They didn't choke. They got beat by a better team. Let's notf orget they are missing a very important part of their team.

 

L0L'Choking' L0L

I'd say Phoenix is lucky more than anything.

BOOM! Zajac gets the OT winner and we force game 7. 3 game 7s in the East...not to shabby for the first round.

My predictions are just about out the window, but it was nice seeing the Caps pull out the win last night.

0-6 and counting for me. L0L

Two game 7s tonight. I think the Sens are capable of beating the Rangers but doing it in MSG is gonna be tough. I'm not even going to discuss the Devils game until it's over because it's still 4 hours until game time and I have a nervous shake going.

I think the Rangers will win. They have arguably the best goalie in the league.

Second overtime.. I feel for you, Krookie.

I don't think he minds, seeing what the result was.

Yes. I don't go 0-8. L0L 2-6 is still crappy though. Alreayd out of the leadership race for the predicitions. Ha.

Second overtime.. I feel for you, Krookie.

 

I. Am. Glad. That's. Over.

 

 

20 of us gathered around a TV, the house nearly exploded when Henrique buried the gamewinner. Do they take playoff performance into account when looking at the Calder trophy? Cause our ROTY candidate just scored 2 goals including the 2OT winner in game 7. Pretty impressive.

 

Do they take playoff performance into account when looking at the Calder trophy? Cause our ROTY candidate just scored 2 goals including the 2OT winner in game 7. Pretty impressive.

 

Sure they do!

 

 

 

 

Don't they?

 

Do they take playoff performance into account when looking at the Calder trophy? Cause our ROTY candidate just scored 2 goals including the 2OT winner in game 7. Pretty impressive.

 

Sure they do!

 

 

 

 

Don't they?

 

I really have no idea. Hope so.

 

Flyers v. Devils now...I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about this match up. We tied the season series 3-3 but something about the Flyers in the playoffs scares me. Hopefully Bryzgalov plays poorly ^_________^. Also, (tho I feel bad about why he isn't in the lineup) the Devils are pretty lucky Pronger isn't on the roster anymore...

The year of the Henrique.

Playoffs don't count for reward outisde of the Conn Smythe. The voting is already done. As it should be.

 

 

Round 2 predicitions:

 

 

NYR vs WSH: NYR in 7 (though part of me hopes WSH takes it)

PHI vs NJ: PHI in 5 (unless Kolvachuk scores a bunch)

LA vs STL: STL in 7 (BORING!)

NSH vs PHX: NSH in 6 (BORING PART 2)

Round two is starting tonight?

 

The West:

LA at STL. The Kings will be in rough against the Blues. I'm gonna side with LA in six on goaltending alone, although I'm pretty sure this series will go either way.

 

NAS at PHX. This series will go the distance, with the Preds pulling out all the stops on their way to their first conference finals.

 

The East:

WAS at NYR. I'm not sure that the Capitals have anything left after the first round. Their whole team has bought into the defense first coaching system, but you have to wonder if the scoring will be there. I'm still suprised the Rangers didn't dominate Ottawa. Aw crap, I can't decide, so I'm gonna pick the Blueshirts in 7.

 

NJD at PHI. Sorry Krookster, but I can't see the Devils keeping up with the Flyers offence. Philly in six.

 

And I swear TSN must have focused in on the Florida GM booth at least a dozen times during both overtime periods last night

Kings in 6.

As much as this pains me to say, Preds in 7.

 

Rangers in 6

Devils in 6. I don't trust Bryz at all.

 

I have my final final exam tonight and am going to be late to the Jim Balsillie Memorial Cup. Darn NBC Sports Network moving up the start time.

It is pretty awesome that to see some new blood coming out of the west. None of these teams have ever won a cup.

 

St. Louis over LA in 6. I think the Kings will make a better go of it than the Sharks, but the Blues really are defensive studs. Elliot will match Quick and we might see a few 2-1 games here.

 

Nashville over Phoenix in 7 - Another strong goaltending matchup. I think the Predators have the edge with experience.

 

NYR over Washington in 6 - Goaltending makes the difference here again.

 

Philly over New Jersey in 6 - After siding with the goalies in the other series, I'll go with the high powered offense here.

Kings/Blues: Blues in 6

Preds/Coyotes: Preds in 5

 

Devils/Flyers: Devils in 7. Wishful thinking, obviously.

Rangers/Caps: Caps in 7.

St. Louis Blues - LA Kings: St. Louis Blues in 6. They looked horribly strong against the Sharks.

Nashville Predators - Phoenix Coyotes: One team defeats Chicago and the other Detroir? How the hell do I choose?! Ok, Predators in 7.

Philadelphia Flyers - NJ Devils: Flyers in 5. Ridiculous offence, and Devils only have Kovalchuk. Goalies, what is that?

NY Rangers - Washington Capitals: I think the playoff nerves are gone from Washington now. Washington in 7.

Philadelphia Flyers - NJ Devils: Flyers in 5. Ridiculous offence, and Devils only have Kovalchuk. Goalies, what is that?

 

Only Kovalchuk? I don't doubt the Flyers offense or anything but NJ also has Parise (30+ goals), Clarkson (30+ goals), and Patrik Elias who was top 10 in the league in scoring.

 

Anyway, the game today went pretty well for NJ minus the losing in OT part....But that would have been our 3rd straight OT win so I wasn't expecting much. Sucks we couldn't steal that first road game but if we can grab the second from Philly, that'd be awesome. Most important thing to take away from today's game was that the Devils CAN score on Bryzgalov (he only allowed 1 goal against to NJ in 3 games played this season, he won all 3). That, and Kovalchuk is playing with some type of severe injury. He's a non-factor out there right now and you can see it. I know everyone is playing with some sort of injury this time of year but it really seems like something more than that for Kovy.

Bostons' Patrice Bergeron played game seven of the last series with a torn oblique. For a hockey player that had to be murder.

Bostons' Patrice Bergeron played game seven of the last series with a torn oblique. For a hockey player that had to be murder.

 

Wouldn't surprise me if Kovy wasn't playing with something similar. He looks like a horse with a broken leg out there...He's slow and unresponsive, and it just isn't like him to only be playing 20 minutes a game.

Most forwards don't usually play much more than 20 minutes a game. Only defensemen tend to play 25+. I doubt Kovochuk plays more than 18-22 minutes even when healthy.

Most forwards don't usually play much more than 20 minutes a game. Only defensemen tend to play 25+. I doubt Kovochuk plays more than 18-22 minutes even when healthy.

 

Well you'd be wrong to doubt that then! He averaged 24:26 during the regular season. He was playing 25+ in every game against FLA. The kicker is that he played 27 mins in game 1 against FLA, but then played 27 minutes in game 7...which went to double OT. His TOI has significantly decreased (only played 21 mins against philly today) and it's most certainly due to him nursing that injury.