Official™ 2007 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Talk

Systemfel · Post by **Systemfel** » Wed May 23, 2007 2:13 pm

Omgz, somzgsggg, zukk it Chicago, enjoy being in the draft lottery everyzz yearrrr.

Post by **batdad** » Wed May 23, 2007 3:55 pm

Hey...it ain't just Chicago bud. There are alot of non Wing fans out there. It is the price the Wings play for

1. Winning 3 times.
2. Choking 3 or 4 times.
3. Having fans who build up the wins, and deny the chokes
4. Chris Chelios
5. Dominek Hasek

Thundercleese · Post by **Thundercleese** » Wed May 23, 2007 9:30 pm

I called the Sens in five! Of course it was after they were already up 2-0 but I was out of town and I fully would've made that exact prediction before game 1 if I could have, for you all to see and for me to quote and gloat over.

I'm calling the Sens in six this time, for what it's worth. Giguere is way over-rated, but it helps that his defense is pretty good at clearing rebounds and blocking cross-ice passing lanes. The Sens are too strong as a team, they're playing for each other right now, and that's huge. Emery is prone to giving up big juicy rebounds and he's not that used to being crashed in the way that's so common in the West but he's a gamer and can hack it in a violent environment. Jason Spezza is in the top ten +/- in the playoffs, that says a LOT about the job Bryan Murray has done. They've won on the road in incredibly hostile environments, shut teams out, beat teams up, they can win in any way you ask them to. As for the Ducks, Chris Pronger really shouldn't be the leading scorer, and yes I understand his value, etc, etc but seriously.

Here's to the Oilers using their newfound pick on the Ryan Leaf of the hockey world.

Systemfel · Post by **Systemfel** » Wed May 23, 2007 9:46 pm

Thundercleese wrote:I'm calling the Sens in six this time

Woohoo, me too.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » Wed May 23, 2007 10:30 pm

I pick Sens in 5. The Ducks were fairly inconsistent as far as performance goes, and I haven't heard too much of that from Ottawa.

Post by **Minstrel** » Thu May 24, 2007 3:24 am

Thundercleese wrote:I called the Sens in five! Of course it was after they were already up 2-0 but I was out of town and I fully would've made that exact prediction before game 1 if I could have, for you all to see and for me to quote and gloat over.

I'm calling the Sens in six this time, for what it's worth. Giguere is way over-rated

Yes, I'm sure you were somewhere there was no internet access for like six straight days and couldn't access to post your prediction eh? I call

You could have "made the call" at any time there was a lot of time between series.

Also if you want to call Giggy 'over-rated' you simply haven't been watching him this year. He's been great all year and he was amazing in this series especially. Saying stuff like that just makes you sound like a dumbass quite honestly. Next you'll say Pronger is overrated... oh. Yeah... so be careful to make the destinction there. I'm saying it makes you "sound like a dumbass" because simple watching of the games will lead many people to disagree with you. I am not saying you ARE a dumbass, but when you say things like Giggy and Pronger are overrated you sound like one.

I'm still torn as I don't 'believe' in Emery but Ottawa has proven they deserve to be a favorite here. The Ducks have been less consistent and though I like their team better I think Ottawa will come out ahead in 7.

Kekkonen · Post by **Kekkonen** » Thu May 24, 2007 10:23 am

I've bet against Ottawa 3 times in a row, so the 4th time should be a great omen for them. Anyway, it's going to be...

Ducks in 7. Home advantage does it in the end.

Post by **batdad** » Thu May 24, 2007 3:50 pm

Ottawa-Anaheim...Well ain't that just pretty. Anaheim becomes the first Cali team to make the finals twice. Heh...poor old Kings.

Ottawa--Finally there. And noone thought they would be this time. At least not with Emery as the starter. Gerber maybe, but Emery?

Anyway, all that said. Gerber wins his 2nd ring as a backup goalie, in consecutive years. Ottawa 4 Anaheim 3.

No...no...that is not right. Just not....Anaheim in 6. Scott Niedermeyer picks up the Cup.

Thundercleese · Post by **Thundercleese** » Fri May 25, 2007 12:02 am

As a matter of fact, I was at a retreat in Caroline, Alberta. There was no cell phone reception or internet there at all. There were several horses and llamas but no computers. I left just after the Rangers tied their series with the Sabres, and the Sens had not yet dispatched of the Devils, so there's no way I could've made the prediction. I didn't get back until after game 2. Why would I lie? A) Calling Sens in five still takes some skills after they're up 2-0, B) do you think I'm just out to impress people on a forum? I don't care if you believe me or not, I'm just saying that's what I would have called as a prediction were I available to do so. But I wasn't, so I didn't. Do with that what you will.

