Its' Here! NHL 2008 Playoff Thread

[Pyser]

vancouver fired their gm

making another run at burke?

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Just to be clear, the NHL didn't change the rule or create a new one. They clarified the existing rule.

Basically they had to say "This was always a penalty, but since it never occured to us that anybody could be this much of a dink, the referee didn't know whether the rule actually applied. So we're making sure everyone knows that it does."

That's completely untrue. They state they "amended" or "clarified" the unsportsmanlike conduct rule. Read Rule #75 in the rulebook. There's one reference to "gestures" but that's preceded by talk of "obscene and profane language" so the context isn't the same. And it certainly didn't include words like "An unsportsmanlike conduct minor penalty will be interpreted and applied, effective immediately, to a situation when an offensive player positions himself facing the opposition goaltender and engages in actions such as waving his arms or stick in front of the goaltender's face, for the purpose of improperly interfering with and/or distracting the goaltender as opposed to positioning himself to try to make a play."

Right or wrong in your mind, it wasn't against the rules at the time.

As I type this, the Versus guys are playing the clip and state "This was legal last night. Not anymore."

[miked]

By the way, I'm old enough to have seen Fleury. I never said Avery had the gayest celebration, merely that it was very, very, very gay.

Now, on to game 4!

[Logan]

It's pretty important that you cleared that up.

[MikeVic]

Oh my.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Pens up 3-0...blow the game open with 2 goals in 1:08 to open the 3rd period.

And Chris Neil must have been watching Avery's antics, because he did some pretty stupid crap tonight. About minutes in, he lays a clean check on Kris Letang...and then punches him in the face while on the ice. Penalty.

In the 3rd, scrum around the net, whistle blows, and about 5 seconds later he punches Hal Gill in the back of the head. Penalty.

I think he might have taken one more shift the rest of the game. The penalties had zero impact on the game (no goals), but when you are trailing a game 4-1 and soon to be the series 3-0, and your own coach does put you out there to stir something up, that speaks volumes.

[TazFTW]

Speaking of blowing up...

in Nashville

[Greyroofoo]

I just threw my TV out the window.

[Draft Dodger]

I'm just rooting for no OT, because FUCKING VS and the CHEAPASS NHL think it's totally FREAKING COOL to schedule a double header with no time between games. When Nashville tied it, I was ready to drive to Hasek's house and kick him in his gimpy groin. Thankfully, it took me more than 9 seconds to find my car keys.

[Draft Dodger]

the Avs never have a lead against the Wings, so I don't know how this works - when Detroit wants to pull their goalie, are they allowed to send their trainer out to help Hasek off?

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Whoa what?

I got bumped to first class (first time in my life!) and sat next to your boss on my flight to Minneapolis. Well, head of IT at your company anyways. She was headed to San Franciso (apparently a monthly trip). She is apparently turning around and going to Helsinki next week. I didn't get her name unfortunately, but she seemed really nice.

I tried not to say too much about your stall issues but there were awkward pauses in the conversation and I needed some common ground. She didn't seem surprised.

[Pyser]

i was just coming here to post that theodore is in minns head, they are passing up shots for an extra pass all over the place...

but minn just scored on a centered pass.

if theyd shoot more often, and a little better, theyd be winning easily. solid game though. theodore looks good

[Pyser]

and then the goals started pouring in

this really might be the best series going right now....except for the lack of nastiness

[Draft Dodger]

and the Avs lose on a bad break. The Wild ice the puck. Jeff Finger goes back to retrieve it, but it takes a funny bounce off the boards and hits the side of the net putting the puck right to the stick of Brian Rolston. The Avs are scrambling and Rolston has plenty of time to find Pierre Marc Bouchard in front of Theodore.

great game, great series. All 3 games have been 3-2. it's the 4th series in NHL history to have the first 3 games go to OT.

[bhlloy]

Bad break, but it was all Wild in overtime. Colorado looked really tired.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Bad break, but it was all Wild in overtime. Colorado looked really tired.

yes, they absolutely did. good thing they have a long break before game four.

21 hours is a long break, right?

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

yes, they absolutely did. good thing they have a long break before game four.

21 hours is a long break, right?

The good news for the Avs is that both teams have a similarly long break to get ready for the next game

SI

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Just to be clear, the NHL didn't change the rule or create a new one. They clarified the existing rule.

Basically they had to say "This was always a penalty, but since it never occured to us that anybody could be this much of a dink, the referee didn't know whether the rule actually applied. So we're making sure everyone knows that it does."

I like the word "dink"- it really describes what that was: kindof a cross between goofy and stupid

SI

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

The good news for the Avs is that both teams have a similarly long break to get ready for the next game

SI

yes, but the Avs looked dead tired in OT and the Wild looked fresh. I'm really worried about tonight.

some fun stats: the Wild have no goals in the first two periods of the first 3 games, but 6 3rd period goals. Joe Theodore allowed just 1 3rd period goal in his final 9 games of the season (not surprisingly to the Wild) and had a .933 save percentage in the 3rd all year. Not that the goals have all been his fault, but it's strange to see him give up goals in what had been his money period.

the Wild now have 2 OT goals. Theodore gave up 2 OT goals all season long (again, one was to the Wild).

