Pre-Game Talk: Honest Expectations for the Playoffs

[drwpreds]

If Anaheim wins today, it's theoretically possible we could start the series on the 13th at the Honda Center, with game 2 on the 15th. We'd then get the Sunday game on the 17th and game 4 on the 19th.

If Anaheim loses, and we face LA, we wouldn't be able to start the playoffs until the 14th (Kobe's finale is on the 13th @Staples); that might mean either Monday-Wednesday or Sunday-Tuesday (and pray that game 2 on Saturday the 16th doesn't go into double OT).

That would be the absolute best case scenario for folks like us who have to travel for the games.

However, I will be shocked if Anaheim's first game is on Wednesday. They have to travel across country for a Sunday night makeup game and I just don't see the league making them play 3 days later. I think they will start Thursday or even Friday. And they have a concert there on Saturday so a game that day is likely out.

Hope I wrong on this though- would kill for a Sunday Game 3 in Nashville.

 

[Drake744]

That would be the absolute best case scenario for folks like us who have to travel for the games.

However, I will be shocked if Anaheim's first game is on Wednesday. They have to travel across country for a Sunday night makeup game and I just don't see the league making them play 3 days later. I think they will start Thursday or even Friday. And they have a concert there on Saturday so a game that day is likely out.

Hope I wrong on this though- would kill for a Sunday Game 3 in Nashville.

It would really suck if game 1 is on Friday. It would leave Anaheim with games 1,2 and 5 on Friday, Sunday and Saturday. We would get hosed in that situation and just because of their make up game. So, I mean I guess that would make sense.

I don't know why it really matters that much for them to start Wednesday. Both teams will only have one day off during the series and they'd still have two if they started mid week.

 

[drwpreds]

It would really suck if game 1 is on Friday. It would leave Anaheim with games 1,2 and 5 on Friday, Sunday and Saturday. We would get hosed in that situation and just because of their make up game. So, I mean I guess that would make sense.

I don't know why it really matters that much for them to start Wednesday. Both teams will only have one day off during the series and they'd still have two if they started mid week.

I hope you are right.

What stinks about these makeup games is we are going to have to wait forever for the schedule. The NHL always takes their sweet time releasing it even when there are no games on Sunday. Probably will be 10 tonight before we know anything official.

 

[NSH615]

Well.....of course they do. They want 2 weekend games.

 

[drwpreds]

Well.....of course they do. They want 2 weekend games.

That is exactly what I was afraid of. That would likely mean two weeknight games for Preds, the worst case scenario for me..

Personally, I don't think they should get a Friday game one. Last year, none of the 8 first round series started on Friday. Thursday is fair but if their building can't accommodate it, then they should play Wednesday.

If it starts Friday there will be several series with 2 completed games before this series even starts....

 

[RCola88]

That is exactly what I was afraid of. That would likely mean two weeknight games for Preds, the worst case scenario for me..

Personally, I don't think they should get a Friday game one. Last year, none of the 8 first round series started on Friday. Thursday is fair but if their building can't accommodate it, then they should play Wednesday.

If it starts Friday there will be several series with 2 completed games before this series even starts....

No way NHL allows that. It's gotta be Wednesday IMO

 

[drwpreds]

No way NHL allows that. It's gotta be Wednesday IMO

You wouldn't think so, but per the above post you wouldn't think the Ducks beat writer would post that without knowing something....

 

[jwhouk]

Only three dates are unavailable between the three facilities: Lakers/Utah on the 13th @ Staples, Mumford & Sons 4/15 at the Bridge, and Alan Jackson 4/16 at the Honda.

 

[LCPreds]

Really hoping for a Thursday night start to the playoffs for us since I'll be going to Mumford & Sons on Friday night.

 

[Gnashville]

Thought I would leave these here

 

[NorthAlPredfan]

I just hate that by Trotz benching 1/3 of his team tonight pretty much guaranteed that we'd get the Ducks. I would have preferred the Kings....so if we lose in the first round can we blame Trotz again?

 

[NSH615]

I just hate that by Trotz benching 1/3 of his team tonight pretty much guaranteed that we'd get the Ducks. I would have preferred the Kings.

Agree. I now believe that we will be swept by the Ducks.

 

[David Bondra]

on one hand, they are an excellent team that has a stud of a first line for forwards and defense. On the other hand, LA. I say loss in first round.

