2011 NHL Playoffs

[skatingtripods]

I get the feeling that after that puck to the shield/face, Stamkos pots an OT GWG tonight and the legend grows.

[skatingtripods]

Like I said in my front page article, the refs like to let the players decide Game 7. Not a single power play tonight. If TB gets one, it might be the difference.

[swerb]

First NHL Playoff game with no penalties through the first two periods since 1993.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Roloson is playing out of his mind tonight.

[skatingtripods]

First NHL Playoff game with no penalties through the first two periods since 1993.

ESPNStatsInfo ESPN Stats & Info
#ELIAS: As far back as records go (20 yrs) this is the only NHL playoff game in which there was not a single penalty


Vancouver in 6.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

I agree. Canucks in 6.

Boston just can't afford to make many mistakes.

[swerb]

All logic points towards the Canucks winning this series.

I just got a feeling the Bruins do it. Tim Thomas Factor. Bobby Lou Factor. Nucks rolled into the Cup Finals with an incredibly impressive series win over the Sharks, and their power play looked scary good. But they did look really vulnerable in the ass end of that Blackhawks series, and also in spots against the Preds.

Should be a great series. Not quite ready to make a prediction, but I will make this one: whoever wins game one Wedns night wins the Cup.

[skatingtripods]

Vancouver's overall team speed is a horrible matchup for Boston. If they play within themselves and clear out the front of the net so Thomas can see the shots, they have a chance in the series. Personally, I think they're going to get outplayed in nearly every game, probably outshot too. Unless they have another level that they can take it to, they'll be in trouble.

Chara and Seidenberg have to play the series of their lives against the Sedins. Not sure that they have it in them.

[swerb]

Vancouver's overall team speed is a horrible matchup for Boston. If they play within themselves and clear out the front of the net so Thomas can see the shots, they have a chance in the series. Personally, I think they're going to get outplayed in nearly every game, probably outshot too. Unless they have another level that they can take it to, they'll be in trouble.

Chara and Seidenberg have to play the series of their lives against the Sedins. Not sure that they have it in them.

If Seidenberg plays even 80% as good as he played in game seven ... Bruins will be in good shape. Dude was amazing in game seven. One of the top games I've seen played by a defenseman all season.

[skatingtripods]

If Seidenberg plays even 80% as good as he played in game seven ... Bruins will be in good shape. Dude was amazing in game seven. One of the top games I've seen played by a defenseman all season.

Call me crazy, but I think the Sedins will attack and isolate Chara. To me, he seems a bit less agile than he used to be. I think his body may be wearing down and that makes him more vulnerable than Seidenberg. He was very good in what I watched of Game 7, yes. Especially in the 3rd period.

Boston's biggest issue going in to this series is the motivation level of Krejci and Lucic.

[swerb]

If Seidenberg plays even 80% as good as he played in game seven ... Bruins will be in good shape. Dude was amazing in game seven. One of the top games I've seen played by a defenseman all season.

Call me crazy, but I think the Sedins will attack and isolate Chara. To me, he seems a bit less agile than he used to be. I think his body may be wearing down and that makes him more vulnerable than Seidenberg. He was very good in what I watched of Game 7, yes. Especially in the 3rd period.

Boston's biggest issue going in to this series is the motivation level of Krejci and Lucic.

I agree. I don't think that's crazy at all.

Hands down, Seidenberg has been Boston's top defenseman all playoffs. Chara's impact has not been near what I've seen it be over these last couple seasons. He's had some injuries and has taken a slew of big hits these playoffs. I agree that his body may be wearing down.

Kaberele has been a total bust - no goals and just 3 hits and 16 blocks in 18 playoff games. Boychuk has made major mental mistake after major mental mistake. Ference and McQuaid are limited.

Chara will be expected to log major ice time. His level of play will be a huge factor in the series.

[skatingtripods]

Kaberele has been a total bust - no goals and just 3 hits and 16 blocks in 18 playoff games. Boychuk has made major mental mistake after major mental mistake. Ference and McQuaid are limited.

This is why Vancouver wins the series. Lack of defensemen depth for BOS. They're deep up front, but when VAN establishes their cycle game and offensive zone spacing, they're unbeatable. The only reason CHI had such success was because they're fast enough on D to compensate. NSH was not and they went down in 6. SJ was not and they went down in 5.

Boston's here because Tim Thomas was excellent when he needed to be and Philadelphia totally fell apart.

I hope Boston makes a real exciting series of it, but I just can't see it. Vancouver's won 9 of their last 12 for a reason.

