It's the best time of year for hockey fans - the Stanley Cup playoffs begin today! The games start tonight out in the Western Conference: Wild vs. Blackhawks (8pm Eastern, NBCSN) Kings vs. Blues (8pm Eastern, CNBC) Red Wings vs. Ducks (10:30pm Eastern, NBCSN) Good luck to your teams. I'm looking forward to yet another early exit for my defense-challenged Caps, so go Hawks!
I'll be rooting for my Rangers, until they make their inevitable exit. You gotta figure one of these years the Caps do something, right?! They do have one of the best players in hockey in Alex Ovechkin. Maybe this year. How 'bout a St.Louis/Washington Stanley Cup Final?
Uh-oh - Caps fan here. I like what I'm seeing out of the Capitals against the Rangers right now, but our defense and the lack of a big rugged center has been our downfall every year. Being as my second favorite team is the Blackhawks, I'd like to see the Caps face them in the final, but my gut tells me it's going to be Penguins and 'Hawks.
Any winner this year will get a historical asterisk next their proclaimed victory due to a strike-shortened season. Why bother?
I didn't see the game, but it sounds like the Caps' inconsistent energy/effort might be the culprit. Either way, it's no surprise that a Caps-Rangers series would go seven games.
Sorry 'bout your team. I guess you were right all along about the Caps. Now we'll see what happens with a Ranger/Bruin series. Go Rangers!
I'll be rooting for the Rangers(of course), Senators, Blackhawks & Kings(really only 'cause I expect them to win).
Unless the Rangers pull off an improbable comeback, we'll have to continue putting up with the Bruins.
Given that you can't hit someone in the hand with a stick, it was far from BS. Did you watch the replay?
Yes, I watched the replay. It was not worthy of a penalty shot.........That's like calling a balk in the world series. But the Hawks need all the help they can get. It's nice to know the officials have your back.
Wow- way to be a sore loser. I have no interest in discussing this any further with people who take things WAY to seriously. It's hockey, not life and death. I have my own playoff game to play tonight. That's far more fun than getting all upset over something beyond one's control. Plus, it's more fun to do than watch.
Not a Kings fan, but not a Sharks fan either... Hmmm.... hard choice. I suppose I'd rather see Kings win the series. Can't stand Couture, and the Kings have quite a few former Oilers on their team. And I have respect for Sutter as a coach. Game 7, ladies and gentlemen. If the Kings do win, the final 4 will be Pens, Wings/Blackhawks, Bruins and Kings. Potential for 3 excellent series to end off the season. All of them have win Stanley Cups recently. - - - Updated - - - In Canada, it is life.
I think the main problem here is the lack of consistency with the refs... When they let everything go, and then call a penalty shot on a soft play like that. Granted I didn't watch the full game to see how officiating was for the game, but just in general NHL reffing has been quite brutal. And there's been no exception in the playoffs.
Good finish to a good series. Not sure why Hjarlmasson's goal was recalled, Saad didn't do anything to deserve a penalty from video replay. But it did make the game that much more intense. Pens, Bruins, Kings, Hawks. All 4 have an excellent chance at winning the cup, let alone the conference titles. This is a hard one to predict.
These are the last four Cup winners. It's going to be outstanding. I really hope the Penguins knock out Boston. I hate that team. That's the only team I want knocked out. Chara breaking someone's neck and Tim Thomas being an attention getting (*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)bag in general makes me really hate that team (yes, I know Thomas took time out). Being from Chicago, I hope the Hawks do it. But I have no problem with the Penguins or LA getting it either. Sidney Crosby has suffered a lot of injuries just to come back better, and Dustin Brown and Quick are quite simply great players. This is gonna be a great ride.
