2016-2017 nhl Playoffs

[lungdeflator]

I haven't been able to watch much playoff hockey the last 3-4 weeks with summer ramping up and spring projects.  It's hard to compare the teams left to the Wild without watching them much.  

Just like the Caps, its baffling how a team can just fall apart from their Reg season form in the playoffs.  The more I think about it, the more I am convinced teams like that have mental issues and can't get the drive up to play hard playoff hockey.  Like you guys stated before, all the guys who had a "career year" in the reg season were basically non existent during the playoffs.  Disappeared just like Ovi in game 7.  

 

How about all the guys having surgeries right after the season?  Never heard anything about them during the series, were they playing hurt and that played into the lack of productivity?  

 

Really pulling for an Ottawa vs Predators finals right now.  If the Wild aren't going to do it, give me the underdogs and good story line every day!  

[CaptainMusky]

Granlund broke his hand in their last game. Zucker must have been playing through his injury, not sure when it first cropped up. Its amazing what some of these guys play through. 3 years ago Coyle played with 2 separated shoulders in the playoffs. Erik Karlsson is playing with stress fractures in his heels right now.

The Stanley Cup playoffs are the toughest playoffs in Professional Sports. It doesn't surprise me that the "best" teams don't have that great of results. The game seems to change come playoff time. What works in the regular season doesn't seem to always translate to the playoffs.

If you get a hot goalie that can totally tip things in your team's favor. If you can shut down their top line, it really makes things easier. The Preds walked through the Hawks with all their Cup Cred and experience and top tier players. If they make it to the Cup Finals and win, they would be the lowest seeded team to ever win it. They are the #16 overall seed. When LA won it as an 8 seed a few years back, they were actually #12 overall.

Ive been watching nearly every game of these playoffs, at least part of them. I will tell you that Shattenkirk really screwed the Caps. Sure Ovi didn't produce when it mattered, but Shattenkirk looked terrible out there.

[bbfenatic]

CM...no doubt NHL Playoffs are at an entire different level and for the tougher teams...prima donnas not wanted...time to get your hands dirty and join in the fracas or stay on the bench.....Ovi.  And as far as the Wild....they would have had half the team already out with injuries during the playoffs IMO...way to passive/weak IMO.  If they called penalties like they do during the reg season in the playoffs there would not be enough room in the PB on either side...it is just an all out war at times.

 

Now I see Ryan Johanson (Preds) is out...needed surgery from a Thigh Injury suffered last night. 

 

Sure is going to be an interesting offseason for all teams with the Expansion Draft and the chess games that are already being played...sounds like Nino is being shopped...and Dumba is drawing interest....Leo has stated "we have to change" so hopefully they use this "strange" offseason to dump as much of the dead weight we can (which won't be near enough unfortunately) and look further down the road cuz it will be a while before we really matter in any Cup runs anyway IMO  #goyoungandtough

[hoppe56307]

Preds make it to the finals.  I thought someone said they were the last team in and technically the 16 seed.  

Who ever they face in the finals it will be a battle, hope the Sens make it.  But would be nice to see Cullen get a cup.

[Bear55]

Parity, lots of parity in this league, that is a good thing but it sure makes it tough to win. Cullen has two cups already including last year so I'd be fine with the Sens or Nashville taking the whole thing. 

[bbfenatic]

You gotta love the Preds depth...and Rinne is in a class by himself at the moment....IMO Pens will rise to the occasion again...their depth even trumps Pred's...so much fire power and all they need is just decent tending to repeat IMO.

[lungdeflator]

Well another game 7 tomorrow night.  Sens have a tough go having to play in Pitt.  Hoping they can pull it off though. 

That Karlsson has some wheels!  Even in the 3rd period last night he was fast.  

 

If it is Preds and Pitt it is a toss up, probably go 7 games.  If it is Preds and Sens, I think Preds will take it in 5-6.  

[bbfenatic]

Great game....Anderson was unreal..stopped 45 of 46 shots...if he has another night like that Sens could pull it off but I'm betting against them.

[lungdeflator]

Tough game for the Preds.  Seemed like Rinne really let the team down last night.  The was a "Wild" like performance, shut the other team down and let in a couple softies and let the game slip away.  

[lungdeflator]

Fun game last night.  Rinne had a great game.  The atmosphere was awesome!  I could feel the energy coming through the TV!  Must have been one hell of a party downtown....Preds win on a Saturday night?!  

Pulling for the Preds more than ever now.  The way the fans and city have embraced their run, they deserve to hoist the cup.  

[lungdeflator]

Bummers for the Preds.  It should've been Preds cup and they should have won the series 4-2.

 

I really feel like they got screwed twice in that series, both of them cost them games.  Game 1 they had the 1st goal of the game called back because of a phantom offsides call.  Reviewed and call on the ice reversed enough though there was not conclusive evidence.  Game 6 the ref blew the whistle on a puck still in play that disallowed a goal.  Really sucks to lose a Cup to human error like that.

Both goals would have been the 1st goal scored in the game(s) and really would have changed the game.  People are saying the Preds and fans were poor losers, but given the circumstances, I would be too.

[bbfenatic]

1 hour ago, lungdeflator said:

Bummers for the Preds.  It should've been Preds cup and they should have won the series 4-2.

 

I really feel like they got screwed twice in that series, both of them cost them games.  Game 1 they had the 1st goal of the game called back because of a phantom offsides call.  Reviewed and call on the ice reversed enough though there was not conclusive evidence.  Game 6 the ref blew the whistle on a puck still in play that disallowed a goal.  Really sucks to lose a Cup to human error like that.

Both goals would have been the 1st goal scored in the game(s) and really would have changed the game.  People are saying the Preds and fans were poor losers, but given the circumstances, I would be too.

 

LOL...Pens win in 6....the better team hands down.  Happy for Preds/City of Nashville....great fan base....they should be good again next year....gonna miss hockey...2017-18 season starts a little earlier than normal....can't wait