[swerb]

Kaberele has been a total bust - no goals and just 3 hits and 16 blocks in 18 playoff games. Boychuk has made major mental mistake after major mental mistake. Ference and McQuaid are limited.

This is why Vancouver wins the series. Lack of defensemen depth for BOS. They're deep up front, but when VAN establishes their cycle game and offensive zone spacing, they're unbeatable. The only reason CHI had such success was because they're fast enough on D to compensate. NSH was not and they went down in 6. SJ was not and they went down in 5.

Boston's here because Tim Thomas was excellent when he needed to be and Philadelphia totally fell apart.

I hope Boston makes a real exciting series of it, but I just can't see it. Vancouver's won 9 of their last 12 for a reason.

Be interesting to see of they continue to try and use Kaerble to play the point on their PP, which has been anemic in the playoffs.

Luckily for Boston, their PK looked pretty good vs a good TB PP. Chara, Seidenberg, Bergeron ... all great on the PK. With how good the Canuck PP looked in the SJ series, they'll need that effort again.

Clearly, special teams are gonna be huge.

[skatingtripods]

Terrible hit on Horton. Rome should get a very lengthy suspension for that. One that extends in to next season.

Boston's PP is horrendous.

[peeker643]

It wouldn't surprise me if Mrs. Sedin got knocked to the ice sometime tonight. Tim Thomas just buried Henrik and Daniel got dropped on an icing call.

That actually may eliminate any targeting of Canucks late in the match.

[Spin]

What the hell? Steckel and Hedman put Crosby into 2011-12 (if he's lucky) and doesn't even draw a penalty, then Rome gets tossed and suspended four games for laying out Horton.

If you're going to take a stand against head shots and concussions, DO IT.

[peeker643]

I'm not much with math but it occurs to me Roberto Luongo has now given up 11 goals in the last 73 minutes.

He's a train wreck right now. Not all his fault but he sure as shit ain't sharp.

[skatingtripods]

What the hell? Steckel and Hedman put Crosby into 2011-12 (if he's lucky) and doesn't even draw a penalty, then Rome gets tossed and suspended four games for laying out Horton.

If you're going to take a stand against head shots and concussions, DO IT.

There was nothing worthy of a suspension on the Crosby-Steckel play. Crosby wasn't looking and they inadvertently collided. Nothing pre-meditated about it.

The Hedman play, I feel no sympathy on. The Penguins were stupid for having him in the lineup anyway. They're to blame for him being out as long as he has.

[Spin]

I've seen the video on that a dozen times, can't say for certain it was a cheap shot, or it was accidental.

I agree on having him back out there. Hell our high school players get screened any time they get their bell rung, you wouldn't do that for a player you have all that money invested in?

It hits home for me, as trainer of UAk's hockey team. Guys want to know when they can come back from a concussion, and I have to make that decision, without all the screening available at Summa (and other places I'm sure). If we had the resources an NHL team does, there's no way I would make that decision myself...

[skatingtripods]

It hits home for me, as trainer of UAk's hockey team. Guys want to know when they can come back from a concussion, and I have to make that decision, without all the screening available at Summa (and other places I'm sure). If we had the resources an NHL team does, there's no way I would make that decision myself...

Buddy of mine who's a grad student at UT was the trainer for the Catholic Invitational Tournament up in Toledo in January. Had to diagnose a couple concussions and the parents were asking if the kid could play. It was nuts.

[Spin]

It hits home for me, as trainer of UAk's hockey team. Guys want to know when they can come back from a concussion, and I have to make that decision, without all the screening available at Summa (and other places I'm sure). If we had the resources an NHL team does, there's no way I would make that decision myself...

Buddy of mine who's a grad student at UT was the trainer for the Catholic Invitational Tournament up in Toledo in January. Had to diagnose a couple concussions and the parents were asking if the kid could play. It was nuts.

I'm not even a trainer, I'm an EMT/medic. Fourth year nursing student. I'm not trained to make those decisions. Hockey is not a sanctioned sport, so the Sports Medicine Dept won't touch them with a ten foot pole. And the conference doesn't make them have one on site, just an EMT.

Anyway, that hit seems to be the turning point of the series. Vancouver has more skill, but doesn't seem to like contact. That's not a good thing to let Boston to figure out...

[swerb]

This one should be outstanding tonight.

Career defining best of three for Luongo.

[skatingtripods]

No better anthem in all sport than O Canada in Vancouver. Gives me chills and I'm not even Canadian.

[swerb]

No better anthem in all sport than O Canada in Vancouver. Gives me chills and I'm not even Canadian.

That was freaking amazing tonight. Best I've ever heard. Goosebumps.

