Official NHL Thread

[yankees228]

Ugh, one bad five minute stretch costs them the game. If they could get game two it would be amazing, but I'm not expecting it. Hopefully it'll be different back in the Garden.

[Mr Crunchy]

i had the redwings last nite

**********s were flat

that san jose team is big,phisically speaking theyre very very big and can do some damage over a 7 game set

nice effort by the devils coming back from 4pucks

too little too late however

[redsoxrules]

i had the redwings last nite

**********s were flat

that san jose team is big,phisically speaking theyre very very big and can do some damage over a 7 game set

nice effort by the devils coming back from 4pucks

too little too late however

 

yeah the wings are in tough in this series , the sharks have been a problem for them all year , hopefully they can pull it out

[rician blast]

Rangers knot up the series last night. 3 game series now. Buffalo is the more talented team, but they're going to have to out work the Rangers who are playing very hard.

[redsoxrules]

Rangers knot up the series last night. 3 game series now. Buffalo is the more talented team' date=' but they're going to have to out work the Rangers who are playing very hard.[/quote']

 

ruff needs to take a few chill pills ... He complains for everything , actually i hope the rangers beat them so i can watch him make a fool out of himself

[TheKilo]

Ruff had a legit beef though, that was a goal.

[redsoxrules]

Ruff had a legit beef though' date=' that was a goal.[/quote']

 

there was no clear view that the puck cleared the line , therefor the ref cant overturn it. good call by the ref

[rician blast]

under the rules regarding reviews the right call was made.

 

however, despite not being able to see the daylight between the puck and the goal line, I'm pretty damn sure the puck went over...just that as it did, it was hidden by the pad.

[redsoxrules]

great comeback win by the wings lastnight .

 

and hasek needs to learn to stay in the dam net! he almost cost them the game at leat 3 times .

[yankeessuck013]

Amazing Game. Down 1-0 and Drury (AKA Hockey God) scored game tying goal with 7.7 seconds left and Sabres won in overtime to take a 3-2 series lead.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V13XO-2X1mE

[schillingouttheks]

I think the announcer blew the biggest load of his life.

[yankeessuck013]

best announcer in all of sports.

[TheKilo]

lol @ the Rangers

[CrespoBlows]

I don't watch hockey, but I will watch Game 6 when it is on.

 

What a series.

[AlexanderTheGreat13]

Tough loss in the past 2 games but im still proud of the Rangers and we will be back next year. Congrats to Buffalo.

[yankeessuck013]

props to the rangers for a very hard fought series that better prepared us for ottawa in the ECF.

 

My five observations before Ottawa:

 

1. Tom Renney is a class act and I have nothing but respect for him after this tough series. He angered many fans prior to game 1 with his "cream of the crop" comments...but his intentions were more of a reminder to his players that they could compete with the Sabres than an insult to Buffalo. To me it appeared to be calculated gamesmanship similar to what Ruff is known for. He rallied his team from a 2-0 deficit and constantly appeared to be motivating players on the bench through good and bad. He didn't cry foul the way the Islanders did when his team didn't get calls and he didn't make excuses when his team lost. After Game 6's loss, he said In Buffalo, as a team, we saw a team that had the resolve to withstand a team coming at them hard and perhaps in a way that they did not expect I couldn't put it better myself and I think that comment represents Renney's intelligence and quality as a coach. Ottawa's Bryan Murray's lisp/marbles in mouth comments after Sabres games this season make him look like an amateur next to Renney by comparison.

 

2. Call Jagr all the names you want...and there is no denying his talent for letting his emotion influence his comments after games...but the guy put his money where his mouth was for most of this series. The Sabres couldn't handle him often in our zone - we won't see another offensive player of his caliber these playoffs. Sure I laughed when he appeared to be crying during his post game interview but at the same time had the impression that he left everything he had on the ice and...how else could someone respond when they care that much and their sacrifice wasn't enough? He'll still be booed in Buffalo...but hidden behind those boos should be greater respect.

 

3. Chris Drury will command more money on the open market than any other unrestricted free agent this off-season. Yes, more than Gomez, Briere, Souray or the likes. Why? Because he maintains a quality that doesn't appear on GM's "hit list" when they price players. He just leads and wins. If his performance thus far in the '07 playoffs doesn't drive that home, what will? How many 30 year old players have the aura that he does?...a legendary icon in the hockey world. I hope to someday see Drury's name hanging in the HSBC rafters. I suspect many other GM's, especially those managing young team's that are looking for a player to lead...not just score, prefer it to be their building's rafters. I really hope I'm wrong on this one by the way...

 

4. The Buffalo Sabres are a far superior opponent for Ottawa than either Pittsburgh or New Jersey. Pittsburgh had plenty of talent but was far too young and inexperienced...especially on defense and goal. No team in the NHL relied more heavily on one player than New Jersey...and Marty Brodeur was not...well, Marty Brodeur against Ottawa. Ray Emery is a solid but unspectacular goaltender...and Buffalo will test him far more than Pittsburgh or Jersey did. Buffalo has already - in my mind - made it past the 2 toughest goalies they'll face these playoffs. Finally, while Ottawa won 5 out of 8 games this year against Buffalo...they beat Buffalo when they were missing players like Tallinder, Max and Drury...oh yeah, add Connolly and Zubrus to that list.

 

5. We all know how crazy HSBC Arena and pretty much the entire city have been throughout the first two rounds of the playoffs. But Ottawa?...the Sabres' biggest and most hated rival...you can't write this any better. This town is going to explode.

