The NHL Thread

Honestly surprised about that series. To me the Gabs don't have much depth. Outside of Price who do they have? Suzuki?

Quite the contrary, Montreal is very deep. If you look at everyone who scored over the playoffs, you'll find that it's quite spread out. But the main thing is that Bergevin traded for a lot of veterans before the playoffs to act as a stabilizing factor for the younger players. Furthermore, Ducharme has been having his team play a very strict, tight kind of game to prevent giving many chances to the opposing teams and the players have responded. In this entire fourth game, Montreal only allowed 16 shots on goal.

Amazing. Whose your pick for Vegas v Colorado?

Since the Rangers are nowhere to be found, I say I want the Knights to win. It's my go-to team to support in a playoff season (when the Rangers aren't there).

Last season, I threw a hissy fit after Dallas between them by 6 games. It pissed me off considering the last two seasons ended with disappointment spreading across my news feed.

If Montreal beat Vegas, I swore I coulda start learning French by now and succumb to eat 100 poutines in a single seating.

I think the Avalanche would be a better matchup for Montreal, as although they have one of the best players in the League in Mc Kinnon, Montreal has become very adept at shutting down single players, whereas Vegas has more talent spread out over their team. Plus Fleury is easily the equal of Price.

A tale of two games played on the Island of Long, decided by lines.

The Islanders squeak by 3-2 in Game 4 after McDonagh's last shot after pulling a spin move pulling Varlamov out of position gets blocked at the goalline by Pulock to tie the Stanley Cup Semifinal series at 2.

Meanwhile, Kevin Durant hits an off-balance jumper with 1.6 seconds left to put the Nets up 110-109 in their second round Game 7 against the Bucks...except replays show it was a two-pointer and not a three because Durant's toe just crossed the 3-point line. Bucks win in overtime and move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Montreal beats the odds again! They defeat the Golden Knights on game 6, at Montreal, during our national holiday! Couldn't write it better if it was a movie!

I'm coming back to this thread to say I don't know how to cook poutine, and I'm too lazy to learn French. ^{In other words...} The Knights are defeated yet again, this time it's against the Habs. Best of luck in the finals.

IMUO (In My Unsophisticated Opinion), if I had money to wager I'd put it on Lightning in 7.

1) Buy french fries.

2) Make gravy.

3) Buy cheese curds.

4) Put gravy and cheese curds on french fries.

It’s a pretty simple concept.

Edited by Galadriel on Jun 27th 2021 at 10:59:15 AM

Will Montreal go full on 2010-2011 Canucks (read: riot) if they lose the Stanley Cup?

I'm thinking no, unless there's some blatantly bad reffing. Montreal just kinda limped into the playoffs and no one was expecting much from them this year.

2021 Stanley Cup, Game 1: Montreal gets curb stomped by Tampa Bay real bad. Final is 5-1.

Game 2, Tampa wins 3-1. Is the series over? I don't see how Montreal can win 4 of 5 against a Tampa that's clicking, Vasilevsky at least equal to Price, and one that already has a Cup win under its belt so they know how to do this.

Montreal came back from 1-3 against Toronto. It's not impossible that they come back again. They outrageously dominated in puck control during the majority of this game, if they continue like this in the next ones, I don't see Tampa getting away with it again and again. Kinda like Vegas, who won game 4 despite not being in control of it at all and eventually lost the series as Montreal kept playing better.

Edited by Resileafs on Jun 30th 2021 at 12:07:30 PM

Game 3 is over, Tampa Bay wins again, this time 6-3. Early goals broke Montreal's rythm and late game goals ensured they wouldn't come back.

Not seeing any way for them to win anymore. At this point, they'll probably be playing for pride to avoid getting swept.

Game 4 is over, Montreal avoids the sweep! Winning goal by Anderson in OT!

It required a spirited defense for Montreal, as they ended the third and started OT with Weber in the penalty box for 4 whole minutes, but they have managed to save their honor and force a fifth match in Tampa Bay.

Game 5 is over, the Lightning have won the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row. It was a duel of goalers this time, a single goal scored. Massive effort by both Price and Vasilevski, massive effort by Montreal to get back into the series. If they had played as intensely or had made the necessary changes sooner (Ducharme not being there for the first two games most definitely was a problem), this may have gone on longer.

But for now, Tampa Bay reclaim their title.

And with that, the NHL On NBC era is over (unless they're covering the expansion draft). Here's hoping ESPN does just as good as a job pre 2004-5 lockout & Turner doesn't screw this up... unlike last time (stares at the Thrashers).

The Kraken has announced their first pre season schedule. (Scroll down until you see it)

I assume this assumes the border restrictions due to COVID are lifted by then.

It's been announced that the Seattle Kraken's first game is on October 12 in Vegas against the Golden Knights, with their home opener on October 23 against Vancouver(looking forward to the northwest rivalry). Having lived in the Seattle area my whole life, finally getting an NHL team is a dream come true. The timing of this is historically interesting considering Seattle hockey's connection to the last major pandemic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1919_Stanley_Cup_Finals

Forbes: The Arizona Coyotes are for sale and could move to Houston next season

Coyotes via ESPN: No we're not, that's bullshit

...Wow. That's a pretty large reporting oopsie.

That still might happen if they don't renew the lease. If it does happen, then a Houston Aeros revival? Maybe? Bettman says they're not going anywhere, but when you're not doing anything to renew your lease & you just plain suck (a 5-18-2 record as of this afternoon, they play the Panthers tonight), then relocation becomes a major question.