I say Giguere is over-rated because he's still a sub-par athlete (as in pure athletic skill). If you force him to improvise, he's absolutely toast. His fundamental positioning is probably the best in the league but that's not going to get the job done on its own. Fortunately for him, guys like Pronger (who I don't think I ever called over-rated), Niedermayer and Beauchemin are available to make sure Giguere rarely has to improvise in the first place. People go on all the time about how Brodeur isn't the best, he's just the beneficiary of a tight defensive system and some pretty decent skills (just not the best skills). That's what I'm applying to Giguere. Numbers don't tell the entire story.

If you think I'm calling Pronger over-rated because of the fact I think him leading the Ducks in scoring is a bad sign for the Ducks, you missed my point. I know darn well how important Pronger is to the team, and how effective he is on both sides of the ice. I'm not disputing that. What I AM saying is that guys like Teemu and Getzlaf should be the point leaders, regardless of what Pronger is capable of. There's a reason he's made it to the Final two seasons in a row, but scoring isn't the biggest one.

Post by **Shadd666** » Fri May 25, 2007 8:44 am

Giguere won the Conn Smyth in 2003 without Pronger nor Niedermayer in front of him...

Not bad for an "overrated" player

And well, maybe some people are saying that Brodeur isn't the best, but many people are saying many different things, and there's no point to believe them all. However, i agree with you on one point: numbers don't tell the entire story

Scoring 40 goals while playing with Gretzky wasn't that hard afterall

But carreer numbers enter in another category

Post by **batdad** » Fri May 25, 2007 5:45 pm

Giguere = Michelin Man.

Giggy has always been criticized for his athleticism. However, in this day and age athleticism apparently has little to do with his ability to stop a puck. He can do that, no doubt. The bigger you are, the harder it is to score.
However, scrambly fast moving plays where he has to move laterally at all....are his weakness. But all goalies have a weakness.

That being said, his gear is huge. This clearly helps him alot. But it is within the rules...so I guess he is just a good goalie.

Kekkonen · Post by **Kekkonen** » Mon May 28, 2007 11:05 am

Thundercleese wrote: I say Giguere is over-rated because he's still a sub-par athlete (as in pure athletic skill).

Funny you should say that. I haven't seen him all that many times after the 2003 finals (thanks to my NHL games coming from the Swedish-dominated CanalPlus, and all the high-profile Swedes play elsewhere), but in the games I've seen this spring he's certainly looked a bit... odd at times. Occasionally he seems to have his pads positioned strangely (squeezed together rather than spread out, when he's in a butterfly; that effectively makes it not a butterfly but something else entirely -- a moth?). Sometimes he looks like he doesn't react to a shot at all (cf. Lilja's goal in game 6), and often he looks very sluggish getting up after a scrum when the puck goes away. On the other hand, he could be pacing himself, and in the end it's hard to argue with results -- it's what you do, not how you do it that matters.

Anyway, tonight's the night. Tomorrow will be a lousy day at work because I'm getting up at 3 am to watch game 1.

Post by **CatchUp** » Mon May 28, 2007 11:23 am

Kekkonen wrote:Tomorrow will be a lousy day at work because I'm getting up at 3 am to watch game 1.

That's dedication!

I'll be partaking of a number of alcoholic beverages when the game starts around 8pm - THEN I'll be going to work at midnight, so it could be a rough night at work for me!

Speaking of the game, my pick for the series is Ottawa in Seven.

Game One: Ducks win
Game Two: Sens win
Game Three: Sens win
Game Four: Ducks win
Game Five: Sens win
Game Six: Ducks win
Game Seven: Sens win

holydogg · Post by **holydogg** » Mon May 28, 2007 1:08 pm

My heart is with the Sens, because I will love to see the Cup back in Canada and to clean the Sens "chokers masters" reputation once and for all (I hope so)

It is a fairly well balanced joust that will start tonight, both of the teams are solid rock, so at first hand, I can't really pick a stronger team.

This will be a nice serie, not like some years when a nowhere team match up against a powerhouse...

