[OT] Hockey Fever: The NHL Playoffs Thread

[Schmoe]

Aw yeah! The Kings just got back another one against the Avs! Suh weet!

Someone on like page one put the Avs up in four. How about the Kings in seven?!

West-SIIIIIIIDE!!!!

Avs in six. Bank it baby.

 

[Nightfall]

Quick thanks for the sympathy. As you all probably saw...the Flyers tanked in OT. Well time to send Clarke packing...at least I hope so. Otherwise it's Adios to a grand website named the Orange and Black. Poor Mike Barr...he's been so damn loyal...and all we and he get is THIS crap.

 

[madriel]

Woo hoo! The Leafs buttsmacked the Islanders tonight.

My condolences, Nightfall. It's never fun to see your team go out early.

 

[Lady Dragon]

Looks like phoenix is going down too.

Tommorrow night (hopefully) the wings will finish up with vancover and get ready for St louis or L.A>

It does look like 3 canadian teams will make it through in the east,that could be interesting.

anyhow GO WINGS!!!

 

[Nightfall]

Nope it's not...but I'll manage IF changes are made and this team is dismantled SO we can rebuild AND get a better team together.

Congrats to the leafs though. That was some blow out even WITHOUT two of their guys in, (Rechiel and Sundin)


Anyone know if the Sharks are winning or not?

 

[Lady Dragon]

The score was 4-1 sharks they won.

 

[Agamon]

I am well aware of the economic reasons behind the problems that Canadian teams face, but it's a harsh reality of modern sports. They need to accept this and figure out a viable plan to salvage hockey north of the border. And I don't mean some hair-brained profit-sharing or salary cap scheme either.

Hair-brained scheme?!? Yeah, what's that one league called...oh yeah, the NFL. They obviously have no idea how to run a sports league, what, with all their hair-brained schemes.

Profit sharing is a viable solution, though I can understand that fans of big market teams might not think so, as it would mean no more unfair advantage. Imagine having to actually have a decent management team to get a good team on the ice rather than just a buttload of money. The Canadian teams might actually start dominating again, and we can't have none of that.

 

[Agamon]

Again, hinting even in jest that there was some sort of plot behind the bench to take out Zednik is not funny. It is also not rational.

That's true. As much angry ranting as I do, realistically speaking you're right.

However...

If you watched the whole game, you'd note that that cheap shot by McLaren (I still contend it was a cheap shot, pre-planned or not) late in the game wasn't his first. He was matched up against Zednik for most of the night and was doing his best to rub him out. But he wasn't doing a very good job of it, as Zednik had, not only Montreal's only 2 goals, but most of thier scoring chances as well.

As frustration set on, he took Gilmour out with pretty nasty elbow, drawing a penalty that led to Zednik's second goal.

Finally, with Zednik once more about to make a fool out of him, he lashed out, and though it may not have been pre-ordained, at the heat of the moment I'd say there was very much intent to do damage.

Because he didn't actually go out of his way to do it, I'd say he should get less than Dale Hunter did for his hit on Turgeon. But the viciousness of the "hit" was even worse than Hunter's and far worse than Domi's last year.

The rumor is that the league is going to make an example of him. Good. This kinda crap is stupid and the league needs to seriously crack down on this.

And I know the league looks at repeat offences when handing out suspensions, but McLaren's harping about how he's never been suspended before, he's not a dirty player, he doesn't do these things. Who cares? He's trying to make it look like he's the victim. Whatever. He did do that cheap shot and he's going to pay for it. Believe it or not, there was a time when Bryan Marchment could say, "I've never been suspended before." Sheesh.

 

[Chairman_Kaga]

He should certainly be done for the playoffs, even if it wasn't intentional. I totally agree with that. It is possible that he just took matters into his own hands, which would make him stupid as the Bruins were winning handily at the time.

I just don't think that accusing the whole team or even the coach of some kind of organized conspiracy is called for.

 

[Chairman_Kaga]

And as for the hair-brained scheme comment...have you seen the kind of machiavellian deal structuring that goes on in the NFL to get around the cap?

The small market teams in the NFL still aren't even close to competitive. When was the last time the Chiefs, the Bucs, or the Cards had a prayer in hell of reaching the Superbowl.


Besides the NFL has turned into a league of hired mercenaries. There's no team loyalty. The NHL is headed down that road, but I'd like to slow the bus down a little. At least we still have a few players that remember what loyalty means.
But I digress...