NHL PLayoffs 13' - 14'

[Hoyt4]

Glad he got what he got Cooke should be done for the year. I hate seeing him in a wild sweater.

[Bear55]

Cooke got extra games because of his name, I'm fine with that, 2nd longest kneeing suspension ever. Like Peir said lets move on and focus on this HUGE game. We win and this could go either way, we lose and we are likely out in 5 games. I expect a big improvement from the Avs this game, the extra day off should help because we are going to need every bit of effort both hold their big line in check and get a couple past Varlamov.

[solbes]

Hard to move on when the NHL's policy is so illogical. The Discipline Czars often base their decisions on result of the injury rather than the act itself.

Barrie is out 4-6 weeks with an MCL, oh, then Cooke should get 7 games. I really don't have a problem with the 7 games, knee on knee hits can end careers. But I have a problem with consistency. Hawk's Bickel knee on knee to Sobotka? No injury, so no suspension. Incidently, the head shot on Backes happend just a couple minutes later.

The logical thing to do is suspend players with consistency so they know what they can and can't get away with. If you hand down suspensions based on the incident result, the players just roll with it and assume they can get away with it in most cases.

Ok, sorry for ranting. Go Wild!! Can't wait for game time tonight.

[Bear55]

I think we can all agree consistency is an issue.

Ok back to the game, sound like Nino Haula Fontaine on the 3rd. Essentially 3 rookies, will they be tasked with shutting down the Avs big line? Kind of scary to think about but it just might be crazy enough to work.

[CaptainMusky]

Bear, I agree it does sound crazy, BUT, you have to remember that big line from the Avs is young too. So, I think its definitely possible to slow them a bit.

If they keep that line in check we win IMO.

[Bear55]

Avs might break up that line too, we just need to play as strong as last game and I think we will be ok. I'm more concerned about Varlamov stealing a game or pushing it to OT again. That last game was far too stressful for how much we dominated.

[bbfenatic]

Avs might break up that line too, we just need to play as strong as last game and I think we will be ok. I'm more concerned about Varlamov stealing a game or pushing it to OT again. That last game was far too stressful for how much we dominated.

I think that will happen...Roy has mentioned he may do just that, spread that talent around so they are not such a one-lined team, making them harder to defend....we will see how that works.

[OnAFly]

Roy knows he needs to adjust. His team has been outplayed this series and is lucky to be in their position. Really, it should have been a handily won 2 games to 1 in favor of us. But, the past it the past so all we can do is take it and roll.

No problems for me with that rookie line. Haula has shown he can play, Nino has shown he can play and Fontaine is 27yo (and shown he can play). As long as they stick to their game, they'll be fine. They get caught in chase mode, they will get exposed quickly.

I'm more worried about Brodziak. That ****** guy. Hopefully he plays sheltered 4th line minutes and nothing more. But, I'm sure he'll wind up on the PK giving pucks away left and right.

OK my turn on the Cooke thing...

He got a more lengthy suspension beacuse of his "history" but they are only supposed to take into account like 18mo or something I thought. I was under the impression that their record went clean if they were good boys for some length of time.

Also, the Bickell things, as stated before, was the same **** thing! Playoffs come, guys do anything to finish a check. Now you get some guys trying to avoid a check by moving their upper body out of the way and exposing their knees. It's the same as the guy that turns his face to the boards to try to avoid a check.

...end rant

[schmitty3]

Wow, that's the first time I've seen that Bickell hit... and that was way worse than Cooke's! Makes absolutely no sense he gets nothing just because the guy didn't get hurt.

[PierBridge]

Cooke got extra games because of his name,

Cooke got what he deserved, maybe less frankly for being a 10 time convicted FELON. Thats convictions not the total of how many people he maimed over the years.

Seebrook got what he derserved being this is his rap sheet posted below.

comprehendey?

[PierBridge]

Wow, that's the first time I've seen that Bickell hit... and that was way worse than Cooke's! Makes absolutely no sense he gets nothing just because the guy didn't get hurt.

It makes all the sense in the world!

OK OK OK im done with Cooke I promise this time!

Its going to be a party tonight at the X boys and girls!