 

[predfan24]

I'll be honest I have a bad feeling about the Ducks as well. I have a feeling in my gut it could get ugly fast. Would have preferred LA by a long shot.

Time will tell

 

[jwhouk]

Duck SEASON!!

 

[NorthAlPredfan]

Before the game tonight they were talking on the NHL network about who the Ducks would play and they were gushing over San Jose and when talking about the Preds they said they have a good defense and Pekka Rinne. I hope Forsberg and Weber shove that puck down their throats so far they will need Metamucil to get it back.

 

[Drake744]

**** Anaheim. **** that suburban castaway town 30 miles away from a real city. Disney World is a thousand times better than Disneyland. I went to a playoff game there in 2011 and the atmosphere in Nashville is better on a normal Saturday night. Place blows. Team blows more. Go Preds.

 

[drwpreds]

Ah yes- here come the doom and gloomers, right on schedule.

So let me get this straight- now that the matchup is set, everyone is suddenly acting like it was clear cut choice for us to prefer the Kings, is that right? A Kings team that is picked by almost every expert as one of 3 favorites to win the Cup (Hawks and Caps). And the Ducks are so superior that we are getting swept......

Some of you guys never cease to crack me up. Anaheim is a great team, no argument there. We very well may lose to them, would not surprise me in the least. But we are a good enough team that we can absolutely stack up with them. It you think they are that much worse of a matchup for us than LA, or that the Ducks are a far superior team than us, then I don't know what to tell you. Don't agree with either of those statements....

 

[NSH615]

Ah yes- here come the doom and gloomers, right on schedule.

So let me get this straight- now that the matchup is set, everyone is suddenly acting like it was clear cut choice for us to prefer the Kings, is that right? A Kings team that is picked by almost every expert as one of 3 favorites to win the Cup (Hawks and Caps). And the Ducks are so superior that we are getting swept......

Some of you guys never cease to crack me up. Anaheim is a great team, no argument there. We very well may lose to them, would not surprise me in the least. But we are a good enough team that we can absolutely stack up with them. It you think they are that much worse of a matchup for us than LA, or that the Ducks are a far superior team than us, then I don't know what to tell you. Don't agree with either of those statements....

I just do not like this match up. The Ducks are and have been the hottest team since Christmas. Yes we are right behind them, but both of our wins came while they were struggling. To me this is almost just as bad as if (and I know it was impossible) we drew the Caps somehow.

LA and Jonathan Quick on the other hand has been owned by this Preds team for 3 straight years now and Quick goes back farther. There is a reason that Bernier always started against us when he played for them.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

Time to summon the ghost of Wolf "The Dentist" Stansson to exact his revenge

 

[LCPreds]

I preferred the Kings mainly because of the expected scheduling. This Ducks schedule sucks (for me).

Game 1 Friday. Mumford and Sons.

Game 4 Thursday. Alabama Shakes at Ascend.

Oh well. Definitely going to M&S still but we will be (sadly) selling our Alabama Shakes tickets now I guess since we have playoff tickets too.

Thanks a lot LA!

 

[NSH615]

I don't understand why they would put our game 1 starting after some series have already played 2 games. Terrible

 

[Marty Party]

The schedule for us is pretty terrible. Tuesday night at 8:30.

Guess it was to be expected though once the ducks were in.

 

[NSH615]

The schedule for us is pretty terrible. Tuesday night at 8:30.

Guess it was to be expected though once the ducks were in.

We had the 8:30 games against Chicago too. Just freaking that the Ducks cried to get a Friday game and we get zero weekend games. That and the 9:30 Sunday start, What! Why can't that one be earlier.

 

[glenngineer]

Better that we got the Ducks. I don't care what the Kings and Quick did to us in the regular season or didn't do. Quick in the playoffs is a money goalie. He goes to another level. I'll take my chances with a great young goalie in Gibson who really hasn't felt the playoff pressure over a guy who's won two Cups in net any day of the week.

Both teams would've been tough. Pick your poison. Then again, we're no slouch of a team either. We can play with anyone in this league. ANYONE.

Remember one other thing, LA won a Cup from the 8 seed a few years back. They had to play every series on the road yet they managed to bring it home. We are in a very similar situation. I like the way the team is playing. I like the never say die attitude. We're going to do some damage this year.