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2011-'12 NHL Thread


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Okay, here are my picks...

 

Flyers vs Devils:

-Flyers in 6 games or less over the Devils only IF Bryzgalov can actually make some saves. Brodeur will come to play even at his age, but the key will be Bryzgalov IMO. The Devils haven't been the same since several key D-men retired (i.e. Niedermayer, Daneyko & Stevens) and defense is what they lack, as well as two-way defencemen.

 

Rangers vs Capitals:

-The Rangers have generally played the Capitals well in the playoffs, and I don't see this changing, though it could be a low scoring series. The Caps have switched to playing a more defensive style game, but Henrik wants to win now because at 30 he is in his prime years, so now is the time. He literally carried the Rangers in the last few minutes vs the Senators the other night making several key saves.

 

Predators vs Coyotes:

-Both of these teams play a similar style, but I think the Predators finally have enough offense to carry them deep into the playoffs, if not to the Stanley Cup and if they can re-sign Suter & Weber they could be dangerous for several years with Rinne being signed to a long term deal. The key to the series will be whether or not the Predators can solve Smith because he basically stole the series from the Blackhawks, esp. the last game. He's a big guy that takes up a lot of net, so the Predators will have to screen him as much as possible and work the puck from the point with Suter & Weber. Don't count out the Coyotes though... They like the Predators are very well coached and Tippett has a knack at finding ways to get the best out of the scrappiest of players.

 

 

Blues vs Kings:

-This should be an interesting one and it's one that IMO will be the biggest toss up. The Kings finally found a way to score in the last series and Quick was great in net. The key to this series is how good can Elliot be vs Quick. If the Kings can find a way to score against the Blues' stingy defense then they may very well steal the series. However, the Blues are built to win now, esp. with Langenbrunner, Arnott and the other core veterans that they have.

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lol... I should have some sort of clue by now... I'm subscribed to both NHL Center Ice and NHL Game Center. dry.png

Not sure what's up with the smirk (or whatever that's supposed to be.... some of these smilies look funny), but I wasn't undermining you at all.... I know you know your shit when it comes to hockey......

 

I'm reading a bunch of replies about the 2nd round off other forums, and all it is is basically a bunch of back & forth bickering between fans of the two teams involved of a certain series.... None of the BS being spewed is objective.... I come back here & notice your post was the most recent post in the o/t section at the time, I read it, and am like finally, someone with a sensible reply....

 

See, I know enough about the east coast teams.... but I don't know near as much about the teams on the west coast.... Following the Rangers as much as I have over the years, you don't get to see many west coast teams.... lol....

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lol... I used that face to be sarcastic with myself, not at you.... There was no other face (embarrassment) so I used that one instead. I used to not be familiar with the West Coast teams that much either because outside of say ESPN or VESUS or currently NBC you didn't get much access to those teams, but with the two subscriptions I have I get to watch several games a night and pick and choose, so my point was that as much as I watch the damn thing I should be an expert. lol I had been wanting to order Game Center for years, but since I wasn't paying for cable up until I got FiOS (and now Direct TV) I just had the web subscription. Can't be choosy when you're getting free cable...

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While the Final 8 in the NHL playoffs, begin, while those fans in those cities are pumped up, from watching the local news/reading papers online, the only ones i noticed that gotten almost no attention is the LA Kings.

With the NBA Lakers and Clippers both in the playoffs and the Dodgers off to a good start, the LA Kings are at the bottom of the sports pages. Yes the Kings are selling out the playoff games but to show you even the Rangers here in NYC now gets more attention with local sports fans than the Kings in LA.

 

So proof to VG8(not turning this into i hate hockey argument lol or else i wont post here)that LA has never gone crazy for hockey since the Gretzy era. If anything cross-town rivals, the Anaheim Ducks fans seems to be more passionate fans than the Kings.

 

Hope it changes as the LA Goalie Mr. Quick(who i saw in person on New Years)as the Kings go deeper in the playoffs.

