NHL 2016-2017 Thread

[gyedid]

Yep here we are...Pens vs. Preds.

Kinda-sorta behind Nashville on this one, just because of P.K.  Already said what I hope he does with the Cup...after bringing it to the Montreal Children's Hospital, of course.

What a way for the Sens to go out.  That really should've been the Cup final.  Imagine winning the Cup, in Game 7, double OT...it would've been one for the ages.

cheers,

Gabe

[Sharpnel]

Preds in six, only because they are healthier and Rinne is better than either Fleury or Murray during the playoffs.

[GhostBear]

Pens in 6, because Smashville's got no depth in their forwards and blueliners can't score all the livelong day. Pittsburgh's got a rolling roster of forwards who step in when needed, despite the injury train to the defensive corps.

It's probably going to take a game or two to adjust to Nashville's tactics, though - just like it did after sneaking by Washington and running into Ottawa's 1-4 trap.

I was thinking before that losing in the ECF was better than losing the Cup finals, but now that I think about it - if the Pens do lose to the Preds (a possibility I can entertain), at least the defeat would come with the knowledge that Nashville earned the Cup against the former champs. That's a losing thought I can live with.

But yeah, still hoping for the back-to-back.

Also, the Pens' cap situation isn't as bad as one would think - they're set up pretty solid to keep doing playoff runs for several years. I was certainly not a fan of GMJR's ascension in the beginning but now.... Yeah, I bow to ownership's vision. :)

[Fat Guy]

I wonder where more F-bombs were dropped when Kunitz scored: Ottawa or Nashville? 

[Fat Guy]

Did that really just happen?!   :o

[gyedid]

Did that really just happen?!   :o

If you mean the Pens winning with just 12 shots on goal and going over a period without registering a shot, then yes, it did.

cheers,

Gabe

[gyedid]

Well well...sure looks like the shine is off Pekka Rinne.  Unless he recovers his form--and fast--the Pens will be hoisting the Cup by the middle of next week.

Cheers, Gabe

[JadeHellbringer]

That... was an ass-paddlin'.

When the Pens scored first, I thought it was over- the game and the series. I thought that would take the air out of the building, deflate the Preds, and we'd see the Penguins cruise. Or at the least the Predators would get one late and we'd have a narrow-score grudge match. But that crowd was as wild as ever, the team matched their energy, Rinne was on fire, and Murray helped by playing a pretty pedestrian game on the other end.

We have a series now. I'll miss Game 4 while traveling, but I'll be interested to see afterwards if they can match the intensity they showed tonight.

[gyedid]

That... was an ass-paddlin'.

When the Pens scored first, I thought it was over- the game and the series. I thought that would take the air out of the building, deflate the Preds, and we'd see the Penguins cruise. Or at the least the Predators would get one late and we'd have a narrow-score grudge match. But that crowd was as wild as ever, the team matched their energy, Rinne was on fire, and Murray helped by playing a pretty pedestrian game on the other end.

Nice to see the Preds were as good as P.K.'s word  ;D

cheers,

Gabe

[Fat Guy]

I think Pittsburgh may have just lost this series.

[Firesprocket]

I won't believe that possible until if and when the road team finally wins a game in this series.

[gyedid]

I won't believe that possible until if and when the road team finally wins a game in this series.

The Pens certainly seemed to agree with you tonight.

cheers,

Gabe

[gyedid]

And finally, it is over.

The road team finally wins one in this series, when it counted the most, in a game where both teams spent most of the time trying not to make a mistake.  The Pens not only defended their championship, but extended their streak of winning the Cup in years when they've defeated the Caps to get there, and P.K. will have to wait at least one more year for his revenge on Marc Bergevin.

cheers,

Gabe

[Fat Guy]

I think Pittsburgh may have just lost this series.

That's why I'm not a betting man.   ;)

I won't believe that possible until if and when the road team finally wins a game in this series.

It's officially a series!

Congratulations Pittsburgh! 

To come back from pissing away a two game lead, and playing the entire playoffs without Letang, and being the first repeat champion of the salary cap era, and being 5-0 in Stanely Cup clinching games on the road,  isn't it ironic that Crosby wins the Conn Smythe Trophy in the 87th game of the playoffs?

[Fat Guy]

1991: Pittsburgh eliminates Washington. Pittsburgh wins the Cup.
1992: Pittsburgh eliminates Washington. Pittsburgh wins the Cup.
2008: Pittsburgh advances to the final without going through Washington. Pittsburgh does not win the Cup.
2009: Pittsburgh eliminates Washington. Pittsburgh wins the Cup.
2016: Pittsburgh eliminates Washington. Pittsburgh wins the Cup.
2017...

Pittsburgh eliminates Washington. Pittsburgh wins the Cup.

Now that's just freaky!

 Pittsburgh doesn't win the Cup every time they eliminate Washington, but they've never won it without eliminating them.   ???

[Fat Guy]

It's going to be a long summer...

I was out at my favorite watering hole last night and a particularly bad baseball game was being shown (is there even such a thing as a good baseball game?). Without even thinking I asked the bartender if she could find an NHL game.   [face palm]

Bless her heart, she actually grabbed the remote and started looking.  {>{>