Post by **CatchUp** » Mon May 28, 2007 1:24 pm

I agree with holydogg - I think this will be one of the better Finals we've seen this decade. These teams are going to beat the tar out of each other. I give the physical edge to ANA - but the offense and the all important "team" quality go to OTT - giving them the slight edge IMO.

Kekkonen · Post by **Kekkonen** » Mon May 28, 2007 1:56 pm

CatchUp wrote:I agree with holydogg - I think this will be one of the better Finals we've seen this decade.

As a matter of fact, very few finals in this decade have been anything but good. So far, we are only three games short of the maximum number of final games played in the 00's. The only series that wasn't exciting all the way to the end was the Wings - Canes series in 2002. There's been nothing like the four consecutive sweeps in the mid-90s after the excellent 1994 Rangers - Canucks series.

Post by **Danny** » Mon May 28, 2007 3:07 pm

I think it's 2 am for me as well, or even 3. Gotta be in the office at 8 tomorrow, hope the game doesn't go into triple OT or something

Post by **batdad** » Mon May 28, 2007 3:55 pm

I don't think Ottawa can match up with the Ducks top 2 lines. One yes. But the other...just cannot see them stopping Getzlaff et al too often. Anything is possible I suppose, and I agree it should be a good series.

I just don't really believe in Ottawa as much as I would like to. Emery makes me nervous still. I just hope this series does not come down to:

1. An Alfredsson giveaway or bad backcheck.
2. A soft goal on Emery or Giggy.
3. An OT game where a d-man from either team shoots the puck over the glass.

Good hockey...please?

Kekkonen · Post by **Kekkonen** » Tue May 29, 2007 7:58 am

From: Scouting department, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

To: Sean O'Donnell

Re: Tryout

Dear Mr. O'Donnell,
thank you for your interest in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization. The scouting department has now reviewed your batting practice from the second minute of the first Cup final game. Unfortunately, we have no vacancies in our batting order at this time. As for future vacancies, don't call us, we'll call you.

Post by **getzlaf15** » Tue May 29, 2007 1:39 pm

WHAT A GAME!!!

If the series goes like game 1, what a series. The Senators started of flying, with the goal and all, i thought when they scored, it was gonna be a goal fest for them and they'd run up a huge score, but the goal woke the Ducks up, and they played some great hockey, they battled in corners, they took and gave some good hits, and they pressured the players with the puck whenever they got it. The Pahlsson, Moen and Niedermayer line also did a HUGE job of keeping Alfredsson, Spezza and Heatley silent! I don't remember a real good chance for any of those guys.

Of course Getzlaf did the business, he was the first star in my opinion (call me biased

), but the guy was brilliant, he took the game by the scruff of the jersey and outskilled everyone, the guy just Getz better. Sorry that was cheesy.

Can't wait for game 2 wednesday! Come on Duckys!!!

Post by **CatchUp** » Tue May 29, 2007 2:06 pm

getzlaf15 wrote:the guy just Getz better. Sorry that was cheesy.

Not at all. I thought it was very tasteful.

On topic: I don't think the Ducks 3rd line will have as much luck against the big line in game 2. I expect Heatley to score and Alfie to pick up a couple of assists.

Post by **Calv** » Tue May 29, 2007 5:20 pm

The Stanley cup is actually on TV for me, faced off at about 1.15 am this morning, which isn't the greatest timing considering I'm in the middle of my exams...

Still stayed up until half through the second, but don't tell anyone though...

Post by **batdad** » Tue May 29, 2007 5:30 pm

But...did you enjoy what you saw? I thought the Sens looked dopey from having like 11 days off, and just were not at game level yet. Actually thought the Ducks were too, but they woke up a little earlier...

Spezza last night tried to do it all by himself, and was definitely gunning to be the star of the game. Instead he looks like a dumbass with that backpass on the 2 man advantage.

Kekkonen · Post by **Kekkonen** » Thu May 31, 2007 9:10 am

The Sens still looked dopey after 1 day off. They've been pretty much pwned 5-on-5 so far. The scorelines from both games are very flattering to them.

I'm rooting for the Ducks, but I do hope that home ice and last line change make a difference for the Senators, because if they don't, this is going to be a short series.

Post by **batdad** » Thu May 31, 2007 3:57 pm

Yep. Ducks owned Sens in their own rink. See what happens in Ottawa.

Ottawa could lose this in 4...easily. Ducks are not going to stop hitting.