The Ice Hockey Thread

What in the hell just happened in Toronto?

 

Hockey happened.

 

Welp, I think that’s the first time I’ve seen an NHL playoff game postponed a day because another game ran too long.

Let’s have some beating Boston with brunch

 

Korpisalo just beat the record for saves in a game by 12. 85 saves. And lost.

 

Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara are definitely with Crosby and Ovechkin in the “will they please hurry up and start getting old” category

 

Chara is like 75

 

Ovie is only a year older than Crosby, but he looks like he came into the league with Joe Thornton and Marleau. Not with his play, mind you; just physical appearance.

Really sucks season got cut short and he couldn’t tie Bossy and Gretzky’s record for 50 goal seasons.

 

Blues seem like they're thinking "we got one last year, [uck fay] this bubble and go home"

 

NHL playoffs without fans in the seats is so damn weird. To me they all feel like exhibition games, it needs the craziness of a home ice crowd.

 

I’m right there with Tuukka. I just can’t get into the games; I’m trying, but it just doesn’t feel like the real deal.

 

I guess I’m used to watching stuff with no fans now, I don’t really even notice any more

 

Always knew you were a WNBA fan.

 

I said I’d rather watch Ssmiff fight Dooz than women’s basketball and I stand by it. This would also be an event with no fans

 

Blues are better than Vancouver but they are having too many periods of sleepwalking and the Canucks are making them pay. Plus Markstrom is balling.

 

Back on ESPN.

Also worth noting is seeing the first NHL power rankings on ESPN for the first time in memory.

 

This is the first time I’ve gone into the playoffs with actual expectations. Of course, we’ll have to beat three legit Cup contenders to win it all, and I wouldn’t be totally shocked with a second round loss, but the hockey team I like is good and it feels good. And dang that penalty kill. Think they had Saros working harder than Ned last night, even at 4v5

 

Carolina was my pick to win it and judging by what I’ve seen so far I don’t see any reason they can’t do it. Tampa and Florida are killing each other, and there’s no way a less talented team coached by John Hynes can put up much of a fight. Preds played well for short stretches, but the power play is atrocious, and the personnel management is just unbelievably bad. If not for Saros playing out of his [dadgum]ed mind for 10 weeks, they are hoping for a lottery pick for Poile to screw up

On that note, until they get rid of Poile, Nashville is doomed to mediocrity as a ceiling. They need someone who can commit to a rebuild and won’t hire the worst available option at coach just because they are afraid to hire someone they’ve never worked with. He caught lightning in a bottle in 2017, but let Laviolette stagnate, just like he did with Trotz. Hiring John Hynes should be a terminable offense in this league, and combining that with bring in Erik [uck fay]ing Gudbranson... Jesus

 

Well I’ll be [dadgum]ed. They earned that one

 

Hell of a game tonight. I’m still pretty confident about the series for Carolina, but I’m suddenly much more nervous about Sunday and definitely not looking ahead to the terrifying potential matchup with Tampa.

 

Blues are done. Didn’t have any expectations anyway. So glad they got it done in 19 in a normal season. Couldn’t really care less about these last 2 screwed up ones