Official NHL 2016-2017 Thread

[Jarlaxle]

The Pens dmen may be tired, but they also have concrete hands and haven't made a breakout pass on the tape since November.

[mikeyd23]

CBC showed the stat that the Pens have played 225 games in the last 2 seasons - pre-season + regular + playoffs.  Sid has been in 212 of those; Geno in 170-something.  That doesn't include the World Cup.

Having Bonnino out last night hurt them down the middle.  Cullen logged more ice-time than Geno, while Rowney had 6.5 minutes.

They should be tired as shit.

Agreed on all points. Bones is a big part of this team in the playoffs. Faceoffs, PK, blocking shots, 200 foot play, big goals at opportune times, etc...

The Pens dmen may be tired, but they also have concrete hands and haven't made a breakout pass on the tape since November.

Totally, that's why I pointed out being tired isn't an excuse. But it is a reason for poor play sometimes along with stone hands 

Seriously though, watching this team in the playoffs has been so frustrating because they haven't been able to really figure out how to adjust with Letang out. So many breakout issues, transition issues, entry/exit issues are solved just by that freak of nature logging 30 minutes a night.

[Nick]

Agreed on all points. Bones is a big part of this team in the playoffs. Faceoffs, PK, blocking shots, 200 foot play, big goals at opportune times, etc...

By etc I assume you mean his world class acting ability.

[mikeyd23]

Agreed on all points. Bones is a big part of this team in the playoffs. Faceoffs, PK, blocking shots, 200 foot play, big goals at opportune times, etc...

By etc I assume you mean his world class acting ability.

  Of course!

[Rattlehead]

The last 2 games have been awesome... I really hope the Preds can continue to ride the momentum.

[KevShmev]

Pitt will be lucky to win one more game. The Preds have outworked them the entire series...the first two games in Pitt could have easily gone to the Preds.

I'm already practicing my fake smile and fake congratulatory sentence I'll have to give to my brother in law when he comes into town on July 4th....because the Preds are going to win the Cup.

Play ignorant instead.

"What, they won the Cup?  Really?"

"Nashville has a team? Since when?"

Keep that shtick going the whole time.

[fadetoblackdude7]

I want Nashville to win, simply cuz I won't want Pittsburgh to get 2 in a row.

[mike099]

I live outside of Nashville, but take the bus downtown to work.  The combination of the CMA festival downtown and the Hockey watch party downtown will make for some crazy traffic tomorrow night.  A co worker of mine works as an usher at Bridgestone arena where the hockey games are held and she said the traffic was a gridlock downtown before and after the last home game.  A big part of the problem is the road closures for the CMA festival on Broadway.  Bridgestone is charging season ticket holders 5 dollars for the watch party admission and non season ticket holders 15 dollars.  I think they should let season ticket holders in free to the watch party.  They will make a killing on concessions.

If Nashville wins tomorrow night, Sunday will be extra crazy downtown with a chance to win the cup at home.

[SchecterShredder]

I live outside of Nashville, but take the bus downtown to work.  The combination of the CMA festival downtown and the Hockey watch party downtown will make for some crazy traffic tomorrow night.  A co worker of mine works as an usher at Bridgestone arena where the hockey games are held and she said the traffic was a gridlock downtown before and after the last home game.  A big part of the problem is the road closures for the CMA festival on Broadway.  Bridgestone is charging season ticket holders 5 dollars for the watch party admission and non season ticket holders 15 dollars.  I think they should let season ticket holders in free to the watch party.  They will make a killing on concessions.

If Nashville wins tomorrow night, Sunday will be extra crazy downtown with a chance to win the cup at home.

The watch party is similar to what they did here in Edmonton for ours. Season ticket holders got first right of refusal to go,  then it went to the public. All tickets $5. All proceeds to the Oilers Community Foundation charity.

[mike099]

I live outside of Nashville, but take the bus downtown to work.  The combination of the CMA festival downtown and the Hockey watch party downtown will make for some crazy traffic tomorrow night.  A co worker of mine works as an usher at Bridgestone arena where the hockey games are held and she said the traffic was a gridlock downtown before and after the last home game.  A big part of the problem is the road closures for the CMA festival on Broadway.  Bridgestone is charging season ticket holders 5 dollars for the watch party admission and non season ticket holders 15 dollars.  I think they should let season ticket holders in free to the watch party.  They will make a killing on concessions.