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Very true. Also when the Dodgers are doing well, a baseball town as well. Overall not a good sports town as there a reason no NFL team has been in the area since the Raiders/Rams left in the mid '90's.

 

 

Speaking of Kings, LA continues their magic carpet as they stun the Blues in Game (1) in St Louis last night(4/28). Meanwhile closer to home, Rangers beat the Caps 3-1 to take 1 game to nil lead in their East semifinal series.

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LA has, and always will be, an only-Basketball town.

 

Yeah the Lakers are the 'Kings' there. The owner of the Clippers should just give up and move team to NJ. And on an NHL related note, I still hope the Islanders will move to Brooklyn as god knows that place will need another source of revenue if the Nets continue to stink up the place.

 

Good for the Rangers on taking another game 1 win.

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Yeah the Lakers are the 'Kings' there. The owner of the Clippers should just give up and move team to NJ. And on an NHL related note, I still hope the Islanders will move to Brooklyn as god knows that place will need another source of revenue if the Nets continue to stink up the place.

 

Good for the Rangers on taking another game 1 win.

 

 

Or Seattle. I doubt NBA Boss David Stern will alllow '3' teams in NYC metro area. Plus while the Kings sell out, the local LA media has given no media attention to the Kings and all of it till now to the Lakers, Dodgers, Angels and small degree the Clippers. That my point Concourse. Yet Mr. Hockey aka VG8 will take it that i am insulting him with that fact just like the NYC express buses.

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- Brodeur stays getting out of position.... Flyers ability to come back in games is scary.....

 

- A bit surprised at how the 'yotes were able to put up 5 on Pekka last night..... good game 2 throughout....

 

- lol @ Caps fans blaming the post as to why the Rangers were able to beat them; hitting the post is not a SOG anyway, and half of those ringers were saved by Lundqvist before the fact anyway...... and wtf was mike milbury watching; the goaltending in game 1 was bad & both teams let in a couple cheap goals??? He's biased anyway, as he used to coach the Islanders.....

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- Brodeur stays getting out of position.... Flyers ability to come back in games is scary.....

 

- A bit surprised at how the 'yotes were able to put up 5 on Pekka last night..... good game 2 throughout....

 

- lol @ Caps fans blaming the post as to why the Rangers were able to beat them; hitting the post is not a SOG anyway, and half of those ringers were saved by Lundqvist before the fact anyway...... and wtf was mike milbury watching; the goaltending in game 1 was bad & both teams let in a couple cheap goals??? He's biased anyway, as he used to coach the Islanders.....

 

 

Rinne was left to fend for himself... He had no chance on any of those goals... I was surprised too, but watching the replays his guys in front of him didn't do their jobs... Was beat on a redirect, was beat on a few other goals with guys in front and then the real kicker, Leigwand taking the damn pick and tossing it from behind the and practically putting it into the net!! I don't know what he was thinking, but Rinne wasn't the one at fault this game. They've got to be better in front of him come game 3.

 

Or Seattle. I doubt NBA Boss David Stern will alllow '3' teams in NYC metro area. Plus while the Kings sell out, the local LA media has given no media attention to the Kings and all of it till now to the Lakers, Dodgers, Angels and small degree the Clippers. That my point Concourse. Yet Mr. Hockey aka VG8 will take it that i am insulting him with that fact just like the NYC express buses.

 

 

Insulted how?? Just because I said hockey is growing and getting more exposure doesn't mean that it is mainstream on the main networks. The sport is growing on cable and via the web and mainly in Europe, so I am not shocked nor offended. The sport has always been that way and that's just the way it is, the main reasons being social and economical. The sport has always been seen as a white sport even though we have several minorities playing these days. Furthermore, it remains a very expensive sport to play. It was even expensive for me playing roller hockey. New sticks were needed regularly and those were a minimum of $40.00 back then, then you need to replace the wheels and such and those run $60 - 80.00 easily, not to mention gloves, shin guards and of course the skates, the pucks and so on. Basketball aside from being seen by most minorities as being "in" is also fairly cheap to play. There are plenty of basketball courts around. Meanwhile for roller hockey you need a smooth surface to play on and for ice hockey you have to pay for ice team, yet another expense. Baseball and football are also relatively cheap to play compared to hockey, so while hockey is becoming more accessible, it is accessible for those who can afford it. I can see more minorities however playing it in Canada because that is the main sport there and folks regardless of color or race go to the games and play and such, so there's the cultural/social aspect of it, where as here in the States it is more about select folks playing.

