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

[gmillerdrake]

I feel bad for Ottenger (spelling?) he was a freaking machine. I was hoping Dallas would win it just due to how great he was playing. But, the Flames are a better team and will make a better series with the Oilers. But man.....that goalie was on a one man mission.

[Anguyen92]

Holy crap.  60 saves on the Flames and the Stars couldn't pull through for Oettinger.  Gaudreau got the game-winner.  Picture perfect shot to seal the deal.  At least, Gaudreau and McDavid delivered in Game 7s when their respective teams needed it.

[gmillerdrake]

Holy crap.  60 saves on the Flames and the Stars couldn't pull through for Oettinger.  Gaudreau got the game-winner.  Picture perfect shot to seal the deal.  At least, Gaudreau and McDavid delivered in Game 7s when their respective teams needed it.

And his GW goal came off another unreal save moments before. Dallas started OT playing better than the Flames but that soft penalty call on Dallas change the momentum. After that..... it was all Calgary and a matter of time before one went in.

[jingle.boy]

That OT was some of the most amazing hockey.  It's nice to watch the game for the enjoyment of the game.

IThey would have probably beaten anyone else in the East besides Florida and maybe Carolina.

So basically, every team that had a worse regular season record.    I think they could've taken Carolina.
Florida?  I dunno.  I still have trouble believing they're for real, or if they just keep pulling Ws out of their asses - especially how much they come from behind.  Old-team Washington was a couple of inches from pushing them to a 3-1 series deficit, and an OT away from a 7th game.

In the end, Tampa won because Vasi finally played like the best goalie in the world for one game.

[jingle.boy]

Couple stats from last night's Flames/Stars broadcast... the Flames out-shot the Stars by 141 for the series.  That's an average of 20 shots per game.  Also, they had 125+ shot attempts last night.  If that kid can keep that kind of skill on display, he'll be fightin with Igor for the title of best goalie for a while.  But, as St. Louis fans know, one amazing playoff year/series does not make a stellar goaltending career - even if Binnington is playing great right now.

[gmillerdrake]

Florida?  I dunno.  I still have trouble believing they're for real

Same. They don't feel or play like a threatening team.....like, there's no fear that your team can't take them in 6 games. Honestly, Colorado and TB are the only remaining teams that have that 'fear' factor. The rest are teams that 'seem' pretty beatable.

In the end, Tampa won because Vasi finally played like the best goalie in the world for one game.

Yep.....and that was always the 'X' factor should that series go to game 7....the way he plays in crunch time.

even if Binnington is playing great right now.

For the record.....he's not playing 'great' right now. He's merely making the saves a goalie 'should' make. Big difference. But, to the media in St. Louis the fact that he's just playing like a goalie should some how has turned into him 'being back' or some crap like that. I'd start Husso vs Colorado over Binnington if it were me. He's more technically sound that Binnington and IMO gives the Blues a better shot at beating Colorado. Hope to be proven wrong by Binnington.....we shall see....

[SchecterShredder]

Same. They don't feel or play like a threatening team.....like, there's no fear that your team can't take them in 6 games. Honestly, Colorado and TB are the only remaining teams that have that 'fear' factor. The rest are teams that 'seem' pretty beatable.

That's a pretty fair assessment. In the end, any of the remaining teams could probably win the cup. But the rest aren't scaring anybody. The Oil played the Avs very tight this season, but I still wouldn't give them much hope in a 7 game series. Good luck, St. Louis. You'll likely need it.

[gmillerdrake]

Same. They don't feel or play like a threatening team.....like, there's no fear that your team can't take them in 6 games. Honestly, Colorado and TB are the only remaining teams that have that 'fear' factor. The rest are teams that 'seem' pretty beatable.

That's a pretty fair assessment. In the end, any of the remaining teams could probably win the cup. But the rest aren't scaring anybody. The Oil played the Avs very tight this season, but I still wouldn't give them much hope in a 7 game series. Good luck, St. Louis. You'll likely need it.

