The 2018/19 NHL Thread!

[The Buscher]

Isles got outplayed tonight but still came away with the W in overtime.  I’ll take it!

[Maxx]

On 25/03/2019 at 08:36, Ruki said:

It was always going to end this way.

 

Also Carolina are having fun, so they are the best. Screw anyone giving them sour looks 

Forgot the playoffs were happening.  My team had a really weird downturn all of a sudden.  Still happy with 2nd place.

[Ruki]

Leafs win game one

[Gabriel]

3 hours ago, Ruki said:

Leafs win game one

Which made me very excited. They're my East team.

Then I got way more excited. The Flames shut out Colorado 4-0 to win the first game of their series.

Everything's coming up Milhouse.

[Ruki]

Since I live in the Calgary area, I want Calgary to do well. It'll be good for the city!

[Draevyn]

On 10/04/2019 at 23:52, Eric Buschenhagen said:

Isles got outplayed tonight but still came away with the W in overtime.  I’ll take it!

I actually felt like the Isles played really well in this game. They came out like a team that knew they needed to get the early momentum and then went out there and took it. I'm not fearful of the Pens losing this series but the Isles definitely came out and gave me an "Oh shit" moment with this game. I think that Pittsburgh will definitely take Game Two.

As much as I'd love to see Colorado pull the upset on Calgary, I feel like that's not going to happen and that makes me sad. I feel like my two Western teams (Colorado and Vegas) are in for a bad series.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

12 hours ago, Ruki said:

Leafs win game one

Every team should just get more breakaways. 

[Draevyn]

How about that Tampa team....

....and my team  

[gunnar hendershow]

You can never predict the NHL playoffs. Same story every year where at least one clear favorite goes down in round 1 and often loses. League has set itself well from the standpoint of parity.

[The Red Reuben]

Losing in overtime today was a heartbreaker. Hopefully we can make something happen in game three back in Carolina.

[Lowerdeck]

I'm hoping Kadri's out for the rest of this series.  That hit on DeBrusk was uncalled for, and it's a repeat offense now.

[gunnar hendershow]

Kadri has an in-person hearing so I definitely expect a 5-game ban which would guarantee he's out for the rest of the series.

[Plubby]

Interesting to see how we go from here. I thought before the playoffs that we do the best against Calgary of the six non-wildcard teams so now the team has to show if game 2 was a fluke or indication if we're in for a series.

[gunnar hendershow]

Fresh off carrying UMass to the NCAA championship game the Avs have signed Cale Makar for the playoffs.

[Gabriel]

3 hours ago, Plubby said:

Interesting to see how we go from here. I thought before the playoffs that we do the best against Calgary of the six non-wildcard teams so now the team has to show if game 2 was a fluke or indication if we're in for a series.

It's interesting that you thought Calgary was their best match up. Based on the season series, I would have thought otherwise.

The Flames weren't ready in game two for the pushback from the Avs, and it showed. When they got their shit together, it was more of what I was expecting and they looked good, but that slow start and inability to put more past Grubauer led us to overtime and a loss. Now I'm hoping that the Flames get the same boost for game three that Colorado saw for game two. Losing your first game of the playoffs can be a make or break moment, and Colorado showed that they weren't going to be content with just making the playoffs. Now it's Calgary's turn to show how bad they want it on Monday.

How about Mike Smith though, turning back the clock and playing his best hockey in years.

[The Buscher]

The Lightning should be retracted.

[Lowerdeck]

I had a feeling Tampa was going to bow out at some point, but I would have guessed ECF - not the first round.

[Ruki]

Leafs!

[Meacon Keaton]

Svechnikov learned real quick that there's a big difference between young man strength and grown man strength...

[gunnar hendershow]

I don't even know why you do that if you're Svechnikov. You're the young future of an entire franchise trying to prove what exactly? Ovechkin doesn't fight because he's too important to the team, you should go out there with the same mindset. His head smacked off the ice when he fell so I hope he's okay.

Also welcome to the NHL Cale Makar, scoring a goal in his debut. Love the rare instances of a guy going straight from his college team into the Stanley Cup playoffs. Hockey's the only sport where it happens.

Calgary really crapped the bed last night too. Letting Colorado get off 50+ shots is going to end badly no matter who is in goal. Smith didn't play poorly judging by the box score but there's only so much you can do when you're under a constant barrage all game.