I have to say, if I was personally playing in that OTT/NYR game last night, I would be a ****ing hitman on the ice. Keep it clean and hard for as long as I could hold it, then unleash the fury and put someone out, preferably Gaborik or Callahan. I'd like to think that I would have enough scoring touch that I would get the match ups so I could put someone out. What a crazy game though. **** was crazy. Football players think they tough, good Lord, that **** was flat out war... Playoff hockey, ain't nothing like it.
Coyotes Hawks has been the most entertaining series so far.
PHX isn't nearly as boring as many posters on this board think.
I agree. The most boring series so far has been San Jose VS St Louis. St. Louis plays a grinding style, but San Jose has enough size that those hits don't look so big because it's a bit harder to knock the Sharks around.
Phoenix has a relentless forecheck and it's damn fun to watch the Hawks try to stay focused and keep the puck out of their net.
Torres has been pretty solid. He almost took a few heads off in the first game. Didn't get a chance to watch much of the second game.
How is that not Vermettes fault? He was the guy with the puck that had all day to clear. What the hell was he doing not getting that puck out of the zone?
Looking at it again this morning...
The 'Hawks executed a perfect line change and thats what set up the goal.
The wide side guy stays on the ice...changing last...to take away the long outlet pass. And then then 1rst 'Hawk over the boards takes away the near side, cutting off the lane Vermette was going into. The 2nd Hawk onto the scene (Bickell) goes to the net.
And yes...Vermette should have tried to drive the puck up the rink at first opportunity.
The cameras don't show me what was open up the rink...but...from what we can see theres no question PHX was going to be trapped as soon as Vermette made the pass backwards in his zone.
Its was a classic error of NOT looking to advance the puck in the D zone.
Even taking an icing call at that point would be far more advisable.
Any-hoo...CHI has a life now and while I did predict CHI to win the series...I can see it going the other way unless Toews & Keith start playing much better.
Keith was a sore spot all night, getting beat wide by Vermette a few times and bobbling passes several other times.
The backbone of JT's game is down low and he was a non factor when the puck came to him in possesion sequences.
Missed the evening's games, but just finally saw all the highlights. What an acting job from Mike Smith. Roberto Luongo would applaud that. Thank godness the Hawks ended up pulling it out.
PS, trade 1st overall for Matt Carkner. Awesome that his coach was willing to send a goon out with the sole purpose of destroying Brian Boyle. That's exactly the coach the Oilers need.
So trade number 1 for Maclean is what you actually want?
I'm guessing you have not watched pens flyers? Heck, even Boston wash?
I've watched most/all the games or parts of them. Here's my ranking
1. Boston -Washington
2. Nashville - Detroit
2. Phoenix - Chicago
4. Vancouver - Los Angeles
5. Pittsburgh - Philadelphia
6. New York - Ottawa, but this one got really good last game. I can see it moving up
7. St. Louis - San Jose
8. Florida - New Jersey, okay I didn't really watch this one, but I will watch it today.
Considering I don't have a definite "favorite" team to win this thing, I try to be unbiased.
I'm guessing you have not watched pens flyers? Heck, even Boston wash?
Depends what a person likes in hockey games. The Pens have been brutal in the series and deserve to go down in straight games the way they are playing. Allowing 8goals in a playoff game makes you the Winnipeg Jets, not the Pittsburgh Penguins, sorry. One gets the feeling in that series the Flyers could show up for 30mins/game and win for fun. Thats not a good balanced series.
Washington vs Boston. I can't stand the Bruins so pass, and the Caps have been ******* all year. OV looks like he's finally shown up so thats entertaining but the Bruins are far from what they were last season.
Hawks vs Coyotes has been classic thus far. Hardworking lunch bucket team goes up against some of the most skilled players in hockey and its offense vs defense showdown with lots of sparks flying, lots of hitting and absolutely intense puck battles all over the ice. Not as high scoring as Philly but more entertaining series imo.
Although I think the Hawks just got a huge swing in the series.
Depends what a person likes in hockey games. The Pens have been brutal in the series and deserve to go down in straight games the way they are playing. Allowing 8goals in a playoff game makes you the Winnipeg Jets, not the Pittsburgh Penguins, sorry. One gets the feeling in that series the Flyers could show up for 30mins/game and win for fun. Thats not a good balanced series.
Washington vs Boston. I can't stand the Bruins so pass, and the Caps have been ******* all year. OV looks like he's finally shown up so thats entertaining but the Bruins are far from what they were last season.
Hawks vs Coyotes has been classic thus far. Hardworking lunch bucket team goes up against some of the most skilled players in hockey and its offense vs defense showdown with lots of sparks flying, lots of hitting and absolutely intense puck battles all over the ice. Not as high scoring as Philly but more entertaining series imo.
Although I think the Hawks just got a huge swing in the series.
I hear ya. D has been non-existing in the first one. boston series is pretty intense. i love good goaltending and the teams are both giving it their all.
I see where you're coming from for sure though.
Depends what a person likes in hockey games. The Pens have been brutal in the series and deserve to go down in straight games the way they are playing. Allowing 8goals in a playoff game makes you the Winnipeg Jets, not the Pittsburgh Penguins, sorry. One gets the feeling in that series the Flyers could show up for 30mins/game and win for fun. Thats not a good balanced series.
Washington vs Boston. I can't stand the Bruins so pass, and the Caps have been ******* all year. OV looks like he's finally shown up so thats entertaining but the Bruins are far from what they were last season.
Hawks vs Coyotes has been classic thus far. Hardworking lunch bucket team goes up against some of the most skilled players in hockey and its offense vs defense showdown with lots of sparks flying, lots of hitting and absolutely intense puck battles all over the ice. Not as high scoring as Philly but more entertaining series imo.
Although I think the Hawks just got a huge swing in the series.
I cant stand watching PHO because their coaches strategy is something a 4 year old can come up with. In the offensive zone its ALWAYS 2 low 3 at the blue line, The center/winger who covers for him stays high to prevent oddman rushes and because they essentially signed 4 lines of grinders to work the puck its pass to the point shoot and score or tip and score, Im not sure about stats but I'd assume PHO has lots of goals scored by defence or first assist to the defenceman. Their zone coverage is basically low skilled players grinding away and they get dominated when the hawks use their superior skill.
One thing these playoffs are teaching me, is that many players are not smart enough to play in a league when the refs are guaranteed only to call delay-of-game (puck over the glass) penalties.
The goaltending in this series. So bad. I think either of these teams could be in trouble if they run into a team with a hot goalie and stifling defense. Lucky for them most of those teams are in the west.
Less than 10 minutes in and already two awful goals given up by Fleury and Bryzgalov, no surprises here. Bryzgalov may have been a big name free agent, but he was terrible in the playoffs for Phoenix the last two seasons. Not sure why Philly expected any different.
so I could put someone out. What a crazy game though. **** was crazy. Football players think they tough, good Lord, that **** was flat out war... Playoff hockey, ain't nothing like it.
