NHL playoff!!
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Rob
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Oh I know, you never want to say this team will be an easier draw only to get stomped by them. Either way you still have to keep winning and get through 4 really good teams.
Lundquist has been the difference, without him Rangers would be toast. I'm not an Avery fan at all but when he keeps his mouth shut and doesn't cross the line he is a very efective player.
Flyers come from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Pens in the first round!!!
Not - but one can still hope, right? I'll say this, if there is a team that would be able to do it, it's this current group of Flyers - this team has major depth, and, IMO, is THE better team - MAF is the reason the Pens are ahead in this series (that, and the Flyers laid and egg in the first game). Oh - and the obvious league/ref bias against the Flyers.
Barring a miraculous turn around for Biron, I think that the Flyers will finally make a move for a top quality goalie this off-season. Combine that with the development of Claude Giroux, James VanRiemsdyk, Luca Sbisa, Ryan Parent and rest of this young team, the Flyers will be cup favorites within the next couple years.
Depending on who they get rid of this off-season, I think there's a good chance they bring in another top-flite D-man like Boumeester. BTW - Kimo Timonen, IMO, is one of the most underratted D-men in the leauge.
Timonen-Parent
Coburn-Boumeester
Alberts-Sbisa
Not a bad blue line to go with the incredibly deep offense. But the goalie is key.
Not - but one can still hope, right? I'll say this, if there is a team that would be able to do it, it's this current group of Flyers - this team has major depth, and, IMO, is THE better team - MAF is the reason the Pens are ahead in this series (that, and the Flyers laid and egg in the first game). Oh - and the obvious league/ref bias against the Flyers.
Barring a miraculous turn around for Biron, I think that the Flyers will finally make a move for a top quality goalie this off-season. Combine that with the development of Claude Giroux, James VanRiemsdyk, Luca Sbisa, Ryan Parent and rest of this young team, the Flyers will be cup favorites within the next couple years.
Depending on who they get rid of this off-season, I think there's a good chance they bring in another top-flite D-man like Boumeester. BTW - Kimo Timonen, IMO, is one of the most underratted D-men in the leauge.
Timonen-Parent
Coburn-Boumeester
Alberts-Sbisa
Not a bad blue line to go with the incredibly deep offense. But the goalie is key.
needsaresto
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Well,the Nucks are getting a well deserved rest after that brutal and dirty series with the Blue's.And somehow they overcame and survived.
I have a feeling we will see a full lineup and a sharp team for the second series.
They are very focused.They are not here to win just one series.
This will be a great playoff series!
I have a feeling we will see a full lineup and a sharp team for the second series.
They are very focused.They are not here to win just one series.
This will be a great playoff series!
Rob
Well-Known Member
Not sure I agree with all of that, pretty even match up, Flyers may have a more balanced lineup but as good as Carter is he's no Malkin or Crosby. MAF has been very good and the Flyers do tend to be undisciplined which will kill you playoff time. Flyers haven't had a top flight goalie in a long time, an upgrade would help. It will be interesting to see who lands Boumeester, aren't the Flyers up against the cap wall now?
If Luongo can keep playing the way he is and the team keeps scoring I think anything is possible for them.
3 scoring lines with 6 player over 25 goals, and 4 over 30 - and that's not including Briere who was out all season, and Claude Giroux who looks to be an easy 25-30 goal scorer. As good as Malkin and Croby are, I'll take 3 well balanced scoring lines over 2 superstars and a bunch or averge joes. the Flyers are clearly a deeper team up front, and arguably one of the top 2 offesive squads in terms of balance and scoring. (not to mention Crosby and Malkin are complete douche bag p#ssies.)
Have you watched any of this series? The Pens have been out played since game 2, and the only reason they're up is thier goalie (not complaining about that - that's exactly what you need - excelent goal tending, and that usually is the difference between winning anf losing in the PO's).
as far as cap space, I see Lupul, Knuble, Carle, possibly Jones, both goalies leaving via free agency or trades, and up comes Giroux, and JVR (2nd overall pick), and Luca Sbisa. That should leave room to reinforce the defense (maybe not JBO), and get us a quality starting goalie or top prospect.
BTW - Carter is not the best player on this team. I'd say Richards is the most complete, but I do see Carter continuing to mature and put up even better numbers in the future.
I'm sorry, but this is hard to match in terms of balance:
Gagne-Briere-Knuble
Hartnell-Carter-Lupul
Carcillo-Richards-Giroux
Our 3rd line center had 30 goals and 80 pts this season.
