Around the NHL 2018-19, Part 7: RIP Your Playoff Bracket

[Chainshot]

 

[old kummelweck]

Parity.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

I'm mostly done grieving over this trade, and am learning to cope. But once in a while, I get so pissed watching that team. That's our ****ing 2C. Why did I just watch 60+ games of Sobotka at 2C.

Yup, pretty much. Seeing ROR winning clutch defensive draws in these playoffs has been maddeningly depressing. I guess, if we weren't headed to the playoffs anytime soon, good on Ryan for finally getting on a team that was, so they can utilize and not waste his talents.

That said, Dallas takes the next game. I got the sense that the blues were kind of hanging on for most of that game.

 

[Jim Bob]

Parity.

I think it is more about the difference in the game from the regular season to the playoffs.

 

[Chainshot]

He’s taken now....

 

[EichHart]

Blues vs Boston is my call for Stanley Cup final with Blues winning.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

A solid determinant of playoff performance has always been the kind of hockey you are playing in March and into April. Desperation, trying to qualify, style hockey typically results in your team being way more "playoff ready" than teams that have coasted thru the end of the season.

I think is makes more of a difference now - vs the 70's, 80's and 90's - because there is way more parity of talent across the league than the decades when only select teams were stacked with talent.

 

[Chainshot]

A solid determinant of playoff performance has always been the kind of hockey you are playing in March and into April. Desperation, trying to qualify, style hockey typically results in your team being way more "playoff ready" than teams that have coasted thru the end of the season.

I think is makes more of a difference now - vs the 70's, 80's and 90's - because there is way more parity of talent across the league than the decades when only select teams were stacked with talent.

I have to see if I can find the article that one of the stats media guys did about the correlation between a team’s record the last two months of the season and their playoff success. Basically it surmised that a team that was already playing well down the stretch tended to play well in the playoffs and those who struggled did not. It was born out in the numbers he used.

Edit: and I’m glad I took a look at this before heading post as my voice to text turned the words “their playoff” into a slang variety of the word cat. Siri is dirty minded.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Yup, pretty much. Seeing ROR winning clutch defensive draws in these playoffs has been maddeningly depressing. I guess, if we weren't headed to the playoffs anytime soon, good on Ryan for finally getting on a team that was, so they can utilize and not waste his talents.

That said, Dallas takes the next game. I got the sense that the blues were kind of hanging on for most of that game.

I tend to agree with your last paragraph. I would have said "part" rather than "most" because the Blues defense is quite formidable and matched the size and physicality of the Star's forwards well last night. They were usually 1st to the puck and if not, they made you pay for beating them to it.

Where St Louis really seems to excel to me is in their forechecking. They are relentless in the offensive zone and in NZ and forced so many inerrant Star passes. Their D is very skilled at holding/keeping the puck in the attacking zone and are as good as anybody at pinching and retaining possession. It really affected Dallas's breakout and reduced their advantage in speed.

Montgomery was as frustrated as I have seen him be (having watched him the year before here with the DU Pioneers). I expect he will have answers and adjustments ready to go for tomorrow's match.

 

[Weltschmerz]

View attachment 221151

isn't that rule 3 too?

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

I have to see if I can find the article that one of the stats media guys did about the correlation between a team’s record the last two months of the season and their playoff success. Basically it surmised that a team that was already playing well down the stretch tended to play well in the playoffs and those who struggled did not. It was born out in the numbers he used.

Edit: and I’m glad I took a look at this before heading post as my voice to text turned the words “their playoff” into a slang variety of the word cat. Siri is dirty minded.

Well, numbers don't lie and admittedly, I'm only expressing opinion antedoctally. Teams that struggle have burned out once they got there. I guess it's the 2nd derivative exceptions that I recall (Oilers in 2005(?), Panthers in '96) versus the mean average.

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Well, numbers don't lie and admittedly, I'm only expressing opinion antedoctally. Teams that struggle have burned out once they got there. I guess it's the 2nd derivative exceptions that I recall (Oilers in 2005(?), Panthers in '96) versus the mean average.

Nonetheless, how well a team is playing - whether struggling to make it or already in - is important. I think it's difficult to flip a switch. The Jets couldn't. Nashville wasn't playing particularly well at the end of the season. St. Louis on the other hand has been a machine. Tampa? I have no frickin clue. The anomaly of anomalies.

 

[GellMann]

Yup, pretty much. Seeing ROR winning clutch defensive draws in these playoffs has been maddeningly depressing. I guess, if we weren't headed to the playoffs anytime soon, good on Ryan for finally getting on a team that was, so they can utilize and not waste his talents.

That said, Dallas takes the next game. I got the sense that the blues were kind of hanging on for most of that game.

I need each team to win at least twice so I can go to game 6!

 

[Jim Bob]

Ryan Dzingel's hard road back to Columbus in search of a Stanley Cup - Sportsnet.ca

That was a fun read.

This cracked me up:

 

[Member 308457]

you gotta love Brad Marchand.

 

[Kublakhan]

I'm glad for Lehner but WTF !!!

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

you gotta love Brad Marchand.

A guy (not player - guy) who everybody hates.

Unless he's on your team.

 

[joshjull]

Phil must have been 4th

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Phil must have been 4th

...... from the bottom......

 

[MrMaster]

There it is, the second round slump.

 

[MrMaster]

They literally start making make up calls for previous make up calls, soon they will look like clowns from all the make up.

 

[valet]

lehner a lil slow getting his pad to the post there in OT against the canes and it's over. maybe a bit TOO relaxed these days.

for the record I want the isles to win this series

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Isles had some great opportunities but Mrazek was totally charmed. Not happy about the Canes taking game 1.

 

[valet]

Sharks need a new goalie. They can't win with Jones, he just never seems to make a save when they need it

 

[Zman5778]

Sharks need a new goalie. They can't win with Jones, he just never seems to make a save when they need it

Ummmmmm what now? He single-handedly won game 6 for the Sharks in the Vegas series.

EDIT: Oh, and outplayed Flower in Game 7.