(Spoilers) The thread where CALIFORNIA LOOOOVE~!

[RPS]

Columbus was not dominating that game, at all. They were owned in the first period and they didn't have a single shot on net for over 11 minutes in the third period. Pittsburgh got fucked in the second with that 5-on-3 penalty and Fleury acted like a dip shit in the third.

Honestly, I am cheering for Pittsburgh, but they have no hope at the cup this year. They are playing terribly.

[Hewey]

Fucking Fleury.............. He cost Pittsburgh a 3-1 series lead and gives up a soft goal in OT. What a choke job by this whole team tonight. If Pittsburgh loses this series, time to get rid of Fleury. He can't come through when they need him most.

[RPS]

Pittsburgh has been terrible since the Olympics. I wouldn't be surprised if they were out first round. Columbus turned up the heat when they needed to and Pittsburgh didn't.

[Plubby]

Columbus was not dominating that game, at all. They were owned in the first period and they didn't have a single shot on net for over 11 minutes in the third period. Pittsburgh got fucked in the second with that 5-on-3 penalty and Fleury acted like a dip shit in the third.

Honestly, I am cheering for Pittsburgh, but they have no hope at the cup this year. They are playing terribly.

This is a stupid thing you have posted. They were absolutely fucking annihilated in the second period (which you conveniently left out) also the longest they went without a shot in the third was four minutes.

[Hewey]

Yeah, they have been terrible since the olympics, and if they go in the first, I hope they get rid of Fleury and Bylsma. This will be four playoff disasters (nothing counting 2011 since no Crosby/Malkin) under his watch and four Fleury piss poor performances. Pittsburgh needs to win games five and six, but with the way they blew it tonight, I wouldn't be surprised to see Columbus win on Saturday.

Other than the Boston series, I don't think I've been as frustrated watching a game as tonight. 3-0 lead, they let up, and then because of a stupid mistake by the goalie they lose this.

Crosby and Malkin need to be dominant in the next two, because they have been non existent for a lot of this series.

[RPS]

Columbus was not dominating that game, at all. They were owned in the first period and they didn't have a single shot on net for over 11 minutes in the third period. Pittsburgh got fucked in the second with that 5-on-3 penalty and Fleury acted like a dip shit in the third.

Honestly, I am cheering for Pittsburgh, but they have no hope at the cup this year. They are playing terribly.

This is a stupid thing you have posted. They were absolutely fucking annihilated in the second period (which you conveniently left out) also the longest they went without a shot in the third was four minutes.

Pittsburgh got dominated in the second. But to suggest that Columbus dominated the game, when they played like ass in the first period and didn't play spectatculary in the third reeks of you being a Columbus fan boy who can't look at a hockey game objectively.

[Hewey]

Yeah, Columbus definitely sat back in the first, but they came out very strong in the second, and most of the third. But what gets me is Pittsburgh started to play better towards the end of the third and were about to walk out with a win, and Fleury had to fuck it up. This series is going to come down to whoever can mantain a lead and play a full sixty minutes, because both losses for both teams have been bad, but nothing as bad as Pittsburgh tonight.

Even if we get through this round, I got no confidence going up against either the Flyers or the Rangers. If Columbus is giving Pittsburgh a hard time here, I can only imagine what's going to happen when they play New York or Philly. This loss needs to be the loss that wakes up the whole team like last year's game four loss to the Islanders, except in that loss they didn't blow a 3-0 lead.

Fleury better be perfect on Saturday and Monday, cause this one is all on him.

[TGWL]

Yeah, Columbus definitely sat back in the first, but they came out very strong in the second, and most of the third. But what gets me is Pittsburgh started to play better towards the end of the third and were about to walk out with a win, and Fleury had to fuck it up. This series is going to come down to whoever can mantain a lead and play a full sixty minutes, because both losses for both teams have been bad, but nothing as bad as Pittsburgh tonight.

Even if we get through this round, I got no confidence going up against either the Flyers or the Rangers. If Columbus is giving Pittsburgh a hard time here, I can only imagine what's going to happen when they play New York or Philly. This loss needs to be the loss that wakes up the whole team like last year's game four loss to the Islanders, except in that loss they didn't blow a 3-0 lead.

Fleury better be perfect on Saturday and Monday, cause this one is all on him.

If anybody is to blame, it's you. Don't you know better than to jinxs them and say "you don't see them blowing a 3-0 lead?'

Every game has gone 4-3. Lots of high scoring playoff games, and then you have Rask giving up 2 goal in 3 games.

[Plubby]

Columbus was not dominating that game, at all. They were owned in the first period and they didn't have a single shot on net for over 11 minutes in the third period. Pittsburgh got fucked in the second with that 5-on-3 penalty and Fleury acted like a dip shit in the third.