If Nashville wins tomorrow night, Sunday will be extra crazy downtown with a chance to win the cup at home.

The watch party is similar to what they did here in Edmonton for ours. Season ticket holders got first right of refusal to go,  then it went to the public. All tickets $5. All proceeds to the Oilers Community Foundation charity.

Just read where proceeds will go to Predators Foundation charity.  Good to know.

[gmillerdrake]

Pitt will be lucky to win one more game. The Preds have outworked them the entire series...the first two games in Pitt could have easily gone to the Preds.

Where's the 'foot in mouth' emoji?

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Preds should have just pulled the goalie and play with 6 men every game in Pitt. Would have been prettier.

[gmillerdrake]

Better still, hopefully the Penguins win the next two games, meaning the Nashville fans have to witness their team losing the series on home ice. 

Half way there! 

[KevShmev]

Better still, hopefully the Penguins win the next two games, meaning the Nashville fans have to witness their team losing the series on home ice. 

Half way there! 

I think we'll get a game 7, but what little I saw of tonight's game was most enjoyable.

[jingle.boy]

Better still, hopefully the Penguins win the next two games, meaning the Nashville fans have to witness their team losing the series on home ice. 

Half way there! 

I think we'll get a game 7, but what little I saw of tonight's game was most enjoyable.

Tonight's game was shit.  With no horse in the race or any allegiance at all, I just want good entertaining hockey.  Tonight was not that whatsoever. 

Still more entertaining than the NBA though.

[KevShmev]

Tonight's game was shit.  With no horse in the race or any allegiance at all, I just want good entertaining hockey.  Tonight was not that whatsoever. 
 

I agree, for the most part, but the part of me that wants Nashville to lose thinks, "To hell with good games; let those bastards lose, and lose badly."

Still more entertaining than the NBA though.

True, but that's a pretty low bar to clear these days.

[Rattlehead]

This has been a pretty lame series... aside from game 1, every game has been a blowout and both teams have looked like crap on the road 

[jingle.boy]

Tonight's game was shit.  With no horse in the race or any allegiance at all, I just want good entertaining hockey.  Tonight was not that whatsoever. 
 

I agree, for the most part, but the part of me that wants Nashville to lose thinks, "To hell with good games; let those bastards lose, and lose badly."

I hear ya.  The only people that enjoyed last night's game are Pittsburgh fans, or those that loathe Nashville   

[Nick]

This has been a pretty lame series... aside from game 1, every game has been a blowout and both teams have looked like crap on the road 

Umm, what? Nashville's goalies have not been good on the road, but in games 1 and 2 the Preds skaters were far superior in both games.

Game 3 was the Preds chance to steal one with momentum on their side and instead got absolutely steamrolled. This was the risk when two games you should have won get away from you. I think they have overall still played like the better team in the series, but now that their on the brink, only have one home game, and the Pens have figured some things out... not looking good. Ugh.

[mikeyd23]

I'd call that a very entertaining game 

Thoughts -

-Sid was unbelievable, literally set the tone from the first shift and never let up, one of the best games I've seen him play considering what was at stake.
-Good bounce back for both Murray and the D men. Both the goalie and the defense-men handled the puck well and managed the game.
-Phil and Geno had it going and it was fun to watch.
-Pens are 10-0 in playoff games when Rust scores, here's hoping he scores next game.

Couple things that (as a Pens fan) made me laugh. People complaining they should have called a major on Sid for the tangle up with PK. They should have, but here's the thing, they haven't been. Crosby has taken more abuse this playoff run than I can remember another player ever taking. What he did to PK amounts to a fraction of a percent of the crap he has had to deal with, most of the time completely un-penalized. Does that make what Sid did not a major? Nope probably not. But Preds fans can't love it when PK tackles Sid behind a play and punches him in the face with a right hook and then cry when Sid gives PK the stinky glove. Fair is fair. If the refs and the league aren't going to call the game right, then it goes both ways.

[gmillerdrake]

when PK tackles Sid behind a play and punches him in the face with a right hook

He did the same thing to Steen....tackled him....sat on top of him while jamming his forearm into his head about ten times.....with the Ref literally seven feet away watching......Steen finally got out from underneath him then hit him with a small little slash and the ref then calls them both for roughing?

And that was one instance of him getting away with murder. If I thought it'd be constructive I could probably take the time to list off just the times he got away with penalties against the Blues but I think we all get the point. He's been allowed pretty much free range in these playoffs...so when he 'gets his' it's especially sweet to see.

