# NHL: The Playoffs **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 29, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987 "2013-04-29T04:25:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![elninost0rm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ed655f/32.png) [@elninost0rm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elninost0rm)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/81 "2013-05-09T17:12:42Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > ZebraShaSha should be hired by Sports Illustrated, right now. That’s the most entertaining sports writing I’ve seen in years. I was going to post this until I scrolled down and saw that you already did. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/82 "2013-05-09T20:14:03Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > I watched it. Goddamn motherfucker. As did I, Morbo…they had that game on a whole slew of monitors in the concession hallways at Honda Center. Between the 2nd and 3rd period of the Ducks/Wings, I happened to be in that hallway with a couple of brews in hand and saw the Kings/Blues OT period and watched the GWG from Voynov go in. Gave a hearty chuckle, and proceeded back to my seat to watch the rest of the Ducks/Wings 3rd and OT periods. A great night, altogether. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/83 "2013-05-09T23:39:13Z")
So, Hockey Night in Canada is broadcast live in the US on CNBC apparently. Anyone down there watch HNIC and how does it compare to your own local coverage? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/84 "2013-05-10T00:31:39Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > So, Hockey Night in Canada is broadcast live in the US on CNBC apparently. > > Anyone down there watch HNIC and how does it compare to your own local coverage? > > Just curious. Camera work seems fine, maybe even a bit better. About the only thing I notice is different announcers. To me it’s just not hockey without Pat Foley 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/85 "2013-05-10T01:00:58Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > So, Hockey Night in Canada is broadcast live in the US on CNBC apparently. > > Anyone down there watch HNIC and how does it compare to your own local coverage? > > Just curious. It’s so deliciously Canadian. And I say that as someone with a Canadian wife. Really, though, I tend to enjoy HNIC whenever it is simulcast down here. Very few announcing teams in the US that compare, which sort of makes sense. I love the B’s announcers but they are such homers; really none of the US hockey announcers but Doc play in the major leagues. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/86 "2013-05-10T01:09:13Z")
> [@Kiros](#): > > It’s so deliciously Canadian. How so? Accent? Ehs? Don Cherry? ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/87 "2013-05-10T01:27:23Z")
Penguins finally playing a complete game tonight. Grinding for pucks, smart passes and good goaltending…plus a spectacular goal by Crosby. Pens play like this the rest of the playoffs and they’ll win the cup. If they play like they did the previous 3 games, they’ll be out shortly. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/88 "2013-05-10T01:33:54Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > How so? Accent? Ehs? Don Cherry? All of the above… The general flavor of the coverage has a sort of reverence for hockey that you get on occasion out of the local teams - certainly Jack Edwards and Andy Bricker (the B’s announcers) are devoted to the game - but the whole feeling of the HNIC broadcast is like watching the NFL with the best team on Fox or CBS, like this is the big game of the week. As I mentioned, Doc Emmerich gets that same sort of gravitas among US broadcasters; he’s really the only guy who has that national pull down here. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/89 "2013-05-10T03:45:41Z")
Does anyone else feel sorry for Darcy Kuemper right now? Don’t get me wrong, I want the Hawks to destroy the Wild, but this kid was put in a pretty shitty position. I hope he takes it as a valuable experience and goes on to have a good career. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/90 "2013-05-10T04:03:52Z")
> [@Kiros](#): > > All of the above… The general flavor of the coverage has a sort of reverence for hockey that you get on occasion out of the local teams - certainly Jack Edwards and Andy Bricker (the B’s announcers) are devoted to the game - but the whole feeling of the HNIC broadcast is like watching the NFL with the best team on Fox or CBS, like this is the big game of the week. As I mentioned, Doc Emmerich gets that same sort of gravitas among US broadcasters; he’s really the only guy who has that national pull down here. Make no mistake; hockey is much more important to Canadians than any sport is to Americans. Reverence is exactly the right word. Hockey is more than our sport; it is a fundamental defining feature of our civilization. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/91 "2013-05-10T16:59:45Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > ZebraShaSha should be hired by Sports Illustrated, right now. That’s the most entertaining sports writing I’ve seen in years. I am now cheering for Pitt (until they hit the Bruins, anyway) just so we can get more posts from **ZebraShaSha**. ---
**Author:** ![jools](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@jools](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jools)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/92 "2013-05-10T21:12:32Z")
Freakin’ Habs… that’s all I’ve got to say :mad: ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/93 "2013-05-11T04:48:17Z")
