Around the NHL #5 (The Mike Smith Tracking Thread Returns)

[Neighborhood Coyote]

Austin "Kasperi Kapanen" Matthews with the winner....crazy game. (That's a reference to the goal call on the NHL app)

Missing empty nets is bad...mmkay?

 

[RemoAZ]

Such a conflicting series. Don't want Leafs to win, don't want Leafs to get a shot at Laf.

The Oilers are going to win the lottery. Need a couple more #1 overalls to get them over the hump.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Game 5 BJs vs Leafs is going to be crazy

And will be the lone Game 5...

 

[MIGs Dog]

I'm happy for Toronto fans. I wonder how many turned off their TV early?

 

[MIGs Dog]

I think this Play-in tournament is killing any chance of an expanded playoffs people have been talking about. No way the NHL wants this many sub .500 teams in the playoffs. Almost completely negates the regular season as you'll barely have to pay attention.

MLB needs to expand the playoffs...the NHL most certainly does not.

 

[Mosby]

I still can't believe that TOR/CBJ result.

This must have been Tortorella afterward:

 

[Mosby]

Updated Laf winner preferences

FLA
NYR
PIT
MIN
WPG
EDM
NSH

If CBJ loses out, I'd put them right behind Florida. If Toronto loses out, I think I'd have them fourth, as gross as that is. Overall preference is to keep Laf out of our future division.

 

[rt]

I’m bit torn on Vegas v Colorado. The Avs have that insane top end talent, and the active, dangerous D, and the young, hot, emerging goalie. The Knights have the depth, size, meanness, and the old, proven war-horse goalies.

I don’t think we have much of a chance against either. But I feel like Colorado is just a much better version of Nashville and we stand a better chance against how they play and how they’re built. Vegas is more like that old Kings team that ran us the f*** over the last time we were in the playoffs. Makes me shiver. Scary.

Even though I think Colorado might defeat Vegas in a series, I think we have a better shot at defeating Colorado than Vegas.

I just don’t see any hope against Vegas. Colorado is just whether Kuemper can weather the top line storm, and we can exploit the inexperienced goalie. It’s a small chance but at least it’s a chance.

I could see us being outshot 42-21 and winning 2-1 against Colorado. I could see frustrating them into mistakes and throwing them off their games. MacKinnon taking a 10min misconduct while pummeling Demers. Francouz cross checking Garland and taking a major. Kuemper dialing in on the top line. Again it’s a tiny hope.

Against Vegas, I just don’t see how we can outplay them or defeat them while being outplayed. Too structured, too deep, relentless waves of attack. Experience and impossible to rattle. Even if you do rattle them, they just beat you into the dirt.

 

[TheLegend]

I still can't believe that TOR/CBJ result.

This must have been Tortorella afterward:

See for yourself....

 

[Foggy1097]

I’m bit torn on Vegas v Colorado. The Avs have that insane top end talent, and the active, dangerous D, and the young, hot, emerging goalie. The Knights have the depth, size, meanness, and the old, proven war-horse goalies.



I don’t think we have much of a chance against either. But I feel like Colorado is just a much better version of Nashville and we stand a better chance against how they play and how they’re built. Vegas is more like that old Kings team that ran us the f*** over the last time we were in the playoffs. Makes me shiver. Scary.

Even though I think Colorado might defeat Vegas in a series, I think we have a better shot at defeating Colorado than Vegas.

I just don’t see any hope against Vegas. Colorado is just whether Kuemper can weather the top line storm, and we can exploit the inexperienced goalie. It’s a small chance but at least it’s a chance.

I could see us being outshot 42-21 and winning 2-1 against Colorado. I could see frustrating them into mistakes and throwing them off their games. MacKinnon taking a 10min misconduct while pummeling Demers. Francouz cross checking Garland and taking a major. Kuemper dialing in on the top line. Again it’s a tiny hope.

Against Vegas, I just don’t see how we can outplay them or defeat them while being outplayed. Too structured, too deep, relentless waves of attack. Experience and impossible to rattle. Even if you do rattle them, they just beat you into the dirt.

We definitely don’t want Vegas. I think there’s more than a tiny hope against COL. In a 7 game series we have the edge in goaltending, defense, and defensive forwards. If we keep Mack’s line relatively contained and don’t let them explode, there’s a great chance of winning a series against them. I think our strengths beat their strengths in a 7 game playoff series. With Vegas, it’s not impossible to beat them...but yeah, I don’t see that being nearly as realistic. They would wear us down big time.