[skatingtripods]

If Chris Kelly keeps that shot low on the 2 on 1, it's 1-0. Edler's pinch was a bad, bad idea.

Two huge mistakes from the VAN D already. Both of them almost wound up in their net.

[skatingtripods]

Boston has a lot more jump. Vancouver's playing like a team scared to lose. If Boston gets the first one, let alone two, Vancouver might collapse.

Two lazy penalties and one dumbass (Torres) penalty. Sign of being outworked.

[swerb]

Sweet Jesus. Amazing stuff from both net minders. This has been edge of your seat stuff from start to finish.

Nucks have survived 5 penalties. But still can't get it going themselves on the PP. Edler and Erhoff have been great in the absence of Rome and Hamhuis.

Bruins need to keep running Seguin and Marchand out there ... both have been active and lively.

Chara and Seidenberg continue to do a great job against the Sedin/Sedin/Burrows line.

[skatingtripods]

Chara and Seidenberg continue to do a great job against the Sedin/Sedin/Burrows line.

Henrik ain't right. He has no jump at all and when he "hits" a guy, he's mostly just laying on him. That cat's hurt.

Guys are passing up too many shots with the way the puck's bouncing around. Everyone wants the pretty play. A garbage goal is going to win this.

[skatingtripods]

Tim Thomas is a confident goaltender. That was not an easy save on Higgins and he stood tall, squared his shoulders, and made it easy.

[skatingtripods]

There's the garbage goal. Bounce off the back wall.

[Spin]

Two minutes left and Boston hasn't answered yet.

Luongo may be redeeming himself tonight if this holds up.

[Spin]

Vancy back on top 3-2, with momentum.

Holy hell I hope I don't work during game 6.

[skatingtripods]

For the second one, around the :50 mark.

[skatingtripods]

Wow, Luongo. Two awful, awful goals.

[skatingtripods]

4-0 Boston and the first isn't even halfway over. 4 in 4:14 for the Bruins.

[peeker643]

4-0 Boston and the first isn't even halfway over. 4 in 4:14 for the Bruins.

He did stop 6 of the first 10 shots though.

How does a guy that looked that good Saturday look this bad again?

[skatingtripods]

How does a guy that looked that good Saturday look this bad again?

First bad goal got him thinking. Crawled right up his arm short-side. Bad, bad goal in this big of a game.

He'll be doing some serious soul searching tonight and on the plane. I think Vigneault puts him back in after the first intermission to get him confidence for Game 7.

[swerb]

Amazing contrast between Bobby Lou at home and on the road here in the cup Finals. He bounced back strong from a disastrous games 3 and 4 in game 5 ... will have to do so again in game seven Wedns night.

Great start to this one. A little Rene Rancourt, Mason Raymond laying motionless on the ice while the Bruins fans were chanting taunts and "Lets Go Bruins". Then 10 monster hits and a blitzkrieg of Bruins goals.

Playoffs have been outstanding. Looks like we're getting a Stanley Cup Finals game 7 Wedns night baby.

[swerb]

Game seven, Wedns night. Can't wait.

Vancouver looking for their first Cup in their 40th year of existence. The Bruins looking for #6, but their first in 39 years.

Jekkyl and Hyde Roberto Luongo vs. the cool, calm, consistent Tim Thomas ... who I have found it almost impossible to root against this series.

Went into this playoffs hating the Bruins. Cause I am trained to hate everything Boston sports. Watching them night in and night out, well, I still am no Bruins fan ... but it's really hard to root against guys like Thomas, Dennis Seidenberg, Mark Recchi, Patrice Bergeron, Rich Peverly, Natahan Horton, and Brad Marchand.

I'll be pulling for them to win Wedns night.

Gonna be tough. Both teams and goalies so good at home. Both arenas and fan bases so hostile. The travel, all the way across America doesn't help the visitors either.

Vancouver, understandably, is going to be a big favorite.

I think it's going to be a classic Wedns night.

[skatingtripods]

I have a handful of friends through a simulation hockey league that I run who are from British Columbia and are diehard Canuck fans. They're easily the whiniest fan base in hockey. They blame the refs for every single loss, whether it's 3-2 or 9-1. They've forced me to root for Boston. Read the complaint this morning from one of them that it's not fair that H. Sedin, Kesler, Samuelsson, Raymond, Ehrhoff, and Hamhuis are hurt. Yep, not fair that injuries happen in a sport played from October to mid-June.

I'm hoping Boston can pull it off. From what I've read on Twitter, most of Canada is ambivalent toward Vancouver, so nobody really cares except for Canuck fans.

