The official NHL thread

[johnk5150]

I direct this question at you John,as well as Hawks nation;
Where was this outrage when Shaw hit Smith?...when Seabrook elbowed Sedin into submission? It's only a problem when it happens to your team.Homer/casual fans are the worst.

Shaw was suspended and it was appropriate. While the Sedins are assholes, Keith was wrong to do what he did. It bothered me that he caved to their baitintg. I assume you meant Keith not Seabrook.

[johnk5150]

Smith milked the shit out of that hit. Shaw's hit wasn't intentional. The 3 game suspension was outlandish.

Smith would be an excellent European soccer player.

[alecjonsludge]

I direct this question at you John,as well as Hawks nation;
Where was this outrage when Shaw hit Smith?...when Seabrook elbowed Sedin into submission? It's only a problem when it happens to your team.Homer/casual fans are the worst.

Shaw was suspended and it was appropriate. While the Sedins are assholes, Keith was wrong to do what he did. It bothered me that he caved to their baitintg. I assume you meant Keith not Seabrook.

Mea Culpa,I did mean Keith.

Fair enough,glad to see you realize your team is also at fault.

Smith would be an excellent European soccer player.

Tell you what,I'll take Smith milking that and his stellar play over Crawford being a role model yet allowing soft OT goals in back to back games any day!

[johnk5150]

I direct this question at you John,as well as Hawks nation;
Where was this outrage when Shaw hit Smith?...when Seabrook elbowed Sedin into submission? It's only a problem when it happens to your team.Homer/casual fans are the worst.

Shaw was suspended and it was appropriate. While the Sedins are assholes, Keith was wrong to do what he did. It bothered me that he caved to their baitintg. I assume you meant Keith not Seabrook.

Mea Culpa,I did mean Keith.

Fair enough,glad to see you realize your team is also at fault.

Smith would be an excellent European soccer player.

Tell you what,I'll take Smith milking that and his stellar play over Crawford being a role model yet allowing soft OT goals in back to back games any day!

There's a reason Crawford spent his twenties as a career minor leaguer.

[johnk5150]

Fair enough,glad to see you realize your team is also at fault.

When you're in Chicago, you learn to channel your vitriol to your own teams. Nobody hates our teams more than us.

[alecjonsludge]

Fair enough,glad to see you realize your team is also at fault.

When you're in Chicago, you learn to channel your vitriol to your own teams. Nobody hates our teams more than us.

...and here I thought that was Cubs specific.

Switch goalies,and the Blackhawks win this series 4-0.I wouldn't be surprised to see Emery between the pipes for Game 5.

[John Simon Ritchie]

Cheeerist...Malkin is a terrorist on skates. Cheap shots much?

[NeverSurrender]

Cheeerist...Malkin is a terrorist on skates. Cheap shots much?

How about when he ran Bryz when the puck went by teh side if the net, made no effort to miss him, and Pierre just acts like it's normal.

[pieceofme]

I'm starting to think the Penguins could pull this off.

Red Wings first team knocked out of the playoffs. Didn't predict that.

[John Simon Ritchie]

I'm starting to think the Penguins could pull this off.

Nope.

[pieceofme]

I'm starting to think the Penguins could pull this off.

Nope.

I really hope not.

[WOLF]

Looks like Torres is the new poster boy:

From www.tsn.ca:

The axe has fallen on Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres.

Torres was suspended 25 games for launching himself to deliver a late hit that sent Chicago's Marian Hossa during Game 3 of the Coyotes-Blackhawks series on Tuesday night.

Should the 25 games not be served by the conclusion of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the remaining games of the suspension will carry over into next regular season. Torres will also be prohibited from playing in any preseason games until he has served this 25-game suspension (playoff and regular-season games).

The hit came at 11:42 of the first period in Game 3 after Hossa had passed the puck in the neutral zone.

More than half a second later, Torres launched himself and appeared to catch Hossa's head on the the hit.

Hossa was taken from the ice on a stretcher and released from hospital a couple hours later with "encouraging results," according to the Blackhawks. The team ruled him out of Game 4 and didn't disclose the specific nature of his injuries.

Torres has already served one game of the suspension - Game 4 of the series in Chicago on Thursday.

Torres has a history of crossing the line with hits and had been previously suspended twice and fined once in the past 13 months alone.

[NeverSurrender]

So Weber, who I love by the way, gets nothing, and Torres gets 25 games?

Way not to look hypocritical, NHL. They are NBAisng the NHL more everyday.

[WOLF]

They are so inconsistent it's frightening. I had this pegged for 10 games, and that was due to Torres' track record. 25 is harsh, but they're caving to public pressure and trying to make an example of someone. I think Torres' is a predatory scumbag, but I just wish the Weber's and Chara's of this world would get the same treatment as the Torres' and Hagelins.

[pieceofme]

They are so inconsistent it's frightening. I had this pegged for 10 games, and that was due to Torres' track record. 25 is harsh, but they're caving to public pressure and trying to make an example of someone. I think Torres' is a predatory scumbag, but I just wish the Weber's and Chara's of this world would get the same treatment as the Torres' and Hagelins.

I concur. Its bullshit.

[alecjonsludge]

they're caving to public pressure and trying to make an example of someone.

