The official NHL thread

[Kid-Wicked]

11.

fuck that was a slow game. zero intensity.

[Kid-Wicked]

Has Luongo ever been the difference-maker in a series,in a positive way for his team I mean?I can't remember any of his teams winning a series because he stood on his head or anything.Even last year's Olympic team won despite his gaffes,not because he played awesome in net..

the series he had against the ducks the year they won the cup was stellar.

If he lost, he can't be the difference maker. A fine goalie, imo.

so i guess you can't win a conn smythe trophy if you don't win the cup?
if luongo hadn't stood on his head, that duck series would have been over in 5.

[NeverSurrender]

difference maker = difference between winning and losing.

[Tommy]

I read an article quoting the mayor of Winnipeg saying the Coyotes aren't moving, so it appears the Thrashers are again the primary candidate to move to Winnipeg. It would be a lot easier for True North to give the Thrashers the Moose name than it would have been to call the former Jets anything other than the Jets again.
Either way, a southern US team moving to Canada is okay by me. Move the Panthers to Quebec City while you're at it, Radar.

Why do Canadians have such a problem with teams in the US? Do you not want the game to grow?

Growing the game and being an arrogant douche about the game are 2 different things. Bettman's arrogance on where to put teams is insane.

Columbus and Minnesota expansion teams are OK, so is the move of the Nords to Denver. The rest of his moves are BAAAAAD. You cannot grow a game like hockey in the south, you just can't. Took 7 years to replace a team in Minnesota....Minnesota FFS!

And for everyone who wants to reference the S. Cali draft picks this year, that's all about $ at the local level, and you know it.

The guy knows shit about hockey. He's presided over 2, count 'em 2, lockouts. Worst exec in sports.

I know you asked about Southern teams, but the answer to your question is Gary Bettman.

[chungasrevenge]

One team out Atlanta, Florida, Phoenix should move to Winnipeg and the other two should be dissolved and a draft setup. They would be more profitable as teams if they didn't exist. The league can afford to retract by two teams. Carolina, Tampa and Nashville are successful enough reps for the Southeast.

[chungasrevenge]

Boston was a disaster last night. Sorry, somebody had to say it.

Power play is an umitigated disaster, but I can only get so pissed about the performance when it results in game 7 victory over their arch rivals. They got some bounces for sure. It would be nice if Krecji and Lucic joined the playoffs.

[alecjonsludge]

Thomas>Boucher,Leighton,Brobrovsky,pylon,fan picked at random.

Then again,Miller was greater as well.....

I don't think the Bruins will be outworked in front of the net/in the corners like the Sabres were,though.Going to be a crash bang series,the difference might be Briere,if he gets effectively shut down,the Bruins should prevail.

Bullshit. I'd think again if I were you. When they play their game, no one outworks The Flyers. That's The Flyers' game (twice as hard, half as smart )
At goalie is the only position The Bruins have an advantage.

The Bruins barely survived an undermanned, small Montreal team. They had 0 goals on the power play the whole first round, and their first line doesn't know the playoffs have started yet - along with their prized trade deadline acquisition. Unless Thomas plays even more out of his mind than he did in the regular season, or Claude Julien finds a fix for all of the above, I don't see Boston beating Philly.[/quot


Boston survived an undermanned Montreal team and didn't score any PP goals,true,however a lot of that was due to Carey Price.Philly has pylons,3 of them.

Briere was a monster in the faceoff circle against Buffalo...Bergeron will be a more formidable challenge.

Lucic's line does need to get going,no arguement there,however,Marchand and Peverly really stepped up their play.

I'm looking forward to this being a long,entertaining series.

[Kid-Wicked]

difference maker = difference between winning and losing.

lets say john tavares, while playing in the world championships with team canada(since we know the islanders have been golfing for months)scores every goal that canada gets in the tournament.....

but loses in the final, 5-4 because the goalie that plays for the leafs shits the bed and lets in 5 bad goals.

tavares did his part. if it wasn't for him they wouldn't be in the final.

