city went nuts. Hockey and the Oilers were the topic of conversation everywhere, and you’d better be up-to-date with the latest hockey news if you wanted to talk with anybody. There was lots of print media and TV coverage too. Kids were standing on street corners holding up signs that read, “Honk for the Oilers!”

I’ll manage, but I’d like to get what needs doing business-wise done, without wasting time digressing into discussions about the Oilers and their chances. We can do that after our meeting. Preferably over a couple of beers in a sports bar.

34

We don’t have that, but we do have the most northerly team against the most southerly team.

35

Thanks for posting the schedule, and I’m happy to see that CBC will be carrying all the games. They always did before but with Rogers SportsNet jerking them around it’s hard to know what to expect these days.

36

31-year drought likely coming to an end.

37

Actually that kind of buzz and excitement sounds like fun, especially if there’s a game on during your visit. I haven’t experienced it with regard to hockey because of how mightily the Leafs suck,* but I was working downtown when the Jays brought the World Series to town, and you could practically feel the electricity in the air!

* As for the hapless Leafs, it’s one thing to point out that they haven’t won the Cup since 1967, but one should also note that at that time, there were just six teams in the NHL. Today there are 32. Once the NHL started to expand, which began the next season, the Leafs were toast. What makes it doubly embarrassing for them is that they’re either the richest or the second richest team in the NHL (by some accounts the New York Rangers are richer) and have the most enthusiastic fan base anywhere, but just can’t get off their complacent butts and play hockey.

38

The Leafs just need a Jimmy Johnson type, take-no-prisoners coach or general manager. Got all the money, got massive fandom, just need the ruthlessness and efficiency.

39

The Leafs have rotated through coaches the way I change my underwear. Doesn’t help. They’ve rotated through general managers, team captains, and of course countless individual players. It seems that as soon as anyone joins the Leafs, complacency immediately sets in. At one time I think it was one of the GMs who complained that “of course we want to win” and chastised fans for saying otherwise, but what struck me as much more significant than his denial of complacency was the fact that he had to deny it, which to me speaks volumes.

40

I’d love to see a Canadian team bring back the goods. At the beginning of the playoffs I told my buddies I thought there was a 1 in 5 chance a Canadian team would win. That’s now up to 2 in 5, maybe higher: the Panthers are always tough. Go Oilers!