2006/2007 Hockey Season Thread

[oldskool]

The nice thing about Versus is that unlike most normal television stations, they have nothing better to put on than the third overtime of the first game of the conference quarterfinals. Granted it's 2am here on the east coast...but (Y) for Versus on this one.

EDIT: Fourth overtime, even. Holy christ.

Edited April 12, 2007 by oldskool

[Ruki]

So...is Van. and Dallas still going?

[Plubby]

According to NHL.com, yes.

[Guest Grapehead]

Good lord, that was a strange little Penguins gang bang going on... how come I was unaware of all the Penguin love during the regular season, were these guys always Penguin fans?

Unfortunately I missed the game, due to work, but I'm calling in and letting them know I'll be late saturday, since the game will rollover when I'm due to start my shift. Looks like there were a lot of penalties, no idea if any were phantoms or whatever, but I did get to see the disallowed goal. I've seen goals disallowed for less kicking motion than that, so don't get so worked up and calling conspiracy. No one in their right mind would believe the league has a conspiracy AGAINST their most profitable player, so just shut that shit up right now. Game 2 will be the real tone setter for this series, Ottawa NEEDS to win a game 2 this time around, and they need to keep their foot on Pittsburghs throat. On the other hand, if Pittsburgh can keep Ottawa quiet for the first period, and come out strong(as opposed to waiting until period 2 to wake up and PLAY hockey), they will be able to erase the embarrasment that was this opening game. Honestly, I want a close series, it's more exciting that way, but I am obviously pulling for Ottawa.

Now then... Van/Dal.. what a fucking game. I only picked up at the start of 4th OT, but it was SO good. The winning goal had me stunned, I jumped and cheered, the Sedins fucking owned that shift. I was so stunned that they were still awake enough to make such a PERFECT pass.

[Ruki]

Yay for the Vancouver winning!

And I have always been a Pens. fan, I support the underdogs (Penguins and Blue Jackets)....after the Leafs of course.

[Plubby]

This isn't the first time Luongo's had to make a buttload of saves for his team. I'm jumping on the wagon now. Go nucks Go!

[Ruki]

Think they'd be dumb enough to trade him for Raycroft in the offseason?

[Draevyn]

Good lord, that was a strange little Penguins gang bang going on... how come I was unaware of all the Penguin love during the regular season, were these guys always Penguin fans?

I'm not a penguins fan, and really haven't been since the early 90's. I'm usually a player fan more than I am a team fan, except when it comes to Colorado, they are my favourite, but seeing as they're not in the playoffs, I've had to pick a team in each series. Because of Crosby, and the fact that my brother likes Ottawa, I've gone with Pittsburgh in that series. With Colorado out of the playoffs, I'm rooting for Buffalo to take the cup, but that games on tonight, so Woo!

[Plubby]

Sakic's back for next year! *dances*

Ruki: We'll take Raycroft. Interested in Theodore?

Edited April 12, 2007 by Plubby

[Ruki]

Sakic's back for next year! *dances*

Ruki: We'll take Raycroft. Interested in Theodore?

Almost tempting....throw in a stick of gum and you got a deal.

[Evil Chase K]

I've always been a Penguins fan, as I'm from Pittsburgh. I just didn't post much in the regular season because the Pens got little press in this thread.

[SeanDMan]

I was really baffled that Vancouver managed to win. They were playing with ten forwards, thanks to injuries to Burrows and Cooke (and Burrows looks like he might be done for the series), and with Kesler coming off injuries, it was basically 12 forwards for Dallas to 9 for Vancouver. Add to that that the Canucks had Bieksa basically playing on one leg, and still forced to play 40 minutes because they needed him, and it was quite a disadvantage. Luongo was of course genius.

I think Vancouver needs to study film of what Dallas does to play dump and chase to break Vancouver's defense. Vancouver is just making straight dumps on Turco, which allows Turco to play the puck, which means Vancouver never gets it. Dallas is making cross ice dumps, which get buried in the corner and Luongo never touches them. That allows for Dallas to rush the defense. With the way the boards play, Vancouver should work on high dumps to the opposite corner more often... at least two of their goals came directly from fluke redirections off the glass, and those would happen more often if they put the puck AWAY from Turco. He's Dallas' best offensive weapon, so they should really gameplan against his strength.

[Toe]

When I was watching the Vancouver/Dallas highlights for the first time, I saw Cooke and Burrows go out and then saw it go to overtime, I just thought that with the extra legs taking shifts and distributing the load of work, Dallas would win if it kept going. Somehow, the Canucks managed to pull it out. It was a sick goal too.

Radulov has the goal of the playoffs so far, in my opinion.

[Draevyn]

Some nice starts to the games tonight. So far James Duthie has had my favourite line of the playoffs with his "President Bush, we have found the weapons of Mass Destruction, and they are in Buffalo!" Too bad Destroits killing Calgary though. Damn!

[SeanDMan]

Dallas goes back to Dallas with a split. The Canucks were just tired and never got a good start. The officiating was atrocious but it was more the fact that they were just too shorthanded from the injuries and the fatigue.

[Toe]

The Nashville / San Jose series seems to be the most exciting series so far.

[SeanDMan]

It's just the series with the most cheapshots, is all.

[Toe]

...and Alexander Radulov's coming out party. He has been amazing, and it's too bad he will likely be suspended for a game for his hit last night, because he was really on a roll.

[Gabriel]

The Penguins have really come out to play today. Fleury has been amazing, as I hoped he would be, and the Pens are finally taking it to the body. The Senators have done a good job in shutting down Malkin and Crosby, but Pittsburgh has such depth with their ability to score that it's likely that one of the veterans or a couple of the younger guys might step up and steal the show offensively.

[The Sultan of Swank]

I want neither Pittsburgh nor Ottawa to win, I'm deciding if it would feel better if the Sens were sent home early for as they've been for the past decade or so or if it's better for that little shit Sidney "fish outta water" Crosby loses in spectacular fashion.