Roger Crozier, Glenn Hal, Reggie Leach, Ron Hextall, Jean-Sebastien Giguere all won the conn smythe while being on losing teams.

a difference maker gives his team a chance to win every time they play. it's a team. no one does it all themselves.

[Tommy]

difference maker = difference between winning and losing.

lets say john tavares, while playing in the world championships with team canada(since we know the islanders have been golfing for months)scores every goal that canada gets in the tournament.....

but loses in the final, 5-4 because the goalie that plays for the leafs shits the bed and lets in 5 bad goals.

tavares did his part. if it wasn't for him they wouldn't be in the final.

Roger Crozier, Glenn Hal, Reggie Leach, Ron Hextall, Jean-Sebastien Giguere all won the conn smythe while being on losing teams.

a difference maker gives his team a chance to win every time they play. it's a team. no one does it all themselves.

Agreed. Aside from Boxing, the "he didn't win it" argument is shite.


ETA: And Golf and Tennis

[NeverSurrender]

I didn't say anything about the "win". A difference maker is the difference between winning and losing. Plain and simple.

I even thought and stated in this thread Luongo was a difference maker in the olympics, but has yet to be one for the Canucks.

And no, JT wouldn't be the difference maker if his team lost. Doesn't mean it was his fault, but he was no difference.

And a goalie has the greatest chance to be a difference maker because he can bail his teammates. Nice dig on the golfing, KW. Hate to see what you would say if your team doesn't choke........ for once.

[WOLF]

Well, with the Habs out, I'm sporting a Dave "Tiger" Williams Canucks retro T today! Bring the Cup back home boys (even if most of you are Swedish).

Now I just need to find myself a Bill Barber Flyers T.

[Kid-Wicked]

Well, with the Habs out, I'm sporting a Dave "Tiger" Williams Canucks retro T today! Bring the Cup back home boys (even if most of you are Swedish).

Now I just need to find myself a Bill Barber Flyers T.

4 sweedes, 14 canadians, 6 americans, 1 dane, 1 netherlandian(?)

[Kid-Wicked]

I didn't say anything about the "win". A difference maker is the difference between winning and losing. Plain and simple.

don't you see the contradiction there?

[John Simon Ritchie]

So, The Flyers just pulled Boucher. Glad to see that he got that great game outta the way in Game 7 of the last series and is back to his normal self, haha. Even though, to be fair, a few of those weren't entirely his fault. Plus, couple that with sloppy play and stupid penalties...

Typical. This team must love playing from behind.

"Twice as hard, half as smart = Flyers Hockey"

Btw...I wonder how shiny Tim Thomas's knob will be once these NBC announcers get done polishing it for him every 5 minutes?

[WOLF]

You'd think after coming THIS close every year, the Flyers would just go outside the organization and get themselves a stud goalie. They have so much young talent. Bite the bullet, trade a kid, or move a vet making a lot of money, and get a Tomas Vokoun, or someone who can play 65 games and put the team on his back in the playoffs. I know there are no guarantees, but has this team had a goalie who would give them an edge since Ron Hextall? Hell, even he wasn't THAT good. I half expect them to put Bernie Parent in nets for the next game....

[Facedown]

Power play? We don't need no steekin' power play.

[Kid-Wicked]

You'd think after coming THIS close every year, the Flyers would just go outside the organization and get themselves a stud goalie. They have so much young talent. Bite the bullet, trade a kid, or move a vet making a lot of money, and get a Tomas Vokoun, or someone who can play 65 games and put the team on his back in the playoffs. I know there are no guarantees, but has this team had a goalie who would give them an edge since Ron Hextall? Hell, even he wasn't THAT good. I half expect them to put Bernie Parent in nets for the next game....

luongo for danny briere and a couple prospects. maybe andrej meszaros. let the flyers figure out how to fit him into the salary cap.

[alecjonsludge]

You'd think after coming THIS close every year, the Flyers would just go outside the organization and get themselves a stud goalie. They have so much young talent. Bite the bullet, trade a kid, or move a vet making a lot of money, and get a Tomas Vokoun, or someone who can play 65 games and put the team on his back in the playoffs. I know there are no guarantees, but has this team had a goalie who would give them an edge since Ron Hextall? Hell, even he wasn't THAT good. I half expect them to put Bernie Parent in nets for the next game....

