Not an Islanders fan, but I HATE the Capitals, and so I must endorse this sentiment. Especially now that my beloved Pens are out of the running. sob (Yeah, we knew it was going to happen, but it still sucks)
Just wanted to say if the Hawks keep on thinking they don’t have to start playing until the last five minutes they’re going to give me a heart attack. Have to say one of my favorite moments was Crawford making an awesome save and Darling applauding on the bench.
Be a shame if Ottawa gets eliminated because of that disalllowed goal on a really quick whistle.
Agreed. Watching the game, and that was a bad call.
I have been complaining for years about quick whistles in the NHL and that the NHL has no interest in trying to fix them; to lose a playoff series on one is really hard to take.
How exactly would you fix the problem? If the ref loses sight of the puck he’s supposed to blow the whistle, no?
And really, that one play lost a series?
Yes, and that’s exactly the problem. The whole system is dependent on one official not making a mistake. It’s an impossible standard. At the very least the NHL should be outfitting its officials with headsets so that they can communicate out there; 3/4 officials were in a position to see that the puck was live.
What I favour is a little more complicated, though. Rather than blowing the play dead immediately, if an official believes that the play is dead, he holds a button either held in hand or attached to the belt. if 2/4 officials are holding their button, a whistle is sounded. This should be easy to implement and now 2/4 officials have to simultaneously make a mistake, which is way less likely.
Given that it denied Ottawa the tying goal in an elimination game that finished 1-0 (ignoring the empty net goal), yes? I mean I realize that Ottawa put themselves in the position to be put out by a shitty call by going down 3-0 in the series, but that doesn’t make it any easier to take.
You want referees and linesmen to be equipped with ear phones and communication buttons, for a once in a yearly event? Sure. Good luck with that.
Ottawa lost the series a lot more ways than one call. They were beaten by a better team. It happens. Yeah, it was a bad call, but they were given four power plays to Montreal’s one. Do you think I couldn’t go through the game tape and find a few uncalled penalties that should have gone against them?
I wanted the Sens to win but I don’t understand the anger here. A call was blown, calls get blown in every series; early whistles absolutely are something the NHL would like to fix but it’s not easily fixed. Why other Sens fans aren’t talking about what a wonderful season it was, what a wonderful team this is, I don’t understand. They demonstrated a level of commitment, teamwork, dedication and courage that was exemplary even by the standards of professional athletes. It was a great year.
That seems like a VERY juicy match-up. Will the Blackhawks bounce back from last year’s Western Conference Finals heartbreaker vs. the Kings? And will Minnesota continue to be the hottest team in the N.H.L. since its acquisition of Devan Dubnyk in January? Should be a GREAT series that I’m very much looking forward to!
As a born and raised Minnesotan who now lives in Chicago… this is tough.
It sure would be nice if both Detroit and Tampa Bay would show up on the same night. Each team loses 2 of 3 at home, so if that’s any indication the Wings move on to play Montreal. That would be awesome, the first series between these two in forever.
Yep, that’s the second round match-up I’m most excited about. I love great goaltending, but I still want Chi to solve Dubnyk, and hold off that offense. Why? I’m jealous of how good the Wild are, to be honest. As a result, I like to root for the, umm, underdog.
The Rangers/Caps series should be great, too. Deep forward lines, great defensive teams and both goalies seem to be at their best.
I have a co-worker who’s convinced the cup winner will come from one of these two match ups. Considering that it’s 50% of the available pool, that’s not too bold of a statement, but I can’t quite get on board with it. Once you get to the quarterfinals, the team just has to string together 12 wins. That’s the equivalent of maintaining a 6-4 record over 20 games. The main difference I see is, you’re going to see the same top-level opponent for several games. Too many variables and psychological angles can enter into it for a non-better like me to pick a winner.
Damn, the Stanley Cup playoffs are the best. I think I actually like it better when I don’t have a particular team to root for.
I have reached that conclusion, as well. I am half-Latino and I grew up playing soccer but I hate all the time-wasting that goes on in soccer these days. Not to mention the overly-defensive play from teams that are afraid to surge forward. You don’t get that in hockey! Nor do you get the seemingly incessant fouling and calling of timeouts that you get in basketball. (American) Football, overall, is probably my favorite sport right now, but it is rife with commercials. And for me baseball is a non-starter. Overall, for me, the N.F.L. playoffs are best because there are no series - EVERY game in the N.F.L. playoffs is “do or die,” but the Stanley Cup playoffs come close especially when teams’ seasons are on the line. Frenetic action, all seemingly non-stop. It’s awesome!
I differ with you on the NFL format, because I’d like any team to have to opportunity to overcome a bad night. Coupled with the fact that they have to face the same team at least 4 times, win or lose, it shows a team’s resilience. It plays to my desire to give the underdog a chance, too. The superstars have to overcome the overachievers repeatedly to make it through. The NBA has a similar format, but I can’t really get into basketball as a spectator for some reason.
I’ve played organized soccer and American football, and played a lot of pick up baseball and basketball (I’m white bread, with a bit of Jewish rye 
). Even though I loved playing them, I can’t really bear to watch any of them but baseball.
Though I’ve never played it, I’ll watch just about any hockey game, because I’ve been surprised by the outcome so many times. One of my favorite moments when dating my future wife was watching the last five minutes of a Stars game with her. We were behind by multiple points, and she asked “Why are we watching this? They aren’t going to win.” I replied “You never leave a hockey game, just watch.”*
The Stars ended up winning, and my wife never questioned the wisdom of watching the failing seconds of a hockey game again.
*At that moment, I remembered a couple of years before when I got into my car after work, and the Stars were down 5-3 against the Bruins, with about a minute left. I learned my lesson on my 4 mile trip home that night. Never leave a hockey game. The Cup playoffs are weeks of that sport.
To me the point you’re trying to make about the N.F.L. playoffs is 180° removed from what I was thinking of when I typed that, which was this: I get tired of seeing teams screwing around in series until their playoff survival is threatened. If you know, going in, that you have ONE SHOT to advance in the playoffs and you don’t bring your “A” game - oh well. I’m not gonna have much sympathy for you. I think back to the most recent Lakers - Celtics NBA Finals (a few years ago). Boston took a 3 - 2 lead back to L.A. and got absolutely SMOKED in Game 6 (2010 NBA Finals Game 6: Celtics vs Lakers, June 15, 2010 | Basketball-Reference.com). I kept hearing how the Boston Celtics had NEVER lost a 3 - 2 lead in an N.B.A. Finals series. Well, that became the first time. Now, I can understand that teams get beat because their opponents are simply too strong but I do NOT understand teams - especially at the professional level - rolling over and dying like Boston appeared to in that Game 6. My point being - YOU like series because it gives teams a chance to “overcome a bad night.” I prefer single-elimination because, at the pro level at least, teams shouldn’t be HAVING “bad nights” in the playoffs. For any team to do so is simply inexcusable in my book.
If Tampa wins tonight, I’ve picked every series correctly in my pool this year.
That’s never happened before. I put it down to being separated and watching more hockey than previously. That and shit luck. 
I should have bought a lottery ticket. !:00 left now. No chance for a comeback. Sorry wolfman!
I just wanna say that, like most Americans, I never watched hockey. But I’m planning a move to Florida so I’m watching the Lightning. I still don’t know enough about hockey to comment on the game, but what I do know, as a sports fan, is commentary.
Doc Emrick is on the shortlist of the greatest commentators working the business today.
I was on excitement level 15 the entire game because of his non-stop delivery, his wordplay, his excitement…it’s a thing of beauty.
Well that sucked.