BTW - All our top forwards play 5-5, PK, and PP. Not only do they score, but they also are defensivly sound. Even Carter, the #2 goal scorer in the league is in the top 10 SH goals and Richards is #1in SHgoals and pts, and Gagne is #2 in SH pts. The Flyers had a top 5 PP for 3/4 of the season, and a top 5 PK for the same stretch. I don;t know how they finished, but they led the league for almost all this season in goal diffrentials PP/PK.
I won;t deny the talents of Crosby/Malkin, but I'm happy with the incredible talents that we have now, not to mention the elite prospects comming up - and it's easier to shut one or 2 guys down compared w/ 9 guys that can score.
Getting a quality goalie will be (should be) top priority for the Flyers this summer. With the core intact, and young D maturing, add a good goalie and this team will be down right scary.
Rob
Well-Known Member
Not totally disagreeing, like I said lots of balance there but there's more to the Penguins than just Crosby and Malkin, don't like them myself either, specially Crosby and his whining, give it a break already. Staal is a very good 3rd line center, Richards is not a 3rd line center except maybe on Team Canada, I'm guessing he gets pretty big minutes. Kunitz has been a good addition to the Pens as well. In the end it does come down to goaltending more often than not, the Rangers series is the same as yours, goaltending is the deciding factor. I prefer balanced scoring as well, Canucks are a much better team now because of that but Crosby and Malkin alone have almost as many points as your 3 lines combined so shutting them down as easier said than done.
I've watched some of the series, more of the west coast action though. Good luck in the next game, it ain't over until it's over.
I've watched some of the series, more of the west coast action though. Good luck in the next game, it ain't over until it's over.
Come on - Carter (84) Richards (80) Gagne (74) = 238pts
Crosby (103) Malkin (113) = 216pts
Hardly THAT big of a disparity.
With that said, thanks, I hope they win tonight and have a miraculous turnaround and get the series - if not, I"m hoping for an active summer.
Good luck in RD.2!! You sure have the goalie to do somethig special.
Rob
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I meant points during the series not the year, they have 13, I think your 3 lines total is 17 but then again that's more of a reflection of goaltending than anything else. Yeah we're lucky to have him, if you had Lui in goal you'd be done and resting too. Still if you win the next game anything can happen. Fleury has palyed great so far but he's known to get shakey from time to time.
needsaresto
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Rob,I gotta agree.Lui is the best of the best,nothing short of miraculous sometimes. In the same breath,his D men are stacked. Lui is as good as he is because his d men do a first rate job.
Your not putting a puck in lui's net if he see's it coming. And those D men are very good at that. They also score with alarming frequency. Edler and Salo put em in from the blue line all the time.Ohlund as well. O Brian has been crucial in key play making.Mitchell and Bieksa,enough said. Who wouldn't want Vans D?
Look at all the 5 on 3 penaly time Vancouver had to kill off against the hottest team of the late season.
Alain has a very talented bench to draw from. Very deep.
The last two games were played without Sundin,and the very last without Salo. Osi seems very capable and filled Salo's skates well.
Detroit will be a challenge.But I think Van can do em in.I have seem em come back from 2 and 3 goal deficits and win the game. I have seen them lose 8 in a row and come back with a better than 80% win average to finsh the season. They have overcome the death of Luc Bourdon,Bieksa's severe calf laceration,Luongo's 25 game injury..It goes on and on. They can overcome any adversity thrown at them.
Your not putting a puck in lui's net if he see's it coming. And those D men are very good at that. They also score with alarming frequency. Edler and Salo put em in from the blue line all the time.Ohlund as well. O Brian has been crucial in key play making.Mitchell and Bieksa,enough said. Who wouldn't want Vans D?
Look at all the 5 on 3 penaly time Vancouver had to kill off against the hottest team of the late season.
Alain has a very talented bench to draw from. Very deep.
The last two games were played without Sundin,and the very last without Salo. Osi seems very capable and filled Salo's skates well.
Detroit will be a challenge.But I think Van can do em in.I have seem em come back from 2 and 3 goal deficits and win the game. I have seen them lose 8 in a row and come back with a better than 80% win average to finsh the season. They have overcome the death of Luc Bourdon,Bieksa's severe calf laceration,Luongo's 25 game injury..It goes on and on. They can overcome any adversity thrown at them.
