NHL (2021-2022) v. Congrats Avs. Jack Johnson is a Stanley Cup Champion.

[SchecterShredder]

I think Edmonton wins the series if the goaltending is even remotely consistent. The team is certainly deep enough up front and on D, but I honestly have limited faith in Smith/Koskinen. They've been streaky enough this season that this series could go sideways awfully fast. 6 or 7 games, for sure.

[jingle.boy]

I do think this STL v MIN series is going to be a doozy......so is that TOR v TB. Just brutal that two of those 4 teams won't be in the second round.

Yeah.  Here's hoping for the best for both of us.

[Anguyen92]

The Corgi choose Kings' basket in the 1st round picks.  At least, the best opinion is on the Kings' side.

https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1521220565775831057/video/1

[TAC]

That Mattews goal on the 2 man advantage was amazing. You think they've practiced that before? I love how he passes it down low and curls like he's going to be out of the play, so when no one is looking, he skates full steam to the circle and BAM!

[jingle.boy]

Leafs have a PK, PP, and Even Strength goal.  Looking pretty solid, but they've always got the ability to blow it.

How do the Bs look?

[jingle.boy]

These refs are whistle happy.  1/2 thru the game, and 9 PPs already (5 TB; 4 TOR)

[TAC]

Leafs have a PK, PP, and Even Strength goal.  Looking pretty solid, but they've always got the ability to blow it.

How do the Bs look?

B's down 2-0 after 2. They look fine. They just haven't been able to break through. I think they are getting Carolina's top effort tonight. It's been a great game. Very fast paced.

Carolina has great sticks in the D-zone.

These refs are whistle happy.  1/2 thru the game, and 9 PPs already (5 TB; 4 TOR)

Jesus.. Do they think this is a Raptors game?

[Anguyen92]

This Leafs/Bolts game has gotten extremely chippy in game 1.  People getting booted out, someone drew blood.  Lots of penalties and the Leafs leading 5-0.

[gmillerdrake]

Refs are keeping the theme going in the Blues/Wild game.

[jingle.boy]

That was about as perfect a game as the Leafs could play. When they had more scoring chances in the 5-min PK, that pretty much set the tone. It’s only one game, but it’s the right start that team needed.

[TAC]

Looked like the start of a Cup Run to me.

[gmillerdrake]

4 PP’s called for Wild so far. 1 for the Blues and both teams are playing hard. Don’t mind it when it goes both ways but I’m starting the engine on about to lose it.

[jingle.boy]

And yet the Blues are up 3-0 .... WITH A PP GOAL!!

[gmillerdrake]

And yet the Blues are up 3-0 .... WITH A PP GOAL!!

Actually….its 2 PP goals. Perron scored the first one right at the moment the first one ended and they just changed it back to a PP goal.

Point is, there are two teams playing playoff hockey yet the calls are a bit lopsided right now. Oh well. It’s a young group of refs. It’s just annoying that the only momentum the Wild gets is off of the PP….and everyone the Blues start to take the momentum back there’s a convenient Penalty called on them.

It’s all a conspiracy, don’t ya know? 

[gmillerdrake]

That being said…..there’s nothing like playoff hockey. In any sport. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are in a tier of their own, every other sport is down there somewhere fighting for a distant second.

[gmillerdrake]

Husso played like a beast. Have to find a way to keep that kid around. PK was huge and Minnesota lost their cool in the third and cost themselves any chance of mounting a comeback.

Always nice to grab that first one on the road.

[pg1067]

Hot damn!

Oilers fall down...Kings get penalized, but the Oilers never led and came up CLUTCH in the last couple minutes.  HUGE game 1 win on the road.

Not sure my heart can survive this.

[Anguyen92]

That game was the only game today that wasn't a blow-out and despite the special teams doing their best to screw this up for us, the Kings pulled through.  2nd lines guys and Quick pulled it through.

It's already better than 2018.  They have a win and scored more goals than 2018 combined.

[gmillerdrake]

How about this cheap shot by Spurgeon? If that’s McDavid or MacKinnon getting hit like that Spurgeon is thrown in solitary confinement. I don’t expect anything to come of it but there was clear intent to injure one of the Blues top players there.

https://twitter.com/theathletic/status/1521349216886566913?s=21&t=Kt9BLqDbV2VYbhd6zOmWXg

[KevShmev]

I managed to stay up for two periods! 

That should be at least a game for Spurgeon, as that was a clear intent to injure, but we'll see. 

Special teams and Husso won that game, by all accounts.

One down, 15 to go! 

[pg1067]

That game was the only game today that wasn't a blow-out and despite the special teams doing their best to screw this up for us, the Kings pulled through.  2nd lines guys and Quick pulled it through.

It's already better than 2018.  They have a win and scored more goals than 2018 combined.

The phantom tripping penalty on Iafallo to start the second, and which directly led to Edmonton's second goal, which tied the game, was complete bullshit.  That said, penalties were 5-5.  The too many men penalty at the end of the second was sloppy and negated a power play.  Kings were jumping out of the gate, but they seemed a bit lost in the second.  Third period was absolutely crazy.  Needless to say, Wednesday will be huge.

[gmillerdrake]

Special teams and Husso won that game, by all accounts.

100%   Blues PP looked great.....bummer for the Playoff PP % that the last three they were given (when the Wild Players decided they were done playing and started head hunting)  they weren't even trying to score....they just played keep away to wind the time down.

Gonna be a brutal series if it continues at that pace though....lots of tussles and scraps.

[Anguyen92]

I managed to stay up for two periods! 

