2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

[gerontion]

Wouldn't shock me if the series went to 6 or 7 games. I said 5 because I'm insanely biased towards the Flames and I've watched 77 or 78 of their games this year, so I know how good they can be. Admittedly I've only watched the Avalanche the 3 times they played Calgary. Which reminds me they were leading 4-1 after 2 in one game before imploding in the 3rd. So they are capable.

As a die hard Avs fan I gotta say it will go at least 6, especially after that epic game 2 overtime win. All the pressure is on Calgary. Avs, meanwhile, should be loose after scratching and clawing their way into the playoffs after they looked dead in the water. You never know. I mean, look at what Columbus is doing to Tampa. Being the underdog can have its advantages.

[gerontion]

Avalanche get one in Calgary!!!

The Avs were dominant during stretches of that game. If they continue to play like that they'll definitely be a tough out.

[CanDB]

Really good game last night....between Calgary and The Avs. it was fitting that MacKinnon got the game winner....he was nutzo GOOD last night!

[Butler By'Note]

Avalanche get one in Calgary!!!

They were the better team in the first 60 minutes and deserved to win in regulation. Calgary was probably better in OT, but they didn't deserve the win. The Flames need to tighten up some things for tomorrow night otherwise they'll find themselves down 2-1. That being said the playoffs are the ultimate punch-counter punch. The Avs made some great adjustments from game 1 to game 2, now it's up to Calgary to come back with a counter punch.

[Butler By'Note]

Penguins are down 3-0. Not shocked, I thought the Isles would win that series. A lot of people giving the Pens credit for 2 years ago and not looking at who the team is now.

[Butler By'Note]

As a die hard Avs fan I gotta say it will go at least 6, especially after that epic game 2 overtime win. All the pressure is on Calgary. Avs, meanwhile, should be loose after scratching and clawing their way into the playoffs after they looked dead in the water. You never know. I mean, look at what Columbus is doing to Tampa. Being the underdog can have its advantages.

Fully agree with you about the pressure being on Calgary. The Avs were the better team in game 2, now it's up to Calgary to make adjustments. The first of which should be to sit TJ Brodie, he's awful.

[CanDB]

Penguins are down 3-0. Not shocked, I thought the Isles would win that series. A lot of people giving the Pens credit for 2 years ago and not looking at who the team is now.

Barry Trotz is a fabulous coach! He led Washington to a Stanley Cup, took a year off, and returned to the NHL to a team that just lost a stud in John Tavares. Not to mention they finished under 500 in 17/18. The future looked ominous.

In comes Trotz, and suddenly The Islanders become relevant again! His system was adopted very nicely and turned them around. They are now a real threat.

Ha ha....doesn't hurt that he's a grown in Manitoba product!

[ELWAY421]

Go Jackets!!!

[Butler By'Note]

Barry Trotz is a fabulous coach! He led Washington to a Stanley Cup, took a year off, and returned to the NHL to a team that just lost a stud in John Tavares. Not to mention they finished under 500 in 17/18. The future looked ominous.

In comes Trotz, and suddenly The Islanders become relevant again! His system was adopted very nicely and turned them around. They are now a real threat.

Ha ha....doesn't hurt that he's a grown in Manitoba product!

No year off, he went straight from Washington to the Island.

And the Lightning are now 1 minute away from being down 3-0. This might be the biggest upset in the NHL playoffs in the last 30 years.

[CanDB]

No year off, he went straight from Washington to the Island.

And the Lightning are now 1 minute away from being down 3-0. This might be the biggest upset in the NHL playoffs in the last 30 years.

OMG....you are right! Not even sure what I was thinking given Washington just won the cup last year! Last I remembered was that he was thinking of taking a year off. But thx for that.

Regardless...Trotz is a fab coach!

Can't believe Tampa....I mean, at least make it a series!

[gerontion]

No year off, he went straight from Washington to the Island.

And the Lightning are now 1 minute away from being down 3-0. This might be the biggest upset in the NHL playoffs in the last 30 years.

It's really shocking. Tampa is absolutely loaded, yet they might get swept. Columbus punched them in the mouth with that game 1 comeback and they haven't recovered.

[Butler By'Note]

OMG....you are right! Not even sure what I was thinking given Washington just won the cup last year! Last I remembered was that he was thinking of taking a year off. But thx for that.

Regardless...Trotz is a fab coach!