Well. A month ago the Wings making the playoffs was all I wanted. Two weeks ago a series without that slimy bitch Perry getting a goal was all I wanted. At the moment, a dagger-shaped meteorite into the scrotum of the asshole that made it a 10PM Sunday game and a win is all I want. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/94 "2013-05-12T03:13:57Z")
I’m looking at the NHL section of the ESPN site and saw this little story: [Report: Sabres fire assistants Patrick, Adams](http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/9260040/buffalo-sabres-fire-assistants-james-patrick-kevyn-adams-report-says). The headline reads like the Sabres are trying piss off the old hockey gods. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/95 "2013-05-12T03:19:42Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > I am now cheering for Pitt (until they hit the Bruins, anyway) just so we can get more posts from **ZebraShaSha**. Got your wish. Pittsburgh will play Ottawa in Round 2, which could be a closer series than I’d have guessed just a few weeks ago. ---
**Author:** ![Danja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@Danja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danja)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/96 "2013-05-12T04:17:47Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Well. > A month ago the Wings making the playoffs was all I wanted. Two weeks ago a series without that slimy bitch Perry getting a goal was all I wanted. At the moment, a dagger-shaped meteorite into the scrotum of the asshole that made it a 10PM Sunday game and a win is all I want. I’d settle for a dagger-shaped meteorite through Perry’s scrotum… ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/97 "2013-05-12T05:49:17Z")
> [@Danja](#): > > I’d settle for a dagger-shaped meteorite through Perry’s scrotum… That is a classic mistake many people make. You see from a biological sense, in order to have a scrotum you have to have been born with a set of balls, which there is abundant video evidence proving do not exist in that case. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/98 "2013-05-12T06:12:44Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > I am now cheering for Pitt (until they hit the Bruins, anyway) just so we can get more posts from **ZebraShaSha**. Y’all are too kind! But really, I don’t feel as much need to post when Pens play well, or win, or don’t suck entirely. It’s only when they play like sloths climbing out of a tree to take a shit that I turn to the internet, because otherwise I’d be tempted to twist a corkscrew through my skull and let all the sweet, sweet bloodwine drain out. Other thoughts on the first round: [ul] [li]Ovechkin deserves the Hart for [this](http://imgius.com/photos/20130509136808541567205.gif)brilliant defensive play on the GWG. Actually reminds me of some Malkin’s effort in today’s Game 6 - “look, serious man play puck with stick. Let me go see up close. Interesting, serious man put into net.”[/li][li]It seems like everyone accepts that Crosby dove for that overtime PP, because Roenick - a former Flyer and current employee for the Flyer’s owner - said so on the Teevee. Does [this](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Qyk2GOsZuOM/UYbg1cM01fI/AAAAAAACLis/52g7_dFpSmM/s558/crosby.gif) really look like a dive? Notice he only starts to fall when his skate gets nudged. And if he made that move, he’d have a clear, unobstructed shot on goal.[/li][/ul] Also, it’s hard to separate out emotions when evaluating a player like Fleury, because he’s so likable and such a fan favorite. And he was drafted first overall to be a franchise goaltender, and has a cup. But man, I think it’s time everyone realizes 2008/2009 were flukes - his numbers in every other year before and since are dogshit. He’s probably the most athletically talented goalie in the league, but his mind just isn’t there. Do you pull the plug? I know it’s not exactly easy to find a franchise goalie, but the core of this team are entering their prime, and they should be deep contenders in the playoffs every year with this roster. Is it insane to make a play for someone like Mike Smith in the offseason? He’d compliment this team beautifully - his “boring” play calms down the D; his stickhandling is great to eliminate forechecks and start the offensive transitions - but he’s 31 and would probably only give them 4 good seasons, if that. I mean, how do you contend for a cup when [games](http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2593797/islanders_medium.gif) [like](http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2593843/fleuryfalldown_medium.gif) [this](http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2593983/fleuryLOL_medium.gif) happen pretty [frequently](http://cdn0.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1595581/trgNGDn_medium.gif) in the postseason now? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/99 "2013-05-12T17:17:04Z")
No, I have faith in Fleury. He’s had a terrific year and set new franchise records. He just needs to get confident. Doesn’t look like a dive to me – he seems to be trying to get to the puck. Of course, Roenick’s the expert on diving, so I’ll defer to his judgement there. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987/100 "2013-05-13T02:15:37Z")
And game 7 is on 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-the-playoffs/656987.md?page=6)