NHL 2023-2024 Out of Town: Stanley Cup Playoffs - Round 2 & the Field of Eight

[RiverbottomChuck]

No way FL gets all these gifts going forward. Used up their quota

One can hope, last year it was noticeable they weren’t gonna let them play the same game against Vegas that they did in the previous 3 rounds.

 

[The Hajj]

Respectively disagree, Bobrovsky made next to no effort to fight through that minimal contact. Bobrovsky is also notorious for " having his stick knocked out of his hand ". Goalies are getting way too much protection, the changes that were made to protect them are now being abused, minimal contact should be allowed if the goalie dosen't make any effort to fight through the traffic.

The “mask issue” dramatics need to end too. If snaps are so crucial for safety, screw the things down. Goalies flip the mask on and off without effort anyway. Stopping play for a possible loose mask is not good for the game.

 

[KrejciMVP]

“Minimal” contact is subjective. Contact is not.

If people want rules enforced with any consistency, you need rules written as cut and dry as possible. How is officiating ever going to satisfy the masses if things just boil down to individual interpretation and judgment when it doesn’t need to?

Personally i think goal reviews are decided by corruption inVegas and Toronto now

 

[The Hajj]

Woof, Dallas gives up a weak one

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Personally i think goal reviews are decided by corruption inVegas and Toronto now

Well that would be unfortunate wouldn’t it.

Based on the two calls this game, I’m not worried about it.

This should be obvious, but once you start believing in the premise you are offering, you’re not going to be able to see any calls outside of that mind tunnel. Any call you disagree with just becomes further evidence.

 

[Babajingo]

Ha, I think I heard the announcer say its impressive how deep Vegas is. But he didn't say how.

 

[Terrier]

Didn't Tampa have a 1-0 lead when I turned that on my other TV? Why do they have zero goals now?




I'm a Providence College fan and was bummed when Nate Leahman narrowly missed getting an NHL job and this dude got the Flyers gig. He's lucky he lasted this long. Feel bad for Nate he's still stuck at PC.

Interesting that on NHL Network, during a discussion about Hakstol's firing, they showed a handful of notable available coaches(Gallant, Berube, etc.) and they included David Carle. I was in St. Paul two weeks ago and asked folks about Carle, with the response being that he's a new father and will most likely stay put at DU.

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

The “mask issue” dramatics need to end too. If snaps are so crucial for safety, screw the things down. Goalies flip the mask on and off without effort anyway. Stopping play for a possible loose mask is not good for the game.

I could be wrong but I think the break away feature doubles as dampening the initial blow of getting hit, I do agree it has become a trend to accidentally on purpose lose your mask if things are getting hectic, more often than not they won’t call it a penalty.

 

[KrejciMVP]

Well that would be unfortunate wouldn’t it.

Based on the two calls this game, I’m not worried about it.

This should be obvious, but once you start believing in the premise you are offering, you’re not going to be able to see any calls outside of that mind tunnel. Any call you disagree with just becomes further evidence.

I can usually distract my mind to believe its real an on the level

 

[Terrier]

Stars take the lead, 2nd period over.

 

[RoccoF14]

“Minimal” contact is subjective. Contact is not.

If people want rules enforced with any consistency, you need rules written as cut and dry as possible. How is officiating ever going to satisfy the masses if things just boil down to individual interpretation and judgment when it doesn’t need to?

One way to simplify this is to just have a rule where if you have any part of your body in the blue paint, and you contact the goalie, a goal is disallowed. Period. If the players have a clear definition of what they can and can't do, they'll adjust accordingly. Not perfect, but at least it's clear and easy to enforce.

 

[dabid]

WHY IS PK YELLING? VEGAS IS PLAYING BAD BUT WHY ARE YOU SO MAD

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

One way to simplify this is to just have a rule where if you have any part of your body in the blue paint, and you contact the goalie, a goal is disallowed. Period. If the players have a clear definition of what they can and can't do, they'll adjust accordingly. Not perfect, but at least it's clear and easy to enforce.

Yup, totally with you.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

I can usually distract my mind to believe its real an on the level

I guess what makes no sense to me is how either of those calls, regardless of your particular opinion, would help solidify a case for the game being rigged. In both instances, the goaltender is contacted by an opposing player within the crease.

Like, if one or both of those calls went the other way, I would disagree based on what I feel is goaltender interference. But based on the rulebook (not concrete enough IMO on goalie interference which leads to lots of individual interpretation), I wouldn't then conclude it is evidence of the game being rigged. Like, how does one get to the point where their indivdual opinion holds THAT much weight?

And I somehwhat hate feeding into this, but how exactly would this league-wide rigging occur? I wouldn't completely doubt that there's funny business between individuals (say one referee with bets on the side as has been proven in other leagues). That would be easy (despite the extreme risk for that indivdual). That's a small circle of nobodies in the know.