Honestly, I am cheering for Pittsburgh, but they have no hope at the cup this year. They are playing terribly.

This is a stupid thing you have posted. They were absolutely fucking annihilated in the second period (which you conveniently left out) also the longest they went without a shot in the third was four minutes.

Pittsburgh got dominated in the second. But to suggest that Columbus dominated the game, when they played like ass in the first period and didn't play spectatculary in the third reeks of you being a Columbus fan boy who can't look at a hockey game objectively.

I'm a Colorado fan, you muppet. You're the one who can't look at a game objectively.

The possession statistics were equal in the first. Yet the Penguins went in 3-1 up. I direct you to the post I addressed to Hewey in which I demonstrate that the scoring of goals is not indicative of who outplayed who. If you want to play a first period in which you get outshot and take a gamble on save percentages - then that is your risk to take. If you have neutral goaltending, you will (obviously) lose that period over the long run more than you win it. In the short-term, sometimes you randomly get better goaltending or the other team randomly gets worse goaltending. But, again, holding goaltending equal if you surrender more shot attempts you concede more goals. Believe me, as a Colorado fan, I am keenly aware that banking on being outshot yet going into the first with a lead is unsustainable.

But given that Bobrovsky saves 16 of every 100 shots more than Fleury over the last five years then not only do you not want to be outshot in the abstract but it is a disastrous prospect to do so because you have an objectively worse goaltender. Columbus was having 2 shot attempts for every 1 Pittsburgh had over the last 40 minutes and Overtime. Of course Pittsburgh conceded more goals - that's what's supposed to happen when you get outplayed that badly.

[Hewey]

I seriously hope the Jackets don't get a 3-1 lead next game, cause they might not give it up next time. Hell, I think we're in for some tighter games in the next two, unless both goalies play horribly. I can see this series ending on a 3-2 or 2-1 game.

[RPS]

Columbus was not dominating that game, at all. They were owned in the first period and they didn't have a single shot on net for over 11 minutes in the third period. Pittsburgh got fucked in the second with that 5-on-3 penalty and Fleury acted like a dip shit in the third.

Honestly, I am cheering for Pittsburgh, but they have no hope at the cup this year. They are playing terribly.

This is a stupid thing you have posted. They were absolutely fucking annihilated in the second period (which you conveniently left out) also the longest they went without a shot in the third was four minutes.

Pittsburgh got dominated in the second. But to suggest that Columbus dominated the game, when they played like ass in the first period and didn't play spectatculary in the third reeks of you being a Columbus fan boy who can't look at a hockey game objectively.

I'm a Colorado fan, you muppet. You're the one who can't look at a game objectively.

The possession statistics were equal in the first. Yet the Penguins went in 3-1 up. I direct you to the post I addressed to Hewey in which I demonstrate that the scoring of goals is not indicative of who outplayed who. If you want to play a first period in which you get outshot and take a gamble on save percentages - then that is your risk to take. If you have neutral goaltending, you will (obviously) lose that period over the long run more than you win it. In the short-term, sometimes you randomly get better goaltending or the other team randomly gets worse goaltending. But, again, holding goaltending equal if you surrender more shot attempts you concede more goals. Believe me, as a Colorado fan, I am keenly aware that banking on being outshot yet going into the first with a lead is unsustainable.

But given that Bobrovsky saves 16 of every 100 shots more than Fleury over the last five years then not only do you not want to be outshot in the abstract but it is a disastrous prospect to do so because you have an objectively worse goaltender. Columbus was having 2 shot attempts for every 1 Pittsburgh had over the last 40 minutes and Overtime. Of course Pittsburgh conceded more goals - that's what's supposed to happen when you get outplayed that badly.

Columbus had 2 shots for every 1 Pittsburgh shots for the last fourty minutes because of the second period. I concede they played better in the second period. But that was a period in which Pittsburgh took a 4 minute high sticking call and an unlucky (though warranted) delay of game call a few seconds later. Of course they were going to be outshot in the period. They were 5 on 3 for around a minute and 5 on 4 for four minutes. The 1st and 3rd period shots on goal were close. Pittsburgh outplayed Columbus in the first, Columbus outplayed Pittsburgh in the second and the teams were reasonably matched in the third. Saying 'Columbus out shot Pittsburgh 2 to 1 for the last 40 minutes' is misleading because they outshot them greatly second period and in the third period only had two shots up on Pittsburgh.

As I said, I don't think Pittsburgh is playing well and I wouldn't be surprised if they were out first round. Columbus had a strong second half of the game - doesn't change the fact that they played terribly in the first period.