Yeah....they'll need it. I think this is the year for the AVs to play deep. They're just a really good team. But, you have to play the games and I think StL will make them earn it. Best thing is I have zero expectation for the Blues to win the series so 'if' they pull it off it'll be awesome.....but I'm not geared up thinking the Blues 'should' win it.

[gmillerdrake]

Shocker....

https://www.yahoo.com/news/golden-knights-fire-peter-deboer-162333996.html

[pg1067]

Otter was absolutely ridiculous in that game.  My natural inclination was to root for the Flames (Canadian team with (at least) three ex-Kings), but man...Otter was an absolute stud in that game!

My rooting interest in the second round:

Calgary over Edmonton (hopefully in four shutouts)
St. Louis over Colorado
Florida over Tampa Bay (this might be the most likely series to go 7 games)
New York over Carolina (this is the one where I feel least strongly...I wouldn't be at all bothered if Carolina won)

[Anguyen92]

Shocker....

https://www.yahoo.com/news/golden-knights-fire-peter-deboer-162333996.html

Good.  That coach never seems to have a good vibe when the cameras show him on the bench.

[jingle.boy]

Why Vegas brought in DeBoer will always be a mystery to me.

[gmillerdrake]

Why Vegas brought in DeBoer will always be a mystery to me.

Seriously. It's not like it was a secret as to his inefficiencies....or that he was some grand master coach. Never made sense. And, if you're a coach out there now looking for a job do you really want to go take that one? Talk about a toxic work environment.

Good.  That coach never seems to have a good vibe when the cameras show him on the bench.

He's a whiney baby....never have liked the guy. He's worse than I am when it comes to complaining about....well...anything that goes against his team. His press conferences are brutal. When the Blues beat the crap out of his Sharks team en route to winning the Cup never once did he credit the Blues for playing well and owning them....it was always some excuse or this or that. Total DB

[TheCountOfNYC]

I mean I'm happy Vegas got rid of Gallant for DeBoer. I think that was a great decision.

[SchecterShredder]

I mean I'm happy Vegas got rid of Gallant for DeBoer. I think that was a great decision.

NYR success just makes that firing, which was ridiculous at the time, even more absurd. Hopefully this is the start of a downward spiral for Vegas

[TheCountOfNYC]

I mean I'm happy Vegas got rid of Gallant for DeBoer. I think that was a great decision.

NYR success just makes that firing, which was ridiculous at the time, even more absurd. Hopefully this is the start of a downward spiral for Vegas

I remember pulling hard for Vegas in their first season, as did a lot of people, but they're a toxic organization now.

[jingle.boy]

I mean I'm happy Vegas got rid of Gallant for DeBoer. I think that was a great decision.

NYR success just makes that firing, which was ridiculous at the time, even more absurd. Hopefully this is the start of a downward spiral for Vegas

I remember pulling hard for Vegas in their first season, as did a lot of people, but they're a toxic organization now.

That's funny ... I remember hating them with a passion.  Ironically, I don't hate them as much now... but I'm not bothered at all that they're facing the kind of adversity every franchise has to go through - albeit 4 years late.

[jingle.boy]

Holy shit... Mitch Marner was car-jacked at gunpoint last night.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/33932412/toronto-maple-leafs-mitchell-marner-victim-carjacking

[gmillerdrake]

Holy shit... Mitch Marner was car-jacked at gunpoint last night.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/33932412/toronto-maple-leafs-mitchell-marner-victim-carjacking

Wait....Canadians have guns?

But seriously....that is freaking scary! Glad he was unharmed, it's only a vehicle.

[SchecterShredder]

Holy shit... Mitch Marner was car-jacked at gunpoint last night.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/33932412/toronto-maple-leafs-mitchell-marner-victim-carjacking

Quite topical. I read an article from CTV yesterday that violent car jackings are on the rise in Ontario, and specifically in the York region. Wild.