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I got bumped to first class (first time in my life!) and sat next to your boss on my flight to Minneapolis. Well, head of IT at your company anyways. She was headed to San Franciso (apparently a monthly trip). She is apparently turning around and going to Helsinki next week. I didn't get her name unfortunately, but she seemed really nice.

I tried not to say too much about your stall issues but there were awkward pauses in the conversation and I needed some common ground. She didn't seem surprised.

Ahh haha. Maureen I'm guessing? The main office for the company in in California, and there are other office like ours in Finland and I think a couple other places.

[Logan]

http://www.cafepress.com/shopdecayny.254845150

[Pyser]

ok, thats pretty good

[bhlloy]

What a bizarre period in the Ducks-Stars game. Ducks didn't play particularly well, but Turco and Norstrom between them decided to give them 3 goals, and it's 3-0.

[Dr. Sak]

Another great win for the Flyers tonight...they are one bad period from being up 3-0.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by bsak16

Another great win for the Flyers tonight...they are one bad period from being up 3-0.

The refs were doing their best to help Wasington in that third period though but another nice performance by them....


Alex who? He was Alex Luganis (sp?) on that dive.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Alex who? He was Alex Luganis (sp?) on that dive.

Yep. Already posted on www.hockeydives.com.

[MikeVic]

Missed the early games, but the Flames are doing teh most they can with their limited shots! Two goals on seven shots.

[MikeVic]

Cassie Campbell is pretty cute.

[Draft Dodger]

the Wild came a wee bit unraveled tonight...



and, honestly, it could easily have been way more. Lots of it was completely gutless - Stephane Veilleux and Eric Belanger teaming up on Cody McLeod after McLeod (cleanly) checked Belanger into the Wild bench. Or Veilleux with a disgusting boarding penalty against Paul Stastny that really should have been 5 minutes. Or, my favorite, Aaron Varos going after Ian Laperriere while Laperriere has the gloves dropped against Veilleux. The Wild played and acted like utter morons tonight.

oh, and 4 games into the series, they have yet to score in the 1st or 2nd period.

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

The refs were doing their best to help Wasington in that third period though but another nice performance by them....


Alex who? He was Alex Luganis (sp?) on that dive.

It was definitely a tripping penalty but the way Ovechkin acted after by doing a ballerina twirl and falling was a little too much.

The head scratching moment of the night with the refs happened when Briere was pushed into Huet. They exchange addresses for Christmas cards...Huet punches Briere in the face. Nothing called. Briere then punches Huet in the head. Ref's hand goes up. Okay Briere takes a stupid retaliatory penalty...nope they both go for roughing. So Huet's punch was not a penalty until after he got punched back? I thought that was a little silly.

[Maple Leafs]

How are we not already talking about this?

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by bsak16

So Huet's punch was not a penalty until after he got punched back? I thought that was a little silly.

I absolutely hate when they do that. It happens all the time, and it's so annoying (even if the final result is usually fair).

[sachmo71]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

How are we not already talking about this?

Nothing like a mike cutting out to really give it that theatrical edge.

[Draft Dodger]

life is good

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

Nothing like a mike cutting out to really give it that theatrical edge.

It's too bad he saved the helmet from falling off. That could have taken it a Shockmaster level.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

It's too bad he saved the helmet from falling off. That could have taken it a Shockmaster level.

I was waiting for that. I can't believe they didn't have the guy kick a stuffed penguin into some hole too.

[Bad-example]

Nice comeback win for the sharks last night. They could have folded in the third period but played tough down to the wire and got a win.

What is up with that little kid that mimmicks the Calgary netminder? Does he get a beating from his schoolmates after a loss?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Bad-example

Nice comeback win for the sharks last night. They could have folded in the third period but played tough down to the wire and got a win.

I think last night could be a spring board for the Sharks. The knock on them has been (justifiably so) that they lack mental toughness. In the last few years, when they faced adversity in the playoffs they crumbled. Thornton was the poster boy for this. For Sharks to win that game in the end and for Thornton to be the guy to do it for them could be huge. It might turn out that blowing that 3-0 lead in Game 3 was the best thing that ever happened to this team.

The Wings have decided to bench Lilja and go with Lebda. A minor move more than anything, but one I'm fine with. I felt a little bad. In Game 2, a Wings defensemen was behind Hasek and just threw the puck right out in front. A totally bizarre, brain-fart type play. It didn't lead to a goal, but it was still dangerous. I couldn't quite see who the defenseman was, but my initial reaction was to scream "F*cking, Lilja!" It turned out that it was Brad Stuart, who actually had a pretty piss-poor Game 2.

I didn't think the Wings would sweep the series, but you don't want to lose a game like that. It reminded me a lot of Game 6 against Edmonton in 2006. Not good times. The Wings were out-played and were out shot, which rarely happens. The Wings are at their best when they have the puck. Their excellent puck control is what allows them to keep shot totals down. After Datsyuk scored early in the 3rd, they went into a shell, abandoned their puck control game and just kept dumping it in. That was fine for Nashville, who just scooped it and came charging back.

