[TMLMS13]

Not going to bother doing the realignment standings since it doesnt look like it is going to happen, although they had grown on me and I think they would be good, stupid NHLPA just wanting to cause trouble, and with the CBA coming due they better get their act together the last thing we need is another lockout.

The NY Rangers just keep on winning it's a pretty big surprise I didn't think they would be leading the NHL half way though the season. Ottawa has been charging up the standing and anyone who thought that they would be a playoff team is lying. Pittsburgh is only 1 point away from being out of the playoffs. Florida keeps on leading the NHL's crappiest division with only 1 playoff team and 1 team with a plus goal differential at +1(Washington). LA under Daryl Sutter are now tied for 8th in the West. Columbus is solidifying its position to take a Russian with the first overall pick and they have pretty bad luck with Russians. (Zheredev #4, Filatov #6)

If you look at the standings it is pretty wierd to see that only 11/30 teams have a plus goal differential. Last season 17/30 were a plus. Boston/New York and Vancouver/Detroit are really separating themselves from the pack. My pick for the final 4.

Vancouver/Boston finals rematch is a real possibility this season, and based on Saturday that would be a lot of fun.

[Hecklerz]

Good write-up. I totally agree with your point about Columbus and the Russians (majority, if not all blame on the Blue Jackets) but respectfully disagree with SCF as I don't think we will see Vancouver, Boston or even the Rangers.

[TMLMS13]

then who?

[DBo Fo Sho Taking advantage of Official Threads]

As if the Hawks aren't struggling enough right now, last night on a play where Patrick Sharp scored his 20th goal of the season he managed to sustain an upper body injury that is likely to keep him sidelined for 3-4 weeks. Pretty brutal in a sport where u can literally go from first place to out of a playoff spot in a 2 week period. Bruins are playing so sick, they have a +28 goal differential over the team in second place in the league. Watched the Bos Van game over the weekend with a group of Canucks fans and they were a lot of fun to be around that was for sure.

Pretty weak slate of games this week, Van @ Stl on Thurs and Hawks @ Det Sat. on NBC

Maybe the name Crosby will come back up this week....?

[Pker4Dummies]

Didnt Pitt just lose Staal and Neal?

[36crazyfists]

 

Originally Posted by Pker4Dummies

Didnt Pitt just lose Staal and Neal?

Penguins injury situation is really amazing. I mean I hate Pittsburgh with a passion but gotta pity losing that many quality players for the second straight season. Luckily, caps get them on Wednesday.

Another lockout would ruin the league.

[TMLMS13]

 

Originally Posted by DBo Fo Sho

Maybe the name Crosby will come back up this week....?

the context may be will he ever come back

[Popperhead]

TML Congrats on the win saturday :(

[Randinho]

 

Originally Posted by TMLMS13

then who?

SJ and Boston was my pick to start the season but I'm really impressed by my Canucks these days so here's hoping. SJ/Canucks WCF again is my guess although Detroit is looking great too.

[TMLMS13]

 

Originally Posted by Popperhead

TML Congrats on the win saturday :(

Leafs are going to do something stupid this week like get blown out by Buffalo twice then beat the Rangers 4-1.

I feel it.

[TMLMS13]

Marchand got 5 games for his clipping major, however Salo is going to be out longer.

The problem I have with the hit is that 10 years ago that would probably just be considered a good hip check.


Edited By: TMLMS13 Jan 10th, 2012 at 12:48 PM

[SirLiesAlot]

I sure do miss watching konstantinov play.

[TMLMS13]

 

Originally Posted by SirLiesAlot

I sure do miss watching konstantinov play.

hardest hitting Russian there ever was, and ever will be. There isnt a good angle in this video but watching that at full speed is incredible, even Don Cherry had it in his "hits of the decade"

Edited By: TMLMS13 Jan 10th, 2012 at 02:00 PM

[Randinho]

It's tough to sound impartial as I'm a Canucks fan myself but I really do try to be. The hip check itself was very similar to that of Hamhuis but very different at the same time. Lucic was skating up the ice trying to get the puck up the ice. He could see it coming as Hamhuis got into position for it quite early. As a result Lucic was able to prepare for the unavoidable hit and came out of it unscathed. Salo on the other hand was skating in to make a check he thought was going to be shoulder to shoulder and Marchand ducked last second leaving Salo unprepared making it a very dangerous hit. I disagree that Marchand's would've been considered a good hit then because of that aspect of it. Technically the hit itself was a beautiful hipcheck but the circumstances around it make it suspension worthy. I gotta say though I never have agreed that an injury impacts the severity of the suspension. A dangerous play is a dangerous play and should be treated the same whether a player (luckily) skates away from it or is injured. Two or three games would've been appropriate here but with the way the NHL has been treating this stuff I think five is about right. Edited By: Randinho Jan 10th, 2012 at 05:02 PM