But your theory of a grand conspiracy in Toronto and Vegas. Like, if you truly do believe in such an elaborate, grand, multi-billion dollar conspiracy, let's hear a legitimate take as to how this all goes down. Do the owners know or are they in the dark? How exactly is this controlled? Who makes the call and why? Reviews don't happen the majority of games. So are the referees getting piped in instructions from Vegas/Toronto in-game to call penalties to skew the game a certain way? Like give me something beyond just "I don't agree with lots of calls, so therefore I've come to the conclusion that it's all a sham...but I 'distract my mind' and watch anyways".

 

[Fenway]

I thought Dallas was dead in the water after Game 2

 

[Aussie Bruin]

I thought Dallas was dead in the water after Game 2

View attachment 862121

A very good recovery by the Stars. Taken home ice advantage back for what now essentially becomes a best-of-three. Vegas to me has looked tired since January. Still excellent in bursts but have trouble sustaining it. The deeper this goes the more likely it is that Dallas can outlast them.

 

[Ludwig Fell Down]

I thought Dallas was dead in the water after Game 2

View attachment 862121

Me and you both. They were my Stanley Cup pick this year, I thought they were cooked. Hintz and Pavelski still without a point through 4 games.

 

[Fenway]

A very good recovery by the Stars. Taken home ice advantage back for what now essentially becomes a best-of-three. Vegas to me has looked tired since January. Still excellent in bursts but have trouble sustaining it. The deeper this goes the more likely it is that Dallas can outlast them.

Vegas partied harder than any Cup winner in recent history and I think that is part of it.

 

[Fenway]

Vegas partied harder than any Cup winner in recent history and I think that is part of it.

@Aussie Bruin I once asked Orr at a casual setting if he thought the Bruins got caught in a Cup hangover in 1971 given Montreal DNQ in 1970.

He replied 'They had plenty left in the tank and we and Chicago didn't.'

 

[Aussie Bruin]

@Aussie Bruin I once asked Orr at a casual setting if he thought the Bruins got caught in a Cup hangover in 1971 given Montreal DNQ in 1970.

He replied 'They had plenty left in the tank and we and Chicago didn't.'

Sounds like a polite way of saying 'yes'! Very hard to back up. Tampa did it but I think two Covid-shortened seasons helped their cause there. Pens did too which was probably even more impressive, but they were perhaps assisted a little by facing some comparatively weak opponents. So not impossible, but difficult.

 

[Fenway]

Sounds like a polite way of saying 'yes'! Very hard to back up. Tampa did it but I think two Covid-shortened seasons helped their cause there. Pens did too which was probably even more impressive, but they were perhaps assisted a little by facing some comparatively weak opponents. So not impossible, but difficult.

Bobby is a master of being polite.

The Pens got a favorable draw in 2016 and 2017 and the key was beating Washington in both runs.

 

[DominicT]

Bobby is a master of being polite.

The Pens got a favorable draw in 2016 and 2017 and the key was beating Washington in both runs.

Shouldn't you be asleep and resting so that you can bring us high quality hockey tonight?

If my screen goes blank, I'm blaming you

 

[smithformeragent]

Shouldn't you be asleep and resting so that you can bring us high quality hockey tonight?

If my screen goes blank, I'm blaming you

Androids don’t sleep.

The bigwigs at HF realized that @Fenway, in his flesh and blood form, had limitations.

However…

 

[KrejciMVP]

I guess what makes no sense to me is how either of those calls, regardless of your particular opinion, would help solidify a case for the game being rigged. In both instances, the goaltender is contacted by an opposing player within the crease.

Like, if one or both of those calls went the other way, I would disagree based on what I feel is goaltender interference. But based on the rulebook (not concrete enough IMO on goalie interference which leads to lots of individual interpretation), I wouldn't then conclude it is evidence of the game being rigged. Like, how does one get to the point where their indivdual opinion holds THAT much weight?

And I somehwhat hate feeding into this, but how exactly would this league-wide rigging occur? I wouldn't completely doubt that there's funny business between individuals (say one referee with bets on the side as has been proven in other leagues). That would be easy (despite the extreme risk for that indivdual). That's a small circle of nobodies in the know.

But your theory of a grand conspiracy in Toronto and Vegas. Like, if you truly do believe in such an elaborate, grand, multi-billion dollar conspiracy, let's hear a legitimate take as to how this all goes down. Do the owners know or are they in the dark? How exactly is this controlled? Who makes the call and why? Reviews don't happen the majority of games. So are the referees getting piped in instructions from Vegas/Toronto in-game to call penalties to skew the game a certain way? Like give me something beyond just "I don't agree with lots of calls, so therefore I've come to the conclusion that it's all a sham...but I 'distract my mind' and watch anyways".

You really want to write a grand conspiracy theory bc I think Vegas has a hand in games?

 

[Fenway]

Androids don’t sleep.

The bigwigs at HF realized that @Fenway, in his flesh and blood form, had limitations.

However…
View attachment 862159