Series Discussion: The less important playoff series' (non-Caps ones) Part the Second

[um]

I agree with txpd, I've said since our ouster, that I'll be surprised if Carolina makes the playoffs next year. They certainly could, but I actually expect a drop off from their goaltending. Their defense is good but I don't expect everyone to have a good year coming back. If I had to bet my life, my playoff teams for next year would be:

Atlantic:
1)Tampa
2)Boston
3)Tortoto
4)Florida

Metro:
1)Washington
2)Pittsburgh
3)NYI
4)Philadelphia

That feels very similar, there will probably be more turnover than that. There's always a few changes/surprises.

 

[Hivemind]

What was Brindamore thinking keeping him in? Talk about coaching gaffs.

Brind'Amour hasn't made a single in-game goaltending change all season. He lets his starters finish the game, regardless.

 

[Corby78]

Watching stlouis San Jose is fun hockey

 

[Sword]

It's over, the sweepers are getting swept

 

[islandersdynasty]

It's over, the sweepers are getting swept

I don’t think Carolina has the horses to get back into the series

 

[StrikingDistance]

Brind'Amour hasn't made a single in-game goaltending change all season. He lets his starters finish the game, regardless.

Then I would like to send this message to the Cane's coach:

 

[Raikkonen]

I guess I wasnt terribly wrong with my Car-NYI-Bos bracket. An opportunity missed.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Don't think we'd beat Boston without Oshie and Kempny and with Rask playing this well but man we should still be playing.

 

[islandersdynasty]

Don't think we'd beat Boston without Oshie and Kempny and with Rask playing this well but man we should still be playing.

I don’t think Rask has really been tested in the last couple rounds. Boston’s D is doing a great job collapsing around him and keeping the Canes from getting 2nd and 3rd chance opportunities. Plus the Canes don’t have a ton of good goal scorers. San Jose is a bit different - hoping they make it to the Final to give us a good series. Boston will demolish st. louis.

 

[ovikovy817]

Don't think we'd beat Boston without Oshie and Kempny and with Rask playing this well but man we should still be playing.

We have their numbers.

 

[Langway]

Boston will demolish st. louis.

I'm not so sure about that. They'll need Tarasenko to be way more of a factor, though. I think it could at least be competitive but, sure, San Jose is the more explosive team of the two.

I seem to have underestimated Boston's D depth. Those little pluggers of theirs have been stellar. Their team structure helps but they've also been really strong 1-on-1 whereas earlier against Toronto it seemed like it could be more problematic.

 

[islandersdynasty]

I'm not so sure about that. They'll need Tarasenko to be way more of a factor, though. I think it could at least be competitive but, sure, San Jose is the more explosive team of the two.

I seem to have underestimated Boston's D depth. Those little pluggers of theirs have been stellar. Their team structure helps but they've also been really strong 1-on-1 whereas earlier against Toronto it seemed like it could be more problematic.

Toronto gave them more trouble because they have scorers, moreso than Columbus or Carolina. Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Johnsson, Kapanen, and Kadri (until the moron got suspended) is a tough group to stop. Columbus and Carolina are a big step down from Toronto.

 

[StrikingDistance]

I don’t think Rask has really been tested in the last couple rounds. Boston’s D is doing a great job collapsing around him and keeping the Canes from getting 2nd and 3rd chance opportunities. Plus the Canes don’t have a ton of good goal scorers. San Jose is a bit different - hoping they make it to the Final to give us a good series. Boston will demolish st. louis.

Don't see Boston 'demolishing' the Blues. Both goalies have been playing great, both have guys who can score, and both have solid D corps. If Tarasenko gets out of his funk, they'll be in the finals and can win it all. He's like Kuzy right now...only 1G so far in the POs. Yet, the Blues still beat the Jets and the Stars without him contributing.

 

[Hivemind]

Toronto gave them more trouble because they have scorers, moreso than Columbus or Carolina. Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Johnsson, Kapanen, and Kadri (until the moron got suspended) is a tough group to stop. Columbus and Carolina are a big step down from Toronto.

Columbus has Panarin, Duchene, Atkinson, Dubois, Bjorkstrand, Dzingel, and Anderson. It's definitely not a Matthews/Marner/Tavares 1-2-3 punch, but if you're gonna bring up guys like Kadri, Johnsson, and Kapanen as well, then Columbus' group should be mentioned. They're far from offensive slouches.

Toronto is definitely one of the best offensive teams in the league, and probably a better overall team than Columbus, but I do think that CBJ has enough talent that they should have provided a better test for Boston's defense than they did. Their powerplay really let them down in that series.

 

[islandersdynasty]

So who do you guys think matches better against Boston?

 

[AussieCapsFan]

I don’t think Rask has really been tested in the last couple rounds.

Interesting - I actually think Rask has been far and away the best goalie of the postseason. Look at his save percentage and look at how many shots he's faced and stopped vs the others who have played a similar number of games:

 

[marcel snapshot]

Martin Jones is melting

 

[Calicaps]

This series is great so far.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Yes - tempo, intensity, and tightness of the games is really good. Be a shame if Sharks waste Thornton's game and 2 two goal leads, because Martin Jones reverts to form

 

[Calicaps]

Hand pass. Is that reviewable?

 

[Calicaps]

Terribad

 

[StrikingDistance]

Wow. Don't know what to say. Shouldn't they have the top refs in the league officiating these games?

 

[hb12xchamps]

How could they miss that? It was clear as day that Meier was directing that puck towards his players in front of the net. NHL is going to have to come up with some sort of solution to these types of issues. I hate extra reviews in every sport but there’s gotta be a way they can add in reviews without significantly slowing down the game. The Blues absolutely should have been able to review that play

 

[Capsman]

How do 3 refs miss that? Wow. To me that’s a “you are out the rest of the playoffs” gaffe.

I have a hard time rooting for Thornton. Dirty player.

 

[AussieCapsFan]

By far the biggest threat to the NHL in terms of maintaining and building a fan following: the officiating.
Something has to change. It's become a travesty.
(Yes, I'm aware a hand pass isn't reviewable. Maybe all plays that result in a goal need to be automatically reviewed by Toronto? but only after fixing the stupid offside rule and establishing some clarity around goalie interference).