 

[Jamieh]

We definitely don’t want Vegas. I think there’s more than a tiny hope against COL. In a 7 game series we have the edge in goaltending, defense, and defensive forwards. If we keep Mack’s line relatively contained and don’t let them explode, there’s a great chance of winning a series against them. I think our strengths beat their strengths in a 7 game playoff series. With Vegas, it’s not impossible to beat them...but yeah, I don’t see that being nearly as realistic. They would wear us down big time.

I dont see that D advantage against Colorado??

 

[Foggy1097]

I dont see that D advantage against Colorado??

Graves, Makar, Girard are young and can be exposed defensively...Cole Zadorov and Johnson are ok veterans. Don’t think there’s anything special there. Makar is great offensively but he’s a rookie. We have Cup winning veterans. Our top 6 is much more savvy and experienced imo. If Chych can elevate his game from last series it would be even more in our favor.

 

[Jamieh]

Graves, Makar, Girard are young and can be exposed defensively...Cole Zadorov and Johnson are ok veterans. Don’t think there’s anything special there. Makar is great offensively but he’s a rookie. We have Cup winning veterans. Our top 6 is much more savvy and experienced imo. If Chych can elevate his game from last series it would be even more in our favor.

We just watched our D get exposed every game by Nashville forwards, I have no idea how you can spin that as good?? Our team D is decent, our individual D is highly overrated.

 

[Foggy1097]

We just watched our D get exposed every game by Nashville forwards, I have no idea how you can spin that as good?? Our team D is decent, our individual D is highly overrated.

They also just scored 14 goals in 4 games against one of the best D units in the league...one that COL doesn’t even come close to comparing to. Not saying it will be easy, but I like our chances if we match up with them.

 

[Jamieh]

They also just scored 14 goals in 4 games against one of the best D units in the league...one that COL doesn’t even come close to comparing to. Not saying it will be easy, but I like our chances if we match up with them.

You are losing me with the assertion that Nashville has one of the best D units in the League. That ship sailed when their bottom 3 are at best 3rd pairing. These aren't your 2017 Predators. Great 1st pairing, very average 2nd pairing, below average depth.

 

[rt]

Does anyone here actually believe that we stand a better chance against Vegas? Or are we just nitpicking eachother?

 

[Jamieh]

Does anyone here actually believe that we stand a better chance against Vegas? Or are we just nitpicking eachother?

Lloyd Christmas says there is always a chance but you would have to be a major optimist to like either match-up.

 

[rt]

Lloyd Christmas says there is always a chance but you would have to be a major optimist to like either match-up.

That’s not what I asked.

 

[SpaceCoyote]

I'd prefer Colorado for the mere fact that Kuemper hasn't allowed a single goal against them all season. Also our season series is 1-1 with us out scoring them 5 to 3. Vegas we're a woeful 1-3, out scored 8 to 13.

 

[Jamieh]

That’s not what I asked.

I would say to win the Coyotes have to play a very sound defensive game. I would suggest it might be easier to shut down the Knights offense than the Avs.

 

[rt]

One more reason I’m hoping for Colorado: if it turns into a long, angry, violent, dirty series, that likely eliminates one of our chief competitors for Hall. Win or lose, I hope Hall would leave any potential Avs series with a serious hatred for a good portion of their roster.

 

[Mosby]

 

[rt]

We just watched our D get exposed every game by Nashville forwards, I have no idea how you can spin that as good?? Our team D is decent, our individual D is highly overrated.

I agree. They just collapsed in front of Kuemper and went through prolonged stretches where they were helpless to clear the zone. Hjalmarsson is noticeably rusty. Not at all himself. Goligoski has been a rollercoaster of good and bad. OEL and Chychrun mostly good since about half way through that series. I have hope the D will improve in the next round. I think it’s just a matter of time before Hjalmarsson really steps up. That alone will be huge.

 

[XX]

Soderberg and Crouse need to get it going. Tocchet brought back the beef line, even starting them for periods, and they largely did nothing. The consistent push wasn't there like the regular season.

Hopefully Soderberg shows up in a big way vs his old team if that's the draw.

 

[rt]

I would say to win the Coyotes have to play a very sound defensive game. I would suggest it might be easier to shut down the Knights offense than the Avs.

That’s a good point. Colorado had the best offense in the West this season while Vegas had the 3rd best. Colorado’s production is extremely top-heavy, though. Vegas was nearly as highly ranked with the points significantly more spread out. I’m sure we can’t deal with either team, honestly. But I think we stand a better chance if we can just focus on the top of a lineup rather than deal with waves of offense.