The 2005/2006 Hockey Season Thread

[gunnar hendershow]

I'm rooting for Edmonton and Buffalo to win their respective conferences. I don't like any of the other 4 teams in it, while Edmonton and Buffalo I am rather indifferent to.

Edited May 14, 2006 by damshow

[wCwCreator]

and thus the Sens go back to their old ways. Choke.

No and I repeat no Canadian team will win the cup this year. It's not happening, I remember back when the analysts said that all 6 teams should make the playoffs well only 4 did and two of them didn't even get past the first round and now that the best canadian team is out. Edmonton is soon to fail. Maybe not this series but the next. (yet I still think home-ice will be their downfall, cause SJ has game 7 if necessary on home ice.)

Buffalo played good. It's Miller Time!

Canes should wrap up their series anytime now. One thing about being down 3-0 Hockey is that it's in your mind that you have to win 4 games in a row, which hasn't been done that often. Rarely.

Anaheim is solid. They have a good shot at coming back to the finals and am still rooting for "The Battle of California." (ANA-SJ)

[Clawson]

Poor poor Sens. Maybe next year eh?

[Toe]

Poor poor Sens. Maybe next year eh?

[Guest Grapehead]

I wouldn't say we got crushed, four 1 goal games isn't so bad. I didn't give up, I just but I was talking odds, and the odds weren't looking great.

[Jerichoholic23]

I honestly didn't think the series would end in 5. They were 2 evenly matched teams. Miller was just that much better than Emery and the Sens goal scorers never showed up. Now that Buffalo beat the best team left in the playoffs. The CUP is coming to Buffalo this year. If Edmonton and New Jersey get knocked out there will be a first time Cup Champ.

[CKN]

I find it weird how Clawson says that Ottawa is obsessed with Toronto.... but Toronto fans are the first people to say they choked... so where was Toronto this year in the playoffs? Yeah that's right they didn't make it. Maybe Toronto choked this year. So maybe instead of making up some image about "better luck next year" you should concern yourselves with your own team. Ottawa obsessed with Toronto? Maybe. Toronto obsessed Ottawa? Definitely.

Edited May 14, 2006 by CKN

[Clawson]

Hmmm.....a team that all the "experts" said wouldn't make the playoffs, chokes when they don't make the playoffs? Okayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

And I'm not allowed to make one comment on you guys choking once again when you're supposed to be the Champions? Because you know nobody made any comments on the Leafs when they were struggling?

[CKN]

Hmmm.....a team that all the "experts" said wouldn't make the playoffs, chokes when they don't make the playoffs? Okayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

And I'm not allowed to make one comment on you guys choking once again when you're supposed to be the Champions? Because you know nobody made any comments on the Leafs when they were struggling?

[Toe]

Buffalo will not win the Stanley Cup. I am calling it now.

[CKN]

Buffalo will not win the Stanley Cup. I am calling it now.

[Hajjhowe]

Ducks - Sabres final, just like I said before the playoff's started.

Ducks in who cares as long as they win I am happy.

[prime time]

Well, I guess I'm going for the Oilers now

[SeanDMan]

Ducks die when exposed to Oil.

[wCwCreator]

Go Ducks Go!

[Toe]

That was great to see - a Canadian team winning. I don't know who will win between the Ducks and the Oilers, but I am rooting for the Oilers.

[NobBe Nobbs]

So, the finals is going be contested by Carolina, Buffalo, Anaheim or Edmonton.

Seriously, who could have possibly seen THAT coming?

[Jerichoholic23]

4 teams that would be either fighting to make the playoffs or not be in them at all. Carolina may be a good team but their fans are terrible. They can't even sell out a conference final game. I know of a bunch of people from Buffalo that bought 20 tickets and are going down for game 1. The NHL should adopt a new rule that if you can't sellout a playoff game then the team should be moved to somewhere that would. A Buffalo Edmonton Final would be great. Two great hockey cities.

[gunnar hendershow]

Southern hockey fans for the most part suck, but I think they need to be given a chance to build up a tradition. After all, look what the Stars have been able to create. And you've got the popularity of the Sharks too who really haven't been that successful.

But, yeah, it is upsetting when teams like Carolina and Phoenix move out of rabid hockey markets.

Buffalo-Edmonton would have some insane crowds. Rexall Place might be the loudest arena in hockey.

[St. Dubb]

Hurricanes fans suck? During their run to the Stanley Cup finals the RBC Center was the loudest arena in hockey. Every game in this playoffs have been from what I've heard jampacked and have been just as loud as they were a few years back. To say the Hurricanes have horrible fans would be a very close minded thing to say. Just watching the games you can hear the crowd into the game the entire time and are one of the reasons the Hurricanes were one of the best home teams in the NHL. Every playoff game has fans showing up hours before the game for tailgating.

Sure, no one will ever think of Carolina or the South as a hockey area. Carolina is known for its rich tradition in college basketball, and before a few years ago no one would've ever thought of tailgating at a hockey game, but the Eastern Conference Championship season saw the area get bit by the hockey bug.

The one negative I can say is right now when it comes to hockey, we're very "fair weather" fans in that the seasons between playoff appearance's we didn't really have much interest. But if we can string together more succesful seasons in a row, you could see the interest in hockey grow and see more support even in down years. But the game will most likely be sold out by Saturday and the arena will no doubt be as loud as any other team you see in the playoff.

Sorry if I went off a bit there, I just felt like I needed to defend my state.