Bingo.Things have got out of hand this playoffs,(thanks in part to laughable fines and non/1-3 game suspensions),so they hope a huge suspension like this will correct things.I too was pediciting 10 games,25 is quite surprising in lieu of recent penalties. Regardless, the inconsistency is a sore point and makes the League look less than professional

[WolfgangVonPage]

I disagree a bit. I think Shanahan was trying to not handcuff any particular team to a point by removing any players completely from the situation and it back fired. The guys weren't getting it, kept pushing it, and so now that fuckhead Torres has been made an example. Is it right? No. Is it consistent? No. But if something wasn't done now, it is only round 1 for fucks sake, then somebody was going to end up with a broken wrist/ankle or burst spleen, or worse because of a cheap shot/retaliation.

I am just praying my Rangers don't choke to fucking Ottawa.

[pieceofme]

Great game between the Panthers and Devils today.

Panthers up 3-2.

[pieceofme]

I disagree a bit. I think Shanahan was trying to not handcuff any particular team to a point by removing any players completely from the situation and it back fired. The guys weren't getting it, kept pushing it, and so now that fuckhead Torres has been made an example. Is it right? No. Is it consistent? No. But if something wasn't done now, it is only round 1 for fucks sake, then somebody was going to end up with a broken wrist/ankle or burst spleen, or worse because of a cheap shot/retaliation.

I am just praying my Rangers don't choke to fucking Ottawa.

Looks possible.

Detroit are out. And San Jose, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Chicago are all behind in their respective series.

[NeverSurrender]

MSG just went silent.

Zenon Konopka is your daddy.

[Facedown]

I disagree a bit. I think Shanahan was trying to not handcuff any particular team to a point by removing any players completely from the situation and it back fired. The guys weren't getting it, kept pushing it, and so now that fuckhead Torres has been made an example. Is it right? No. Is it consistent? No. But if something wasn't done now, it is only round 1 for fucks sake, then somebody was going to end up with a broken wrist/ankle or burst spleen, or worse because of a cheap shot/retaliation.

I am just praying my Rangers don't choke to fucking Ottawa.

Looks possible.

Detroit are out. And San Jose, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Chicago are all behind in their respective series.

Hmmm, what team is missing...

[John Simon Ritchie]

Game 6 and it's 2-0 Flyers after the first. Shittsburgh getting frustrated and resorting to their usual cheap play and dirty hits. I wonder how many faxes Mario would be sending to the NHL league office with all the dirty hits, etc if the roles were reversed?

Hopefully the next two periods go just like the first.

[WhiteHouseSubsAC]

Bryz needs to sack up and put together two more good periods. Finish this shit. I'm tired of seeing Cindy's smarmy face.

[pieceofme]

I disagree a bit. I think Shanahan was trying to not handcuff any particular team to a point by removing any players completely from the situation and it back fired. The guys weren't getting it, kept pushing it, and so now that fuckhead Torres has been made an example. Is it right? No. Is it consistent? No. But if something wasn't done now, it is only round 1 for fucks sake, then somebody was going to end up with a broken wrist/ankle or burst spleen, or worse because of a cheap shot/retaliation.

I am just praying my Rangers don't choke to fucking Ottawa.

Looks possible.

Detroit are out. And San Jose, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Chicago are all behind in their respective series.

Hmmm, what team is missing...

The Rangers. They lost yesterday so they are now behind.

[NeverSurrender]

Game 6 and it's 2-0 Flyers after the first. Shittsburgh getting frustrated and resorting to their usual cheap play and dirty hits. I wonder how many faxes Mario would be sending to the NHL league office with all the dirty hits, etc if the roles were reversed?

Hopefully the next two periods go just like the first.

Neal elbowing Jagr in the head at the end of the period AFTER the whistle. Where are the tears now, Mario?

God, I hate cheering for the Flyers.

[Facedown]

The Rangers. They lost yesterday so they are now behind.

Hmmmm, nope.
Rangers were mentioned by you when you said "looks possible".
You also said this "Panthers up 3-2" which adds the Devils to your list.
Hmmmm, still one more......

[WOLF]

So, if things pan out the way they currently are, we're looking at a final 8 of:

St-Louis vs LA
Phoenix vs Nashville
Florida vs Ottawa
Philly vs Washington



I'm sure SOMETHING will change, but still, who had anything similar to the above as their bracket?!

God let it be St-Louis/Philly in the final - two good hockey towns. Hell, even LA/Washington. Phoenix/Florida would be scary! Can you have an overnight rating lower than zero?

[pieceofme]

Penguins out.

[pieceofme]

The Rangers. They lost yesterday so they are now behind.

Hmmmm, nope.
Rangers were mentioned by you when you said "looks possible".
You also said this "Panthers up 3-2" which adds the Devils to your list.
Hmmmm, still one more......

I have no idea who you are talking about......

[pieceofme]

So, if things pan out the way they currently are, we're looking at a final 8 of:

St-Louis vs LA
Phoenix vs Nashville
Florida vs Ottawa
Philly vs Washington



I'm sure SOMETHING will change, but still, who had anything similar to the above as their bracket?!

God let it be St-Louis/Philly in the final - two good hockey towns. Hell, even LA/Washington. Phoenix/Florida would be scary! Can you have an overnight rating lower than zero?

Awesome. Hoping for Florida vs Phoenix final. WIth the Panthers taking it. Would be hilarious hearing a bunch of Canadians bitching and bemoaning about it being no Canadian team that has won since 93. Rubbing salt in the wounds with it being Phoenix and Florida as well.