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No problem VG8. Again if i did not like the NHL why would i post here lol? As someone who worked as a newspaper writer in Queens and was a newscaster/sports anchor in college radio back in the day, I am a big fan of the '4' major north american sports league.

 

Just like a paid pro sports analyst i don't sugar coat and will address issues. Still back to the LA Kings issue i am sure if they make the NHL West Finals, they will get plenty of local media coverage. Overall Southern Calif is not a great region for sports and movie stars is the most popular 'sport' in LA (if you get my drift).

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Well yeah... Also remember that the Kings are sort of up and coming... They've only been to the Cup Finals once I believe when they lost to Montréal so there isn't a real culture there yet. The Lakers are naturally more popular because they've won several championship titles.

 

 

Last point on LA sports. Many of the residents are transplant or relocated from all over the US and even internationally so they not as passionate about their local teams as say in NYC, Boston or Chicago. Plus LA is the world headquarters for most of the major TV/Movie studios so what i meant movie stars is the biggest 'sport' in Southern Calif lol that and going to the beach are bigger than even the Lakers, Dodgers or Kings VG8.

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Oh man. Overchkin scores a late 3rd period goal as Caps win in NYC beating the Rangers 3-2. Series tied 1 game apiece. While out west, the LA Kings continue to shock the NHL world about to take commanding 2 games to none lead on the #2 seed St Louis Blues.

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It's 10:07 PM, and Overtime checks his e-mail. Several old messages from the NHL line up before him.

 

Just then, a highlighted message shows up in his inbox. Its subject bar reads: "Verizon Center. You're Needed."

 

Sighing disgruntledly, Overtime opens the message.

 

Dear Overtime:

 

The Verizon Center needs you immediately. Game Three between the Rangers and Capitals is tied after Regulation.

 

Sincerely,

The NHL Clock Committee

 

Closing his inbox, Overtime stands up and packs his gloves, clock, and pucks.

 

"I hope Nashville doesn't need me tonight," he says to himself and leaves his hotel.

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It's 10:07 PM, and Overtime checks his e-mail. Several old messages from the NHL line up before him.

 

Just then, a highlighted message shows up in his inbox. Its subject bar reads: "Verizon Center. You're Needed."

 

Sighing disgruntledly, Overtime opens the message.

 

Dear Overtime:

 

The Verizon Center needs you immediately. Game Three between the Rangers and Capitals is tied after Regulation.

 

Sincerely,

The NHL Clock Committee

 

Closing his inbox, Overtime stands up and packs his gloves, clock, and pucks.

 

"I hope Nashville doesn't need me tonight," he says to himself and leaves his hotel.

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIrhVo1WA78

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10:09 PM hit in Washington, DC. Overtime slumps in his ice-covered bed, his arms, legs, and head bandaged.

 

"I need sleep," he says with a yawn and closes his eyes.

 

RING!

 

Eyes open. Mouth frowning. Fingers bulging. Phone buzzing on the table beside him.

 

He picks it up and slides it open.

 

"Hello?" he says through the receptor. "Hi, Regulation… Uh-huh… Uh-huh… WHAT?!"

 

The glass shatters.

 

"I gotta head to New Jersey?" he whines. "Now?"

 

Sighing disgruntledly, he says in defeat, "Ooookay, I'll go… And, yes, I'll be there in ten minutes. Good-bye, Regulation."

 

He hangs up and packs his hockey equipment…again.

 

"Regulation, NHL, you owe me a fat paycheck," he grumbles and limps out of the hotel.

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