Can't believe Tampa....I mean, at least make it a series!

The Jets bounced back with a big win tonight! It's a series now.

[DenverBlood]

I know Butler called it with the pressure thing but I’m still really stunned by Tampa.

I figured the pressure would be felt in a later round and a year ending in disappointment with a second round loss or a conference finals loss.

In no shape or form did I see the pressure being this bad against Columbus in the first round.

Just another reason why hockey is better than the NBA. In the NBA 8 seeds can’t hang and first round upsets are very rare.

[CanDB]

I know Butler called it with the pressure thing but I’m still really stunned by Tampa.

I figured the pressure would be felt in a later round and a year ending in disappointment with a second round loss or a conference finals loss.

In no shape or form did I see the pressure being this bad against Columbus in the first round.

Just another reason why hockey is better than the NBA. In the NBA 8 seeds can’t hang and first round upsets are very rare.

Good point about NBA vs NHL. I am a BB fan, but when I see a team loaded like GS, with only 5 players on the court, and able to play a good chunk of the game, I am not as excited....ha ha, especially if I am not a fan of the stacked team! Sure, opposing coaches can dream up the best strategy imaginable, but if a player can down 3 pointers from almost anywhere, or a guy is 10 feet tall (just an example), you are limited in how you defend.

Same goes in The NHL to a point....some teams will have more talent, or balance, or goaltending. But you typically need 4 forward lines, and 3 D combos, plus a goalie, to win. Yes, you can play with one less 'line' of each, for a period of time, but not usually in a 60 minute game.

But the key is, a good coach can impact a game, and journeymen players can max out their effectiveness, by going full bore, in a disciplined manner....and if they play the game right, they can contribute on the scoreboard. You can minimize star players. It's a hard, fast game....and often the team that wants it more, can win. You will see star players blocking shots, and playing a defensive role as required. It's a mindset. And yes, a salary cap in a sport with this many players tends to help balance talent.

Plus there is always that element of opportunism, when you cash in a key goal or two, because the chances may be limited in what becomes more defensive style hockey.

But as I mentioned, you need a coach that can implement good systems, and win over the locker room, along with a team that understands the meaning of courage and "team first". And it never hurts to have a hot goalie....which is something that can often change the outcome of any series.

[DenverBlood]

Good point about NBA vs NHL. I am a BB fan, but when I see a team loaded like GS, with only 5 players on the court, and able to play a good chunk of the game, I am not as excited....ha ha, especially if I am not a fan of the stacked team! Sure, opposing coaches can dream up the best strategy imaginable, but if a player can down 3 pointers from almost anywhere, or a guy is 10 feet tall (just an example), you are limited in how you defend.

Same goes in The NHL to a point....some teams will have more talent, or balance, or goaltending. But you typically need 4 forward lines, and 3 D combos, plus a goalie, to win. Yes, you can play with one less 'line' of each, for a period of time, but not usually in a 60 minute game.

But the key is, a good coach can impact a game, and journeymen players can max out their effectiveness, by going full bore, in a disciplined manner....and if they play the game right, they can contribute on the scoreboard. You can minimize star players. It's a hard, fast game....and often the team that wants it more, can win. You will see star players blocking shots, and playing a defensive role as required. It's a mindset. And yes, a salary cap in a sport with this many players tends to help balance talent.

Plus there is always that element of opportunism, when you cash in a key goal or two, because the chances may be limited in what becomes more defensive style hockey.

But as I mentioned, you need a coach that can implement good systems, and win over the locker room, along with a team that understands the meaning of courage and "team first". And it never hurts to have a hot goalie....which is something that can often change the outcome of any series.

I agree with all that but also I think Hockey is quite possibly the toughest sport to score in. And a lot of times goals can be had on luck or a perfect deflection at the right time.

So often a team can completely dominate a game for 60 minutes but if they are unsuccessful solving that goaltender they can still come away in a loss.

In Basketball there is no such thing as the #1 seed playing their A game and losing. But it can happen in hockey. Sometimes all the under dog has to do is play great D and get a stalemate and once it gets to Ot all you need is that one opportunistic play to steal a game that you may have been outshot and outchecked by nearly double in. It’s obviously not the strategy you recommend over the course of a series but it can be done.

I don’t have stats but I don’t believe an 8 seed has won an NBA series in over a decade. NHL seems to have it done very 2-3 years if not more often.