Go Go Go Wild~

[schmitty3]

I'm not saying Cooke doesn't deserve what he got, it's his 9th suspension/fine 7 games is fair to me, but that has nothing to do with Bickell not getting suspended too. If they're going to try to take those plays out of the game then why just let that slide cause the guy didn't get hurt?

[yakfisher]

If Cooke's hit was so agregious, why did he only get 2 min? The officials on the ice didn't think it deserved 5 min or a game misconduct. Why does a guy 1000 miles away make this decision after watching it over and over in slow motion? Remember earlier this year when Benn took that open ice shot at Cooke's he and nothing came of it no penalty no suspension? If Cooke had laid that same hit on Benn he would have been suspended. Cooke got 7 games for being Cooke. The NHL is only interested in protecting star assets and not the grinders otherwise all offenders would be punished and punished equally. Not just punishing the same guys over and over then claim it is to clean up the game. I wish the NHL would clean it up but that will only happen, as others have stated, when the NHL evaluates the play made not just the player involved. I know it sounds like I am Cooke fan, but I thought it was dumb of the Wild to bring him on board. But, he cleaned up his game and is no longer the worst goon in the league. And we will need to find some grit to replace him.

On to tonight. Can't happen soon enough. We need to get out there and hit. Hit early and hit often. In between the hits we need to shoot. Simple I know, but it's the playoffs. If the Avs take this one home with them we may be toast.

[OnAFly]

Totally agree. That recipe is how we won the 3rd game. Now, lets repeat it!

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

There was yet another knee to knee hit in the last detroit boston game. I watched it with my own two eyes. Marchand for boston got kneed by one of detroits players. Apparantly it happens quite often because thats at least 3 that i have seen in this years playoffs. I think seven games was ridiculous. I can see maybe to the end of the series with the avs, 4 games tops. I get his prior history and I too was not excited about cookes signing. But 7 games is too much.

I also heard that Patrick Roy is good friends with the guy that doles out the suspensions (or lack there of) at the NHL office.

Wouldn't be surprised if someone takes a run at a Wild player tonight and nothing happens to them.

[blue_healer_guy]

come on pier, your better than that. you cant bring the nice guy/clubhouse fitter like you love in baseball to the game of hockey. that hit if a suspension was deserved was maybe 1 game only cuz the dude got hurt. have you seen the last weeks hits etc that have going unseen? I love your insite but keep the gardyisms away from hockey.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Wild need to stuff in some rebounds tonight. Barley will stop the first shot more then likely but he give up lots of rebounds. Molson and Parise should be cleaning up the slop tonight!

[archerystud]

1-0 already but Moulson is sucking. He just missed a breakaway. He's got to start scoring!!!

[OnAFly]

He made a couple really good plays along the wall so far. Kept possession when I thought it was lost for sure. If he keeps that up and becomes an assist machine, that's fine with me But yes, he really Brodziak'd that chance.

MG needed to shoot there. He held on way too long to pass it.

[Hester]

I wish Grandlund was on the first power play instead of Koivu.

[Bear55]

Cooke got what he deserved, maybe less frankly for being a 10 time convicted FELON. Thats convictions not the total of how many people he maimed over the years.

Seebrook got what he derserved being this is his rap sheet posted below.

Pier I can agree with that, you knew he was getting more on reputation or name or whatever, I wouldn't have been surprised at 5 or 25 and would have been fine with either if that is what they went with. Just a level of unpredictability with the NHL.

[Bear55]

I wish Grandlund was on the first power play instead of Koivu.

At the same time Granlund makes our 2nd PP all that more dangerous, they seem to be splitting time up a little more even in the playoffs. I kind of like two dangerous PP's even if we have to push Granlund back a bit. He does have some good talent to work with.

[archerystud]

I would have been fine with 25.

But then Seabrook should have 10 and Bickell 5-7!!!

Moulson with another post. I'm okay with posts but does he have like 4 in this series already?!?!?

[CaptainMusky]

I disagree if Cooke gets 25 then seabrooke should get 50. I don't care if its first offense a head hit is a much more serious offense.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Wild shutting avs down.... How much time will be left when Roy pulls the goalie this time???