Also, are those "Too-Too" whistles something new for the playoffs? They are god awful.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

I was waiting for that. I can't believe they didn't have the guy kick a stuffed penguin into some hole too.

Yes, the whole thing had a "300" vibe which was kind of an odd choice. "Hey, let's invoke the imagery of a band of scrappy underdogs who face insurmountable odds and then all get killed at the end!"

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Yes, the whole thing had a "300" vibe which was kind of an odd choice. "Hey, let's invoke the imagery of a band of scrappy underdogs who face insurmountable odds and then all get killed at the end!"

THANKS FOR SPOILING, DICK!

[Suburban Rhythm]

Not playoff related, but still pretty darn sweet

http://www.hockey-reference.com/

Would have been helpful had it existed a few months ago during the FOFC hockey draft.

ETA- D'oh...didn't understand DD's cryptic message :o

[Logan]

Can someone tell me what the fuck the refs in the Rangers - Devils game are watching?

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

THANKS FOR SPOILING, DICK!

... and the Titanic sinks too

[Captain2711]

Originally Posted by Logan

Can someone tell me what the fuck the refs in the Rangers - Devils game are watching?

Refs were brutal all night long. It seems they only call the hooking and grabbing now and your allowed to do everything else.

[miked]

I hate Colin White.

.com

[Fidatelo]

I just got back from the Rangers game, it was AWESOME!! We got tonnes of comments on our Jets jerseys, everyone was super friendly, one guy (former Winnipegger) even bought our beer! I love all the little MSG traditions that I had no idea about:

- After every goal they sing this fun "hey hey hey" song, and the entire crowd sings along. The first time it happened was the best moment of the night.
- Some crazy bastard dances up a storm on the jumbo-tron. It's apparently a routine, and reminded me of Winnipeg's Dancing Gabe.
- The entire crowd seems to randomly, but unanimously, scream "Potvin Sucks!" a few times throughout the game. I have no idea what triggers it, and it seems pretty bizarre given the guy retired like 20 years ago, but it was hilarious every time.

As for the refs, they are exactly like Captain2711 says: if you tug with your stick you're gone, but you can crosscheck in the back repeatedly and it's fine. Very odd, but it is better than the other way around (ie pre-lockout) and since I'm not the guy getting pounded in the back, and it's seemingly consistent, I can live with it.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I just got back from the Rangers game, it was AWESOME!! We got tonnes of comments on our Jets jerseys, everyone was super friendly, one guy (former Winnipegger) even bought our beer! I love all the little MSG traditions that I had no idea about:

- After every goal they sing this fun "hey hey hey" song, and the entire crowd sings along. The first time it happened was the best moment of the night.

Oooooooooooooooo ooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooh!

- Some crazy bastard dances up a storm on the jumbo-tron. It's apparently a routine, and reminded me of Winnipeg's Dancing Gabe.

Dancing Larry. People also refer to him as "Homo Larry." Not long ago, there was a "Homo Larry" chant and two gay guys in attendance threatened to sue The Garden.

- The entire crowd seems to randomly, but unanimously, scream "Potvin Sucks!" a few times throughout the game. I have no idea what triggers it, and it seems pretty bizarre given the guy retired like 20 years ago, but it was hilarious every time.

It's unanimous because it's preceded by a string of whistles, and when it ends, people belt out the "Potvin Sucks." It's our way of expressing displeasure at him pretty much ending Ulf Nilsson's career. It's only been about 30 years. Usually you can hear the whistle on TV, so you can yell "Potvin Sucks!" from the comfort of your own home.

Glad you had fun. The Garden is a great place.

[Captain2711]

For you My Space people, Dancing Larry is always looking for some more friends who appreciate him. http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...endid=53293403

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by Logan

Glad you had fun. The Garden is a great place.

Hey thanks for the info! I never noticed the whistle's but I'm going to try to hear them on TV from now on. What an amazing place. Not as consistently loud as Winnipeg Arena used to be during the playoffs, but certainly deafening at times. Great atmosphere, very smart fans, although obviously big homers. There were several times the fans got irate about a call or a play, and me and my buddy were like "seemed pretty right to me". I miss having that completely unobjective viewpoint, it only happens for me during the Olympics now.

Definitely an experience I will never forget. I can totally understand why guys love to play in New York now.

[Captain2711]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

Hey thanks for the info! I never noticed the whistle's but I'm going to try to hear them on TV from now on. What an amazing place. Not as consistently loud as Winnipeg Arena used to be during the playoffs, but certainly deafening at times. Great atmosphere, very smart fans, although obviously big homers. There were several times the fans got irate about a call or a play, and me and my buddy were like "seemed pretty right to me". I miss having that completely unobjective viewpoint, it only happens for me during the Olympics now.

Definitely an experience I will never forget. I can totally understand why guys love to play in New York now.

Here's those whistles via youtube, Fidatelo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4AhK...eature=related