2016 Second round of playoffs thread

[K-9]

Taking nothing away from the Penguins who were the best team in the league entering the playoffs, but this is an EPIC failure by the Caps after the season they had. Nothing short of an appearance in the finals was going to be acceptable. Sad night in DC. 

 

GO SABRES!!!

[Thorner]

Great defensive play by Malkin on Ovi shortly before

[WildCard]

Man, Ovechkin looked so sad there. Then really angry

[TrueBlueGED]

Great defensive play by Malkin on Ovi shortly before

 

And Backstrom was what, 2 inches away from intercepting a pass and starting a rush back the other way on the winning sequence? Game of inches!

 

 

Taking nothing away from the Penguins who were the best team in the league entering the playoffs, but this is an EPIC failure by the Caps after the season they had. Nothing short of an appearance in the finals was going to be acceptable. Sad night in DC. 

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

Nonsense, and you provided the reason why. Pittsburgh has been great since the coaching change.

[Eleven]

Don't forget, they added that rule the same year they added the netting after that girl died when she got hit by a puck. It is meant solely to keep pucks out of the stands (and thereby reduce lawsuits). They won't change it, IMO.

 

Didn't know that!  If so, good catch.

 

Anyway, DC is out, as it should be.

[Thorner]

Man, Ovechkin looked so sad there. Then really angry

He played well this series, and I'm sure there will still be articles written about how he can't get it done in the playoffs. Kinda sad.

 

Kessel earned his celebration Big Mac meal tonight.

 

...and his Bacon McDouble

 

Upsized.

[K-9]

And Backstrom was what, 2 inches away from intercepting a pass and starting a rush back the other way on the winning sequence? Game of inches!

 

 

 

Nonsense, and you provided the reason why. Pittsburgh has been great since the coaching change.

Not nonsense at all. I gave the Penguins all the credit in the world. But from the Caps' perspective, this is an epic failure. Perhaps you need an explanation of the phrase, "Taking nothing away from the Penguins." 

 

GO SABRES!!!

[Iron Crotch]

Good win for the Pens. For some reason the crowd doesn't seem nearly as raucous in Pittsburgh as in other playoff markets. Maybe they're just used to playoff runs.

[TrueBlueGED]

Not nonsense at all. I gave the Penguins all the credit in the world. But from the Caps' perspective, this is an epic failure. Perhaps you need an explanation of the phrase, "Taking nothing away from the Penguins." 

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

Getting beaten by a great, arguably the best, team, is not an epic failure. Defining it as an epic failure is what's wrong with sports fandom today IMO.

[Eleven]

Good win for the Pens. For some reason the crowd doesn't seem nearly as raucous in Pittsburgh as in other playoff markets. Maybe they're just used to playoff runs.

 

It's the Detroit of Pennsylvania.

 

Or the New Jersey of Pennsylvania.

 

Either way, you choose, they lose.

[darksabre]

Yessssss yessssss the prophecy

[K-9]

Getting beaten by a great, arguably the best, team, is not an epic failure. Defining it as an epic failure is what's wrong with sports fandom today IMO.

Look, it's a another nit!

 

GO SABRES!!!

[Iron Crotch]

Got my Eastern Conference picks exactly right so far. My Western picks on the other hand are all kinds of ###### up!

 

[Thorner]

Getting beaten by a great, arguably the best, team, is not an epic failure. Defining it as an epic failure is what's wrong with sports fandom today IMO.

I agree. Looking only at the final standings does the Pens (and Caps loss) a disservice. Penguins could be the NHLs best, now, and for a while. Their third line is Hagelin - Bonino - Kessel. That's some great depth.

 

Crazy how things have changed for the Pens, who not long ago had almost no depth to speak of.

It's the Detroit of Pennsylvania.

 

Or the New Jersey of Pennsylvania.

 

Either way, you choose, they lose.

I thought their crowd sounded loud today! Certainly raucous when scoring. Probably a little nervous after giving up 3 goal lead.

 

...jeese we aren't agreeing on anything today :p

[Eleven]

Got my Eastern Conference picks exactly right so far. My Western picks on the other hand are all kinds of ###### up!

 

Except for the Detroit-Tampa series, same.

[...]

Pittsburgh was clearly the superior team going in to this game and they played like it in that OT.   I thought Washington looked pretty good before this series, but the Pens looked just as good.  I thought Holtby might get the Caps through, but that Murray kid held his own.  I had no horse in this race, but I do know I'm not a fan of Crosby, Malkin and doughnut boy. 

[TrueBlueGED]

Remember when Phil Kessel was a player you couldn't win with? Yea, about that...maybe his team just sucked.

[drnkirishone]

Don't forget, they added that rule the same year they added the netting after that girl died when she got hit by a puck. It is meant solely to keep pucks out of the stands (and thereby reduce lawsuits). They won't change it, IMO.

i do not believe that reasoning at all. it was added to try and increase scoring and increase giveaways. it is a good rule. the referees already have to much discretion in enforcing the rules.

[Thorner]

Remember when Phil Kessel was a player you couldn't win with? Yea, about that...maybe his team just sucked.

And he was their best player this game. Never mind can't win with him, they may not have won this series without him. And we all know the other talent on that team.

[SwampD]

i do not believe that reasoning at all. it was added to try and increase scoring and increase giveaways. it is a good rule. the referees already have to much discretion in enforcing the rules.

I think that's just how they sold it.

[WildCard]

So Crosby's about to go to his 3rd Cup. Which Western team has the best chance of beating Pittsburgh? I'll say St.Louis

[...]

WildCard, on 10 May 2016 - 11:50 PM, said:

So Crosby's about to go to his 3rd Cup. Which Western team has the best chance of beating Pittsburgh? I'll say St.Louis

 

I would like that match-up. 

[Thorner]

So Crosby's about to go to his 3rd Cup. Which Western team has the best chance of beating Pittsburgh? I'll say St.Louis

I think Penguins/Lightning will be an exciting, good series. I'll stick with the Penguins but wouldn't count the Lightning out.

 

I'll say St. Louis too, but Nashville could potentially provide a difficult brand of hockey.

[That Aud Smell]

Regarding the puck out out of play rule: I still want video of the post-game interview with Miller where he is crying, defending Campbell, decrying the rule.

 

As for the notion that the league instituted the rule to keep pucks out of the stands: Strikes me that intentional flips over the glass aren't really hurting anyone. Nah?

 

As for Thorny's call for an abolition or roll back to subjective intent: Please, Lord. No. /MichaelScottNoGif

[SwampD]

Regarding the puck out out of play rule: I still want video of the post-game interview with Miller where he is crying, defending Campbell, decrying the rule.

 

As for the notion that the league instituted the rule to keep pucks out of the stands: Strikes me that intentional flips over the glass aren't really hurting anyone. Nah?

 

As for Thorny's call for an abolition or roll back to subjective intent: Please, Lord. No. /MichaelScottNoGif

Hmmm.

 

A quick search for "Fan hit by puck" tells a different story. 

 

 

The NHL says it doesn't keep statistics, but the medical director of the MCI arena in Washington, D.C., has conducted a five-year study about the safety of spectators at hockey games. Dr. Dave Milzman, who is also a professor at Georgetown University's Medical School, says pucks hit three to four people at an average game, one of whom needs stitches or more serious medical treatment.