I expect Vancouver to win in a closely contested 2-1, 3-2 kind of game with one huge final push from Boston late in the game.

[swerb]

Top 15 Stanley Cup Finals game sevens of all time

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_d ... nhl-wp7243

Can. Not. Wait. For. Tonight.

Gonna get off to a great start with the Oh Canada spectacle with all the Canuck fans singing it.

[swerb]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=A ... view061511

This series will leave lasting scars. The Bruins’ Nathan Horton(notes) went to the hospital with a concussion in Game 3 after a nasty hit by the Canucks’ Aaron Rome(notes), who drew an unprecedented four-game suspension. No one knows when Horton will return. The Canucks’ Mason Raymond(notes) went to the hospital with a broken back in Game 6 after an awkward, reckless hit by the Bruins’ Johnny Boychuk(notes), who was not disciplined. If Raymond returns by November, the Canucks will consider that a victory.

This series has been full of garbage on both sides. The Canucks’ Alex Burrows biting the finger of the Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron(notes) in Game 1. The Canucks’ Max Lapierre offering his fingers to Bergeron in Game 2. The Bruins’ Mark Recchi(notes) offering his fingers to Lapierre and Milan Lucic(notes) doing the same to Burrows in Game 3. Burrows, Lapierre and other Canucks – including captain Henrik Sedin(notes) – have blatantly embellished plays trying to draw penalties. The Bruins haven’t been angels, either. Witness the wicked slash by Rich Peverley(notes) to the back of Kevin Bieksa’s(notes) knee, the hand-swiping and sucker-punching of Brad Marchand(notes).

This series has been overcome by noise. Smack talk from both sides, some of it real, some of it blown out of proportion by the media. Roberto Luongo(notes) is asked a question about goaltending style after Game 5. He answers it. Suddenly, he has made a simple statement or taken a shot at his critics or taken a shot at Thomas, and it explodes into controversy. It becomes a window into Luongo’s fragile psyche or at least a tool for psychological warfare for the Bruins.

This series has been schizophrenic. Both teams play one way at home, another on the road. The Canucks won one-goal thrillers in Games 1 and 2 in Vancouver. The Bruins won blowouts in Games 3 and 4 in Boston. The Canucks won Game 5 in Vancouver, 1-0. The Bruins won Game 6 in Boston, 5-2.

But the best part is this – the best part. After all that has happened on the ice and off of it, it comes down to Game 7, winner take all. No one feels cheesy romanticizing his roots. Everyone has waited for this moment in his own way, from the fans, to the fans who became the players.

“When we’re in the garage or driveway playing as a kid, you’re fantasizing,” said Thomas, who grew up in Michigan, north of Detroit. “Well, I was Steve Yzerman, which doesn’t make sense for a goalie. But you’re saying to yourself, ‘Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals.’ You’re not saying ‘Game 6,’ you know?”

This is what everyone will remember above all else – the injuries, the garbage, the noise, the schizophrenia, the statistics. The Canucks’ Ryan Kesler(notes) was asked Tuesday if he was disappointed in his series, with only one point in six games. He is playing on an injured leg.

“Tomorrow is all that matters,” he said. “Everything in the past is in the past. If we win tomorrow, we become legends.”

[skatingtripods]

With the Tribe down 3-0 already, I can focus most of my attention on the SCF game. Should have live-blogged it on the front page, but hockey doesn't have much of a following.

[skatingtripods]

Cars will be burning in Vancouver tonight, win or lose. Also might be buildings if they lose.

[swerb]

Canucks the more active, lively, dangerous looking team early. Hard to imagine the effect of four cross-continental flights. And then coming into this mad house if you're the Bruins.

Tim Thomas is amazing. Win or lose tonight, he's the Conn Smythe winner. Impossible to dislike this guy.

[skatingtripods]

Boston's 4th line has been awesome on their two shifts. Could be a game-changer.

[Spin]

With the Tribe down 3-0 already, I can focus most of my attention on the SCF game. Should have live-blogged it on the front page, but hockey doesn't have much of a following.

The Tribe is back 4-3. Figures this would be the night they remember how to hit...

[skatingtripods]

World-class play by Marchand.

Huge for Boston.

[Spin]

And while I'm on STO Boston scores. Must have been right after the commercial.

Why the hell doesn't DirecTV have PIP???

[swerb]

Brad Freaking Marchand. This kid has been out of this world.

Luongo totally focused on Recchi ... looked like he almost whiffed on purpose to let it go through to Bergeron.

Great goal. Team that has scored first has won all six games in this series.