[jingle.boy]

I will conceded that Sid has been playing like the best player on the planet that he is.

[mikeyd23]

when PK tackles Sid behind a play and punches him in the face with a right hook

He did the same thing to Steen....tackled him....sat on top of him while jamming his forearm into his head about ten times.....with the Ref literally seven feet away watching......Steen finally got out from underneath him then hit him with a small little slash and the ref then calls them both for roughing?

And that was one instance of him getting away with murder. If I thought it'd be constructive I could probably take the time to list off just the times he got away with penalties against the Blues but I think we all get the point. He's been allowed pretty much free range in these playoffs...so when he 'gets his' it's especially sweet to see.

Yup, you and I are pretty much on the same page. Ideally, I want to see no one get away with it, but the league is letting it happen a lot. So if they are going to let him (PK) dish it out, Preds fans can't complain too much when he gets a taste of his own meds, right?

I will conceded that Sid has been playing like the best player on the planet that he is.

Ah, no need to try to resist admitting it. He has been outstanding thus far.

[Jarlaxle]

I love all the talking heads that are saying "Crosby cross checked Subban into the ice. I didn't see one single crosscheck. I saw a battle between 2 guys where Sid was on top and was giving him the business, but the head contact amounted to about as hard as getting slapped in the helmet. Should it habe been a penalty? Sure. But so should the exact same thing when Methot did it to Sid 3 times last series.

[mikeyd23]

I love all the talking heads that are saying "Crosby cross checked Subban into the ice. I didn't see one single crosscheck. I saw a battle between 2 guys where Sid was on top and was giving him the business, but the head contact amounted to about as hard as getting slapped in the helmet. Should it habe been a penalty? Sure. But so should the exact same thing when Methot did it to Sid 3 times last series.

Agreed.

[Rattlehead]

This has been a pretty lame series... aside from game 1, every game has been a blowout and both teams have looked like crap on the road 

Umm, what? Nashville's goalies have not been good on the road, but in games 1 and 2 the Preds skaters were far superior in both games.

Game 3 was the Preds chance to steal one with momentum on their side and instead got absolutely steamrolled. This was the risk when two games you should have won get away from you. I think they have overall still played like the better team in the series, but now that their on the brink, only have one home game, and the Pens have figured some things out... not looking good. Ugh.

I was referring mostly to games 2 and 5 for the Preds, and I would not say the Preds skaters were "far superior" in any games other than 3 and 4. It is a shame that the Preds couldn't steal just one of the first two games.

My prediction is that the Preds win game 6 and lose in game 7. Either way I'll just shut my TV off before I have to see the Penguins win the cup. Much like the Patriots, they're such a frustrating team to root against because they always end up disappointing you because they're so damn good. Major props to the Penguins for such a dominant performance last night. I didn't watch any of it, but I know they were great and deserve a lot of credit 

[gmillerdrake]

Look at those 'great' fans.      Suck it!   

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

N^OOOOO

[KevShmev]

Love seeing the Predators lose the Cup on home ice.  Suck it, Smashville. 

[gmillerdrake]

Love seeing the Predators lose the Cup on home ice.  Suck it, Smashville. 

Yep. It's all worth it now.

[Hyperplex]

Fucking classless fans. I have nothing but respect for the Predators but the fans can suck it. Pelting the ice with shit when the team is defeated, screaming Penguins Suck and booing as they celebrate...fans with class respect what happened and at least applaud their team instead of denigrating the other.

[KevShmev]

Love seeing the Predators lose the Cup on home ice.  Suck it, Smashville. 

Yep. It's all worth it now.

A very small saving grace for us Blues fans. 

Fucking classless fans. I have nothing but respect for the Predators but the fans can suck it. Pelting the ice with shit when the team is defeated, screaming Penguins Suck and booing as they celebrate...fans with class respect what happened and at least applaud their team instead of denigrating the other.

Cut them slack. They didn't even know they had a team until this year.  They don't know how to act yet.

[gmillerdrake]

  Kev, that's great!

Fucking classless fans. I have nothing but respect for the Predators but the fans can suck it. Pelting the ice with shit when the team is defeated, screaming Penguins Suck and booing as they celebrate...fans with class respect what happened and at least applaud their team instead of denigrating the other.

True colors shining through.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Hey, that's what fans get like when their team has some modicum of success.

[Jarlaxle]

Hey, that's what fans get like when their team has some modicum of success.