[Hewey]

Yeah, Columbus definitely sat back in the first, but they came out very strong in the second, and most of the third. But what gets me is Pittsburgh started to play better towards the end of the third and were about to walk out with a win, and Fleury had to fuck it up. This series is going to come down to whoever can mantain a lead and play a full sixty minutes, because both losses for both teams have been bad, but nothing as bad as Pittsburgh tonight.

Even if we get through this round, I got no confidence going up against either the Flyers or the Rangers. If Columbus is giving Pittsburgh a hard time here, I can only imagine what's going to happen when they play New York or Philly. This loss needs to be the loss that wakes up the whole team like last year's game four loss to the Islanders, except in that loss they didn't blow a 3-0 lead.

Fleury better be perfect on Saturday and Monday, cause this one is all on him.

If anybody is to blame, it's you. Don't you know better than to jinxs them and say "you don't see them blowing a 3-0 lead?'

Every game has gone 4-3. Lots of high scoring playoff games, and then you have Rask giving up 2 goal in 3 games.

I am kicking myself over that comment, I know it would have happened either way, but damn. I also said Toronto was on their way to beating Boston last year when they held the lead, and look what happened......... Sorry to any Maple Leaf fans.

I was predicting Detroit to upset Boston, but it seems more and more unlikely given the way Rask has played. I know Boston was already the heavy favorite to go to the finals, and if Rask keeps playing like this, I don't see anyone in the East being able to beat Boston. Boston/Montreal should be a fun series, though.

[Plubby]

Just because there was PP time (PS by my count they were +12 in shot attempts 5v5 in the second so it isn't just the PP time) doesn't invalidate my point.

1st Period: Even

2nd Period: PLUS TWENTY FIVE. (I grant that you've ceded that they were outplayed in the second)

3rd Period: Plus two

OT: Plus two.

The way i've worded it is that they dominated them from start to finish, which isn't accurate - I meant that as a totality, they've outplayed them. (Also I was looking at the wrong stats at the start when I thought they were +2 shot attempts)

[Ruki]

Hey, Colorado.....you're making me nervous. Stop it.

[Hewey]

Hey, Colorado.....you're making me nervous. Stop it.

Now you know how I feel.

[Hewey]

Excellent game from the Pens tonight. Columbus had a good first period, but after that, Pittsburgh owned the game. They just need to play like this on Monday and this series will be over.

[Plubby]

*streaks naked throughout the thread*

MAAACKINNONNNNNN!!!!

[Plubby]

Can someone help me out, I have leagues of butthurt Minnesota fans on twitter telling me I don't get it.

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/en/v3/ext/pdfs/2013-14rulebook-update.pdf

Rule 83.1, Off-side:

Players of the attacking team must not precede the puck

into the attacking zone.

The position of the player’s skates and not that of his stick shall be

the determining factor in all instances in deciding an off-side. A player

is off-side when both skates are completely over the leading edge of

the blue line involved in the play.

A player is on-side when either of his skates are in contact with, or

on his own side of the line, at the instant the puck completely crosses

the leading edge of the blue line regardless of the position of his stick.

However, a player actually controlling the puck who shall cross the

line ahead of the puck shall not be considered “off-side,” provided he

had possession and control of the puck prior to his skates crossing the

blue line

I am contending that this image:

Paul Stastny's BACK skate, ALTHOUGH in the air - is BEHIND the line and that IN THIS IMAGE ONLY (NOT for the whole play) he is ONSIDE.

I've been told that the back skate MUST be on the ice and this is why players "drag the line".

I responded with that players drag the line because ONE of the prerequisites is that you must be IN CONTACT with the line, so if you DO NOT drag the line, you only get to the back (defensive) edge of the blue line. If you DO drag the line with your skate down, you are onside until you breach the FRONT (offensive) edge of the blue line - ie skate down gives you the width of the blue line further to work with.

How does everyone else interpret this? Can someone find me a rule or interpretation that "on his own side of the line" means that his skate must be down too?

[SeanDMan]

He's offside. If his front foot was on the line still he would be onside but since his back foot is off the ice the foot that is on the ice, the front foot, is the one used to judge whether he is onside or not. Since that foot is clear of the line, he's offside.

I went back and watched it in real time and then slowed down as it was broadcast, it is so, so close. He just lifts his foot as the puck is on the line but he is offside.

Not the most egregious missed call but still a missed call.

[Plubby]

OK, but what I don't get is that the NHL rule does not mandate skate contact when it is behind the line.

Compared to the USA hockey rule: http://www.usahockeyrulebook.com/page/show/1084688-rule-630-off-sides

Which DOES require skate contact. The rules are differently written - and there is no written source that they are to be interpreted the same.