[standardline]

i agree with randinho's description of the difference in hits. They are similar but very different. If you watch the reasoning Shanny had for his decision, you can see the same play happening just before the duck, and how he got clearly pissed about it and wanted to get him back. Salo really wasnt even going in very hard at all he was mainly just pinching to keep the puck in and not to trainwreck him


-also, the konstantinov hit is not similar, not nearly as low and is a pretty good hockey hit, and i almost fully believe that would be legal and not suspend-able in todays game Edited By: standardline Jan 10th, 2012 at 06:24 PM

[Hecklerz]

I would pick (and these are more by gut feeling vs the numbers):

ECF: Philly or Pitts (depending on their injuries and how they overcome them).
WCF: Detroit or Chicago.

I know I'm not showing any respect to Vancouver or Boston, but I've always felt Boston was more of a crapshoot to win. I think they got hot at the perfect time and just rolled thru the playoffs.

Vancouver, I really don't have any respect for them (do like Maholtra thou). I think they will dive any opportunity they get if they feel they can get a PP out of it. Not very Canadian if you ask me.

[hushpuckena]

If Penguins actually had all their players halfway healthy, I'd like them to have a spot with Bruins in the East final, but I wonder whether that will ever happen. Right now I'd say Rangers-Bruins in the East but there's a long way to go.

In the West, Vancouver's the goods and I could easily see them meeting Sharks or Detroit for the other finals slot. One of next season's monster contracts will go to Cory Schneider.

[DBo Fo Sho Taking advantage of Official Threads]

I think both conferences are completely wide open. Might come down to who can stay healthy enough to make a late season run. At this point I'm more interested to see who goes out there and trades for a big name whether it be someone from Anaheim, Rick Nash, or even Schneider tho I can't see him being moved to anyone in the West. Maybe this is a completely different Caps team that will go into the postseason as a middle to low seed and relieve some pressure off themselves and make a run, yeah lol @ that tho.

[TMLMS13]

my CF prediction as of now

East

Boston/ New York
-Philly doesnt have the goaltending and losing Pronger will become noticable
-If Crosby/Malkin/MAF/Letang/Staal are all healthy for the entire playoffs then I would put them in the finals

The East is broken into 3 sections :
Tier 1: Bos, NY, Pitt, Phi
Tier 2: Fla, Ott, Tor, NJ, Win, Wash
Tier 3: Buf, Mon, TB, NY, Car

West
Vancouver/Detroit
It is totally wide open, impossible to really pick a clear top 2
Tier 1: Van, Det, Chi, Stl, SJ
Tier 2: LA, Nas, Dal, Min, Col
Tier 3: Pho, Cal, Edm, Ana
Tier 4: Clb Edited By: TMLMS13 Jan 10th, 2012 at 09:57 PM

[slapshot]

5:16 Boston Bruins BOS Shawn Thornton 4 (penalty shot)

^^^ lol is that for real? Can't wait to see the replay. I can only imagine how nuts the place went.

[TMLMS13]

The Leafs have finally found a way to solve their penalty kill problem... just don't take any, last 3 games they have been shorthanded a total of 2 times. And not surprisingly they won all 3 games

[Krone2727]

henrik! stepan pretty sweet goal in rd 6 of shootout

[quietwinner]

blues playin sick right now. they can skate with any team in the nhl, and its only a matter a time before they start scoring in heaps. too much young talent for them not to have more goals. on the flip side, prob only a matter of time before elliot declines, already has a bit

[twopairsofones]

really good game. wish hank coulda gotten the shutout, but, oh well. smith made a ridiculous save on gabby on the OT penalty shot.
tough schedule the rest of the week. would be happy with winning 2 of 3.

[smheilbron]

NYI are now 5-0-1 vs wings in last 6. explain that stat

[tyballs11]

Red Wings were TERRIBLE tonight

[smheilbron]

 

Originally Posted by tyballs11

Red Wings were TERRIBLE tonight

std vs my islanders

[heavyj80]

devils outshoot flames 38-14, lose 6-3

marty: 5 shots face, 2 goals
hedberg: 9 shots faced, 4 goals

well
done
guyz

[JRoth15]

seriously tho...blues best team in NHL (sans Bruins)?? Edited By: JRoth15 Jan 11th, 2012 at 07:10 AM

[chancemcc]

when alex steen is leading your team in scoring your fucked. not enough scoring, goaltendings been sick but should tail off you would think, central division is stacked tho and prolly the 3 rd best team in that division, maybe 4th. still a playoff squad tho

is reaves still with them i played against him in high school the year before he went to the dub. his dad was a CFL great with the blue bombers turned big wig cop hahahaha Edited By: chancemcc Jan 11th, 2012 at 07:34 AM