The NHL Thread

[P-Siddy]

I'll go with the Bs.  Blues v Bolts in the Finals.  I know the Sharks played better in-season than the Blues but I like how the Notes are playing and some home team bias as well.  Penguins are formidable opponents and this series can go either way.

[Jeff]

Round 3 =
Sharks in 6
Penguins in 5

Got one right so far...  up to Jesse's Penguins tonight to make me look smart.

[Jesse James]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh1judVmBW4

[Jeff]

Did pretty good this year with picks...
rd1 6-8 (4-4 out west)
rd2 4-4
rd3 2-2

Now for the finals...  Penguins got their **** together in time to beat the Bolts... but the Sharks are finally looking like that dominant team they were supposed to be every year for the last few years.  Really hard to pick against Jesse's Penguins, but I might have to do it.  Malkin/Crosby/Letang have been really streaky this year and lucky for them, the Rust, Bonino, Hags, and Kessels have carried them.

If Murray can stay rock stead, it'll be close.  If they have to go back to MAF, not so much.

Hmmm...

I think I'll go with: Sharks in 6 (sorry, Jesse  )

ps.
bonus prediction - if Murray plays and Pens win the Cup?  Well then, I hope MAF will have a nice year next season in Calgary or Dallas. 

[Jesse James]

Rumor is his agent is pissed but in the playoffs you don't have the luxury of knocking the rust off.  Fleury got them to the playoffs.  Murray's time will come and I think Fleury starts again next season.

I wouldn't fall Crosby streaky.  He's been a force all post season even if not putting up the points.  He had 3 game winners if I recall.  I chalk a lot of his production up to an abysmal Pp they'd better fix this weekend.  But he's been a pain to play against and takes the top D pairing always.

Geno...  Meh, he's Geno.  :/

The HBK line is a sick 3rd line tho.

I could see Fleury's agent pushing him to push them for a trade.  Lotta teams need a goalie and he actually had a career season this year.  He doesn't get hurt and I think he'd still be in net.  Schenn's dirty hip to his head though and here we are.  They don't even make the playoffs without Flower stealing umpteen games in the first half of the season they had 0 right to win.

San Jose is like the Caps but less of a slowdown to their game.  The Caps try to hit and they sorta hit the brakes when they do.  SJ seems like they keep going full tilt.  It's been a fight to this point so no reason to think it'll get easier.  Go Pens!

[Jeff]

I wouldn't fall Crosby streaky.

Of course you wouldn't....  homer.

Maybe you need to read up on what talented Hockey Analyst supreme Jeremy Roenick has to say about it.  He's the real fount of knowledge when it comes to Sid. 

 

[Jesse James]

Oh that's right...  Crosby is a slacking lazy player.  I forgot!  I just hope he finds Drouin's trainer in the off season instead of Gary Roberts.    He's such a *****.

I think Sids been a beast though...  Malkin, he's up/down...  Seems like a Russian thing.

Letang rebounded from the -4 performance, and will need to stay there without Daley, who was amazing.  He's a loss nobody's talking about because Maatta kinda stole that headline but yeah, losing Daley is huge.

[Jesse James]

I wouldn't fall Crosby streaky.

Of course you wouldn't....  homer.

That's YINZER, btw.

[Jeff]

ps.
bonus prediction - if Murray plays and Pens win the Cup?  Well then, I hope MAF will have a nice year next season in Calgary or Dallas. 

Has MAFlower started working on his cowboy accent yet?  He should brush up on American cowboy (#Dallas) and Canadian cowboy (#Calgary) just to be safe. 

[Jeff]

Congrats to Jesse's Penguins...  still not sure how Sid (6-13-19) deserved the Conn Smythe more than Phil (10-12-22) or Murray (15-6-0, 2.08gaa, .923s%), but I guess the "he's the captain" was the tiebreaker for those who couldn't decide between Kessel and Murray. 


ps.
Did they trade MAF yet? 

[Jesse James]

Thank you.  Seeing 4 Stanley Cups in my lifetime is pretty nice.

I personally don't feel Murray was anything but a distant third.  Kessel might've been my vote but Crosby was overall an unreal player all playoff.  He was constantly matched to the oppositions best lines, and his play largely kept San Jose's red hot first line quiet.  He was outworking everyone but maybe Letang and Jones every night it seemed, but it was every series.  So I can see why he got it.  If Kessels line was our top line how do they fair ya know?

But at the same time I'd maybe have given it to Kessel.  I'd have voted Letang over Murray, personally.  He was a machine.  I saw some mention Bonino...  I can sorta see it as honorable mention. 

I think Murray will be a really good goalie but Fleury is better.  Just injured at a terrible time and no time to knock the rust off.  I hope they don't trade him but I hear his agent is irate.  Not worried about it at the moment. 

[GrandMoffNick]

I think Murray will be a really good goalie but Fleury is better.  Just injured at a terrible time and no time to knock the rust off.  I hope they don't trade him but I hear his agent is irate.  Not worried about it at the moment. 

Drew Bledsoe got hurt at a bad time................

I love me some goalies and so I love the Murray story. I hope he continues on as the starter and excels.

I of course say this with no skin in the game for the Penguins so my opinion is pretty worthless.

[Jesse James]

Don't get me wrong Murray was outstanding but Jones was miles superior to him.  Now look at it game-by-game, and while Murray was really good, he let in softies a lot because he's not a vet...  It was comical at one point because the Sharks were firing high short side on almost every shot it seemed, and the wrap-around attempts because Murray's lateral movement is pretty bad at his age (Lots of goalies are at that age) isn't screaming "great".  He came up big a lot and I keep him in MVP talk for sure, just I feel Fleury is better currently.  If they can keep two great but that's easier said than done and a local guy says he has heard Fleury's agent wants a trade.  *shrugs*

Like I said I'm not dwelling on that...  If they lose him, so be it, I just hope they get good return if that's the case.  We could certainly use the higher round draft picks.  It's a shame they didn't have the luxury of letting Flower knock the rust off, but the playoffs don't work that way and his concussion ce at the worst possible time for him. 

[Morgbug]

Hey, I'm happy for Phil.  Seems he can actually play the game pretty well.  Maybe it was something about his former team?   

[Jesse James]

Toronto sucks?  Nah, can't be.