That should be at least a game for Spurgeon, as that was a clear intent to injure, but we'll see. 

Special teams and Husso won that game, by all accounts.

One down, 15 to go! 

The Wheel of the Department of Player Safety landed on the $5k fine.  People on Twitter are clearly not pleased.

https://twitter.com/NHLPlayerSafety/status/1521514627863138304?cxt=HHwWgMC-pcTfwJ0qAAAA

[SchecterShredder]

That game was the only game today that wasn't a blow-out and despite the special teams doing their best to screw this up for us, the Kings pulled through.  2nd lines guys and Quick pulled it through.

It's already better than 2018.  They have a win and scored more goals than 2018 combined.

The phantom tripping penalty on Iafallo to start the second, and which directly led to Edmonton's second goal, which tied the game, was complete bullshit.  That said, penalties were 5-5.  The too many men penalty at the end of the second was sloppy and negated a power play.  Kings were jumping out of the gate, but they seemed a bit lost in the second.  Third period was absolutely crazy.  Needless to say, Wednesday will be huge.

Agreed. I don't think the Oil are coming back if they spot LA 2 games.

[jingle.boy]

How about this cheap shot by Spurgeon? If that’s McDavid or MacKinnon getting hit like that Spurgeon is thrown in solitary confinement. I don’t expect anything to come of it but there was clear intent to injure one of the Blues top players there.

https://twitter.com/theathletic/status/1521349216886566913?s=21&t=Kt9BLqDbV2VYbhd6zOmWXg

That's pretty brutal, to not get anything.  It's not a hockey play, Buchnevich wasn't expecting... it fits all the criteria for a suspension.  So did Kyle Clifford's boarding, and *he's* getting a hearing!

[gmillerdrake]

How about this cheap shot by Spurgeon? If that’s McDavid or MacKinnon getting hit like that Spurgeon is thrown in solitary confinement. I don’t expect anything to come of it but there was clear intent to injure one of the Blues top players there.

https://twitter.com/theathletic/status/1521349216886566913?s=21&t=Kt9BLqDbV2VYbhd6zOmWXg

That's pretty brutal, to not get anything.  It's not a hockey play, Buchnevich wasn't expecting... it fits all the criteria for a suspension. 

In real time it looked cheap....slow mo' reveals how dirty it was. He targeted the upper ankle there and had plenty of time NOT to follow through with it. Thing is, Buchnevich did nothing to really 'deserve' that other than play hard which EVERY player playing is doing.

I was honestly shocked at how off the rails the Wild went the last 6-8 minutes of that game. Lots of pretty cheap crap went down. I'm all for heavy playoff hockey but they took it to a different level IMO

Anyway.....lots of pressure on the Wild now to take game 2. It's not a 'must win' by any means but it's a game where the pressure is way more on them than the Blues.

[jingle.boy]

Tampa went a little sideways too - Maroon goaded Morgan Reilly into a fight after Simmonds just laughed at him for wanting to dance.  I mean, when you're up 4-0, why do anything that might give the other team even a tiny little spark.  Simmonds just smirked at him and skated away, so eventually Maroon all but 'jumped' Reilly during the commercial break.  I think during that exchange, 4 or 5 players got roughing and 10 minute misconducts to get them all off the ice.

[gmillerdrake]

Tampa went a little sideways too - Maroon goaded Morgan Reilly into a fight after Simmonds just laughed at him for wanting to dance.  I mean, when you're up 4-0, why do anything that might give the other team even a tiny little spark. Simmonds just smirked at him and skated away, so eventually Maroon all but 'jumped' Reilly during the commercial break.  I think during that exchange, 4 or 5 players got roughing and 10 minute misconducts to get them all off the ice.

Exactly. You don't think the Blues won't remember Spurgeon's cheap shot? And, they're not going to respond by pummeling him....they'll respond by dropping another 4 goals on them. (although I won't rule out Schenn leveling Spurgeon in the first 5 Minutes tomorrow night  )

Point is....it's a (most likely) 6-7 game series and IMO the Wild (and from what it sounds like) TB lost their cool. I know Minnesota was frustrated beyond belief because they were 0-6 on the PP and even when they had a good chance Husso made great saves or they hit a post.

It was kind of funny to watch the last 4 minutes when the Blues were on the PP essentially the remainder of the game and they just tick tack toed passes back and forth with little thought to even try to score. Anyway.....

[KevShmev]

Similar to the NFL, the NHL really only cares about player safety when there is a serious injury or big media outcry, so Spurgeon getting a slap on the wrist didn't shock me.  No matter, the Blues are still gonna punk them. 

[TheCountOfNYC]

I’m sorry but that was a goal. It’s not goalie interference if you’re pushed into the goalie by the other team.

[TAC]

I’m sorry but that was a goal. It’s not goalie interference if you’re pushed into the goalie by the other team.

Definitely not a goal. Goals have been called back for WAY less.

[jingle.boy]

I think the Rangers got hooped on that goal. I’m a firm believer that the Hockey Gods will alway make things right. If the Pens win, then it was interference; if the Rangers win, then it wasn’t.

Also, “No-Save” Dave living up to his moniker. Holy moly are they getting crushed.

[TAC]

I think the Rangers got hooped on that goal. I’m a firm believer that the Hockey Gods will always make things right. If the Pens win, then it was interference; if the Rangers win, then it wasn’t.

As am I, but based on the goals I've seen called back this season, that wasn't even close.

[TAC]

Goalie change halfway through the 2nd OT??

[jingle.boy]

Wow. Louis Domingue enters the game!

Speculation from SportsNet crew was that DeSmith was cramping.