NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2012

You watched that game and thought they lost because of a lack of grit?They have more grit than they did last year and they made it to the 7th game of the final.

LA was the far, far better team last night. The Canucks may not be good enough, the Kings might beat them but it's only one game. There isn't a huge difference between these two teams, especially with Daniel Sedin out and the addition of Carter to the Kings. That pass off the skate was an unbelievable play by Carter.

 

I love the way Bylsma handled it after the game, refusing to blame the linesman for the loss.

 

My guess is Weber gets fined and Bitz gets 1 game, possibly 2.

 

I didn't phrase that the right way ... not enough grit in terms of getting around the net. Clearly they were hitting (out of control at times). It just seemed they were trying to beat Quick with too many long slapshots, and it was clear that wasn't going to work last night. They were going to have to score an ugly goal.

My picks, copied from the NHL thread:

Rangers in 5
Capitals in 6 (fanboi alert!)
Devils in 6
Penguins in 7

Canucks in 6 (Vancouver will get bored and Quick will steal two wins)
Blues in 5
Coyotes in 6 (The Winnipeg hex finally ends!)
Predators in 7

 

If the Canucks flame out I think a more apt comparison for the Canucks may be the Ottawa Senators of the mid 2000's.

 

and Weber fined 2500, no suspension. Shocked I tell you.

 

Complete BS. I'd have given him a game, maybe two. Can't believe he didn't get at least one.

 

Whew. This Preds fanboi can breathe again.

I agree with Roenick, though: Weber deserved at least 3 games. It was a brutal, cheap shot.

Of course, I suppose the Wings will just channel their inner Gregg Williams and take care of things themselves tomorrow night.

 

When the league does not act that is exactly what usually happens. The Wings are usually above that but maybe Bertuzzi will go Bertuzzi.

 

One thing that really bugs me about the playoffs is all of the ankles that break from people jumping off of band wagons after just one game because a team had an off night in their opener. It's a long seven game series people.

Oh, and Weber getting a slap on the wrist fine is surprising, even for the NHL. I thought for sure he would get one game and aw prepared to come on here with rant about how that wouldn't be enough. This is bad, even for the NHL.

 

I agree. That's the only productive way to handle something like that. It wasn't like it was the OT goal -- the coach focusing on "the linesman screwed us" avoids taking ownership of what happened and making sure it doesn't happen again.
I was a little surprised the Pens weren't able to regroup during the intermission before OT. They looked flat-footed all the way until Voracek scored.

 

Fun fact: Last year's Stanley Cup champions lost the first two games of the opening round at home.