Martin Biron was supposed to be that guy and well......

I think,had the Flyers not advanced to the Finals last year, they may had done just that last summer.Instead they rewarded Leighton with big bucks.The Flyers management even bragged somewhat how they proved you can go to the Finals without the "superstar" goalie.Diffrence between then and now was,while it wasn't all-star goaltending,it also wasn't the beer league level netminding they're getting now.8 games,4 switches,after awhile that has to start messing with a goalie's confidence and focus.

[NeverSurrender]

You'd think after coming THIS close every year, the Flyers would just go outside the organization and get themselves a stud goalie. They have so much young talent. Bite the bullet, trade a kid, or move a vet making a lot of money, and get a Tomas Vokoun, or someone who can play 65 games and put the team on his back in the playoffs. I know there are no guarantees, but has this team had a goalie who would give them an edge since Ron Hextall? Hell, even he wasn't THAT good. I half expect them to put Bernie Parent in nets for the next game....

Isn't Vokoun a free agent? I thought I heard he was done with Florida.

[Kid-Wicked]

You'd think after coming THIS close every year, the Flyers would just go outside the organization and get themselves a stud goalie. They have so much young talent. Bite the bullet, trade a kid, or move a vet making a lot of money, and get a Tomas Vokoun, or someone who can play 65 games and put the team on his back in the playoffs. I know there are no guarantees, but has this team had a goalie who would give them an edge since Ron Hextall? Hell, even he wasn't THAT good. I half expect them to put Bernie Parent in nets for the next game....

Isn't Vokoun a free agent? I thought I heard he was done with Florida.

he is but they have close to 42 million in cap space to re-sign him with. i think they'll over pay him to stay.

[NeverSurrender]

Rinne was the difference maker tonight. He had some insane saves in OT.

[Tommy]

Re: Philly - After a billion goalies through the years at what point does the FUCKING GM AND COACH get some shit?

How good have the skating 18 been? Not that good apparently. Goalie gets it every time on that team.

[John Simon Ritchie]

How good have the skating 18 been? Not that good apparently. Goalie gets it every time on that team.

Exactly. The defense was a failure. Sloppy play all the way around.
Shit...even when the goalie holds a team to one goal and The Flyers fail to score, the goalies get blamed around here. Been that way since the Hextall years. Should they skate down the other end and score too? Surely wasn't the case this wknd though. But, it happened in 2 games of the Buffalo series.

[NeverSurrender]

When you start 3 goalies in one series there is a problem. Doesn't mean there aren't other problems, but come on now.

[crabfan]

They need to get an NHL team in Portland or Seattle.

Oh yeah Sharks up 2-0 over the Wings!

...that is all...

[John Simon Ritchie]

When you start 3 goalies in one series there is a problem. Doesn't mean there aren't other problems, but come on now.

Really, I think this would prove just the opposite. Normally I mean. In this instance I believe it is the goalies. Bob is too young and needs more time, Boosh is just being the same old Boosh and Leighton doesn't even register at this point.
So...no one is defending the goalies in this. I was stating historically in Philly (including the 2 Buffalo shut outs in the first round)

[Kid-Wicked]

canucks new round 2 rally tune by Drunk.

http://www.riffworld.com/files/Members/ ... p3file.mp3

• How Far To Nashville

[Tommy]

They need to get an NHL team in Portland or Seattle.

Oh yeah Sharks up 2-0 over the Wings!

...that is all...

Went to Bruins/Rangers a month ago a w/ a guy who lives in Portland. He says hockey is a non-issue up there. He's from Mass. so I think he's hoping there would be some interest.

[alecjonsludge]

After what happened last night,what are the chances the roof gets blown right off the Wells Fargo Center(figuratively) during the Kate Smith part of "God Bless America"? Noot very often I tune in for the anthems,but I will tonight.

[John Simon Ritchie]

Uh-oh...Pronger is being reported locally as a no go tonight by local beat writers. I sure hope they're wrong.