 

To be the best, you have to beat the best. It wasn't pretty, but the boys got the job done.

 

Save percentage needed to get the job done

Giguere .953

Lundqvist .935

Miller .933

 

Not getting the job done

Emery .918

Brodeur .916

Fleury .880

 

Clearly the Senators have played versus some questionable goaltenders thus far, and whats worse for them is that their goalie isn't even over the .925 considered to be getting the job done.

 

Goaltending is the Senators weakness, and if you don't know it now......you will soon.

 

You can bet there is going to be some lingering hostility in the Buffalo/Ottawa series. I'm sure the haven't forgotten that the Sabres knocked them out in 5 games last year, and right now the Sens have looked like the best team in the playoffs, let's change that. These two teams hate each other more than anything. this will be some serious hockey with big hits and a few fights

 

Let's Get it On!!

[yankeessuck013]

The Rangers played very well. There defense at the blue line, and crowding of the net was problematic for the faster, higher scoring Sabres, therefore testing their patience. Renney, who I admit I didn't think much of before the series, deserves huge credit for his game plan. Lundquist was amazing. Yesterdays game was the only game the Sabres figured him out. But in the end, and over the long series, the better teams tend to find a way to win, unless you are the Senators.

 

Rangers were hot coming in and playing at the top of their game. While the Sabres, although not playing bad hockey by any means, haven't played tehir best hockey as of late. However, great teams find a way to win, and that is exactly what the Sabres did in this series. The two best teams in the East are rightfully in the conference finals. Lundqvist is a great goaltender, almost single handedly won game 5 for the Rangers. I thought 17 goals in 6 games was about all you could ask for against him. The Sens have given the Sabres trouble this year but I think the Sabres will find a way as they have all year. Emery won't be able to make the big saves that Lundqvist did in this series.

[rician blast]

I'm hoping for a good series, this Ottawa-Buffalo match-up is exactly what I was hoping for. I think Buffalo could potentially take them in 5...their depth and goaltending is that much better...but I'm hoping for a Sens victory. Since the gutless Sabres went after Heatley, Spezza et al with their goons after a clean hit by Neil I lost respect for them.

 

Drury is a winnner, no doubt...but I'm curious, does he still admire his own passes and get railed with checks or is he now keeping his head up?

[redsoxrules]

buffalo lucked out a series win against the rangers i cant see how they can beat ottawa in 5

[ARod2212]

That was one of the most entertaining playoff series I've watched in a while. I really couldn't be prouder of how the Rangers played that series against the Sabres. They showed a lot of heart, a whole lot that was lacking last season. I don't think you can understate the impact Brendan Shanahan had in that locker room. He helped this hockey club mature ten-fold this season.

 

Buffalo is just a relentless club. I don't know of many teams that can put 40 goal scorers on their third line. I really think that the dogfight they had against New York will prepare them, and they'll finish Ottawa rather quickly. Buffalo has played a real postseason series, Ottawa has faced an uncharacteristically weak Devils club, and an inexperienced Penguins organization. I see a Ducks-Sabres finals this year, with Buffalo coming out on top.

 

About the Rangers, I'm extremely excited about what is going on with the organization. They have more prospects in the fold for next year (Marc Staal, 20 year old defenseman; Al Montoya, 22 year old goalie), who I really think will solidify the club going forward. The experience gained this year in the playoffs will be really valuable in the near future for guys like Girardi, Tyutin, Prucha, Callahan and Lundqvist. 2008 is going to be really special for this hockey club.

 

Good luck to the Sabres.

[Mr Crunchy]

that wings team is playing with 6defensemen and 4 lines

chelios broke in with bobby orr didnt he?

anyways

they broke that san jose team down and by the 3rd period san jose was just watching the clock tick and praying for an early ending.

anaheim will really have a hard time with these guys

[redsoxrules]

so its all set for the conference final . predictions?

 

im gonna go with ottawa over buffalo 4-2 and the wings over ducks 4-2

[TheKilo]

Buffalo in 6

Anaheim in 7

[Mr Crunchy]

wings run away with this thing

too deep

[rician blast]

Anyone watch the Sens game last night? I missed it, although I am thrilled (and surprised) by the result.

 

Just curious, if you watched it, how was the hitting and instensity and did the Sens take it to them physically, too?

[schillingouttheks]

Let's put it this way...

 

There's gotta be a brawl coming up despite the fact that it's the playoffs. These two teams HATE each other.

[redsoxrules]

Anyone watch the Sens game last night? I missed it, although I am thrilled (and surprised) by the result.

 

Just curious, if you watched it, how was the hitting and instensity and did the Sens take it to them physically, too?

 

surprised by the result? why?

 

ottawa outplayed them in every aspect of the game , this ottawa team is better than people think

[CrespoBlows]

Was I watching a replay, or did the Sabres tie the game late, again?

[rician blast]

surprised by the result? why?

 

ottawa outplayed them in every aspect of the game , this ottawa team is better than people think

 

I was surprised because Ottawa historically finds a way to lose in the playoffs. They've been a strong cup contender in a number of seasons only to falter...I half expected it again vs. Buffalo, especially since their goaltending can be spotty at times.

 

So while I agree that they are a good team, I just felt Buffalo would really take it to them..glad that hasn't been the case. I can't stand Ruff.

[yankeessuck013]

well down 2-0. this seems like the way its goota be...the sabres have to make it interesting first.