Official Stanley Cup Playoffs

[Englebretson 1st MRB]

I just hate how all the so called "analysts" said the Wild would get pooped on. Even if we lose in 4 games we will wear the Blackcocks down to nothing.

[ClickClickahShit]

I just hate how all the so called "analysts" said the Wild would get pooped on. Even if we lose in 4 games we will wear the Blackcocks down to nothing.

+1 Harding killed it tonight.

[Parker 1st MRB]

My predictions for the first round of the playoffs. Sorry they're late.

Eastern Conference Playoffs

Pittsburgh vs Islanders - Pit wins in 5. It's the Pens, they are the best team in the East (possibly the whole NHL when healthy). I'm a HUGE Tavares fan, I think he's the most underrated player in the NHL. Unfortunately for him, the Pens are just too deep in depth, too experienced, they have so much leadership (the only captains they didn't acquire in a trade are Captain Crunch and Captain Morgan), and they have three of the elite players in the NHL with Crosby, Malkin and Letang.

Montreal vs Ottawa - Ottawa wins in 7. Yes Ottawa. I think Montreal had an outstanding year with some great surprises for them in Subban and Gallagher. I'm not confident in Price right now, he looked really shaky at the end of the season and you never want your goalie to lose confidence in himself. On the other hand, Ottawa got to where they are today without their stars and that's because of depth. Now that they have Karlsson and Anderson back, I give them the edge

Washington vs Rangers - NYR wins in 7. This is a very close matchup, both teams started off bad and had a strong finish. It's so good to see Ovechkin is back in his element, it's great for the Caps and for hockey but will it be enough to stop the Rangers? I like the pieces NYR added from Columbus and I'm more confident in Lundqvist than Holtby.

Boston vs Toronto - Toronto wins in 7. Obviously a biased prediction, I'd be a horrible fan if I didn't pick the Leafs to win. Realistically, the Leafs have a chance to win because they have so many eager youngsters that want to make a name for themselves. At the same time, it's hard to put a young team up against a Stanley Cup winning veteran team like the Bruins and think you have a chance. Both these teams are set up the same way, toughness, tenacity, defense, and hard against the boards. So if they are both similar teams then you have to look at experience, the Bruins have it and the Leafs don't. The Leafs are the underdog, but I still beleaf they can get it done!

Western Conference Playoffs

Chicago vs Minnesota - Chicago wins in 6. Sorry Engle I am really rooting for Minny to win, but you can't look past that outstanding Blackhawks team. If the Wild can get Backstrom back in the cage stopping that puck, they have a chance to win. As of right now, the Hawks have so many weapons from the front to the back of their lineup and it's no surprise they ended up with a 36-7-5 record. Hey, no matter what I'm still cheering for the Wild!

Detroit vs Anaheim - Ducks win in 5. Detroit is old, there's nothing more to say. They limped into the playoffs and just barely edged out the Blue Jackets. The Ducks have really pulled it together this year under Bodreau and it seems they are buying into what he's selling. With all their offensive power and confident goaltending, they have my vote in this series.

San Jose vs Vancouver - Canucks win in 6. The Sharks are notorious choke artists in the playoffs, although I'd usually say the same for the Canucks they proved me wrong 2 years ago when they made it to the finals against Boston. Every team that has beaten the Canucks in the past 4 years have won the cup, that being said I don't think San Jose is gonna win. Too much offense and defense on the Canucks for the Sharks to handle.

St. Louis vs Los Angeles - Blues win in 7. This is a fun mathcup. The Blues are always under the radar, they have so much depth but my concern is do they have enough experience to beat the defending champs. This is such a close matchup that I'm excited to see who comes out on top. The Kings are defending their crown, while the Blues are trying to earn theirs. Who wants it more? I give it to the Blues.

P.s. I'm so pumped for the playoffs!!! 9 FRICKIN' YEARS SINCE MY MAPLE LEAFS GOT INTO THE PLAYOFFS, I was 17 the last time they were in. That is too long for a franchise with so much history in the NHL and in sports in general. The city is buzzing again and there is a sense of optimism, but we all know we're the underdogs. We're (when I say we I mean Leaf fans) just so happy to see some playoff action in May again and no matter what happens we're proud of how the Leafs did this year. I just hope that when they play Boston, they play with everything they've got with no regrets. GO LEAFS GO BABY!!!!!!!!!!

[Englebretson 1st MRB]

Biggest difference between Hawks and Wild fans is Wild fans sell out every home game regardless if the team is good or bad. The Hawks only show up if their team is winning.

[Beglar 1st MRB]

Leafs win Tonight, don't care what they say !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mamora BAR]

Toronto and the islanders got massacred....jeez

[Parker 1st MRB]

That is possibly the worst game Toronto has played in 3 years. That has to be playoff anxiety at its finest. They have 2 days to practice and fix those fucking neutral zone giveaways and terrible line changes.

[Steiner]

THE BRUINS IMPOSING THEIR WILL.

[Quarterman 1st MRB]

Go Pittsburgh! I might have to change my telus tv around and get some sports channels.

[Englebretson 1st MRB]

Goddamn bandwagoners

[Pandalsson 1st MRB]

Big 1st game tonight. We'll see how Montreal will deal with Eriksson tonight.

Let the cross-province battle begin. Go Habs!

[Quarterman 1st MRB]

Goddamn bandwagoners

Negative sir! Honestly I've always been a fan. My favorite animal growing up was a penguin. When I found out there was a hockey team with a penguin in the name it was game over =D. I hate Crosby, he can go cry some more.