[gmillerdrake]

Blues had no business even being in OT. But I'll take Binnington playing the way he did. Wow! Would have been nice to steal that game but just didn't have it.

[KevShmev]

I hate to say it, but the Blues looked completely overmatched for much of that game. I know the Avs are good, and their speed is definitely scary, but are they so much better than the Blues should look that overmatched? Nah. They need a lot better overall performance tomorrow, as you cannot expect Binnington to stand on his head like that every night.

[gmillerdrake]

I hate to say it, but the Blues looked completely overmatched for much of that game. I know the Avs are good, and their speed is definitely scary, but are they so much better than the Blues should look that overmatched? Nah. They need a lot better overall performance tomorrow, as you cannot expect Binnington to stand on his head like that every night.

Yeah....they're good but that was silly. The sports talk shows were talking about the altitude leading into that game and that it could play a factor but the bottom line is that the AV's were putting on a skills clinic and the Blues were the practice cones. I think Berube will get them ready to respond....I don't think the sky is falling just yet.....but not stealing that game in OT places a very high importance on Game 2. It's essentially a must win now....because I have little doubt that the AVs can come into St. Louis and split....so, you can't go back to Colorado for Game 5 down 3-1. You're not going to rattle off three wins in a row against that AV's team.

Bottom line is....the AV's look pretty freaking legit at this point....and after years of them being coronated as 'the' team to beat....this may be their year. Just so many weapons and they're freaking lightning fast.

[KevShmev]

Speaking as a fan of the sport and setting aside my Blues fandom for a moment, I will say that if the Avs do make it to the finals, I want to see Colorado vs Tampa Bay.  That would be epic. 

[TheCountOfNYC]

Speaking as a fan of the sport and setting aside my Blues fandom for a moment, I will say that if the Avs do make it to the finals, I want to see Colorado vs Tampa Bay.  That would be epic.

I can't think of a WORSE final two among all the teams left. From the West, St. Louis is my second favorite team in the league while Edmonton and Calgary are the only Canadian teams I actually like, and from the East, besides the Rangers who are obviously my favorite hockey team the only team left I'd root for is Florida. I don't like Carolina but I'd still take them over Tampa.

[TheCountOfNYC]

The Rangers took their foot off the gas in the third and overtime, and it cost them.

[KevShmev]

I don't know what the Rangers were doing in the last part of the 3rd period, but Carolina had a handful of odd man rushes and/or partial breakaways, where they were just begging the Hurricanes to tie the game. 

[TheCountOfNYC]

I don't know what the Rangers were doing in the last part of the 3rd period, but Carolina had a handful of odd man rushes and/or partial breakaways, where they were just begging the Hurricanes to tie the game.

The lack of intensity in the third was similar to the lack of intensity in the beginning of the Penguins series. They're a young team still growing, but I was hoping they learned their lesson about keeping the intensity level up in the playoffs, especially since Carolina is a far better team than Pittsburgh.

[Nick]

Calgary on pace for 12 goals at the halfway point.

Edit: And a few moments after I post another Edmonton goal, on pace for a 12-6 finish!

[Anguyen92]

It's somehow 6-5 Flames.  At some point, I think it was 6-3 Flames.

[LudwigVan]

It was 6-2 at one point. This series isn't shaping up to be a good one for the goalies.

[Nick]

ESPN exec, at some point, apparently: Do we have the power to put all the defense in one game and all the offense in the other?

[Nick]

I don't care who wins, I just want this game to end with two teams who have both scored at least 10 goals.

[jingle.boy]

I bailed at 5-1.  What in the actual fuq happened???  15 fucking goals!?!?!?  Isn't 9 literally more than Calgary got all series against Dallas??

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Still feels weird to me that we have a good team here in Carolina. We got really lucky last night though. The Rangers were clearly the better team through two periods, and we only got to overtime because they missed a wide open net. I hope we play better going forward!