2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round

[Zamboni]

And there it is ...

[PromoTheRobot]

Go Whalercanes!

[In The Buff]

yep there it is

Just now, Zamboni said:

And there it is ...

 

[calti]

carolina looked better the whole game..altho it was close

[In The Buff]

Just now, PromoTheRobot said:

Go Whalercanes!

and without Skinner too. Kinda funny how things turn out

[PromoTheRobot]

I wonder if anyone in Raleigh stayed up to watch?

Just now, MillerVaive said:

and without Skinner too. Kinda funny how things turn out

Ditto for the Isles and Tavares. 

[calti]

Just now, PromoTheRobot said:

I wonder if anyone in Raleigh stayed up to watch?

lotta buffalonians and other northerners down there

[...]

Two notes:

Ovechkin was all class at the end.  Very respectful and I dig it.

The entire Carolina organization is tight with one another.  I dig that, too.

[Hoss]

all four wild card teams beat the division winners

1 minute ago, calti said:

lotta buffalonians and other northerners down there

*raises hand*

[Gatorman0519]

Carolina had the energy 2nd OT 

[calti]

Just now, Hoss said:

all four wild card teams beat the division winners

*raises hand*

beautiful country down there........i somehow ended up in wackadoo california

[Hoss]

Just now, calti said:

beautiful country down there........i somehow ended up in wackadoo california

i may someday find my way to california. maybe arizona.

[calti]

2 minutes ago, Hoss said:

i may someday find my way to california. maybe arizona.

study it well before making the move...if you do it right it could be blissfull...if not you could be making 200k a year and barely able to pay your bills and be stuck in traffic half your life.

[PromoTheRobot]

4 minutes ago, calti said:

beautiful country down there........i somehow ended up in wackadoo california

My plan is to wind up in Wilmington NC eventually.

[LTS]

8 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Re: the bolded, are you getting major and match mixed up?

Well, they could call a major without a match, but you can't call a match without a major.  Since they ejected him I was going straight to that and it had to be the criteria they were using as they did eject him. 

7 hours ago, Eleven said:

So going back to "the call" for a minute--I've read a couple of things elsewhere that have expanded my view.

What happens if the refs don't give 5 + game to Eakin?  You have a situation where a team is down 3-0, with ten minutes left, their captain is out and bleeding from his helmet, in a series where there had been plenty of nastiness on both sides.  The refs would have completely lost control.  I think you're looking at a Buffalo vs. Ottawa situation there.  Since everything I've read indicates that 2 + 10 would not have been allowed, the refs might have saved a few players some headaches (not metaphorically) with that call.

It's plausible.   I'm part of an ice hockey referee group and this call was debated from a lot of angles.  All in all, the general consensus is that there's no way you get to major penalty, let alone a match.  They debated the optics of the bleeding and the potential ensuing escalation as well.

The benches would each get a talking to after the penalty call was made and everyone would understand their view.  If the Sharks persisted to seek out "justice" the officials would definitely start calling things tight in which case San Jose spend a lot of time short handed.  If the game gets close and the escalation occurs then you usually just utter the phrase "The next time I'm sending one of you."  In fact, I think I heard that mentioned on a broadcast recently.  It's a common thing to say.  In a tight game no one wants to be the guy who gives the opponent the power play.  If you take both then they know it's a wash so it doesn't deter.

-------------------------------

The Canes showed some serious fight.  The Caps were just not "on" enough.  And.. Justin Williams.  Seriously.

[Taro T]

Good thing Botterill didn't do anything to fix the 2nd line when the team was WAAAAAY overperforming backin late November / early December.  'cause clearly sneaking into the playoffs would've been a disaster.  ####!!!!

They sign Martin, I might not renew.

[WildCard]

22 minutes ago, Hoss said:

i may someday find my way to california. maybe arizona.

I've been trying/applying to all 3 for a year now. Cheers to me joining ya

[Marvin]

18 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Good thing Botterill didn't do anything to fix the 2nd line when the team was WAAAAAY overperforming backin late November / early December.  'cause clearly sneaking into the playoffs would've been a disaster.  ####!!!!

They sign Martin, I might not renew.

Point of fact: from the time that Botterill said that and the last two games of the season (games 62-80), the Sabres went 2-15-2.  Maybe the club quit on the GM because the GM had already quit on them.

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, E4 ... Ke2 said:

Point of fact: from the time that Botterill said that and the last two games of the season (games 62-80), the Sabres went 2-15-2.  Maybe the club quit on the GM because the GM had already quit on them.

So our next GM is Ron Francis?

All 4 wild cards go figure. This should push the nhl to move on changing the format that the Leaf fans will be clamoring for. 

[That Aud Smell]

6 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Ditto for the Isles and Tavares. 

Not a validation of tanking for a few elite players.

[Weave]

37 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Not a validation of tanking for a few elite players.

Whoda thunk it?

[CallawaySabres]

I think Boston was the only team that was going to stop Toronto from going to the cup. Thank God they lost game 7

[That Aud Smell]

42 minutes ago, Weave said:

Whoda thunk it?

I’m still pretty equivocal on the matter. I’d rather have Eichel and Dahlin than not. If you don’t build a proper team around them, though, you’ll be nowhere fast.

[Stoner]

9 hours ago, Eleven said:

I'll note that the arena is silent, SILENT, @PASabreFan in a game 7 with the home team up.  It's DC, which I've explained before is not a hockey city, but it is SILENT.

It wasn't silent. Every game I've watched in these playoffs, the crowds have been raucous. Not even sure why I'm tagged here. The arena in Buffalo has been a morgue for a long time. You might be the only person who disputes this. And that Lindy had to go. It's 2019. Can we refresh what we argue about?

8 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I wonder if anyone in Raleigh stayed up to watch?

Ditto for the Isles and Tavares. 

Raleigh hardly deserves the shade thrown at it. They have great fans.

7 hours ago, Taro T said:

Good thing Botterill didn't do anything to fix the 2nd line when the team was WAAAAAY overperforming backin late November / early December.  'cause clearly sneaking into the playoffs would've been a disaster.  ####!!!!

They sign Martin, I might not renew.

It's not about *just* making the playoffs. Terry scrapes those owners off the bottom of his shoes. Low-class! It's about long-term excellence. You just wait.

[Wyldnwoody44]

I caught the first period and though wow, it's all Washington, then I caught both overtimes and it was really all Carolina, they deserved to win that one.