[Parker 1st MRB]

Goddamn bandwagoners

Negative sir! Honestly I've always been a fan. My favorite animal growing up was a penguin. When I found out there was a hockey team with a penguin in the name it was game over =D. I hate Crosby, he can go cry some more.

That's an oxymoron right there. Crosby IS the Penguins, to hate him but be a fan of the Pens sounds like bandwagoning to me.

[Mamora BAR]

Its like hating Tom brady but you love the patriots......like parker said. Crosby IS the penguins lol. When people think of penguins they think of CROSBY...or Malkin...i prefer malkin. Eller got knocked the fuck out btw. Rangers caps game is awesome right now.

[Parker 1st MRB]

I hope Lars Eller is okay, you never want to see players get hurt like that. I'm not sure if Diaz should've passed that puck to Eller. I need to look at it in slow-mo to see how Gryba hit him.

I'm not confident in Price right now, he looked really shaky at the end of the season and you never want your goalie to lose confidence in himself.

Price just let in a really weak goal.

[Quarterman 1st MRB]

Haters gonna hate, I ain't no band wagoner =]

[Mamora BAR]

lundy shit the bed for the rangers. I'm shocked they didnt step up and hand it to the capitals. Backstrom and Ovechkin are dominating. I do hope Eller is ok. It was a very rough hit. Seems like these playoff games are more deadly then last year. Refs are actually allowing fights now in playoff games. Heres to hoping toronto steps up tomorrow.

Fuck....watching the replay of that hit. Its like Ellers body was going the opposite direction that his head was going. Poor guy. Its like gyb hit him in the chest/shoulder and part of the head while he was going full speed and spinned him.

Edited May 3, 2013 by Mamora BAR

[Englebretson 1st MRB]

[Mamora BAR]

Crosby is back tonight. Islanders should start looking for the lube.

[Pandalsson 1st MRB]

It was a clean hockey play (no jumping off ice, was looking like he was attempting a shoulder-to-shoulder hit big hit). As much as I hate to see that kind of result, the problem with big defensemen is that they can't help but contact the head if the target is looking down to try and control a pass from behind.

Now whether Gryba was lining him up for an off-the-puck hit or not is debatable since his hit was almost instantly after Eller got the puck (assuming Diaz hung Eller out to dry with that kind of stupid stupid pass). But, sadly, the fact that the puck was there makes it moot.

Diaz passes it up, off the boards, and that incident doesn't happen. Passing up the middle in your zone against aggressive forechecking has "dangerous" written all over it, like foreseeing a murder at an armed robbery.

Personally, I'd be surprised, after facial lacerations, lost teeth, more-than-likely concussion, if Eller makes it back for the playoffs this year. Hope he'll recover well from this - kid was on his way to becoming a solid player.

[Parker 1st MRB]

I'm not sure what did the most damage to Eller's head, was it Gryba or the ice? It looked like he came down hard face first into the ice. Did you see Perron's hit on Penner? I wonder if thats gonna be 2 games. Principal point of contact (and only point of contact) was the head and Penner didn't even have the puck.

[Pandalsson 1st MRB]

The problem wasn't so much the intent - I think that Gryba gets most of the benefits of doubt.

The main issue here is that Shana-ban is trying to "clean up" the game's more lethal contact situations by citing point-of-impact with the head as being something that should be eliminated/avoided.

So, even if it's a clean hit, albeit truly unfortunate for Eller, it's something that players should intuitively seek to avoid. However, I'm not sure how it's really feasibly possible at the game's current speed but the goal isn't wrongly placed.

I didn't see the Perron hit.

[Parker 1st MRB]

You can't ask players to avoid that kind of contact, it's a contact sport. Open ice hits are probably the most dangerous but the most impactful for the players and the fans. Big hits give players energy and give fans excitement. Injury does happen in sports, I'm not saying what happened to Eller wasn't bad, it was unfortunate for him. At the same time, that was a good hockey play on Gryba's part and call me old fashioned but I wouldn't want to see that removed from the game. Gryba saw Diaz looking for an outlet pass and saw his eyes wondering towards Eller, Gryba then started going at Eller anticipating a pass from Diaz. If anything, Diaz put Eller in a dangerous position and if Eller hadn't got hurt I'm sure he would've punched Diaz for it.

48.1 Illegal Check to the Head – A hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted. However, in determining whether such a hit should have been permitted, the circumstances of the hit, including whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit or the head contact on an otherwise legal body check was avoidable, can be considered.

Contact to the head is unavoidable in most hits and you ARE allowed to make head contact on a player as long as it's not the principal point of contact. To "clean up" (as you put it) the game to avoid hits that happened to Eller would be to simply state no head contact at all, but in doing so you're taking away 80% of hard hockey hits. Like I said, call me old fashioned but I think the rules they have in place now are perfectly fine.

[Parker 1st MRB]

WOW GRYBA GOT TWO GAMES?

I guess Shanaban saw something the rest of us didn't. I'm sitting here waiting for the NHL to release the explanation video.

[Mamora BAR]

Now Pacioretty and Gionta are out with upper body injuries. I guess the "dirty" team was Ottawa not toronto cause dam. Losing 3 of their top guys to injury in just the first game. I didnt see Gyba give a hitting motion is what astounds me. It looks like he was just skating and they collided. What was Gyba supposed to do, jump over the guy? Think im missing something.