Originally posted by Psycho PenguinNot many 8 seeds go on a miracle run to the Cup. Actually, I think Montreal would be the first. I know Anaheim and Edmonton came close this decade but they both lost game 7s.
Look in the history books and see how many times you have the Montreal Canadiens in there. They re-wrote them twice already in the last two series.
There's a first time for anything, I see no reason why this can't be one of those times.
Destiny awaits.
You know, I really don't know what to put here. Close your eyes and thank of something funny!
Originally posted by El NastioConsidering that Crosby...."embellished" a "hold" later on in the game which resulted in Hal Gill getting a penalty and there was a couple of other times he could have been penalized with diving I don't have an issue with the penalty. Oh, and this also isn't counting Gonchar's FLAGRANT hit from behind that wasn't called.
I wasn't really talking in terms of tit for tat. Both teams bought calls, both teams had calls missed. It's a playoff game officiated by NHL referees. But NHL referees tend to "manage" playoff games based on situation and circumstance, who's trailing, who needs the next one to make the # of powerplays close, so this one fell outside their usual purview, thus my surprise. But based on how the game played out the Penguins still could've given up a goal in the first minute on any weird bounce or bad breakdown regardless of being on the PK.
The interesting thing? I think this system works well, but a team which could cause it problems is a puck-possession type team like Detroit.
If Boston wins I'll be interested to see how Montreal's strategy does against another defense/counterpunching team like the Bruins. Washington and Pittsburgh played right into their hands but patience vs. patience, opportunistic vs. opportunistic will be like two magnets facing each other. Maybe Montreal would open it up more and skate like they did at the end of the series.
Look in the history books and see how many times you have the Montreal Canadiens in there.
I don't know what these Euros, midgets, giants, and PK Subs have to do with the Flying Frenchmen, but best of luck to the bleu, blanc et the other one.
Originally posted by KevintripodMontreal win is salve for Caps fans
Just to add one thing to the Crosby penalty thing. Remember that at the end of Game 6, Crosby took a penalty which was essentially meaningless - literally the end since they gave him two minutes at 20:00 of the 3rd period.
I think most veterans would take that as a warning not to be a dumb-ass in the next game. It may have been a marginal call, but I think the ref's attitude was that Crosby had been warned and if he wasn't going to listen, it was his own fault.
Even though I watched it (thanks to CRZ), I didn't remember until tonight that Philly only made the playoffs by winning a shootout against the Rangers. That's insane.
It is the policy of the documentary crew to remain true observers and not interfere with its subjects. "Well. Shit." -hansen9j
Originally posted by hansen9jEven though I watched it (thanks to CRZ), I didn't remember until tonight that Philly only made the playoffs by winning a shootout against the Rangers. That's insane.
As Bihari pointed out on the DVDVR board, if the NHL still had 1-16 rankings regardless of conference for the playoffs, neither Montreal nor Philly would have made it this year.
So the Capitals are going to become Canadien fans now, or they no longer care now that the evil Penguins lost? Being part of a warped fanbase isn't something I care to think about too much.
Originally posted by hansen9jEven though I watched it (thanks to CRZ), I didn't remember until tonight that Philly only made the playoffs by winning a shootout against the Rangers. That's insane.
You don't know the half of it. The Flyers have now eliminated the Rangers (my best friend's team), the Devils (my team), and now the Bruins (one of my other good friend's team). It should be a fun hockey playoff, but it's becoming nothing but painful to watch for me and my friends. Phily's becoming the team from hell that won't die.
Originally posted by odessastepsAs Bihari pointed out on the DVDVR board, if the NHL still had 1-16 rankings regardless of conference for the playoffs, neither Montreal nor Philly would have made it this year.
That will happen when the schedule is unbalanced.
The Canadiens pretty much only made it because they were second in the league with 15 OT/Shootout wins, and it is crazy that the Flyers had to squeak in by comparison, because the Flyers had 35 regulation wins and the Canadiens only had 24. In fact, if you compare the Rangers and the Canadiens, at the end of regulation (aka the "old days"), their records would have been:
Rangers 34-33-15 Canadiens 24-33-25
I'd like to think someone would see the silliness of having a team with 10 less wins playing "normal" hockey getting in when the difference was made up in 4-on-4 or shootouts ("gimmicky" hockey). If the NHL went to Olympic-style standings (3 points for the win, 2 for an OT win and 1 for an OT loss) the playoff brackets would've looked like this:
(Standings are WINS-OT WINS-OT LOSSES-LOSSES)
Eastern Conference (1) Capitals (43-11-13-15, 164 pts) vs. (8) Atlanta (29-6-13-34, 112 pts) (2) New Jersey (40-8-7-27, 143 pts) vs. (7) N.Y. Rangers (34-4-11-33, 121 pts) (3) Buffalo (35-10-10-27, 135 pts) vs. (6) Philadelphia (35-6-6-35, 123 pts) (4) Pittsburgh (33-14-7-28, 134 pts) vs. (5) Ottawa (34-10-6-32, 128 pts)
Atlanta and Montreal each had 112 points, but head-to-head Atlanta had 7 points and Montreal 5 points in four games.
Western Conference (1) San Jose (43-8-11-20, 156 pts) vs. (8) Colorado (34-9-9-30, 129 pts) (2) Chicago (37-15-8-22, 149 pts) vs. (7) Los Angeles (32-14-9-27, 133 pts) (3) Vancouver (41-8-5-28, 144 pts) vs. (6) Nashville (33-14-6-29, 133 pts) (4) Phoenix (31-19-7-25, 138 pts) vs. (5) Detroit (33-11-14-24, 135 pts)
That said, I take nothing away from the Habs and what they've done. A 7/8 conference finals match up is unbelievable.
Holy fuck shit motherfucker shit. Read comics. Fuck shit shit fuck shit I sold out when I did my job. Fuck fuck fuck shit fuck. Sorry had to do it....
*snip*
Revenge of the Sith = one thumb up from me. Fuck shit. I want to tittie fuck your ass. -- The Guinness. to Cerebus
Originally posted by odessastepsAs Bihari pointed out on the DVDVR board, if the NHL still had 1-16 rankings regardless of conference for the playoffs, neither Montreal nor Philly would have made it this year.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the NHL ever had 1-16 rankings for the playoffs. Before the current seeding situation was introduced, the top four teams in each division (two divisions per conference) would make the playoffs and then be seeded against each other within those divisions for the first two rounds, the winning team facing the other division's winner in the conference final before advancing to the Stanley Cup.
There were unbalanced situations even back then. The Smythe Division teams in the 80s always suffered because the Oilers were in that division, making it much harder for the Flames or Jets to get anywhere. The Patrick division, meanwhile, was the only one with six teams instead of five.
If you think trading Begin was a good move, you should see him play with my Habs. He became a very popular player in Montreal with his hard body checks and his intensity. Maybe that's why Montreal defeated Calgary last week :-)