[OT] NHL Playoffs continuation thread

[MulhorandSage]

I hate the Devils' style of play (and was annoyed at those fans who booed Giguerre tonight when he won the Conn Smythe).

But they've also got some great players on that team, and they played their game well, so congratulations. See you next year.

Scott Bennie

 

[Broken Fang]

Well I would have loved to have seen the Ducks win but NJ proved they had the staying power. Still even when it was 2-0 they Ducks played hard and it was a pretty good game.

Jiggy deserved the Conn Smythe.

Man...no more hockey till next year...what a bummer.

 

[Nightfall]

At least there will be a next year. I kept having this feeling if the Ducks won, this ole mud ball is doomed.

 

[Datt]

I was disappointed with the way the Ducks played. They didn't play up the game they had played all along to get there. And when they were down 2-0 they stopped doing the dump and chase and started trying to skate the puck across the blue line. Everyone knows the Devils will eat your lunch if you try to skate across the blue line in anything but a break away. I am happy for Giguere for winning the Conn Smyth, but I have to question that. I mean posting 3 SOs in the finals is amazing. Brodeur must have been a very close 2nd.

But anyway here is hoping maybe a little of thier team spirit can carry over to next year and we can be back to the finals soon!

 

[Welverin]

well that sucked

I was disappointed with the way the Ducks played. They didn't play up the game they had played all along to get there.

Well they didn't play well in any of the games in New Jersey, at least not well enough to keep it close until the end so they had a good chance to win.

I am happy for Giguere for winning the Conn Smyth, but I have to question that. I mean posting 3 SOs in the finals is amazing. Brodeur must have been a very close 2nd.

I felt about the same. JSG didn't play good enough in the games the Ducks lost to really deserve the Smythe and Brodeur had three shoutouts in the finals (tied a record), seven in the playoffs (a new record), and only had one game where he failed to keep the game close for his team.

 

[Nightfall]

Wel,

I think this is more of a case where JSG was being judged through ALL the playoff games, and not just the final round. Though I will agree with you that in terms of the final round, Brodeur proved he was still the guy to have in net. (Most of the games.)

 

[MThibault]

Of course Brodeur was a close second. But he had a much better team in front of him -- more consistent, deeper on offence and defence, tons more experience of deep-round playoffs. J-S Giguere didn't get them to the finals on his own, but he was the key.

I still think that Giguere has to show he can do it again, and close the deal, before he can rightfully be called a "great" goaltender -- but on the merits of his performance in this years playoffs he was the "most valuable player to his team".

Cheers.

Other Conn Smythe winners from losing teams:

Ron Hextall (1987), Reg Leach (1976), Glenn Hall (1968) and Roger Crozier (1966).

Reg Leach is the only one who wasn't a goaltender. Make of that what you will.

Cheers

 

[Nightfall]

Both of them were Flyers too. I do think though it might not bode well for JSG winning it. After all Hextall did go back to the finals but he never won the big one.

 

[Welverin]

I wouldn't be apposed to him or any other player from a losing team winning it, I just think he needed to perform better in the gmes they lost.

Of course I don't consider it a big deal, none of the Devils really stood out that much (Brodeur had a few lackluster games by his standards). I will say it would have been nice to see Madden win it, guys like him often don't get the respect they deserve.