Rob
Well-Known Member
Quite right, the D has been very good suporting Lui, I've been particularly impressed with O'Brian, he's really picked his game up in the playoffs. The other guys everyone knew were good, he was a pleasant surprise. To be honest I'm not a big Sundin fan and figure they could spend the money a lot more wisely. 10 mil a year pro-rated is insane, he's barely a top six forward on the team and prone to taking lazy penalties. I like that the top forwards on the team are very good defensively, you add the Sedins, Burrows and Kesler to a great bunch of D and Lui, no wonder the PK is so good. We'll see what happens tonight, if Anaheim wins we may not be playing Detroit next.
Ratman1956
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Red Wings SWEEP Columbus!!!!!!!!!
Next please. . .
Next please. . .
69dartswinger
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needsaresto
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Right you are.Im not reall impressed either,but he brings in factorX=experience and leadership.
He doesnt always take the shot either.Is more likely to pass it. And he's an absolute monster on puck possesion behind the net.Good luck getting HIM off that puck,lol!
I thnik his bad penalties come from being a bit out of shape. He's not lazy or dirty,just cant keep up and tries make up for it with a little hook here and there.
I did question whether his heart was really in the game still,after 6 months off.
Rob
Well-Known Member
Well he definitely is big so if he has the puck he does well keeping it but when he's away from it he isn't the most fleet of foot. I'll be interested to see if he signs again next year, for the money I would prefer they went after Gabby or some other sniper type. Although they will have to sign the Sedin's so cap space may be a problem. Interesting development with Anaheim on the verge of knocking out San Jose, we may very well be playing the Flames or Hawks.
Flyers just made a series out of it, I hope they push it to a game 7, nothing more exciting than that :-D
bayyum
Well-Known Member
PENGUINS AND BRUINS, CONFERENCE FINAL, BRUINS WITH the CUP!!!!
rmchrgr
Skate And Destroy
I'd like to get some recognition for the job the Rangers have done. They had no business getting three games from the high-flying Caps. Holding Ovechkin to one goal over four games is an incredible feat, I mean they've almost taken him out of the series. He's had 35 shots himself and hit a post the other night and is the league's leading scorer. I feel like if we can get past the Caps then we might do some damage here. We're playing really well as a team - Drury is playing hurt, Redden, Rosival and Staal have all had excellent series and Callahan and Dubinsky may be two of the leaugue's top young players.
Hope we can close it out tonight, I'm excited to see if they are able to withstand another Caps blitzkrieg.
Let's Go Rangers!
Hope we can close it out tonight, I'm excited to see if they are able to withstand another Caps blitzkrieg.
Let's Go Rangers!
needsaresto
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Well,if it aint one thing it's another. Nucks used to get roasted by the media because of thier flaws. Now thier getting roasted because they have too many good PLAYERS? wtf???? ALAIN SAYS HE'S O.K WITH THAT. HE'S ALSO O.K WITH HAVING AN INSANELY SKILLED GOALIE.!!!
I really like this head coach. He's always smiling and cracking jokes with the media. And no wonder,just look at it his team!
The media is just nuckin futz. They must not have enough to right about...
I really like this head coach. He's always smiling and cracking jokes with the media. And no wonder,just look at it his team!
The media is just nuckin futz. They must not have enough to right about...
Rob
Well-Known Member
?? You must have read something I didn't see, sounds pretty funny, they have too many good players? Huh
Well rmchrgr I definitely give props to Lundquist, I know it's a team game but without him you wouldn't be winning, he's been incredible. If he keeps it up they could go a long ways. Avery is starting to cross the line again so that may be an issue for them.
RAMCHARGED
Well-Known Member
CANUCKS ALL THE WAY!!!!!!! Lou rocks!!!!! I've been waiting since 1970 for my CANUCKS to win a Stanley Cup. 1994 was a close one, hope this run doesn't lead to another riot downtown. That tear gas really burns.
Max340
Well-Known Member
Flyers are still battling the 3-1 deficit odds.... which say its near impossible to win the series.
Nah - nothing's impossible - just one game at a time. One thing they have in thier favor is that they've outplayed the Pens after that abomination that was game one. Stranger things have happened. like I said before, if there was a team that could do it, this talented bunch is it. The Flyers have 10 different goal scorers in 5 games!!
I make no predictions, but I like the way the Flyers are playing, and the fact that it's comming home for game 6. After that, you can throw the stats out the window, 'cause it's only one game.
Lets go FLYERS!!!:cheers:
Rob
Well-Known Member
Momentum is an important factor too, if they win game 6 they'll be in a much better frame of mind than the Pens. I wouldn't want to bet against them at this point, they just need some good goaltending and game 7's are always a crap shoot.
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